The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-11-14
For the Democratic Advocate
How Juries Are Drawn.

In the issue of the american Sentinel of the
3lst of October, last, noticed what was put
forward as a reply to the circular issued by
the chairman of the Democratic County Com
mittee. 1t attempted to force upon the in
teligent citizens of this county false state
ment ofthe manner in which the jury is drawn.
In the first place, the County Treasurer is re-
auired to furnish to the Court list Of the
taxpayers of the county. From that list and
the poll books used at the last election the
Judge of the Circuit Court selects two hun
dred names, from which the panel for any
particular term is drawn. The following is an
extract from the Court proceedings;
sTHE STATE OF MARYLAND,
CARROLL COUNTY, To WIT:
"a list of the names of two hundred persons
selected on the ninth day of October, In the
year one thousand eight hundred and eighty
five, by John E. Smith, Associate Judge of
the Circuit Court for the Fifth Judicial Circuit
of the State of Maryland, to constitute panel
from which to draw and summon forty eight
persons as jurors to attend the next ensuing
November term of the Circuit Court for Car
roll county,"
Then follows the two hundred names, of
which 90 are Democrats and 1873 are Republi-
licans. Appended to these is the following
certificate:
81. John Z. Smith, Associate Judge of the
Circuit Court for the Fifth Judicial Circuit of
the State of Maryland, do hereby certify that
the above and foregoing list of two hundred
names has been duly selected by me in con-
formity with and according to the spirit and
iutent of the Acts of Assembly in such case
made and provided. In testimony whereof |
hereunto subscribe my name, this ninth day
of October, in the year one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-ive.
JYo. E. SMITH"
These two hundred names are placed in a
box, and the Clerk of the Court draws forty
eight of them out, in the presence and under
the direction of the Judge. His duties are
merely perfunctory and clerical. If the Judge
ofthe Court selects only one Democrat in three
names to be placed in the box, are not the
chances two to one that no Democrat will be
drawn? The political complexion of the two
hundred persons selected by the Court to be
placed in the box, from which the present
Jury was drawn, is in the ratio of nine Repub-
hcans to four Democrats.
Toillustrate the equitable (?) selection made
by the Judge, let us take Manchester and
Westminster districts
Manchesters portion of the two hundred
names, is twenty-three. There are four DEM
ocrats to one Republican in the district Yet
of the twenty three names from Manchester
district placed in the box, seven only are
Democrats. An equitable apportionment
would have been eighteen Democrats to five
Republicans.
Westminster district is entitled to and had
forty-two names of the two hundred. This
district has thirteen Democrats to twelve Re
publicans Yet of the forty names from
Westminster district, thirteen only are Demo
Gratis. This equitable(?l proportion is kept
up throughout the other districts of the
county.
Instead of 1873 Republicans of the two hun
dred there ought to have been, under fair
and Just apportionment, only 80. Truth.