The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-01-19
THE SPEECH.


The speech which accompanies
the letter makes ten or twelve thou
sand words, but contains very little
which is either new or important
The first part of it is a mere repeti-
ton of Guiteau's Christmas address,
which already had wide publica-
ton. Of the remainder, the follow
lowing extract gives a fair idea.
After reviewing the history of the
| conflict between the stalWarts and
| halfbreeds, Guiteau says: "Soon
after Robeson's appointment the
Republican party began TO
heat. This was about the middle of
May, and by the first of June it was
red-hot; by the first of July it was
white-hot. II this spirit had not
been killed by the presidents removal
the nation would soon have been in
flame of cruel war. Our late rcvo-
luton cost millions of money and
| billions of money, and it devolved
upon the Republicans 10 prevent
repetition of the desolatiOn. The
removal of the president was
necessary, and by his removal
the Republican party was
cemented and the nation
is happy and prosperous to-day. |
suffer in bondage because had the
inspiration to remove the president
that the nation might live, but l
expect you, gentlemen of the jury,
will remove these bonds. TO the
end that l go forth free and vindi>
Gated man is what you are here tor,
and / expect you to liberate me.
Tell the American people that you
find no evidence; that inspiration
came from the Deity and He alone
is responsible for. the presidents
removal. | now review this case
since July 2, ana call special atten-
ton to acts Of Deity, when He has
taken special pains to protect me
and confirm my inspiration to the
end, that all Americans may see,
and seeing may believe, in my inspi-
ration" After reviewing again the
history of events which imme-
diately preceded the assassina-
ton OF the president, and
the motive which impelled the
murder, Guiteau says: l never had
the slightest doubt as TO the divinity,
for the act was a necessity, if the OPP
portunity came. | shot him OH July
2, and not being marksman, he lin
gered until September 10, when he
passed away, the Lord thus confirm
ing my inspiration that there was
special providence in his decease in
Deity allowed him to die there to
protect me from the possibility of
legal liability for executing His will,
should this jury condemn me to be
hung, which is hardly probable.
In view of the fact appearing in this
case the Deity has probably fixed
the law so as that their verdict can
not be legally effected. 1t is the
opinion of some of the ablest men of
this bar that this court has no iuris-
diction to try this case. This point
will be pressed, if necessary, in the
arrest of judgment, but l expect
you of the jury to justify the act.
Your are here to vlndicate my in
spiration you are here to say
that L never would have
shot the president on my own
personal account. This is the literal
truth. And now l propose to call
your attention to other acts of the
Deity confirming my Inspiration.
l went to the Baltimore and Ohio
depot OH the second of July and shot
the president twice. One bullet
took effect. would not do it again
for a million dollars. 1t was the
most insane and foolhardy act pos
sible, and no one but a mad man
could have done it. L would have
done it any time after June LIST
if L had known that / was
to be shot dead the next minute.
had no power to prevent it. My
free agency was entirely destroyed.
l was under duress. Any one I'M
der duress is not responsible for his
acts. On this ground ask you
to acquit me. You may ask, how
do we know you were under duress?
You only have my word for it. No
one else can know this fact but the
Deity and me. / know it. The
Deity knows it. The Deity has taken
special pains 10 thus far protect
me. If it be true absolutely that
Providence and | saved the ma
ton, why should not l be hero
and the equal of Washington and
Lincoln and Grant. Many people
are beginning to see that have
saved the nation. The feeling against
me in this trial has developed my
motive and my inspiration, and to-
day the people consider me a pat
riot and great man. The prosecu-
ton have made great flourish with
their insane experts. The only in-
sanity in this case is what these ex-
perts call transitory mania, a poor
style of insanity. There are thirty
eight cases of Abrahamic in
sanity in the Bible, that is, of illegal
killing, resulting from the posses
sion of transitory mania by Divine
authority. fla single man on this
jury has the slightest doubt as to
whether l fired that shot on my per-
sonal account or as the agent OF the
Deity, he is bound under the law to
give me the benefit of that doubt
aud acQuit me. The prosecution