New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-19

saved the Nation. A.. A
task OF pointing out TO yon some peculiar qualities OF
Mr. Seward. which merit close attention. IN any view
taken of lila character or these the noA marked vas
his ndo ,Itabe courage By supercal oo3eryers among
his cutempor1rics, the hrort or nv POP ir ueOry WIS
Get down A. little more than tho nga ION nor unusual
with most OF our Ordinary demagogues. Hence the
pIejudces moro or less im5ibed by many Oh ms own
lgriy aud others who knew nothing OF MN Rr'onuY.
Yct lie fset ~ that very public men 10
our history eau be cited who have shown 80 mneh mum
s seSsC When bghY esed as he dd action
1t clear that he could havo been pronpeed Ny u"
other than tho highest OF personal duiy'i il 4.
uiI . THE FREEMAN MURDER TRIAL l4".f
Hitherto have treated only Of his pu1llo he now
purpose 10 touch on bis professional career TO WHICH,
though attractive To him. he steadily adhered so
long 1t practicable. Had be devoted himself 10
II exclusively. have not n shadow OF doubt he woud
have attained position Of the very first rank idwe
on it now only In connection with single case when
viii serve toilustrate as well his courage as s power
T0is the Of tue miserable Negro William Free-
man. The fact Of his numbering al uight al the mem
bers OF highly respectable family In lbe neigbborhood
of Auburn without any apparent motive - too vel re-
rble Details IL NJ sufficient TO say that the pas
sons OF the people ID ali The country, round were
handed immedfats justice with so much veHonence
that, IRON icar OF violence extraordlnsry measures
trial in the very vicinity Oi the OUTRAGE In tho state
Prison OF Auburn II had so happened that shortly before
anO her negro convict had killed one OF ms associates
lie mad called upon Mr. seward TO defend D1n a us
TRIAL and he had consented to appear tbs aet OF us
But when the crime Of Freeman was soon afterward
diynged the popular Indignation rose TO such hight
In sfey 10 the tl so great the rage that nothing
but the public declaration OF one OF the county judges
made on the spot, not only that he must certainly 10
executed, but also that " no Coy. seward w0nd
iutcrpose 10 defend him." ayailed TO sheter nun
from summary vengeance. lmmediatey ater,
ward the law partners OF Mr. Seward assumed
the responsibility OF Gonrmlng that promise 9o, oil
Mr. Seward hJd happily been absent from home' but
when he was expected to return there was great anxiety
with insult II not positive outrage, In his transt from
tue railway station to his house Inc excitement naI
In tue irst Dir. Seward endeayored To procure post
ponemeut but It was In vain The popular leenne WOuu
not submit to IT, With the utmost difficulty were per,
sons found lifted TO make jury. The argument rested
ON line insanity Of the prisoner But IL carried no weight
Within mOnth the convict was tried, condemned, ana
executed, In this instlnce NY seyar9 nay PER PER
formed his part In the regular course oi lro,
Iessoha sSi ,yas bo,,f m he submitted 10
the consideration the court u Immediately appeared
tuat nOt soul OF the large crowd present entertained
the smallest sympathy for hun. lie was toid tnat ne
might have the assistance OF cOunse, II ne Wou. dsh
for H. His answer Indicated utter Ignorance OF the
meaning VI the words Under ,such crcuni5 "na
10 Dc done 10 comply WIN forms Oh law iheFv "as
silence was broken by the Judge, VINO addfeSsng te
professional men HIM, asked IL hopeless tome
''Wil any one defend tnIs manP
And here again was breathess pause, broken at last
by quiet movement OF solitary man, as nc rose ln ms
pied May IT please the Court appear as counsel i0r
man whom The excited multitude had already warned
nos to interposo 10 defend him. ,,,.,,,.
know not what others may think OF this simple PIC
ture. but in my humble view, II presents scene OF
moral suDlmty rarely TO be met with IN the paths OF
our ordinary At this Juncture, had William H.
ward been found anywhere at night alone ana ihlO
i.ced the powerful aWabding haols OF the region
about hin, his body would probably have been dscoY
cred in the morning hanging from the next tree what
motive could have IN PEELED him TO encounter so much
in nation for this actf He had been not at all ln3en
sble TO the pleasure OF popularity ~ puDlc me here
he was not only lDurug his own Interests but mat OF
the party with which he associated In vain Gd II
labor 20 disavow allconneelon or sympathy MIN nl
Tie Press all sides Numbered ITS denunclaions over
hls heba Toe elections all went one way. inc Demo
cratic party ciue sHeephgy INTO tIe aseSuunt, A
an abOur the NE OF negro idiot thnk DO not eA-
aLqeratc, in expressing my humble opinion, that the
argument in the defense Is one OF the most eloquehI
ever ado In the language. i have no time 10 u"e4I
Oh H. further than to quote few passages assigning his
reason Tor has conduct: "For William freeman, az
murOgr have no commission 10 SPEAK III ne hau
silver and gold accumulated, with the trugdllJy OF
Crusus aud should pour It ali at my feet, wOId not
sta nd az hour him and his ayenger But Tor
tho innocent IL is my Iightlt Is my duty-to speak III
tuis OF blood was nnoceny shed then u u my duty
stand beside him until his steps lose thelr hOd upon
the scatOld. Thou shalt not XIII Is commandment
court and TO the whole community. There are no ex-
ceptious rou that commandment, at least IN own me-
save those OF sedeiense ana capital punlshinen, ior
crime in the due and just administration OF the law
There Is only question: hon whether the prisoner
she'd the blood OF bis fellow man. but tue question
whether We shall unlaWIuly shed MS DlCOd. L sAOud
be guilty OF murder H. IN my present RELATION saw te
eXecuu0uer waiting Iofan hstue .du az M ~
failed to DO In his behalf, all that my ability allowed
MIR. SCENARIOS MOTIVES N DEFENDING FREEMAN.
And again he says: 81 am arraigned before you for
undue manifestations OF zeal and excitement Ny an
swer 10 all snch charges shall DO brief When this cause
shall have been committed to yon, shall DO happy in
deed If 1t shall appear that my only error has been that
have felt much thought too intensely, or acted too
faithfully" But the significant and most eloquent pas
sgge A this: al plead not for murderer have
in5uteent no motive 10 do so. ] have addressed my
fslow-ctzcns IN various relations, when rewards or
wealth and lame awaited me. have been oneered on
her
ton and sympathy; ana where there was no such en-
couragement had ~ least the gratitude OF him whose
cause defended But speak now in tue hearing Of
peOpe who have prjudgea the prisoner ana cOnueneu
Tor pleading IN ms Dchali ne eo,SIcI PaPet
with afieetiOnate Stle dlsarms my eafeWorh IacS OF
IT'S irOwn Whenever Cross my tnlSsnoid h Inc
he says God bless YOU rs / pass. NY dog ca
resses me with fondness II | VIII Dat smile on
him. Nv horse recognizes me when I'LL his manger
But whRs reward, what gratitude what sympathy and
affection expect heref There tne prisoner hlts'
LOok at hun. Look at the assemDage around You;
Listen llLsuppressed censres ana tnelc excited
fears ana tell NO Where among my h9ignoors or NY
lind the sentiment the thought not to gay OF reward or
Acknowledgment, but even OF Tecogntohi say mere
two weeks during the preliminary trial sOou mere
between the prisoner and the jury nine hours, aud
pleaded for The wretch thar he was insane, au G nos
Jury thought, at least eleven Oh then tnousl Inht ha
been daeeyng them Or Wai Sd ~ cyn rfaS
and malice in his st0d insensibiy They rendered
verdict that he was sane enough 10 DO uieI-a CON
teInutibe compromise verdict IN "a capital case
ana then they looked. With what emotions
Cod aud they only know. upon us ar
rnieument The District Attorney, speaking IN
In, adder ear bado him rise, and, reading 10 him one
Indictment, asked HIN whether he wanted trial ana
Ana they went through the mOckery the prisoner
I'm, The .ae ansWogs until tliid indictmen.
Ti,undcrd An his ears and he stood before the Court
silent nouonlcss. ana bewIldered. Gentlemen, you
may think OF this evidence, bring IN what verdict you
en- hi 10 severate before Heaven and you tlat, TO
the best % my knowledge ana belief the prisoner at the
bar does not 40 this ucfnent Know way II - thtGm ny
ST. dow fliIa on on Instead OF his own. speak with
al sincerity aud earnCstness not because exnect my
oninIou Ia have weight mas 1 would disarn tho niur
oi,s rtssiun that an speaking merely lawyer
Tor MS client. the prisoners lawyer.
n, If Iced a volunteer his be1at. But society ana
,,,.lh hn,e tha neAna.t lntnrpAI az stoke. the