The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-11-29
EQUALLY UNFAIR

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EQUALLY UNFAIR
The Chicago Inter-Ocean with its usual
disposition to rush recklessly at anybody,
or thing that does not happen to suit its
hasty and prejudiced glances, in recent
number reads Mr., Scoyille lecture ON his
manner OF conducting the defense of the
assassin, his brother-in-law. We have in
all seriousness never known any journal of
respectable standing in this country TO as
sumo so absurd and vulnerable position as
does the paper in question in the article re-
ierred to. Any school-boy who has reached
his teens and given the Constitution and
Declaration of independence the universal
first reading would laugh at the man who
told him that in this country prisoner
had no right to be heard either
by himself or counsel, and heard. too. Mt
length on any legitimate question affecting
his defense. Is it possible that it is neces-
sary i'll this day to take issue with any re-
putablc authority on so plain provision?
And is it possible that any journal would
question the wisdom of such provision?
Incredible as it may seem, both these
questions, with the Inter Oceans editorial
before us, must be answered in the aflirma-
tive zone feature Of the policy of the
defense in the Guiteau case becomes more
prominent with each days proceedings >,
Says the l.-O. "Mr. Scovile has settled
down with grim determination to the
work of convincing the public that
the assassin of Garfield is insane. With.
out making any appeal for sympathy
he has already enlisted the sympathy on
his own behalf of those who are present at
the trial He has surprised the people, won
the confidence ofth jury, captured the re-
porters of the press. His relationship to
the assassin adds to the effectiveness of his
plea, The very fact that he appears with
his wife in court in the performance of
an avowedly painful duty, influences the
public in his favor. Men who hate Guiteap
are unconsciously drifting toward q point
where they may harbor secret
hope that Scoville will succeed"
What would the Inter-Ocean, or
any other paper or any sensible
man have said if Mr.. Scovile, acting un-
der oath in the solemn andlegtimate char
acter Of attorney for prisoner on trial for
his life, and the brother, too, of his wife, had
not Settled down with grim determination
to the work of convincing" the public and
The jury particularly that his client was in
sane and therefore not responsible? He
would simply have been rated as greater
fool than his client The fact is Mr. SEQ
vile has surprised the people," and has
been not only conducting his case with pro-
fessional ability and winning reputation
for himself, but his entire connection with
the case has been dignilicd and gentle
emincntly proper in every sense
To object to conduct or record such n, this
is the most extraordinary view that was ever
taken of a case in court, and can be ex.
planned on no other hypothesis than rank
and narrow-minded prejudice. Mr.. SEQ
vile is charged with adroit efforts to i'm
pose upon and influence his Jury for the
purpose of securing an acquittal. Well, of
course this is criminal in an attorney. He
should ofcourse, plead guilty. He should
repel any insinuation that he
had any desire to or intention of securing
an acquittal of his client, and he should
pocket his client $ fee and use extra efforts
to have him hung. But the inconsistency
of the editorial is glaringly apparent VIII en-
We reflect that it is an effort to inhame the
public against the prisoner, and an effort
too by party having no connection with
the case and occupying position where
only calm and dispassionate views are
proper or permissible. If it is not right for
an attorney to avail himself of the forms of
law in digniiied and able manner in the
defense of a criminal, there is no necessity
for law In short, the Inter Ocean is advo-
eating the mob law il has so often depre-
Gated, But the truly choice morsel in this
production is the following, after its.cxpla-
nation of Mr.. Scovilles methods "Shall
he be allowed to do this without question
or criticism Shall his admirable conduct,
his dignitied earnestncss, his courtesy
and forbearance, blind the people to
the fact that he is adroitly using Guiteau's
cccentricties and idiosyncrasies to influ-
cnce public sentiment? To so further, is it
not possible that the people are being
played upon by lawyer, who, with a
lawyers shrewdness, takes every occasion
to provoke irritable, absurd and incon-
gruous remarks from his client" 1t is
extremely fortunate that there are "forms
of law" in this country and our most
is that the weakest and most
pitiable wretch, be he ever so guilty, is as.
sured of fair and impartial trial. If it
were not for this it might be well to let the
lntcr-Ocean take Guitcau and run him
through its monitor press two or three
times. If the ponderous brain of the editor
didn't do the work for him the press would,
and the heart Of the Inter.Ocean would be
glad.
THEY sAYn saws the present Gar of