The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-21
Tho Jury Law.

sionai Record few of the remarks OF two
congressman In favor Of MIR. oATEs's bill
to provide for impartial iurics in the Fede'
raj courts. We also stated how the vir
ginia delegation yoted-namely, Messrs
JoHr s. WISE, Bowen, and MAYO against
the bill; and Mcssrs. GEoRGe ID. WISE
TrcKgR. CABELr.. and BARBOUR for the bill
Nessrs. HOOPER and LIBBEy, Republicans
proper, die'not vote atall.
The Charleston Ne,cS and Courier com
ments on the bill as follows;
"The ground was taken by the Republic
cans that the proposed bill would deprive
the United States OF the power to secure
the punishment OF persons charged with
political offences IN the southern states. A
charge more unfounded and wanton than
this has rarely fallen from the lips OF The
mos. bitter hater OF the southern people
IL Is well known that the United States
officers In the South Use the power OF
standiug-aside Jurors in such manner as
10 pack the juries with those whom they
believe 10 be their willing instruments
men who will vote with the Government
whether the guilt OF the accused Is OF
Is not established II Il monstrous tC
sax that the Government needs any
other power in the prosecution OF
political cases than rs exercised IN
other eases. The argument which the
Radical congressman now use would JUSTIFY
the recnaciment of the test oath for Jurors.
Indeed. there Is no reason In logic why the
attempt should not be made to prohibit any
Democrat from serving on jury in polci-
cal case in the South. IL is revolving that
such position as this should be taken at
this day by any men who pretend to repre-
sent any considerable part OF the American
people. They probably go farther than
their constituents VIII approve OF. We
hole so, for we should be sorry to believe
that there are many Americans who are
anxious 10 secure to the Federal officers IN
the south the means OF packing iuries so
as 10 convict. without proof. any white
man or colored Democrat whom II may suit
Che Government 10 accuse OF offences I'M
der The election law.
1.-THE bill to amend section $40 OF the
Revised Statutes will possibly pass at later
stage OF the session. No effort should be
spared for this purpose. The House oil
Representatives is Democratic, and we may
as we'll know as soon as possible whether
there are any northern Democrats who IN
tend to chn.,e in with the northern Radi'
Gals in retaining legislation that virtually
denies 10 Democrats in the South the right
TO fair trial by an impartial jury
The law as IL stands requires the list Of
veniremen to be made up by two men be-
longing 10 different parties. In this city,
this duty is performed by Colonel COALTEE
CADELL and the clerk OF the Federal court.
1t has been performed to the satisfaction OF
the community. But the law would be
rendered absolutely worthless If the Judge
here were to do as was done last year in
South Carolina-namely, stand-aside all
the Democrats on the yenire. and thus
make up a jury composed altogether OF
Republicans.
The southern voters surely cannot be in
duced to divide on any less important
question so long as the Republicans thus
prosecute and persecute southern State
officers. The right to be tried by impartial
juries was provided for by Magma Carta,
and afterwards during the reign Of
CHARLES III. by act OF Parliament. The
people of this land Of boosted freedom
will surely not be less watcbful Of their
liberties than were and are the people Of
England.
The United States iury-law as it now
stands IS the work of that great lawyer,
eminent statesman, and true patriot ALLEN
G. THURMAN, OF Ohio. II the courts would
carry out the law in the spirit in which 1t
was conceived, and administer even-hand-
ed Justice to all the persons charged with
statutory offences, nobody would wish it
to be amended as Mr.. OATES proposed. 1t
needs amendment only because the bench
needs impartial judges. But there is an
amendment that ought TO be made to it, or
else new bill ought TO be passed. We
mean that good pay ought to be allowed to
the Jury commissioners for the faithful and
impartial discharge Of the duties Of their
Office.
Speaking OF the United States jury law,
let us say that before, not since, Mr.. OATES
introduced his bill on the subject, and at a
time when we had no expectation that any
such bin would be proposed in Congress,
we read long, able, and interesting letter
from Colonel CABELL, one Of the jury COM
missioners in this district, to the Attorney
General, in which the Colonel thoroughly
discussed the law, and illustrated his posi-
tions by a short history OF jury laws
in England. The letter Is worthy of being
printed as public document; sndit would
not be had idea, now that the matter has
been brought before the public, for the
House OF Representatives to ask the Attor-
ney-General for copy OF the letter.
Remember the vote in the House of Re-
presen,s tives last Monday on the jury bill.
Danger Ahead.