History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

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for the peaceful settlement of disputes, that is not the only important
function they perform. The imporance of the educational function of
courts of justice, in connection with our jury system, cannot be overestimated or excessively magnified. This court and this courthouse have
constituted, for forty-six years, the greatest educational institution in the
county of Oakland. During that time nearly five thousand jurymen and
many more spectators from all parts of this county have sat and listened
day after day to the exposition of the law, the necessity of obeying it,
and the inevitable penalties that must follow its breach. Not only that,
but they have listened day after day to the testimony of experts and other
witnesses as to how things ought to be done, and how they ought not
to be done. They have learned the wrong way and the right way. But
still more important than all that-those jurymen, themselves, have sat
as judges between man and man, and have learned to listen patiently to
both sides, and not to decide or act until they have heard all the evidence
on the question. They have been given judicial minds. That is the great
safeguard to this community and to this republic. Men so educated do not
act hastily. They do not act first and then think afterwards. They have
learned to marshal facts, weigh arguments, reason logically, foretell consequences and to respect and obey the courts and the law. Mob violence
cannot flourish in such a community. Maintain the purity of your judiciary, your present jury system and the present efficiency of your public
schools and the republic is safe.
"Let us then not hesitate to bid farewell to this good old building, because we must; and let every vestige of it be removed, in order to make
room for a still nobler and better one. But let us do it respectfully and
reverently, feeling, as brick by brick shall be removed, that it has nobly
fulfilled its purpose and that to tear down and destroy it, surrounded as
it is with so many precious memories and associations, even for the purpose of making room for a better one, is a grave matter and one not
lightly to be regarded."