Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-01-13
A Sensible Letter.

N OCilSiUlb LCJItT.
The following letter from Circuit
Judge Frank I. Reid, was read before
the Davidson County Court last Mon.
day, and on motion ordered spread
upon the minutes. It's suggestions
apply with as much force to the Couu.
ty Court of Warren and every other
county in the State as to that of Da.
wilson. There are few, if any, coun.
ties in the State which are not afflicted
with a greater or less number of "pro-
fessional jurors" and that large num-
bers of jurymen are appointed who do
not fill the requisite of competency for
the position is a fact patent to all
thinking men who have the good of
their respective counties at heart.
Every magistrate, in the discharge of
his official duties, should remember
that he is acting for the county and
for the people thereof-not in per.
sonal capacity-aDd his personal favor
itisms should be laid aside. The APP
pointing of juries is matter of vital
importance to the citizens of q county,
and in no way can magistrate more
grossly violate the trusts of his Office
than by appointing men whom he does
not know to be fully competent, Here
is Judge Reds letter, and we hope
every magistrate in the State will read
it, and in future govern himself &c.
cordingly:
! To the County Court of Davidson
County--Geutlemsn; The Legislature
has entrusted to you toe duty of selecting
good and lawful men" TO serve as ju
rors in the Vcurt over which / preside
The manifest reason why this duty
was entrusted to you is that the Legis
lature desired that each civil district
in the county should be represented
on the panel, and as your body i:
composed of magistrates representing
each Of til use districts, it was though
that you were better qualified to MAKE
selections from your own immediate
constituencies than would be any singl,
Judge. In making this selection
however, the Legislature was careful
to charge you to select only such per
sons as possess the prescribed quali6
) cations, and are esteemed in the CON
+ munity for their integrity, fair charac
r ter and sound judgment. While
have been on the Circuit bench yol
. have sent many gentlemen to serve a
= jurors who were fully up to the stand
. ard required by the Legislature, bu
| you have sent Others far below it.
r In fact, it has become a matter G
D street talk that favorilism, and nc
duty, too often dictates your appoint
ments. | talk plainly and it is righ
r that | should. | am perhaps more il
terested than any other man in tn
p honest and able administration of tn
law in the Circuit Court. Ever
citizen, though, is deeply interested i
U knowing that his own property righ'
l. and the property rights of all othel
C cannot, under the forms Of law,
e wrongfulIy taken from him, throug
the ignorance or dishonesty of til
agents selected to administer justic,
Besides, there is a growing sentimer
against trial by jury in civil cases, an
unless the character of our juries
greatly altered for the better it vii
and at no distant date, result in Il
, overthrowing of the system.
The county and litigants will
Is saved many a heavy bill Of costs,
IF you will see to it, that no one not pc
II sessing the requisite qualifications, isa
e pointed juror. ask each Of you
~ number to appoint no one who is soil
!" ting the appointment-no better eV
Ie dence of his unftness need be desired
d but to select some citizen from 70,
|. district, who is known to be "esteemt
70 in the community for his integrit
=. fair character and sound Judgment
= Respectfully, FRANK T. REID.