The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-10-29
STAR CHAMBER PROCEEDINGS.

Court in session In the city OF Jack
sonville. There are two classes oil
trials now going on there. On the
one hand, some of the best citizens OF
the State are arraigned before that
tribunal of justice (?) (God save the
mark on the charge of having viola
ted the election laws. On the other
hand, the Judge, the district attorney
and the jury commissioners, are or
trial at the bar of public opinion. In
the one case there can be but little
doubt alto the verdict. The court was
organized to convict. The judge and
| Jury have all been "fxed" for that
purpose. In the other case the YER
dict is even less uncertain. Incensed
and outraged at the ubiquitous pro-
ceedings to secure the conviction
of our people, the public will place
upon them their seal of condemna-
ton, and pronounce them guilty of
the great crime of prostituting a
court of justice to the base purpose
Of gratifying party spite and malig-
nifty. 1t is net that we, or the PEG
pie Of this State, object to the trial or
conviction Of persons who have vio-
lated the laws of the country, but
that they despise the indirect and
INSCRIPTIONS methods and devices
which have been resorted to to deprive
these alleged political offenders that
fair and impartial trial which is usual
for courts to accord to even murder
ers or highwaymen. There is not a
fair-minded and intelligent man III
the State, Republican or Democrat
who has observed the course laid
down and pursued by this court,
from the appointment of Farnell as
Jury commissioner down to the re-
markable charge made from the
bench that the accused, who stood
before him asking for protection
against injustice, had resorted "to
all sorts of subterfuge," that believ es
it was ever intended to grant a fair
and impartial trial to these prisoners
Not one of them believes that
commissioner Farnell was ca we'll
known" Democrat in accordance
with the letter or spirit of the
statute directing that such should be
appointed to aid the Clerk in select
ing jury, or that the court thought
he was. Not one of them believes
that an equal number of Democrats
and Republicans were put upon the
Jury list. Not one of them believes
that the court was actuated by a
spirit of justice and fairness in de
priving the prisoners of the right to
be tried in Tallahassee, near their
homes, their witnesses and their
friends.
Then can they respect a tribunal
of which they hold such opinions
The efficiency and influence of
courts of justice depend mainly upon
tie respect and confidence which they
inspire by righteous administration
Of the laws. So long as the people
feel that the Judge is a just and pure
man, that it is his purpose to deal out
even handed justice under any and all
circumstances, 50 long will they yield
ready obedience to the judgment and
DEGREES of the court. But when that
Judge becomes a partisan on the
bench; when he acquiesces in, if not
directs, the manipulation Of the ma
chinery ofhis court so as to secure con-
victions for political or any other Of
fences, confidence in the purity and i'm
Partially of the judiciary is broken
down; the pretended administration
of Justice is derided and sneered at.
the judicial ermine is brought into
contempt, and the laws are set at de-
fiance. Moreover, when courts, which
are instituted to dispense justice, are
co verted into engines of oppression,
and the subjects of their prosecutions
are goaded and harried until they are
driven to madness and desperation.
you may hear them muttering
through their teeth vengeance is
mine, 1 will repay"
1t may be that the presiding iudoe