If a report in the Echo can be trusted, Mr.
Justice Brett is Kontributimgsomething to the democratising of the Bench. At the -Huntingdonshire Assizes, says our contemporary, Sir Balliol Brett sentenced a man to amonth's imprisonment for stealing 14a. worth of hay. After the man was removed, one of the jury is said to have risanuked, " That rather stiff, my Lord ;" whereupon, all the jury agreeing that it was " rather stiff," the Judge put it to them -what _penalty they would have recommended, the reply being, 4l out it in halves." Sir Balliol Brett thereupon sent for the pri- soner, and told him that as the jury thought the sentence rather 4atiff, ;he would alter it to fourteen days, a day for every stolen shillingaworth. If the Judges begin to admit that juries have a fairer mind and a nicer discrimination for awarding punishments than themselves, the step from trial by jury to judgment by jury will soon be made.
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