Mr. Erie, Associate in the Court of Common Pleas, who.
helped the Attorney-General to draw up his Jury Bill, appears, from a long and able letter which he has sent to the Times, dis- posed to accept a compromise. Be would abandon the idea of accepting the verdict of a majority, and reduce the number of a jury to eight, two of whom should be special jurors. He says. very few juries are now discharged for disagreement, and evi- dently holds, in common we believe with many Judges, that the sagacity of juries is under-rated by the public. He states, as the result of long experience, that verdicts are very seldom wrong. He holds that the jury system will yet be extended, and that economy of jury power is indispensable. We agree with. that, and if unanimity were retained, believe a verdict of seven would be respected by the public. One special juror would them be sufficient, and all classes would be summoned equally often.
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