The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-12-01
EQUALLY UNFAIR.

1.ulSpOSltlOu W Iusu IeChleooiy az saiiypouy
or thing that does not happen to suit its
hasty and preiudiced glances, in recent
number reads Mr.. Scoville 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-
ferred 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, at
length on any legitimate question affecting
his defense. Is it possible that it is neces-
sary in this day to take issue with any re-
putable authority on so plain provision?
And is it possible that any journal would
question the wisdom of such a provision?
Incredible as it may seem, both these
questions, with the Inter Oceans editorial
before us, must be answered in the atfirma-
tive. zone feature of the policy of the
defense in the Guiteau case becomes more
prominent with each days proceedings, ;"
Says the 10. "Mr. Scoville has settled
down with grim determination to the
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 of the 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 Guiteau
are unconsciously drifting toward point
where they may harbor a secret
hope that Scoville will succeed"
What would the Inter-0cean, or
any other paper or any sensible
man have said if Mr.. Scoville, acting un-
der oath in the solemn and legitimate char
acter of attorney for a 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 a greater
fool than HE client. The fact e, 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 dignified and gentle
manly and eminently proper in every sense.
To object TO conduct or record such as 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-min1ed 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 Of course, plead guilty. He should
Indignantly rcpel any insinuation that he
had any desire 10 OF intention Of securing
an acquittal Of his client, and be should
pocket his clients fee and use extra efforts
TO have him hung. But the Inconsistency
Of the editorial is glaringly apparent when
we reflect that Il Is an effort to infame the
public against the prisoner, and an effort
too by party having no connection with
the case and occupying a position where
only calm and dispassi5nsse views are
proper or permissible. II Il i not right for
an attorney 10 avail himself OF the forms Of
Law in a dignifci and able manner in the
defense Of o criminal. there j. no necessity
Tor Law. In short, the Inter Ocean IL advc-
caune the mob law il has 90 oflen depre-
Gated. But the truly choice morsel in this
production is the following, afier its.expla-
nation Of Mr.. ecoville's methods: shall
he be allowed 70 do this without question
or criticisrnf Shall his admirable conduct.
his dignihed earnestnesz, his courtesy
and fOrbenrancs. blind the people 70
de fact that he Is ndroifiy using Guifsau's
ecoeutrioifies and idiosyncrasies 70 fnlu-
encs public sentfmenti To g. further. i Il
MT possible that . the people ere being
played upon By q lsEyer. Who. with q
lnryer's shrerdncss. takes every occasion
70 provoke irritable. absurd and inc0n-
zruous remarks from his client II =
extremely fsTtassts tssat there are forms
o. lrrH in this country and our mo1
ine1rus.bls r. that he reakef and most
litiabls urstch. f's he srsf - guilty. r. -
su-e1 of q f.Ir nd Impartial trial II Il
rt-s not ~ III. i IniriIt b rtn % letti.s
InIer-0ce4n t.tt Gh'ie1n nn1 run Inn
iIrpurh "a rnrritr r|-es to r tbrls
tIt1ts Ithf r'51la-Dnl t-ai- NJ ne e|iIiu
1i1nt 30 fI.s rn-k ~ Ma. TIE frss. rs1ld.
1nf H. hsz-t oftht 1rts1-0os11 ro1i1 BE-