The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-01-19

/ =
| widest publicity by printing it in its en-
| tirety. | have the honor to be,
Yours, etc, CHARLES GUITEAU,
United States Jail,
Washington, d. c., Jan. 10, 1882.
THE SPEECH.
IF THE COURT PLEASE, GENTLEMEN OF
| THE JURY: am patriot; to-day suffer
In bonds as patriot. Washington was
| patriot; Grant was patriot. Wash
| lngtOn led the armies of the Revolution
through eight years of bloody war to
| victory and glory, and to-day the nation
Is prosperous and happy. To-day, Christ
mas, 1881, suffer in bonds as a patriot,
! because | had the inspiration and nerve
to unite great political party, to the
! end that the Nation might be saved
| from another devastating war. To-day
| | suffer in bonds as a patriot.
| There Is not the first element of
murder in this case. To constitute the
! crime of murder two elements must co.
| exist first, an actual homicide; second
! malice in law, or malice in fact. The
| law preSumes, malice from the fact OF
| homicide. There is no homicide in this
| case, and therefore no malice in law
| The Deity allowed the dOcuOrs to finish
| my work gradually, because He wanted
| TO prepare the people for the change,
and also to confirm my original inspira-
| ton. | am well satisfied with the Deity's
| conduct of this case so far, and | have
no dOubl He will continue to father it
to the end. Nothing but the political
situation last spring justified the Presi-
dents removal. The break in the Re-
publican party then was widening week
by week, and / fOresaw civil war. The
Lord wanted to prevent a repetition of
this desOlatiOn, and inspired me to exc
cute His will. Why did He inspire me
in preference to some one else2 Be-
cause had brains and nerve. probably,
to do the work. The Lord does not EN-
plOy incompetent persons to serve Him.
He uses the best material He can find.
|, of all the world, was the only man
who had authority from the Deity to do
it.. Without the Deity's pressure | never
should have sought to remove the PTesi-
dent. This pressure destroyed my free
agency. The Deity compelled me to do
the act, just as highwayman cOmpels
man to give him money after placing
a pistol at his victims head. This ire
sistiOle pressure to remove the Presi-
dent was on me for thirty days, and it
never left me when awake. 1t haunted
me day and night. At last an OppOr-
tunity came, and | shot him. As soon
| as | fired the shot the inspiration was
worked off, and | felt immensely re-
| lieved. / would not d. it again for a
million dollars. Only a miracle saved
me from being shot then and there. 1t
was the most insane, fOOlhardy act pOssi-
| bic, and no one but a madman could
have done it. There are more than
| thirty-eight cases in the Bible where the
| Deity has directed to kill for the good of
| the people; that is, to save them from
| some far greater trouble.
Had Jefferson Davis and dozen or
two of his cO-traitOrs been shot dead in
January, 1861, no doubt our late rebel
lion never would have been. General
Arthur as President is doing splendidiy.
No man can do better. Iam especially
pleased with his cOncilitOry spirit and
wisdom towards the opposition. 1t is
exactly what l wished him to do, viz,
unite the factions of the Republican
party to the and that the Nation may be
happy and prosperous. In short every
body, politically, is happy, save a few
cranks, GnG they will probably be happy
soon,
have no doubt to my spiritual
destiny. / have alWay5 been a lover OF
the Lord, and whether live one year or
thirty, l am His. As a matter of fact,
presume / shall live to be President.
Some people think | am as good man
as the President. General Arthur Is
good man every way. Happen to know
him well. L was with him constantly
in New York during the canvass; so with
General Grant, COnkling and the rest of
these men. They have not taken an
active part in my defense because it
would not be proper.
The prosecution have introduced GER
tain witnesses who are guilty of rank
perjury, and it has excited my wrath,
and | have denounced them in plain
language. | hate the mean, deceptive
way of the prosecution. The mob cruel
fed the Savior of mankind, and Paul,
his great apostle, went to an 1gnOmlnl-
Gus death All inspired men must do
their work and leave the result to the
Deity, whatever becomes of them. The
worst that man can do is to kill you,
but they cannot prevent your name and
work laundering down the ages. Had |
stuck to my claim business | should
have been rich man to-day; but | had
other work to do. My book, "The Truth"
contains my theology. 1t cost me trOu-
BILE enough, and | have no doubt but it
is official. During the three years Twas
on theology 1 incurred some small debts,
which L have not yet been able to pay.
A thousand dollars would pay every dol
lar owe. Some men owe hundred
thousand dollars, and are considered
high-tOned. The prosecution have made
some noise about my owing some board
bills, but that has no bearing on this
issue. Mr. COrkhlll, who has taken 1t
upon himself to dig up my ciTcum-
stances, owes a hundred times more
than do. | always pay when L have
money, but there was no money in theo-
lOgy, and knew it when went into it.
To-day suffer in bonds, because had
the inspiration and the nerve 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 may go forth free and
vindicated man. That is what you are
here for, and l ask you to liberate me.
Tell the American people that you find
no evil in me. 1t was the opinion of
some of the ablest members of the bar
that this court has no jurisdiction to
try this case. This point will be pressed,
if necessary. in arrest of judgment. But
expect you, gentlemen of the jury, to
justify the act. You are here to vindi-
cate my inspiration, but would have
done it any time after June 1st if had
known / was to be shot dead the next
moment. L had no power to prevent it.
My free agency was entirely destroyed;
| was under duress. In law, any one
under duTess is not responsible for his
acts. On this ground ask you to acquit