The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-02-17


members would be overawed in their de-
liberations by threats or the fear of exter-
nal violence, aud be obliged to resort for
protection to an armed soldiery, or carry
about their persons deadly weapons OF de-
fence. The citizen who aids in forcing
this necessity upon them strikes fatal
blow at the institutions of his country and
the freedom of representative government.
The evidence shows that on account OF
some expressions uttered by Mr.. Church
in the House Of Representatives, in the
course of debate, the words probably mis-
understood or nlisreported, and after
whole day for deiberation, and ample
time for the human passions to cool, you
prepared Yourself with a heavy ebony
cane and a large horsewhip, ard after
waiting some time by the wayside for him
to pass to his lodgings, you attacked him
in the public street, struck him stun
ming blow, with such force as to break the
cane, and render him partially insensibie;
You followed up that blow with others,
and endeavored to inficJ the further in
dignity on his person Of lashing him with
the horsewhip. The attack was without
the slightest justification or excuse, and
not attended with one palliating cir
cumstancc.
Although our national capital has been
disgraced by scenes Of similar outrage,
yet we are proud to say that your offence
has no antecedent in this place. Had
the criminal court of the District Of Co
lumbia done its duty to the community,
and set a proper example by lnhlctlpg a
disgracefuI and infamous punishment on
the man who outraged the person Of a
Senator on account OF words spoken IN
debate, we probably should have been
spared the necessity of now imposing the
sentence of the law upon yoa.
Although great allowance is made for
sudden gusts Of passion and the frallty Of
human temper, yet 1t Is our invariable
rule to punish by imprisonment every IN
dividual who makes deliberate and pre-
meditated attack on the person of anoth-
er; more especially if accompanied with
the indignity Of gaming or horsc-whipping
him. Such onslaughts generally lead to
the ef'usion Of human blood, and end in
the death Of one or the other Of the com
batants. Had Mr. Church Caken your
life, under the circumstances disclosed by
the evidence, he would probably have
been excusable in law. Had YOU taken
his. YOU would have expiated your offence
on the gallows.
Throughout the trial we treated your
case as an ordinary violation Of the pub
lie peace. giving you every advantage and
presumption that the law affords to the
citizen. But when we come to consider
your punishment we must look upon it as
a great outrage committed against the
people Of the Commonwealth, through the
person Of one OF her representatives, whJ
is entitled to the most full and ample pro
lection of the law. Whatever counUen-
ance may be given to acts Of lawIess vio-
lence and brute force IN our great cities,
they are looked upon by the sober and
iudic,ous people Of the interior with abb
hoTence, and generally receive from our
courts and juries their merited punish
ment.
Your object was to disgrace your oppo-
nent, and probably force him to seek re
dress OF hcaor through means Of mortal
cono3l :ae az. S"'45 "'s5."GI :I, ""on i,; @ you
70 rocaira and we are in dntv boin3 to
impose upon YOU the ignominy ofimpri8-
onment. This we consider necessary,
Jun 'i ACCOUNT VI 'iN w. "''oN'~' W