The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1867-02-07
THE INNOCENT AND THE Guilty.

Judgment is Of sufficient consequence
to cast an Overshadowing suspicion
upon the whole case Of the plaintiff.
1t is as certain as anything in this case,
that the parties whose names are writ
ten to the public gaze on that black
board, constitute but q Very small mi
nOrity Of the meeting in the church, Of
the procession that went TO Linn's and
Newbeck's and of those who were, 70
say the least, equally guilty with those
who were engaged in whatever wrong
was done on that day. ! do not think
that they constituted the leaders. OF
the ring-leaders, in the affair. Now,
if the object of this suit were TO punish
those who were guilty in the cause of
law and order, why not punish all who
are guilty, especially why let 60 those
who were more active, more Jealous,
than those who Wen taken? l cannot
question the legal righttodo so. ad-
nit, that having a case of Joint trespass,
it is the right Of the plaintiff TO select
any or all; but l call your attention to
the circumstance of the principle on
which the selection has been made, as
throwing suspicion, drservedly, over
the whole case Of the plaintiff What
IS that principle? it has been avOwed
1t was this-When Linn and his cOun-
sci sat down to arrange for the bring
ing Of this suit, they did not say TO
themselves: Who is guilty Of this
thing? Who is most guilty? Or,
against whom is the proof most Co
gent, clear and conclusive? All no;
but Who, of all that were on the street
that day, whether in the procession or
not, can we pick out and prove to have
some connection with this thing, that
can best pay?
Counsel for the plaintiff-IIow cOIld
we have punished them?
BY conviction of an Infamous Of,
fence. 1t was on the principle of pay
however, not of justice, not Of right
not Of guilt Starting with that prin.
ciple, which may be liltened to the
principle Of natural selections in some
of the natural sciences, they study
how they can bring these people in
what proof they can gather up, anC
connect them either at the church, OF
in Mprocession, or in the crowd. who
they can bring forward that will say
they saw this one or that one snyin,
or doing anything, that was able t,
pay.
Now. gentlemen. that idea taking
hold of their minds is not a favorabI,
condition for the Investigation Of trutl
and the promotion of Justice. 1t wouIl
necessarily tend to warn tbcir minds
to take them off tho real fact and Ict
them sec everything through n dis
torted and discolorcd medium. In,
medium Of all others in tbi, world
that discloscs and distorts the most
1.-The medium of self-inferpst Thai
is the ackuowIcdupd and admitted
ground of the selection of tbc prcsort
defendants. and Inc Effort in tbc tcsti
moDv and the aruumcnt is the stronc,
est. not in proportion ia tbc nuiIt bnt
ms TO their rcsnonsibilirv to rCsrnrd :,
the verdict they eyncrt
-.,,,, o,,.,,..-,-,....
~, - - Is t,'-'' ~ 1851 ''
inc man qucSt'ohs ior you to con
s'ucr are 'l'ree. ISL blu lhe dcIend
SJ Wa ~ Jl"n ',0'',, ,;;I ,',t;,;."I 20 pp"'"yJS
What was it's value?
! propose to discuss the last ones.
ton first. Now whether You find there
was malice or not, the first question is
Was there property DESTROYED? Fol
the point to be decided is us to douhl,
.thc value Of the property DESTROYED by
the estimate Of NIr. Linn. Think thai
there is reason to believe that Linn.
estimate is too high, that he has over
estimated the value of his property
it is not unnatural that he should d.
so; he has fixed a price on his owl
property, and any man who does that
unless lie is very anXious to get rid o
/ it, is apt to place it little higher thar
its real worth. Then as to the kind
and quantity, and amount of they,
stores, that You would he willing /,
purchase them at such rates. upon thr
invoice made ont in that way. | vcr,
much doubt. You would wanta it'll
more accurate estimate; you woulc
wantsomc explanation as to the charac
ter OF the estimate.
VALUE OF Inns PROPERTY.