The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-09-19
MIR. ELLIS,s SPEECH.

We publish to-day, entire, the speech of V.
Ellis, Esq, delivered before the Criminal Court of
this District in defence Of the persons indicted for
a riot on the lst day of June.
The opening speech of Mr. Bradley--that of
Mr.. Darlington, and that of Mr. Scott, have al
ready been published, and the closing speech of
Mr.. Bradley will follow that of Mr.. Ellis.
We have no occasion to say anything of the
ability of these several speeches. Public opinion
has pronounced the most favorable judgment upon
them at the time of their delivery, and our distant
readers will not be likely, We think, to reverse this
Judgment.
The whole country is, by this time, informed
that those trials of the alleged rioters grew out of
party antagonism--in fact, that they were politi-
cal trials under the forms of law. .,... w.
The witnesses upon whose testimony the Grand
Jury found the indictments-the grand jury them
selves-thc Judge of the Criminal Court--the
Marshal who summoned the petit jury-aU were
anti-Americans, and most Of them bitter partisans
The Mayor-the whole corps of police Justices
city constables, and the auxiliary guard, are ene
mics of the American party, and from amongst
them, all the important witnesses for the prosecu
ton were taken! g ~
The prosecution originated in purpose to
cover up and hide from public view the disgrace
full conduct of the city authorities and of their aids
the marines.
By means Of the technicalities of the rules of
law, as to evidence, the counsel for the defence
were prevented from an exposure, by proof Of the
true origin of the disturbances Of the LIST day of
June, and Of the proceedings of the Mayor and his
police officers, antecedeDt to the day of the cleo
ton. .#.. Fl
The Judge who is violent opponent Of Amer
icanism ruled out nearly every proposition of the
counsel for the defence, and thus was enquiry
stiHed. Nevertheless, in the course of the argu.
ment of the case, counsel were enabled, occasion
ally to present to public gaze, some matters of no
little interest, which will not fail to leave due
impression upon the public mind. Mr.. Ellis, per-
haps, took wider range in this respect than his
colleagues, and hence the frequent Interruptions
to which he was subjected.
1t may be that in his zeal and determination of
purpose, he went beyond the usual limits of le-
Ultimate debate; but it seems to US the occasion
demanded it, and the circumstances of his posi-
ton excused it. Neither the United States attor-
ney nor the judge were tardy III arrestng what
they seemed to consider departure from the tes-
timony, and indeed the speaker appears to have
been prepared for such Interruptions for the judi
cial rebukes of Judge Crawford neither disturbed
his equanimity nor changed his course.
We hope that all the speeches of the counsel
for the defence, will be republished by those
presses who are opposed to Federal tyranny
and party injustice. We believe that since this trial.
one-half Of the Democrats of Washington, If not
more, condemn the of the city authorities
the first of June, and if those speeches and the ties
timony can be put before the whole people Of the
country, there would soon be but one opinion as
to the infamous transactions of the city suthori.
ties on that Bloody Monday"