The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-06-01

deepest contempt, what does the next wit
ness, this MIR. Boggs, say 7 Gentlemen, he
comes forward under the most peculiar CIR
cumstances. A dark mystery shrouds ms
motives, which shall not endeavor TO alio-
gether dissolve. But he comes forward, ana
he takes his place upon that witnesses STAND,
with The open, the avowed, the undisguiseu'
the unaffected, the determined resolution 70
fix upon my client, The injured Mr.. SwiPes'
this foul and unnatural assault and baiefy'
You saw him, gentlemen, when cross
examined him. iremble. under my eye-you
saw hin, hesitate and turn pale ut my voice.
| crhc first lawyer, very probably, has voice
| Thai W.. Id intimidaie bcay.) You heard
him stammer and take hack his word, and say
he did moi recolleci,' Is this, gentlemen
Of the jury, an honest witness The Ian
g,lage OF truth is plain and simple--it requires
no previous calculation. If ask YOU u you
saw the sun set to-day, YOU answer yes, or
no-you do not hesitate, you do mol tremole
You do not say, yes, did, and. in the very
next breath, no, | did not You do not at
frs, tell me, ] walked ten miles yesterday
and afterwards say, yesterday ! was all
day i'll in bed (Here one Of the jurors puts
his nose by that Of another, and utIers some
thing in appreciation Of this argument, and The
other one mods his head and looks at the
speaker, as much as to say, there is no use
| in trying to elude The sagacity Of this keen
sighted lawyer') Now, gentlemen, what
! does this witness sayl He commenced by
telling you, gentlemen, that he lived IN
| Maiden lane, thai he was going home on The
day when this ridiculous and unnatural as
sault is said to have taken place, that he saw
H. l,.,l sl,ath n Saxy
Mr.. SwiPes, my client, the defendant in this
action, come up 10 the plaintilf, Mr.. Wilkins,
and give him, Wilkins. The said plaintiff, a
blow with bludgeon. But gentlemen, when
| come 10 sit this plausible story, YOU heard
him equvoca,e and contradict himself. What
sort of hat had Mr.. Swipes on A black
one" 'Of what breadth was the RIM About
an inch He thought, doubtless, that he was
to have every thing his own way, till brought
upon the stand 10 confront him, the halter,
who made and sold the hat, and who proves
TO you that the rim was broad. You cannot
morally doubt that the hat worn on Tho day,
by Saipes, was broad.hrimmed hat; all the
witnesses for the defendant swear 1t, aud even
Mr. Bnggs himself, when closely questioned,
acknowledged that it might have been broad
brimmed hat. Next. gentlemen, the panta-
looms. What color were Mr.. Swipes' panta-
looms Black said this Mr.. Bogss. Gen.
tlrmen, have produced these pan,aloons in
court. They have been identified beyond the
possibility Of doubt. What was the result
You saw. yourselves. gentlemen. The pan.
falcons were pepper and salt"
A cry OF admiration throughout the court
room. he officer cries order. The poor
witness unfortunately occupies a conspicuous
seat, and all eyes are fixed upon him with the
most virtuous indignation. He is calculating
at what sacrifice he can wind up his business,
and ,,go and settle in Kentucky. The lawyer
wakes triumphant, and after whitening look
at Boggs, goes on.
Furthermore, gentlemen, asked this wit
ness to describe the bludgeon. He could not.
Had it ivory or gold on the handle He could
not tell. Was there ferule upon the end 7
Did not know. Was it heavy! Yes. Had he
ever handled it No. How could he tell the
weight of thing which he had never han
died (Another buzz of admiral on "Was he
personally acquainted with Mr.. Swipes |! No.
! Had he --~- h:.-. Lsinra1 M since
| No. Could he tell whether he had an aq,nline
nose or net No. Was he not friend Of Mr..
| wilkins Yes. Had he not expressed an
opinion upon this case? Yes, he had said the
sconndrel ought to have been ashamed Of HIM
self. Was Mr.. Wilkins hat knocked off =
No. But, before he left the stand, he said he
saw the blood on the top of the plaintiffs head.
| How could he see the top of his head, unless
the hat had been Knocked off,"
(Another buzz The witness here rose and
said, Mr.. Wilkins took IL of 10 sho,c me"
OGcer.-Slence, there!
Judge. Witness, you must not interrupt
the counsel. You have had your turn on the
stand. Yon then had the opportunity to say
whatever you pleased. ! you IRE again guilty
Of so great an indecorum, shall be obliged to
commit you.
Witness stands stupid.
Officer" Sit down! ~ Tin tone Of indig-
nant command. Witness sits down. Officer
scowls at him as if he would snap his head
| off,
shall not follow the learned gentleman fur
Their. only appeal TO every witness that has
ever been brought into a court Of justice. whe-
Their he has not found il often the most difficult
place in the world to tell the truth in; and
whether, when the truth was at length told,
there ever were so many attempts made TO
mysii!y il Whether so much Of what every
one present knew in his heart to he the truth.
could anywhere else be deliberately reject
ed, and whether, when this poor, belabored,
muilated, unhappy truth, so much demanded
was at length produced, il did not have such
an aspect. SO disguised that its own mother
might not have known it.
COMMODORE PREsLE In Coopcr's Naval History
of the United States the following snecdo'e of Com
nodOre Prehc, illustrative of some points in the cha