The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1914-03-26
TRICE'S TRUMPETEER
ARTICLES Published under this Heading fur
nished by NJ. P. A. Bureau. Jacksonville
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HOW THE CONSTITUTION is
IGNORED

The exact time and place when and
where one form of property in domestic
trade and foreign commerce was first de-
prived of the constitutional rights as
sured to every owner. may not be readily
stated
1t would be worth while to hunt down
and place the first occasion when the
owner of lawful property was denied the
right Of trial by jury. "a day in court or
''due process of law when the right of
use and possession of such property was
called in question.
1t Is evident that those who attempted
such deprivations of constitutional rights
did not appreciate the dangerous course
upon which they were entering. They
did not know that they were entering
upon the destruction of constitutional
government. For If one form of lawful
property be removed from the
guardianship of the Bill Of rights,
trial by jury, all forms are
placed in jeopardy and government UNI
der a written constitution overthrown.
Under the system now in vogue only
wild denunciation by some organized cult
Is needful to secure the sitting of trade
In any article of commerce and trench
ing upon the security of life Itself.
Denial Of the right of trial by jury
has now become a common event in many
states. Such denial is the most serious
invasion of those liberties assured in the
Great Charter OF English government.
and adopted into the Constitution of the
United States, and all of the states
Let us see what takes place under the
rules of the revolutionary propaganda
now in partial control In several sections.
You are tried as to the safety, owner
ship and useful employment of your law
full property on vague and general charg-
es uttered on public platforms by those
who are not officers of the law. These
charges are not embodied in any legal
form by the chosen officer Of the law,
and are tried without the Formally and
safeguards of legal procedure, by town
meeting or county ballot or state ballot
or a ballot In legislature and not under
any circumstances by jury of your
peers, twelve good men and true, sworn
to observe the rules OF evidence. In this
trial. new, to the American people, and
having no real standing in constitutional
jurisprudence, you can call no counsel
and plead no cause; your only defense
is In persuading citizens to vote for you,
and the continued lawful enjoyment Of
what is your own. This system, or
lack of system is a perversion of consti-
tutional liberty under our government.
1t was never intended to try anybody or
determine the rights Of property by town
meeting or by legislature. except mem
bers of public officials, and town meetings
and legislatures voting away property.
have usurped the powers OF courts.
and thrown our system out Of balance.
The judicial powers have been exercised
by those to whom they do not attach,
or elected judicial officers.
or elective jud cious officers.
Neither majority rule" nor the exer-
else OF the so-called police power" can
Justify or palliate denial of the right of
trial by jury one of the fundamental
rights Of every citizen.
AS a matter of fact 1t has become a
profitable business for the hired agents
of a highly centralized organization to in
terfere in peaceful communities. trench
upon the constitutional rights of citizens
and demand that they defend their lawful
property and business by trial OF bal
lots, in place Of trial by jury. In view
of this new and highly dangerous method
of procedure, there is need to-day OF
of the constitution and enforcement Of its
powerful re-assertion of the integrity
guarantees that mo person shall be de-
prived of life. liberty or property without
due process of law; nor shall private
property be taken for public use without
just compensation" A ballot Is not
due process Of law"