Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-16
HIS VANITY GRATIFIED.
GUITEAU'S GREATEST EFFORT"
His speech Given TO the Associated
Press-A Rehash OF His Previous
UtGerances-Ehe Deity Alone Re-
spOnsibIe-COnfid That He VIII
Cheat the GaIIOWgs


"T0 the Nea0 York Associated Press:
"GENTLEMEN-I have the honor herewith
to transmit my speech. It is an historical
document, and l desire it sent broadcast
to the American nation. l am not certain
that Judge Cox will allow me to deliver it,
but l send it to my countrymen, and they
and the President of the United States, If ne
cessary, will finally adjudicate this case.
have an encomium on Judge Cox at the close
of the speech, which allow to stand, but
do not think it possible, on mature reflection,
that he really intends to gag me and pre-
vent my delivering the speech. If
he does, his name will go into his
tory backened as a gag-lawman. 1 am
sure that the able Chief Justice and
: is associates, who represent the Washing
ton court in banc, will spit with scorn on
the position of Judge Cox, and l am sure
that the high toned men of the nation will
do lkewke, because am my own counsel,
and it's infamous, If l am not permitted to
address the jury when my life is at stake.
would not trust the best man In Ameri-
ca to close nv case. l take no stock in
Messrs. Scoville and Reeds theory Of this
a L
speech contains my defense, and It should
be read by every American, and desire to
give 1t the widest publicity by printing 1t in
its entirety.
have the honor to be yours, etc,
CHAs. GUITEAU.
United States Jail, Washington, D. c., jan
aSary Is.
The speech which accompanies the letter
makes ten or twelve thousand words, but
contains very little which is either new or
important. The first part of it is a mere
repetition of Guiteau's Christmas address,
which has had wide publication. Ofthe re-
mander the following extracts give a fair
idea: After resuming the history of the
conflict between the stalwarts and the half
breeds, Guiteau says: "Soon after Robert
sons appointment the Republican party be-
gan to heat. This was about the middle of
MAY. By the first of June it was red hot.
By the first OF July 1t was white hot. II this
spirit had not been killed by the Presidents
removal the nation would have soon been in
the flames Of civil war. Our late rebellion
cost the nation near a million men
and billions of money, and 1t desOlated the
hearthstOnes Of the republic. To prevent
repetition of this desOlatiOn the removal of
the late President was necessary. By his
removal the Republican party was cemented
and the nation to-day is happy and prosper
Gus. l suffer in bonds because l had the
inspiration and nerve to remove the Pres-
dent that the nation might live, but | ex
pect that YOU, gentlemen Of the Jury, will
remove these bonds to the end that go
forth a free and Vindicated mar. That's
what you are here for, and l ask you to
liberate me. Tell the American people that
you find no evil in me, and that my inspira-
tiOn came from the Deity, and that He and
He a'Oue is responsible for the Presidents
removal.
81 now review this case since July 2d,
and call special attention to the acts OF the
Deity, wherein He has taken special pains
to protect me and confirm my inspiration to
the end, that all men may see, and seeing,
may believe IN my inspiration"
After reviewing again the history
OF the weeks which Immediately
preceded the assassination of
the President and the motives which i'm
PEELED him to his murder, Guiteau says: 81
never had the slightest doubt as to the
necessity for it or that the oppor-
tunity would come, and l shot him
on July ID. Not being a marksman,
he fingered until September 191b,
when he passed quietly and gently away
The Lord thereby confirmed my inspiration
There was a special providence In his dying
in New Jersey. / undertake to say that the
Deity allowed him te die there to protect
me from the possibility of legal liability for
simply executing His will. Should this jury
condemn me to be hung, which is hardly
possible, in view OF the facts ap-
pearing in the trial, the Deity has
probably fixed the law so that
the verdict can't.be legally enforced. 1t is
the opinion of some of the ablest members
OF this bar that this court has no iurisdic-
tion to try this case. This point will be
pressed, II necessary, in the arrest of judg-
ment, but l expect you, gentlemen of the
jnry, to justify the act. You are here to
vindicate my inspiration. | say that never
would have shot the PRESIDENT on my per-
sOnal account. This is the literal truth, and
now propose to call your attention to other
ac's OF the Deity, confirming my inepirs-
tion.
81 went to the baltimore and Potomac
depot on the Cd of July and shot the Presi-
dent twice. Only one ball took effect |
wOu not do it again for one million of dol
lars. 1t was most insane, foolhardy act.
Possibly, no one but madman could have
done It. But 1 would have done it any time
after June 1st, II / had known l was to be
shot the next moment. [ had no power to
prevent It. My free agency was entirely
destroyed. l was in duress-in law. ADY
one under duress is not responsible for his
act. On this ground l ask you to acquit me-
Chow do we know you were under duress
my word for it, no one else can know this
fact but the Deity and me. I know it, the
Deity knows 1t and the Deity has taken
special pains to thus far protect me. II it
be true absolutely that Providence and I
saved the nation, why should not be a hero
and the equal of Washington ana Lincoln
and Grant'7 Many people are beginning to
see that | have saved The nation. This trial
has developed my motive and my inspiration,
and to-day the people consider me patriot
and great msn. The prosecution have made
a greaI houIiSn WIN th-." insane experts.
Inc ne U4Iy insanity in this case g what these
experts call transitory mania, that is, the
Abraham style OF insanity. There are
thirty eight cases of Abrahamic insanity in
the Bible, that is, of Illegal killing resulting
from the possession of transitory mania by
Divine authority. If a single man on this
jury has the slightest doubt as to whether
| fired that shot on my personal account or
as the agent of the Deity, he Is bound
under the laws to give me the benefit Of the
doubt and acquit. The prosecution have
attempted to show by their paid experts
that l was not suffering from transitory
mania the time fred on
the President, but what do
they know about itl Absolutely nothing.
Had l plenty of money / could get fifty
reputable experts to swear l was insane
absolutely at that time. | take no stock in
the shape Of the head or the hang of the
tongue, or in the opinion Of the experts on
either side of this Issue. leave my iustif-
cation to God and the American people, and
to-day, six months after the shot was fired,
the Deity has repeatedly confirmed the act,
as indicated by nv experience as set forth
in this speech, and the American people are
satisfied 10 let this prosecution 90 by de-
fault and that is the way you will probably
let it gon
Guiteau then quotes in extenso large
number Of letters which he claims to have
received from the American people, ap-
proving bis act, and gives extracts from the |
prayers of a number Of prominent clergv- |
men after Garfeld's death, to show that, In |
their opinion, 1t was Gods will that he |
should die. The address closes with a |
eulOgY on Judge Cox and the following In |
general!
81 am satisfied with your Honor's pro- |
posed instructions, but | would humblv |
suggest that the jury be charged as follows: |
That If they believe that believed It was |
right for me to remove the President be- |
cause had special Divine authority for so |
doing, they will acqult, on the ground that |
was overpOwered by the Deity; that Is, |
that / was suffering from transitory ma /
mia. Your Honor has suggested that the |
law Of Jurisdiction In this case NAV be |
different from what some Of the leading
Washington lawyers say it Is. Should it be |
necessary to have your Honor pass iually /
on this issue, l expect that we shall find |
plenty of authority to show that your Honor
has no Jurisdiction. ! am also of opinion
that the court In bane will so decide, IL
necessary. The Judiciary of this District is
net surpassed by the ablest judiciary In the
Onion. Chief Justice Cartier is the peer
of any Justice on the American bench and