The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-11-15
aaa seaess, @Saeaioa srealtare arhets, aassnn, It,
Iica y and he handed The Judge broad

parchment.
The trial went on. Esss Rst szess
He suffered the witnesses to tell their
own story, and he allowed the defense to
lead off. Ashley spoke first, followed by
Pike and Prentiss The latter brought
the house down with cheers, in which the
jury joined.
It was now the strangers turn; he
rises--before the bar, not behind it--and
SO near the wondering. jury that he might
touch the foreman with his long, bony
fingers. lie proceeded to tear to pieces
the arguments of Ashley, which melted
away at his touch like frost before sun
beam Every one looked surprised
Anon he came to the dazzling wit of the
lawyer, Pikethe curl Of his lip grew
sharper, his thin face began to kindle up,
and his eyes to open, dim and dreary no
longer, but vivid as lightning, red as FIRE
Iglobes, and glaring as meteors, the whole
soul was in the eye; the full healt stream
ed out of his face. Then without be-
stowing an allusion to Prentiss, he turned
short around on the perjured witnesses of
Hopkins, tore their testimony into shreds
and hurled into their faces such terrible
linvectiyes that all trembled like aspens,
and two of them fed from, the court
house. The excitement of the crowd was
becoming tremendous. Their united life
and soul seemed to hang on the burning
tongue of the stranger; he inspired them
With the power of his malignant passions;
he seemed to have stolen natures long
hidden secret of attraction. But his
lgreatest triumph was to come.
His eyes began to glance at the assas-
sin Hopkins, as his lean, taper fingers
assumed the same direction. He hem
med the wretch with wall of strong ev-
idence and impreguable argument, cut
ting off all hope of escape He dug be
meath the murderer's feet, bitches of di
|lemma, and held the slanderer up to tn.
l populace. Having thus girt him abou
with circle of fire, he stripped himsel
8 for the massacre.
| Oh, then it was vision both gloriou
and dreadful to behold the orator. Hi
actions became as impetuous as the MO
tion of an oak in hurricane. His voic
s became trumpet, filed with wild whitl
pools, deafening the ear with. crashes o
e lpower, and yet tintermingled all the Will
with sweet undressing of the softes
i cadence. His forehead glowed like
heated furnace, his countenance was bag
gard, like that of Eaniac, and ever an
d anon he flung his long, bony arms o
high, as if grating after thunder
ia bolts.
He drew picture Of murder ID sue
: lappalling colors, that in comparison he
D itself might be considered beautiful; h
painted the slanderer SO black that th
sun seemed dark at noon day when shin
ling on such an accursed monster; an
then fixing both portraits on the shrink
ing Hopkins, fastened them there forever
The agitation of the audience nearl
amounted to madness.
All at once the speaker descended frol
al the perilous hight. His voice walled OIL
le for the murdered dead and living th
d, beautiful Mary, more beautiful every mi
[e ment, as her tears flowed faste.-ti
ID men wept and sobbed like children.
He closed by strange exhortation
TT the jury, ,and through them to the b,
ID standers; he advised the panel, after the
as should bring in their verdict for IL
q plaintiff, not to offer violence to the d
n fendant, however richly he may deserl
u it; in other words, ''not to lynch the vi
I'd lain, but leave his punishment to God.
t. This was the most artful trick Of all, an
Is best calculated to insure vengeance.
ne The jury returned verdict Of fft
n thousand dollars; and the night afterwar,
o. Hopkins was taken out of bed by lyncl
IS, ers, and beaten almost to death. As Il
n court adjourned, the stranger said, sJof
st Taylor will preach here this evening,
or early candle light he did preach--al
or the house was crowded. | have listens
3 to Clay, Webster, aud Calhoan-to Ba
it comb, Dwight and Beecher-but nev
r heard anything, in the form of sublir
|r- words, even remotely approximating
e. the eloquence of John Taylor-massi
as mountain, and wildly rushing as
las cataract of fire.
nj i