The Portland daily press., 1882-01-11

his Creator was "Thou shalt not kill" He
knew as lawyer that by the law of the land
he was prohibited from committing murder
But let us suppose he really belleved the
Almighty Father of us all in looking Tor an ap-
proprate agent to perform the mission such as
He gave the Apostle Paul, though that was no
mission of murder, had gone to the Stalwart
committee room in New York to hunt out
some worthless vagabond like him, and that on
examining him he found he had qualified him
self for crime by life of imposture, swlndling,
beggary, breach of trust, adultery and syphilis,
and he had selected him in the interest
of the great Republican party, in which he
would represent the firm to which he claims to
belong, of Jesus Christ & Company. Suppose
that to the Junior member OF that tirm there
had been committed by divine authority the
power and duty of midnight murder, OF church
murder, of depot murder, OF murder
everywhere, suppose he was inspired in both
ways; he was told by the written command
ment of God that to do the act would be to do
murder. And he swore in answer to my last
question that he did feel a personal remorse.
Now what is the law Of responsibility? First,
The jury must be satisfied by the oath OF an
honest man that he believed he was inspired.
Every man on that jury knows there is no
honest mans oath to lead him to that conclu-
sion and that the only oath they have IN sup
port of il is the oath of a murderer struggling
for his life against the scaffold which is his
doom. Suppose, added Mr.. Porter. the jury
believe him Suppose they accept the theory
that God inspired this pupil of Scoville. Even
st. Paul with his divine inspiration had no i'm
munity from stripes and scourges and death.
He bowed his head to the Roman sword and
suffered that doom by permission OF that same
Being whom this man impiously invoked as
his protector and in whose name he had me-
naced even the court and jury. The law of
inspiration which the prisoner quoted had nc
place here. Human laws were administered
BY human governments. When the Father Of
us all comm issioned the apostle to do bis work
he commissioned him also to take the conse
quences of his work.
The prisoner-"Now, Mr.. Porter, want to
say right here, am willing to take the conse
quences of my act, and I think that the Lord
has got it fixed SO that the consequences will
not be very serious. / stand up like mar
and will take the consequences | would go tt
the gallows tomorrow ii necessary. Put tina
down. / want no more of this bosh from you
Mr.. Porter-'I am very much inclined tt
oblige the prisoner and postpone my argu
ment."
The prisoner-"I am glad you are making
your speech now. 1t will be stale when yol
get before the jury" Then, laboring unde
great excitement he continued: You peopl.
think / am afraid of going to the gallows. !
am not. If the Lord wants me to go, vii
CO. Put that down. Mr.. Porter, | say an
in the right, and the American people are say
ing SO too.
ing President Gar6eld's letter complimentinl
the Judge who laid down the doctrines of re
sponsibility in connection with the defence o
insanity in the Jones-Gallatin case. He addet
that Garfield little thought that letter woult
| first make its appearance in black lines expires
sive of popular grief at the act of the murderer
who was now before the court for Justice