The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-02

ing to do with it. 1t only shows how alb
surd your theory is. If General Garfield
had paid respect to those letters it would
have been all right, but what did he do?
He went and sold himself, body and soul,
to Blaine. He did not appreciate the SEN
timent and kindness of those letters, and
threw himself into Blaine's hands. and al
lowed Blaine to rise to the Presidency to
destroy Conkling and Grant
Q.-Did you say to President Garfield
that he would have no peace until he got
rid of Blaine?"
A.-''Yes, and that was the way Stall
wart and Liberal papers all over the coun-
try talked. That was the way the Wash
ington Republican and Gorham and that
kind of people talked"
Porter -"Did you say Blaine was mark
ed man?'
The prisoner-tYes, because he was
using President sGarfield who was good
and kind man, but weak politician Gar
field just sold himself, BODY and soul, to
Blaine. That was what Gen. Grant him.
self said in his letter denouncing Garfield.
Q-"Did you say yesterday that you
didn't desire the removal of Secretary
Blaine?" Al did not, and you can not
find it in the record. [ insist now upon
You finding it in the record. / want to
fasten something on you. l am as good
man as you are"
Porter know you think so'
The prisoner. angrily-''Yes and the
public will think so, too"
Porter-.Was your motive for demand
inglBlaine's resignation because he. had said
to you on the Saturday proceeding you
would never speak to him again on the
Paris Consulship?'' II told you that /
had nothing to do with the Paris consul
ship. l worm that into you and put it
down deep. I am talking now about ma
tional politics and not about miserable
office, anG if you would try to get your
brains to take that in it would be better
am not disappointed office seeker"
In the course Of the examination the
prisoner said in relation to the time of the
murder 1.-THE Deity seemed to be on my
side, and every one against me, but there
is great deal more bitter feeling towards
me now than there was three or four weeks
ago Some OF these better crank papers
have been tanning down wonderfully for
the last three or four weeks. What they
want is change of hearts. They want
conversion. They want new ideas about
the Presidents removal Nothing but
change of hearts viii satisfy their diaboli-
cal thirst for blood It is not likely that
the Deity will crafty them. They begin
to see it too and will see it more and more
The prisoner having expressed the belief
that the Deity protected him from the day
he shot the President Porter said 1T
depends more on whether the jury believe
you"
The prisoner-Exactly what the jury is
here to pass upon. Whether the Deity and
I did it, or whether l did it ON my personal
account, and l tell you further that ex
pect there will be an act of God to protect
me If necessary from any violence, either
hanging Or shooting.
The prisoner asserted that his acts saved
the country from another war
Porter-:'There would have been war
now but for you?"
Al do not pretend that war was i'm
minent but l do say emphatically land
here he began to declaim in a dramatic
manner and in the style of stump speech)
that the bitterness in the republican party
was deepening hour by hour and that by
two or three years at least the nation
would have been in flame of war. In
the presence of death all hearts were
hushed, and dissensions ceased, for men
stood with the heart and brains of the ma
ton concentrated on the sick man at the
White House At last (and here the speak
er lowered his voice so as to be almost un
intelligible (he went the way of all flesh
and the nation was in mourning. ''That
is paragraph from a speech | wanted to
make two weeks ago., he continued, re-
suming his natural tone, and apparently
well satisfied with his effort. '1t comes
in very pertinent here and I am glad had
a chance to deliver it.
Counsel asked the prisoner the necessity
of requesting Gen. Sherman to send troops
to the Jail to protect him, he having the
Deity" 81 would have been shot and
hung a hundred times if it hadn't been for
the troops at the jail"
Q-''Any harm in that7"
A-''That is a matter for the law to pass
upon (emphatically.) l will not have any
more conversation with you on the sacred
subject. You are making light of a serious
matter
Porter-Well, talk about going back to
letters. Porter read that in which the
prisoner stated that Garf1eld's nomination,
election and removal, were the acts of God,
and when asked WHO nominated him?"
he answered. The Chicago convention"
Q-s'Was that inspired?" The prisoner
hesitated, and seemed about to dodge the
question, when Porter stopped him with
an impatient Now! Now Now"
A-mockingly-.N Nowl Now! l
| thought Grant or Blaine wonld be nomi
mated, and when Garfield was nominated
| on the Both ballot it was the act OF God.
The facts surrounding his election would
sustain the position that it was of God,
and the facts surrounding his removal
would sustain the same position The
prisoner complained of being fatigued,
saving he was not used to speaking i've