Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-11-25

made the earth and hung the sun and
moon and stars on high to give it light,
and created man a joint heir of eternal
wealth, and put within him an immortal
spark of celestial fame which surrounds
His throne, could remember mercy in
executing justice when His whole plan
of Divine Government was assailed and
deranged; when His law was set at de-
hance aud violated when the purity of
Eden had been defled by the presence
and counsels of the serpent why, so
can /, and can you. when the wrong and
the crime stand confessed, and every
atonement is made to the ajcsty of the
law which tic prisoner has in his power
to make
Let us come near to each other and
have proper understanding. | am la
boring with you for an object. think
| know something of the human heart
and of the leading attributes by which
1t is governed throughout the world -
BY virtue Of those attributes, feel that
we may annihilate the distance that sep
arates our homes, sweep away all blind
ing excitement, and sit down together
and reason upon this most tragic and
melancholy affair as becomes citizens of
the same Government, proud Of the same
lineage, actuated by the same interests,
and forever linked to the same destiny
You are not merely empanclled in your
capacity as jurors to pass upon the life
Of this erratic youth before you, but the
nation cannot be divorced from a deep
and permanent interest in your delibera-
tions. The crime for which the law
claims his life as forfeit is one connected
with a question of the weightiest national
import-a question which, without any
fault of yours, has rudely strained and
shaken the bonds which MIRAGE and hold
together the States of this Union. This
trial is incident to that question, and must
be met in the face of the whole nation,
and in the view of the entire American
people, as matter Of universal interest
and concern The very nature OF the
offence now under discussion lifts us all
to point Of observation on which states
men and patriots have long bent their
anxious looks. And the pressing, ever
present and determined question of the
hour which now sits with you in the
jury-box, and will retire with You to your
deliberations on your verdict, is, How
shall you most fully meet the require
nents Of the American people at large !;
Test conducc 10 the peace aud repose Of
the Union; allay the rushing winds that
are abroad on the face of the great deep !;
sly peace be still to the angry clements
of passion and reasonable agitation, and
at the same time do all your duty as hon
stand conscientious men administering
the laws Of your State? If it shall be
in my power, in some measure, to point
out the course by which these great OBJ
iects may be attained, | shall mark this,
otherwise sad, day on which | address
you, as the brightest to me in the calen-
dar of time. And, further, if these OBJ
jccts arc to be attained on your part by
invoking into your midst, and following
the winning couusels Of the meek-eyed
and gentle angel Of mercy--if you can
faithfully discharge your oath as jurors,
and, at the same time, best meet the OBJ
legations which rest upon you as Amer
lean citizens by tempcring the bitter cup
which justice commcnds to the lips of
the prisoner with the ingredient of elem
ency, | know you, by the universal law
Of the human heart, will rejoice in such
an opportunity, and join in the public
and private happiness which viii flow
from your verdict. by the help of God
and appealing to Him for the purity Of
the motives which animate my breast, ]
now proceed to demonstrate such a course
as both just and wise in the case of John
+. Cook.
First of all things gentlemen of the
Jury, is your duty to Virginia What
ever she requires at your hands, that you
are to give. Your first love belongs to
her; she is the matron who has unused
you, aud the Queen Mother to whom you
owe allegiance. As an advocate and de-
fender at home of the doctrines of the
State-rights men of the school of 1898,
| do not come here to ask you 10 abate
one jot or title Of your affection aud
jealousy for the honor and interest Of
Virginia. Indeed, were such an invoca-
ton necessary. which / know it is not, ]
would invoke you by the great names of
your history, by tho memory of your an
cient renown, by the thrilling associa-
tons Of the classic soil on which we
stand, and by the present commanding
attitude which your Commonwealth holds
before the world, to be true and loyal to
what she has oeen, what she is, and what
sue hopes to be.
But bow stands Virginia in reference
to the assault which was made upon her
citizens and her soil at Harpor's Ferry,
on the 18th day of October, 1859, and
what yindicaton does she need at your
hands for the outrage? Are the circum-
stances such as to require of her the re-
enactment Of the Mosaic law, repealed
by tic benign teachings Of the Nazarene
on the shores of Galilee? Is she re-
quired to say in a stern and inexarable
spirit:
And if any mischief follow, then
THAI shalt give life for life.
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for
hand foot for foot.
Burning for burning wound for wound,
stripe for stripe p
Not 50. She asks nothing Of the kind
at your hands. Punishment has already
been swift and sure. The measure Of
her vengeance for the great wrong COM
niitcd against her is full, and her vindi