The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-06
TRIAL BY JURY.
Kinston Free Press.

| TX 0ous very rSsn enC pnW.s
hinge to say about the present inr
svstem. There are defects that h.v
"rept INTO onr system viii, b 90, ht p,
e criticised and ought 70 he char
led but this does Dot by any mean
lnstiTv Wholesale attacks upon th
ancient and bonOred institution q
trial by jnrv. Sach a course onl
terds tn diminish reapect for the Ia,
and to encourage lawlessless an
lvnching We would like 70 nak
this inquiry how many OF onr frieno
ho are 30 severe 10 their criticst
ave ever sat uDoo the jurv scd %
Declally in capital case; and i
there one OF them who If he We,
.unmoned on jury in a cau,,s
case (or anv other case) would ne
'rpeal to the cucct tn have him.al
xcusedf Here il whef- the trouhl.
:. Our heat nae- ~ ali cls.aes sea
;" avoid service on the jury and on,
VS. have been extended until fur,
40 he too easily packed and gonc
zen in their engefnesa to avoid tn.
esponsibii,y aDa t9 attend to pr,
yate business have winsed st it toc
long.
In the tirst place va questior
hether any class Of men ought to =.
xrmnt from ins imu,r5@nt rutv 81
irving on h jorv, and then no ind
vi"usI ought to he excused unless h.
nas. at the time be is called op IT,
ct, good and sufficient excus
which ought to ne publicly ma
rhen there are ,,squa'iications tn
'us ht to be abolished. There is n.
lOnd reason why man who ba
.rrs on grand or petit jury vi,
ne laeu twO wears ehoold he dis
q, fed from ury service. Tue,
nae he good reasons for disQusli',
'ng tails juror, for Ia NAV he
s. ';}~a:fessiOnar' and such .re instl,
Thaeo Is good ras~
Or WHY the members of fire comps
nies md military companies should
he exempt from jury service, and tn.
= ~ fac5 jhst Tie ta~ e-empts sac
shows that it holds out this exem.
ton ae a price for other public ser
ere. thereby depreciatinx the iur-
service
A.sin, there Ought to ne q chanoe
y tie nethod Of selecting tails T.
IRA. TIE eheriffs3 knowing -"
version Of our best men to servire
- the inrv and the desire Of another
'eea tn serve in order TO seeare tie
sar a'em. TOO often pander to tie
@'-, Of both elasaea. Some eafer
.-..'soa ~ sa'act:ne tailsmen o-o.t
q be adopted.
Ta iccline to the further opinion
Mt in "sp,tal csses there ore to"
nanv n"remptorv challenges. II 81
ar, i drawn from the box, "a We
hinx it ahculd be- there can he m
hapce for t'packing" for or agaIns'
10 def.ndapt. To allow him twen
Z 'h-pe perarptorv challenges h.
ilcs those allowed for canss do~e
.an to be objectionable ard o
"enoe rrght to he made in thie res>
1T.
i is suggested nv aom. that i
m Ia - better to Tot the j"dee "e>
70 fI.s fscts "a we'll aa 'he ~.
eh''e others favor majority verdict.
. t,'.o.e in Adhering ia the rioh'
= ti~' " jury and we think 'he,
~ euch innovat'or trial nv t''
.nr' vonld he suhJeet to serions o'
q ia &. hut We can aee 70 good o.
won 70 q verdict hv a 'hrea.f"r.,'
n sio't, or nv a majority Of f''e|
xth. it wnnld he difficult to :
wav nv which one Or two -
-, rn.rht not get upon inrv a1r
ria incline to favor plan ~
!, ~',' y euv such would he powe =
Let rhe queation be agitated 80
81, criticised until Al rerr.ssr,
are made. hut lot ia not f"'
- i',t we are drifting towards ;.
nt- 'ized government and that tn
,n-v come whe9 this very hull
: x ~hIch some would tear down