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 | The miscellaneous essays and occasional writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq |  |
A learned author, Adrian hight,
Did late in Bailey's journal write,
And plainly prov'd, by dint of law,
That jurymen are men of straw;
And for no other use design'd
But to confirm the judge's mind;
That they've no conscience of their own,
But from the bench must take their tone;
And have no eyes to see what's right,
Unless the court affords them light;
And tho' their doings may seem tragic,
They're phantoms rais'd by legal magic;
Whom conj'ring judges take to court,
To shew their skill in making sport;
To toss about like any jack-stone,
And for authority quote Blackstone;
Referring us to page three hundred;
As if judge Blackstone never blunder'd.
All this did Adrian in his fury,
Pronounce against a late grand jury;
And prov'd that animal rationale
With jurymen will never tally:
Because 'tis plainly to be seen
A jury's but a mere machine.
My thoughts thus on grand juries ran;
Make out a likeness if you can.
Did late in Bailey's journal write,
And plainly prov'd, by dint of law,
That jurymen are men of straw;
And for no other use design'd
But to confirm the judge's mind;
That they've no conscience of their own,
But from the bench must take their tone;
And have no eyes to see what's right,
Unless the court affords them light;
And tho' their doings may seem tragic,
They're phantoms rais'd by legal magic;
Whom conj'ring judges take to court,
To shew their skill in making sport;
To toss about like any jack-stone,
And for authority quote Blackstone;
Referring us to page three hundred;
As if judge Blackstone never blunder'd.
230
Pronounce against a late grand jury;
And prov'd that animal rationale
With jurymen will never tally:
Because 'tis plainly to be seen
A jury's but a mere machine.
My thoughts thus on grand juries ran;
Make out a likeness if you can.
| The miscellaneous essays and occasional writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq | |