The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-12-22
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. d. c.,
December. 10, 1881 (

case HdNc Dteu cACceuluRlN seuSa-
tional this week, the testimony in
rebuttal by the prosecution tending
to unsettle the establishment of the
prisoners insanity. Both he and
his friends evinee a realization that
their sole prop is being surely hewn
from under them, which is as evil
dent in Mr.. Scoville's petulency,
leading to frequent tits between
himself and the other side, as in the
increased lnsolenee of the prisoner
himself. The prosecution seems to
have arranged the examination
during the week with a view to a
sensational climax, each witness
testifying in stronger terms than
the preceding week to an uncom-
promising denial of some fact more
important than the last, which the
defense had desperately brought
forward. Witnesses have come for
ward who assert an absolute de-
NAL of all facts brought forward by
Mr.. Scoville to prove that his client
is descended from stock tainted
with the curse of insanity. Seeing
his defense thus
SURELY BREAhlNG DOWN,
Guiteau has apparently taken the
resolution to be as recklessly out
rageous in his conduct as the pa
thence of the court will endure 4; and
that patience, lett be SAID, has been
stretched to the utmost tension
not by the prisoner alone-but also
by the Incorporate denunciation of
the press throughout the country,
which depends for its knowledge of
the case on the reports of CORES
pondents, and by the shower of
threatening and villifying letters
that daily pour in upon Judge Cox
from private cranks, as every one
knows this case is TO cost the coun-
try a large sum. 1t is therefore de-
sirabIe, as well as for the sake
of swift and sure Justice, that no
ground for a new trial should be
given. Judge Cox in the beginning
demonstrated and finally threatened /;
the remonstrauces met only inso-
lence, the threats were triumphantly
repealed with the information that if
they were enforced an appeal would
be taken. Besides this, the immense
SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT
he receives from his elegant audience
who laugh unrestrainedly at every
poor attempt at wit on Guiteau's
part, ought to be taken into account.
1t is delightful to his monstrous
vanity, and gives him sufficient as
surance to treat the remOnstrances
of the court with contempt. Those
papers and people who are so free
with their condemnation, l notice,
are not quite so profuse with their
suggestions of any practical method
of depressing these outbreaks; and
when they do it is generally
proposition that raises only laughter
in any one versed in law. 1t was
proposed by one newspaper thst if
the trial were private the prisoner
would no longer have any incentive
to carry on his comedy, the audience
being lacking. There was some
sense in this, but as might have been
supposed, it met with no favor from
curiosity loving people. Besides
which as
TWO DORM REPORTERS
sit facing the prisoner with pencil
ready to transcribe his lightest
syllable for the public, the end pro-
posed would be virtually defeated,
Then Guiteau is well aware that the
medical experts have been constantly
in court watching him for indica-
lions of insanity, and he has prob
ably recognized in this an Oppor-
tunity too rich to be lost. Judge
Cox has proved himself possessed of
virtue rare in a man harassed by
ignorant criticism !; he has the resolu-
ton to follow his course in silence.
and attempt no vindicatlon of his
measures. This is rare indeed.
The prisoner seems to take a ma
licious delight in exasperating the
public by outraging decency i'll every
way, and since his hopes have begun
to fail him, he is no longer bound by
motives of prudence. The result Is,
that the entire depravity of his ma
ture comes to the surface, and he
INDUCES it in the most ribald vol
leys of abuse and vituperation on
the witnesses testifying to his de-
grading recOrd-a record it must be
owned, sufficiently vile to touch the
vanity of one with the bump of self
esteem, far less abnormally develop
ed, than i'll the prisoner at the bar.
The opinion expressed on every side
is, that from the day Guiteau took the
stand till now, he has been rushing,
post haste, to his ignominious doom.
Mr.. John Guiteau is continually ham,
pering the defense by his outbursts
in court, of indignant denial and OBJ
-jections when wholesale imbecility
of his family is adduced as a pallia-
ton of his brothers crime.
AT THE OPENING OF CONGRESS
Last Monday, a familiar homelikc
air seemed to pervade the Hobbies
and corridors of the capitol by rea-
son of the numerous Texans scat
tered about with expectation in the
eye and anxiety on the brow. Nat
O. Henderson was keeping one of
the doors of the house with pro-
phetic gloom on his rubicand visage,
a kind of pathetic grieving for his
soon-to-be slowed" and lost position.
1t is, of course, likely to &C to some
one else, unless Mr.. Henderson's des-
perate tenacity can work miracle in
his own favor Up stairs, keeping
a dragon guard at the entrance to
the diplomatic gallery, among
SOME TEXANS
Major Dorm might be found satls-
fed and happy. Nothing to do but
sit in marble hall with his door
knob in his hand, rising now and
then to bow in some gor-
geous diplomat and his bevv
of fair ladies, with that peculiar
grace native only to the true
old Texan. Col. Robert Campbell
was there too, attended by that dear
companion of his travels, his insep-
arabic toothpick, which he chewedin
contemplative, expectant way,
keeping eve and ear sharply on the
balloting for clerk and dOorkeeper,
under one of whom, he hopes for a
lucrative position. There are many
places under these officials, requiring
activity and energy, such as gem
tleman famed for O laborious zeal
and unlagging agility like Mr..
Campbelps could fill with peculiar
appropriateness; one, for example,
similar to that Mr.. Henderson holds,
and which requires, principally, the
incumbant's attendance in seat
near one of the doors of the house
every day during the session from
noon till the adjournment, at 2, 8 or
&c tho casa NAV no ThiS owl