The New Jury Law

The law just passed by the Lngislature in relation to challenges oi' jurors ia in criminal cuses, malees a'n important change in the pruetic; of our courts, and one which is in kei-ping with the progress of the agc, There was an honest and ftrenuous opptsltion made to it in the llouso by gentlemen oí' conservative tendencies, who could see no good in ultering the present law and apprehendiíd danger to the rights of individuals by the contempluted uow enaci ment. ïlie vote by which thu luoasare passed, 64 ' to 15, showed that tho majority of tho niembers aro fully oouvinced that the chango is demanded. The teruis of the bill, as ainended in tho House, do not disqualify a person from sitting as a juror in criminal cases l'or the previous formation or expression of a partial opinión or inipression in rcierence to the circumstanoes upon whieh any criminal action is based, or in reference to tho guilt or innocence of a prisoner, if the juror's opinión or impres sion is not based on personal kuowledge, and if he can take oath as to his capability to ronder an impartial verdict on the evidence submittod on tlie trial. The court, according to a proviso, " is to be satisfied that tlio pers n proposed as a juror doea nut eüterfain Buen a present opinión as would iniluence his verdict." Intullipnit p:jople have for a long time recognized the necessity of aoine such enactment as the one under consideratiou, The full publication of the details of oi'iino by tho daily pupers of the country, and thuir lúrculation in a community so universally a reading one as ours, rendered the old order of things a positivo obstruction to the course of justice. The dullest intelleots, the least inforracd members of society vero called upon to weigh the casuistry of keen criminal lawyeirs, and to render juiginent in cases that no logio could make clear to them. In the moro noted criminal eases of the State there were but two classes frora wliich tbo juiics oould be made up - the illiterate and ignoiunt, and the professional juryraen. Metí of informa - tion, nnderstandhig and judgmont were nccessarily excludud. All this being now ttltered, wo havo a right to oxpect fewer verdicts incompatible with the evidenco, and a botter administratiou of tho criminal law. - Vree Press. The oelebrated actor, Jnhn Palmer, whose father was a bilí sticker, and who eooasionally followed the same humble occupation himself, whilo strutting one eveninj; in the green room in a pair of' glittering buokles, a bystander remarkeq thut they really resemhled diamond, "iSir," Bftid Palmer with some wiirruth, "I wou ld have you know I aever weat anythinfr but diainonds " "I ask j'our pardon," replied the other ; "I remember tho time when yoü wary nöthinc; but ])!isto ! " The laugh was muoh heighten-i e:l by BannÍBter exolairaing, "Jack, wby .-on stick hiin ngitinbt t'ao wall'r "