Washington telegraph., 1850-04-17
From the Louisville Courier.
THE WEBSTER TRIAL.

r.Ls.-BEHAvIoR OF THE PRISONER. .
Rostou March %. The defence opened
tbe case for Webster yesterday Afternoon
A large number OF witnesses have been
s,amined, testifying to the prisoners good
character This morning his two dangh.
tors, Mary Ann and Catharine, were on
tho stand, and testified to their father be.
4 ;no a, home as usual Oh the day of Park.
mans disappearance. &c. These young
ladies are, the one apparently about 16
.ad the other about l8 years of age
They behaved with exceeding fortitude
and proprlety
Here the eastern wires were broken,
emitting off all further communications for
,o-night.-REP.]
Boston, Narch 80.
Yesterday, Judge Merrick spoke six
and a half hours for the defence. He
held the crowded courtroom in profound
attention for the whole time. Toward
the close, he was deeply interested and
affected. The prisoner listened with
wrapt attention, and toward the close.
the perspiration rolled from his forehead
in large drops, though he did not lose
control of himself. If innocent, what
cordial to his narrowed feelings such
yindication must have been. The Judge
drew attention to the prisoners failure to
show where he got the money which he
says he paid Parkman, and ventured a
lame aud miserable apology for it. In
his treatment of Little6eld's testimony,
he was severe. This morning, J. Clifford
is summing up for the prosecution. Ii
is supposed the case will 60 to the jury
to night.
Boston,, March sc.
Mr. Clifford. the Attorney Of the Com
monwealth, closed his eloquent argument
this afternoon. Chief Justice Shaw.ad-
dressed the prisoner, to know if he had
anything to say to the jury before he
delivered to them his charge upon the
features of the case The prisoner arose,
4beginning in rather confused manner.
without addressing directly either the
bench or jury:) Il have desired to enter
iuto all explanation of the complicated
Let wo:k of circumstances which, by my
peculiar position, the Government has
thrown around me, and which, in nine
cases out of ten, are completely distOrt-
ed, and probably nine-tenths OF which
could be satisfactorily explained. All the
points of the testimony have been placed
III the haads or my counsel. by whom my
innocence could have been fully establish
ed; acting entirely under their direction
have sealed my lips, during my confine-
ment, trusting myself entirely to their
care. They have not deemed it neces-
sary, in their superior wisdom Qn All ironi-
cal tone,) to bring forward the evidence
which as to exonerate me from variety
of these acts.
The Government has brought whatever
consummate ingenuity could suggest
against me, and ] hope it will not have
an undue influence upon the jury. will
not alude to many of the charges. There
is one which touches me-it is the letter
which has been produced in court. 1t is
not the first which have read i'll the daily
prints of the city. which are distributed
in my departments, and various other
publications which have been made re-
specting me. One. stating that [ had,
after the disappearance of DR.. Parkman,
purchased a quantity of oxalic acid to re-
move tine stains of blood which had been
discovered at the college. On reading
this, it instantly occurred to me that this
parcel might be saved and produced when
necessary. For several days Mrs. Web
ster had requested me to purchase some
acid for domestic purposes, aud as my
wife had repeatedly laughed at me be-
cause | had not purchased it. had borne
it in mind that afternoon, and l went into
Taylor's store, under the Revere House,
and made the purchase there; L waited
till the Cambridge ''hourly came along.
and then jumped into the omnibus with
the parcel. Went home and gave the
bundle to my wife; when afterwards l
heard 20 much about the bundle, i. fash
ed upon my mind that this was the one
alluded to. 1t was relative to this bundle
and not to any document, that l wrote
directions to my wife.
AS regards the nitrae of copper, in my
usual lectures. preceding my arrest, had
occasion to use it. to show the influence
Of chemical agents in producing changes
Of various subjects. among others upon
gases. l prepared large quantity of
oxalic acid gas. gallon jar was filled.
in order to produce the changes from dark
color 20 orange, and also on air or great
heat being applied to the jar, the gas
was drawn through water. AS to the
nitrate of copper split upon the stairs and
Aoor of the iai,oratorv i. was accidental
ly split from the quantity used ny me i'll
my lectures between the day Of the dis
appearance of DR.. Parkman and my arrest.
might go Oh explaining away variety
of the circumstances which have been
distorted in the case. My counsel have
pressed me to keep calm. My calmness
has been made a bar against me; but my
trust is in God, and my own innocence.
In regard to the money. must say one
L II