The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-28

political party to the end, that the natio
might be saved another desOlaiing war.
do not pretend TO say war WINS immediate
, put do say emphatically that bitternes
in the Republican party last spring WI
deepening hour by hour and that within
two or three years or less the nation woulI
have been in flame Of civil war
In the presence Of death all hearts wer
hushed; contention ceased for weeks ant
weeks; the heart and brain OF the Nation
Gentered on the sick man in the Whit,
Honsei ut lust he went the way Of all hesl
and the Nation was in mourning, aud to
day, Christmas, 1881, am on trial for my
life, changed with numbering the late Pres
ident, There Is not the tiIst element u
murder in this case, To constitute the
crime OF murder two elements must ex
isti hnt, actual homicide; second
", malice In law or malice in
TACT. The law presumes that malice from
fact Is homicide, There Is no homicide in
this case, and therefore no malice In law,
Malice in fact depends upon circumstances
attending homicide, Admitting that the
late President died from the shot, which |
deny as matter OF fact. Still Circum.
tancesattendingtha shooting liquidate the
presumption Of malice either in law or in
fact, Had he been properly treated hc
probably would have been alive to-day.
Whatever my inspiration or intention
was the Deity allowed the doctors to finish
my work gradually because he wanted to
prepare the people for change and con.
firm my original inspiration ! am well
satisfied with the Deity's conduct in this
case thus far, and have no doubt but that
he will continue to father it To the end,
and that tho public will sooner or later see
the special providence In the late Presi.
dents removal Nothing but the political
situation lust spring justified his removal.
The break in the Republican purity then
was widening week by week aud fOresaw
q civil war, My inspiration was to remove
the late President at once and thereby
close tho breach before II got so wide thHt
nothing but heartrendins and desOlating
war would close 1t, The last war cost the
nation amilllOn OF men and billion OF
money. The Lord wanted to pre-.
vent q repetition OF this dcsolation
and inspired me to execute His will
Why did he inspire me in preference 10
sonic one elsep Because had brains and
nerve, probably, to do the work. The
Lord does not empty incompetent persons
to serve Him. He uses the best material
he Gun find. No doubt there were thOus-
ands OF Republicans who felt rs | did
about tho late President wrerking the Re-
publican party, and had they the Concep.
tton, the nerve, tho bruins, the OppOrtun-
ity and special authority. .irOm the Deity,
they would have removed him. alone
OF all the world wus the only man who had
authority from the Deity to dOit. Without
the Drity's pressure, never should have
sought 10 remove tho President. This
pressure destroyed my free agency. Deity.
compelled me 10 do the act, just l,s high.
wnymAn c0mpels u nun to give him money
after plucing pistol ut his victims head.
The victim may know II Is absolutely
wrong for him TO give tho money that his
wife and children need, but how can he
keep 1t with II pistol 1T his head. His free
agency Is destroyed and he gives his money
to save his life. This irresistible pressure
to remove the President WIS OH me for
thirty days, and 1t never left me when
awake. II haunted me day and night.
AT lust an opportunity came aud | shot
him in the Baltimore & Potomac depot As
soon M | fred tile shot the inspiration
WAS worked oil aud | felt immensely re-.
liuVpd. | wouldn't do 1t agtin loru million
dollars. One miracle saved me from being
shot Ur hung then and there. 1t was the
most insane, iOOIlariy act possible, nnd no
one but mad man could have done 1t.
But the pressure OH me was 80 enormous
that | would have done 1t had died the
next minute.
Heretofore political grievances have been
adjusted by war Ur ballot, Had jefferson
DAVIS and II dozen or two Of His CO.tr,iitOrs
been shot dead III January, 1851, no doubt
our late rebellion never would have been.
General Grant suppressed one war aud
Providence and saved the Nation. AS
time advances the public will appreciate
this tact more and more.
To-day, Christmas, 'Sl, am in JUL, and
have been since July I'd. have borne my
confinement patiently and quietly, know.
Ing that my 'vindiCatiOn would come
Thrice have been shot ut, and came near
being shot dpad, but the Lord kept me
harmless like the Hebrew children in the
fiery furnace. Not u hair Of my head has
been singed because the Lord, whom !
served when sought to remove tho Presi.
dent, has taken care Of Inc.
My trial seems 10 be progressing well.
Judge Cox | consider Just the man for the
case. He is able, conscientious and care.
full l have bright jury and
| wish them to pass on my case.
/ judge they are good men. They listen
with the greatest interest to the testimony
and addresses. | presume they will give
this case their most solemn attention, and
dispose Of 1t according to the facts and the
law.