Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-06-01
formal. Lincoln arose while dea,hly silence

formal. Lincoln arose while dcathly silence
pervaded the vast audience, and in a clear
but moderate tone began his argument
! Slowly and carefully he reviewed the testi-
mony, pointing out the hitherto unobscrvetl
discrepancies in the statements of the princi.
pal witness. That which had seemed plain
and plausible, he made to appear crooked as
a serpcnt's path. The witness had stated
that the affair took place at a certain hour in
the evening, and that, by the aid of the
brightly shining moon, he saw the prisoner
inilict the death blow with slung shot, Mr..
Lincoln showed that at the hour referred to,
the moon had not yet appeared above the
horizon, and consequently the whole tale was
a fabrication. An almost instantaneous
change seemed to have been wrought in the
minds of his auditors, and the verdict of mot
guilty was at the end ofevcry tongue But
the advocate was not content with this intel
lcctua achievement His whole being had
for months been bound up in this work of
gratitude and mercy, and, as The lava of the
overcharged crater bursts from its imprison-
ment, so great thoughts and burning words
leaped forth from the soul of the eloquent
Lincoln. lie drew a picture of the perjurer
so horrid and ghastly that the accusor could
sit under it no longer, but reeled and stag
gered from the room, whilst the audience
fanced they could sec the brand upon his
brow. Then in words of thrilling pathos
Lincoln appealed to the jurors as fathers of
sons who might become fathcrlcss, and as
husbands of wifcs who might be widowed, to
yield to no previous impressions, no ill-found-
ed prejudice, but to do his client Justice !;
and as he alluded to the debt of gratitude
which he owed the boys sire, tears were seen
to fall from many eyes unused to weep. 1t
was near night when he concluded by saying
that if justice was done--as he believed it
would be-before the sun should set it would
shine upon his client freeman. The Jury
retired, and court adjourned for the day
Half an hour had not elapsed, when as the
officer Of the court and the volunteer attor-
ney sat at the tea table of their hotel, mes
senger announced that the jury had returned
to their seats. All repaired Immediately to
the court house, and whilst the prisoner was
being brought from the JAIL the court room
was filled to overiowing with citizens of the
town. When the prisoner and his mother
entered, silence roigncd as completely as
though the house were empty. The foreman
of the jury, in answer to the usual inquiry
from the court, delivered the verdict of !" Not
Guilty" The widow dropped into the arms
of her son, who lifted her up and told her to
look upon him as before, free and innocent.
Then, with the words, "Wherc is Mr.. Lin
colny' he rushed across the room and grasp
ed the hand of his delivcrer, whilst his heart
was too full for utterancc. Lincoln turned
his eyes towards the West, where the sun
still fingered in view, and then, turning to
the youth, said, 1T is not yet sundown, and
you are free" ] confess that my checks
were not wholly unwet by tears, and turn
ed from the affecting scene