Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-10-29
eIIITEAUS DEFENSE.

=. has been known for some days that
.,e prisoner, unable 10 procure other
a,nsel and having little confidence In
hrotber-in-law, Scoville, has been pre-
n.ring his own case. The argument with
pi,hich he proposes to address the jury is
LOW complete. 1t is as follows, although
~,;,o,u saws, that in the oral delivery, he
uroposes to amplify considerably some Of
* points, and to incresSe his citation Of
NV TT PLEASE THE CoURT-GENTLE-
,o~ OF THE JURY: repel with disdain
NE NE defense of insanity. ask no favor
~" any ground that implies mental OF
o nraI weakness, or want of appreciation
~ the deed have done. / admit that L
I'll the shot which killed President Gar
SeId | acQut Bliss anG company OF any
hand i'm that result, and stand here 10
law 70 confess the act and justify 1t. III Is
not | assure YOU, hasty or iii considered
deed. 1t was resolved upon aiter cum
and mature deliberation, ana uofe a''or
many days patient waiting for tue favor
ahia occasion. Nv design and my wish
',,ere m infiict immediate death. Ihat the
Tistinguished victim fingered so long
ond sSt,ered so deeply have always re-
GREETED. but even this has had Its compen-
Ssat;on for his prolonged suffering touched
the nopular heart, and gathered about his
last day sentiment which
VIII ALWAYS ADD LCSTRE TO HIS FAME.
From that fame | would not detract in
the least. As haG in my heart no drop
nf malice for the living man. L have no
word OF reproach for the memory OF the
Gead one.
But YOU ask gentlemen, why commit
red this capital act, and upon what
cround rest my defense with lou and
With posterity. Listen patiently and
will tell you frankly.
am theologian and polite IN; in
each stalwart. For years have Heen a
member of the most advanced section OF
The Republican party have drank i'm the
teachings of lis leaders, and applau,ied its
most radical measures. l have s;,orned
the can't of Liberalism, and have. sat at
the feet of the Bcechers, Ravens and Full
tons. of the Logans, Chambers anG Conk-
lines, and gloried in their fierce anathe-
ma, of rebels and Democrats. In their
robust school learned that party success
is the first and chief end in politics, TO be
secured, fairly if practicable, but at all
events to be secured; that this end Justl-
lies, sanctifics and makes honorable
means that elsewhere were criminal or
degrading. The virtue, the Intelligence,
the Dictv of the country are in the Repub-
lican party; the vice, the ignorance, the
,lepravity of the country are in the Demo
cratic party. The administration, with
lis immense power and patronage, must
over be kept in the hands of the faithful
and the deserving.
This is tie substance, the sum total OF
the creed We profess. and upon which we
have acted with never broken consistency.
I'm its application we have enirarchiSGd
or DISTINGUISHED, as necessity demanded;
have set up aad pulled down State gov
ernments; have Over-ridden elections;
have
BROKEN THROUGH LAW AND OVERTURNED
COURTS.
Trained in such school and inspired
hy such teachers, il was plain necessity
and duty for me to Kill Genera. Garfield.
The salvation AMI continued supremacy OF
,uy party required it. Elected with the
Utmost difficulty aud by tie faithtul CO.
operation Ot ali sections OF the party, hts
first actions tended to- open again. and g.
D.rpctuatc that schism which aad beGur
in the ncryeless reign of his predecessor.
| saw the chasIn daily widening which
threatened TO open an easy way for Dem
ocrats and rebels to come INTO power;
which, in ANY event, shat Odt from place
and patronage Tie real leader, OF Tie par
~. There WAS clearly but one remedy
tor coming disaster. The death of Car
field. the accession OF Staiwart Republic
C;lniSm 10 TIA" Presidency would avert
both evils. The party would again unite
under its genuine leaders, and Democrats
and rebels would not only remain III de-
feat. bat would he made 10 feel the strong
arm of mastery over them. determined
TO cOiIsllmatr this glorious result. | was
only fearful that the honor would DC
snajched from me Hy some one equally
clear sighted and equally heroic. hast
encd to take Gen. Gariields life.
Justify and defend my act by appeal
ing 10 the uniform course and teaching Of
my party, when success required bOld and
apparently criminal action. | cite only
its recent history. Turn To the Presijcn-
tial election of 1876. The ignorance and
dcpravity Of the people led them to vote
for rildcn. lie WAS elected. None but
the supplemented ever questioned that.
Yet he needed one electoral vote from
The people OF both States voted for him.
But our leaders were not disturbed by
this.
wEHAD THE RETURNING BOARDS.
What cared We fer the vote of the pco-
pie? Xack Cha1dlcr--pcacc TO his gio-
rious ashes proclaimed Hayes elected,
when Hayes himself was weakly bewail-
inc his defeat. Oar statesmen hurried 10
Louisiana and Florida-no one with more
alacrity than General Gartield-to direct
and supervise the action of the boards.
President Grant protected them with the
array, and in due time The votes were cast
for Hayes. Everybody knew this was not
according to the fact. 1t was in bold and
contemptuous disregard OF all fact 1t was
in reality Il high handed theft the votes
OF these States; but party necessity re-
pured it and so party sentiment justified
it. No Republican objected or disap-
proved.
Press and pulpit applauded, and, the
latter especially, proclaimed the Return
ing Boards as special instrumentalltieS OF
Pr0videdce to undo the wickedness Of the
people in voting for Tilden, and save
them from their own folly.
Its true, the Democrats shouted Fraud
and Conspiracy" and one house OF Con-
greSS objected to counting their votes. But
again We held the cards, and hesitatcd not
toplay them. We quieted their clamOr by
referring the disputed States to an Elec-
toral Commission taking care 70 secure
the odd number for our party. To be sure
cur eight members went through the
form Of swearing to decide according to
the Constitution and the laws of the land,
before they assembled the judgement seat.
The people, even Republicans, must some
times be blinded. But we know there is
I,,r