The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-16
Juries in the Federal Courts.

xtsptly showing that In their opinion south
ern Democrats have no rights which re.
publicans arc bound 10 respect. They can
not outgrow the foolish notion that they
are the heavcn-appointed rulers OF this
country, and the southern people mere
servants or interiors whose duty II Is to
perform faithfully all the duties OF good
citizens, hut who are entitled TO no rights
except such as the Republicans in their
generosity may dole out TO them. We OF
the South occupy In the northern Republic
can mind the same place which Ireland oc-
cupics in the mind Of the average English
man.
This state Of feeling on the part OF our
northern Republican enemies Is well Illus
frafcd In q complaint against the southern
people made In the New York Tribune OF
Monday. A few years ago Mr.. THURMAN
succeeded In getting law passed by Con-
gress providing that all jurors. grand and
petit, shall bc publicly drawn from box
containing the names OF not less than three
hundred persons. These names are placed
in the box by the clerk OF the court and q
commissioner appointed by the Judge
thereof, which commissioner must be
citizen OF good standing residing in the
district IN which such court is held, and
well-known member OF the principal po-
Iitical party in the district in which the
court Is held opposing that to which the
clerk belongs, the clerk and said commits
sioncr each to place one name in said box
alternately. without reference 10 party
affiliations until the whole number re-
quircd IL placed therein. The commits
ioner residing in Richmond is Colonel
CoAITEE CABELL.
The law was passed to prevent the pack
ing OF jurics--a practice which was sup
posed TO be by no means unknown in the
states south OF us. The juries In Virginia
had been before the law was passed COM
posed almost altogether Of Republicans;
but we believe there was no charge that
they were selected because they would con-
Wet Democrats charged with offences.
The reader will see that the law IL a fair
enc. II is impossible that packed jury
can be drawn under II il it is honestly adj
ninistercd. The result In the Gulf States
has not at all answered the expectations Of
the Radicals and scalawags OF those States,
who find, to their amazement, that not
every Democrat indicted for violating the
national election laws is convicted. Ii is
the firm belief Of those valuable citizens
that the courts ought now TO be run, rs
they were for 50 many years, as Republican
tribunals, instituted for the purpose Of per-
petuating Republican rule in the United
States and Republican rascality in the
southern States; and accordingly there is
q loud complaint against the manner in
which Nr. THrRaAS's jury law operates. |
IL il not to be tolerated for a moment that |
"a Democratic Juror should have any opin-
ions OF his own. II Is his duty, according |
TO the 1ribune's teaching, 10 serve on !
Jury, il ut all. merely in order to bring up |
the number TO twelve; and TO agree to |
whatever verdict the Republican jurors /
may consider it best for the interests OF |
their party to return.
Read the following, and admire the cool |
ness OF the proposition to change the jury |
law so that there may be none but Repub-
Means on the iuries of the Federal courts. |
A Republican lawyer-scalawag or carpet
bagger--said to the Tribune correspond
ent:
"The new jury law accomplishes the
purposes Of it, authors perfectly. II
amounts TO virtual notification Of the
election laws i'm the southern States. No
matter how clear the proof OF guilt may be
no offender can be convicted. The 800 men
selected are chosen from bitter partsans OF
the opposing political parties. The clerk
Of the court selects $50 Republicans and
the commissioner chooses 100 Democrats.
and every case Is decided not according 10
the testimony, but according to the polit-
cal predictions Of jurors"
Therefore the 100 Democrats ought to be
left off the lists, and none but Republicans
allowed TO sit o. jurors. Or, as the 1ri-
Ja,,e's correspondent modestly says:
''ii the Republicans should choose to do
so. they might by al amendment to the Judi
cial appropriation bill repeal this law,
which appears to work so badly"
How it "works badly" is told aboye-it
prevents Radical and negro jurors from
Democratic white men OF Of
fences against the national election laws,
and keeps good many excellent men out
Of iaiI who would undoubtedly be sent
there il the scalawags, carpet-baggers, and
negroes aforesaid, could have their way.
Now, won't the Democrats in Congress al
low this amendment to be made to the
Jury laws! We shall see.