Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-05-24
THE LONDON TIMES ON THE SICKLEs
VERDICT. .... -s . r
From the London Times, May Ill

c"hcIusicn. Inc Verdlct mas been, as every
body must have expected il would be- one OF
acquittal We are far from asserting that such
conclusion was not borne out by the evidence
That Mr. Sickles acted under the influence of
exceedingly violent provOcatiOn there can be
no doubt, and most likely the strict letter of
The law would not have justified seyerer YER
diet than that of manslaughter But il seems
rStheT S'rong measure to find that n man
who. before the homicide that he committed
wasof perfectly sound mind. and who appeared
before the jary in a most unquestionable state
0' sanity, committed that homicide under the
influence of madness 1t looks as if the crime
had been made the proof of the madness which
excused it. De this as it may, VIC are not
about to lnsinuate sny censure on the verdict
"f the american jury, because We are very
much inclined to believe that Jury of our own
cUuntTymen would have arrived at a similar
conclusion. III we wish to eliminate tho doc
trine Of Served him right from the decisions
"t courts OF justice, we must devise some tri-
bunai less open to popular influences and pre-
gndices than that palladium and pride Of our
liberties British jury. But, while we freely
admit that the conclusion was one at which.
however contrary To law it may be- any twelve
ordinary men were almost certain to arrive
We must say that the whole circumstances at
tending and following the verdict Of acq Initial
the license allowed to the bar and to The au-
dTenee. and the demonstrations of pOpular
elevate free institutions in public estimation.
We cannot forget that though Mr.. Sickles
may have many claims on the cOmpassiouste
allowances of all who Justly estimate the weak
mess of human nature, he ID not an exampIe To
be followed, not hero to be admired but n
misguided man: who washed out grievous of.
fence IN the blood Of his enemy slain i'm the
open day in the public street, without the pos
sIhlhty OF defending himself and with every
circumstance that could show a fixed and fero-
clcus determination. Casuists may differ ~ IN
the precise amount of guilt, rOmancers NAV
deck out the crime with the attributes of hero
ISDi, hut sober reason must still regard the act
as deeply censurable, if not highly criminal,
and It's results as a misfortune to its perpetra-
tor scarcely inferior 10 that which he inflicted
on his victim
This being so, we confess we are sorry to hear
that the verdict Of Not Guilty was received
with n loud. wild. thrilling, tumulruous hur
rah from the spectators, with cheer after cheer,
The waving IF handkerchiefs and general rush
towards the dock. The audience believed, no
doubt that they were making vigorous pro-
test against adultery; but it may also be aues-
toned whether they were not in their zeal for
the seventh commandment, lending their ap-
rIauSe to the impunity that waited on bench
Uf the sixth. The Marshal and the Judge
seemed to have been alike unable to arrest the
tumuit- Mr.. Stanton, one of the prisoners
counsel, moved for his discharge before the
verdict was recorded, and, in the name of Mr.
Sickles and of his counsel. returned thanks to
the jury. We certainly remember to have
read, IN the reports of the Infamous trials of
persons accused of the Popish Plot. thst Judges
were in the habit Of telling iuries tha rev baI
acted as good subjects and Protestants. when.
on the evidence OF Oates or Bedloe, they sent
s'me unfortunate gentleman To the halter or to
Jhe block, but we never before heard of the
counsel for prisoner thanking the Jury. on
behalf Of his client and himself for their YER
diet, as II they were electors at polling booth
Ii that verdict was just, the jurors were en-
Titled 10 no other applause for the discharge of
their duty than that of their own eoaseiences
IL UNJUST, they were entitled to the reprObation
Os alt good men. In no case could the idea of
a"y personal obligation from the prisoner TO the
JHry be entertained; the very notion of such
thing was IN itself an insult
Little, however, cared - the stentOriap Stan
tom for these things. Turning from the iury
ne addressed the crowd in a very pithy piece
81 forensic elrquence. Now 20 it, said The
harrIster, and the enthusiastic crowd went
~ accordingly with another peal of shouts
Mr. SIekles was kissed by his friend Captain
Wiley, and overwhelmed with congratulations,
as ne had achieyed some exploit more than or
dinarily glorious. On his slow but triumphant
passage towards the door he had to pass by
tue jury box the jury expressed a wish to con-
graiulate him; he stepped over the forms To
meet them, and their salutations were heartily
rendered Then the counsel for the defence
exchanged compliments and congratulations
with the jury On emerging from the court
M Sickles was welcomed with n fresh yolley
OF cheers from the crowd. OF course he was
immediately called upon for a speech, but by
tins time he was so much exhausted by the ey-
cess of popular enthusiasm that he was unable
10 comply. desperate effort was made to
take out the horses and to draw him home i'm
q
I" regret that this well-meant attempt was nm
sUcccssful.
The house in which Mr. Sickles was deposit-
Ell was surrounded by thousands of people. and
80 much did this ovation appear to be to the
isle Of ITS principal object that Mr. Sicklcs in
Ir, Lends To remain in Washington for a week.
The counsel who defended him received the
compliment of a serenade, and as they, on be-
haif ot Mr.. Sickies. declined the honor for him.
puhiic enthusiasm could find no other vent
than serenading the jury. Then we have the
sayings and dOings OF the jury; how they came
To Mr.. Brady's parIor at the National. and
e"RdesceDded to unbend ON the subject of their
verdict. Dir. McDermott spoke of his devotion
70 the family altar. Mr.. knight brought his
hddie with him, with which he had soIaced the
long nights Of scclusiOn which the Jury had to
pass, and played several airs to the audience
IN Mr.. Brady parlor. Mr. Arnold. the fore
man, hopes that his latest pOsterity will honor
udNiuk served on that v.
Mr. Hopkins. - the wag and mimic among the
jury. informed Mr.. Sickles that had Mrs.
Hopkins been in question, he would have
brought not merely pistol but a howitzer to
bear on the Seducer. The iailer went: Mr..
Grady Of the Parlor, one Of Mr. SickIess coun-
sci, turned pale; Mr.. Phillips cried like
ehiid,a MIR. Mesgher Of the sword in the
eNuberan ,e of his heart, clapped peopIe ON the
back and asked them il il were not rlorious
The guests at Willard's Hotel stood mn ,nJ
shouted before dinner, and an orange yenJer
presented Mr.. Sickles with a box Of his fruit
- token of sympathy. There is. no doubt
much honesty aud hearty feeling at the bottom
1T these coarse and noisy demonstrations. but
there IS also deplorabIe want of decoru1n and
sclfrespect
Mr.. Sickies. after all, has not saved his conn
try. has not amended her institutions, or yindi
Gated her laws. lie has, under what may be
considered an iatolerable provoc alton, sent an
eTr'ng feliow-crcature TO his last account. with
"at one feeling Of mercy. without one moment
ot respite For this he receives applause and
congratulation such as no living American cit
zen, however fair aud untainted his cha racter
h"S Deen Thought worthy 10 receive Ii il aI.o
Distinguishing merit OF trial by jnry that the
jurors come from the body uf the pcouIe and
Ietnrn To 10 when they have discbsrysd' tb,;r