New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-01-23
THE FORREST DIVORCE CASE
Catharine ". Fsrresttt Edwin forrest-Edwi In
Forrest " Catharine Y. Forrest
SUPERIOR COURT-Before Judge OAKLEY.
TmRrIErH DAY.. Thursday, Jan. %.


Catharine ". Forrest agt Edwin Forrest,
aud counter charge Action for Divorce. CONTINUED
SPEECH or mR. o'coNoR ON BEHhLF OF MRS.
FORREST.
At mo previous dsv of the session has
the Courtroom been SO full The most intense ex-
citement seemed TO prevail N anticipation If the
argument OF MIR. O'ConOr. Sir Foues. WAS present
| as usual, and Mrs Forrest wss accompanied ny Mrs
Willis, Mrs Goodwin, Miss Virginia Sinclair and an
other lady.
Mr. OConor, at lot o'clock, commenced his si-
dress as follows
MAY 1T PLEASE THE COURT.
Itwas observed at an early stage of this case, IN
relation to certain things 70 which, by possibility,
| complaint might have been made, no co nplant
was made on our part | WISH 20 say, II your Honor
peases that the policy which dictated to me through
this case and the sense OF right and OF propuey
winch dictated to me throughout this case, the
avoidance, as far as was practicable, Of any ooserva
ton upon any person other tnsn those now on trial
! before the Court, and especially 70 AVOID ooSatya-
ton m the nature OF a rlbad jest which might eN-
! cite ribald laughter IN cause 50 deepy affecting
the parties as this does, and SO deeply connected
with the administration of justice Ia us tenderest
point and so interesting 10 the who,e OF the com
munty not merely OF this Cliy, not merely OF THIS
State in this widely extended Union, but even OF all
that part Of the parent country which speaks the
English language, or has any acquaintance win It
| that same policy, SIR, dictated 10 me the linpro-
pflety OF mailing any complaint, ana ~ no sage ot
this cause have ever complained o. anything which
| | or any other might deem departure from me
! ordinary course Of pr0pney or ushsgressiol
az sinst those virtues good ORDER that are lnlls
penssble to the very being OF society and that I'M
| less they are preserved moss absolutely rem
Gers 1t wholly impossible TO preserve orderly
! faithful and correct Administration OF tne law
say nv policy WAS nor TO complain, and 80 lar, ST.
| as 4 course cf argument mSy have had A tendency
to develop the true character OF one OF the plrucS
! TO III controversy, Il would have been indeed BAL
policy TO complain III this matter and Standing, as
do. the cole defender deem u my duty - preserve
policy as well as to seek justice. Therefore, Sir,
have considered the faTces thai have been ena ted
and the tragedy that has been attempted but as 80
many ountaTy witnesses brought before TINS Jury
anc displayed before this community FOR the purpose
| of developing TO the Court. and IN which the true
character OF one side IN thus controversy ~ made
PLAIN But Sir, there has been one departure from
| propriety which mas not thai tendency. There has
| beer one departure RON propriety tina! may trench
upon ore right Of my client, and oepriye her of me
| bene FITS ~nch may result from that right |, there
fore SHAH ask leave 70 complain, for the hrst time
OF the last VIOLA ~ ploprieiy tina. has yet taken
place IN this Ct.e. | mean, Sir that VIOLATION OF
uOpriety. pursuing the game OF ndiscrnlnate havoc,
perhaps Of relsCn. but OF reputation far dearer
.naI life, which at chrac eiZod this case through
out ImfaD ST. that which called forth The ooserya-
| ton from your Honor esterCay meanthe prooaoe
unriend Iuess OF the Court Now Sir IconceIgeu to
be ailOgtth IT. character and feeling with the cer
! tanly very prudent course of my adversary deem
proper impure that rot 10 him, out to his own
iLSauc .IoDs-Bot as emanains from himself, Dut as
passing through ia as the neEe conduit, the vIce,
the lsuguaee the observation, Of his client Now,
Sir, that the last Improperly AS yet have hope
that there Will be another, and confident nope AIal
parties that have come within the reach cfi'his mas
sword he hasleyeled astrOko even upto your Honor
have a confident hope that twelve other individuals
will receive suitable cenunciatiOn consequent upon
the Justice and righteousness OF their verdict and Is
s only necessary for me to add those two other I'M
| propreties fear them not Now SIR, looserVe
for Tho -
| IL e1cites a tendency 10 deprive client Of right
before this jury, nyour Honor peases, VINO have SAT
| some FIVE SIX weeks 80 advocates members
o. the legal profession VINO come each as Ihe chain
| pOn OF his paTty-each honestly Inoned with con-
viclion of the righteousness OF his clients case, bu.
each liable, OF course 20 the deepest preudlces, ia
BILE 10 he greatly mIsed, each liable 20 use course
ofsgument uniounded IN reason, tIncturet BY adec-
ton CCiored b. the ptsslOns-hOw Is .thls Jury 10
| decide between US How, n | MAKE a STATE
merit OF evidence directly contra iclofy 10 tne oneI
Side-hOw. III present ALI argument 10 Illustrate snis
case widely different from the course OF dfgum nv
he has adopted how is this july TO hnd an umpire
and an srbiter between as have expected
| throughout .hls from The beginning mat every
lust uprigh. and noble msn IN th,s community would
/ become deeply imbued With the vioiea preJudire
against he case of this defendant by the time our
Witnesses were examined have expected, SIT, tnas
that calm, enlightened Judgment which for s"en-
ty.fye wears has presired IN this Cour! VITA
univ erss satisfaction, manifested NOT only uhceI slo
old system, bus more recently ~ we Peop'r isel,'
gbIch no man has ever doubted, which 40 nave All
at the Bar uniformly acknowledged TO DO SO lmPH
tsl ard so Just, so enlightened IN us views -, ev
dercc, anc is go reasonable, so marked WIN 1ntI
Dlain common sense which goes stragnI nome 20 snc
| hearts Of men, anu carlei c0nYlcIlon 40 mitAel
with that love Of justice that Knows no iatetlng,
that has commanded universal atmration-l nave
| exuecied Sir, though | have DO personal claims
upon your considerations though my client Is sIotal
strspser have expected from the outset thts snas
common Justice hlch for twenty i've years All par
brxra cd 4
this case And If certain paris OF u nase oo'.s'n
impressions, they would be put 70 this july ana
that wherever the learned counsel upon me o.ns.
SIDE and myself are Ia conflict, ana VI u oinsieco
/ Is material the scale would be made even between
US. and The night would be presented 70 tns Jory
GO nust hope. pray, nay, asuiaha a. ma nnas
ter Of Justice upon behalf OF one Of the mosi hoip
less AND fleIdles individuals, so lar as managing
case IN a Court of Justice Is concerned. tnas Iol,
Honor be not turned ASIDE ffom tne peiiol ~ ~, -
that DUTY from which you never before nave suIun
snd ,bst YOU will honestly give 10 me Jury all we
eplrlors which have entered your mina ITO q vac
evicerce before yOu IN reference 70 shs Important
Gp,1tyNE, Or rHB JURY Tnls case, which has
occvpied your time so long, nov drawsto close
Nothing rem aims for me OUT to present such ars9-
rnenrs as strike ne 70 be required 70 Dc propsiH
noticed and these shall endeayof 10 presenI vi d
great brevity I shall eIceavor 10 cunva1s tne
imagination and improve the morals OF know n coun-
try people-,he ari Of music You have tnsI cou2 .
placed before.you TO be blasted with iniamy oy mo
verdict which you are TO rendet-she noIher pios-
,tute the father backyard, and the little cato
bsrtard Are these ALL No. Young 'irginls, "a
,aI.a 70 .. b,,tsd and BY your YER
Dict And why all thisi Why, gentiemsn, ma ,n ~
gong into pedigree and tracing mat peost ..,.o
collateral links with Mrs Forrest, Seu NM - -,
UPON her sort Of constructive infAmy . ono 80.
was prone to wickedness ana even ~ ne, y.
ben. upon vile deeds, and utterly VIC No fny sood
the very constitution OF The .9msA sO ~ r,a,s
Az. ov.I,NcI.d the panty who indeed might have
been ussilei BY Mrs Forest herssf Isa nave a,.o
the destiniss of thai woman In youI hands ano.