Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-06
THE STAR ROUTE TRIALS.
COLONEL INGERSOLL'S GREAT
EFFORT.
HOmtlY on the War-TakIng High
Moral GrOund-HumOr Inter-
ludea-Judge WyIIe on BradY's
Policy.

WASHINGTON, September 5.-A great
crowd thronged the Criminal Court room
to-day, because of the announcement that
Colonel Z. G. Ingersoll's turn to speak for
the defense had arrived. Colonel Ingersoll
began by asking the jury to understand that
ne was as much opposed to official corrup-
tlon as any man in the world, and that he
had not one word to say in defense Of any
man whom he believed had robbed the Tres
ury. de Wantedthe jury to understand that
he was not defending, nor excusing, nor
endeavoIing to palliate the slightest dis
honesty in any public official; the jury
nsd been told that the people of the United
SIStes were demoraliZed people. That the
Tide Of dishonesty was rising ready to sweep
rom one shore OF the country to the other.
IL hao oeen appealed to to find innocent
Men guilty In order that this
might De successfully resisted. Il
nad Deen told that it was necessary
TO make an example of somebody, in order
tnat the country might take the road of
honesty. Tue country had been in war. bnt
ne uenleo that that war had demoraliz ID
the people. Whoever fought for right, or
Ior what he believed to be right, did not
demoraliZe himself. He ennobled himself,
a1d the war through which the country had
passed, had been q reformation, not de-
mOraliZatiOD
The war was period of moral enthusiasm,
curing which the people had become a
thousand times grander and nObler than
they had ever been before. The effect Of
the war had been good and only good.
Wnen we shook the shackles off 4,00O, 900
people it did not demoralize US. When we
changed the hut Of the slave into the castle
OF the freeman It did not demoralize US. The
jury had been told that the United States
was distinguished among the nations
OF the world only for its corruption. He
cared not who said that first 1t made no
difference to him that it was quoted from
Republican Senator He denied it. This
country was not distinguished for corrup-
ton, and no patriot believed It. He had
heard that nonsense and intellectual rot all
his life. 1t was the capital stock of every
prosecuting lawyer, but in it there was not
word Of truth. He had always
supposed that the people of America
were distinguished for free schools, for
free speech, for just laws, and not for
corruption, and yet in the name of this ami
versal corruption the jury was appealed
70 also to become corrupt. Never would he
with sharp emphasis on the pronoun and
a significant bow towards Mr.. Merrlck) try
to put stain on the forehead Of his country
in order that he might consign some honest
man to the penitentiary.
SO far as his clients were concerned,
everything they had was at stake, and every
thing depended upon the verdict of the
jury. Yet, the only mercy they asked of
the jury was the mercy of an honest verdict,
according to evidence and according to the
law. That is all they asked, all that they
expected. An honest verdict was a verdict
in accordance with the evidence. Whoever
found verdict to appease power, whoever
violated his conscience that he might be In
accord with an administration or government
was bribed. Weoever found verdict
that he might increase his reputation
was brlbed. Whoever found a verdict for
fear he would lose his reputation was bribed
Whoever bent to public demands or bowed
before the public press was bribed-fear,
prejudice, malice, the love of appreciation,
bribed thousand men where gold bribeu
one. An honest verdict was the result not
OF fear, but Of courage; not OF prejudice,
but OF candOr; and, above all, 1t Was the
result of the love of justice. The minds of
hejurors should not be affected by froth or
fiction, Or by the fury of this prosecution.
Turning to an examination OF the indct-
ment, he argued that the overt acts charged
must be proved exactly as alleged, no mat
ter whether the description was unnecessary
or not. In support Of this position he
quoted from numerous authorities until
tue court suggested lC was a legal position,
which would not be controverted, and sug-
gested that It was unnecessary for Colonel
Ingersoll to cite further authorities.
Colonel Ingersoll then pre- 3eded to make
a minute analysis of the charges in the In
dictment, taxing up and examioing the evil
dence on the various routes one by one, dis
missing them, when he had concluded each,
with such calculations as, THAT disposes of
that route," "AnOther child washed %
'hsr fC 10
roof of that route"
Addressing the court, he said that he
supposed he could, with propriety, draw an
inference as to the policy of the Post Office
Department from the papers presented in
in this case.
Tue court replied that he had refused to
receive evidence on that subject when offer
ed by the defense, for the simple reason
that he was Of opinion that no Second As
sistant Postmaster General could establish
any policy for the government, or for any
branch of the government. The policy Of
the government was to be found in the law,
and the court was unwilling let a Second
Assistant Postmaster General set up his
pol.cy in defense of his case. He had no
right to have policy.
Colonel Ingersoll occupied the remainder
Of the day In speaking to the legal point in
the case, and did not once come in conflict
with the Judge or opposing counsel. At
the closing he stated that he would con-
clude his remarks tomorrow forenoon. The
Attorney General will follow.