The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-11
OLD MAN ELOQUENT.
JUDGE poRTER's RINGING RHETORIC
Ia Answer to the Arguments Of the Dsf,n.s-Th,
"AntlquAtsd Orator. shakes up the Dry
Bone. ia The DO,k-Judgs CO1's De.
eltOa uaiaVOrabls 10 the Prisoner.

bundle Of paper, and spreading out tn
manuscript busted himself with lookinI
1t over.
Judge Porter began his argument shortly
after 10 o'clock, and at once fixed the at
tention Of every one in the room.
Guiteau pretended to be engrossed in hi
manuscript, but soon laid IL aside and lis
tened with rapt attention.
1t is believed Judge Porter will speak
until recess. Nothing like it:has been seer
or heard during the past nine weeks in the
Guiteau trial. AS Judge Porter reviewed
the conduct Of the prisoner and conduct on
the part Of his counsel in his cause in this
Court, and the crime in all its hideous ugll.
ness was held up TO the detcstation Of his
hearers, the silence became oppressivepand
the presence Of ayenging Justice in the near
future was suggested with force OF con-
viction that swept from the Court room
every vestige Of that levity which has so
long danced attendance, and upon every
utterance Of the prisoner and, like veil,
obscured the consciousness OF the
spectators Of the horror Of the crime, and
what should be the solemnity Of its judicial
atonement.
The prisoner WINGED and nervoHsly
twisted in his place and for several min
utes was unable to say anything that in any
sense could approach to an interruption,
but gradually the prisoner regained his
usual assurance and resumed his daily
habit OF interrupting, with contradictions
and denials. For once, however, the insult
terable impudenCe Of the prisoner was
completely oyerawed, and neither his noise
nor his abuse could interrupt or silence
the avalanche Of condemnation that swept
from the lips Of the eloquent counsel. 1.-The
prisoner is mistaken" said Judge Porter,
''if he believes by his unseemly brawling
he can prevent my voice from being heard
by the jury. The pupp0t cannot be moved
in such good time us when he sat with his
counsel, and by his outbursts now he is
fast tightening the hangman's moose about
his neck" With nervous twitching OF
the mouth, Guiteau muttered, ave will
see about that" and the heretofore auda-
cious and wholly unabashed prisoner
seemed i'll Mt ease and ut loss to under
stand why his would.be sallies Of wit or
imPudeRce wholly failed, with theaudience,
while the fercer became the denunCiation
Of the counsel the more frequent and
marked were the demonstrations OF APP
plause. Finally, like wild beast brought
to bay, Guiteau yelled ont, ~ stakcd my
life on the issue and am willing to go to
the gallows tomorrow il it is the Lords
will. I'm sick OF this bosh. Judge Porter,
! wish you would get your 5000 and 60
home"
Judge Porter began his address with
reference to the disorder which had char.
acterized the proceedings OF the defense,
and then spoke Of Reeds argument as law
yer.likG, and based on only law points,
which with any plausibility could not be nd.
duced by the defense. OF Scoville's argu.
ment he said it could only have been de-
livered by one OF the family OF Guiteau
who, as he had himself boosted, had learn,
ed his law in police courts, and acquired
his manner among hooting owls in the
woods OF Western Ohio. Porter reviewed
the arguments OF Davidge, pointing out its
strong points. Malice, Mr.. Davidgc had
rightly said, was presumption OF law, @
question Of law for the Judge not for Inc
Jury. Should the Judge decide as the de
tense desired, that malice was q question
OF fact for the Jury, he would overturn
the law; he would create q precedent in
this famous case which would inevitably
be condemned through all time to come
Mr.. ScOville had objected that decisions in
support OF prosecutions postulate were
as antiquated us his (Porter's) style Of ora
tory.
lnever, said Porter initiated any mar
nor ever commented on any ones oratory.
| never, said Porter, sat at the feet OF that
Gamaliel us Guitcau did. Whether my
manners or morals would have been im.
proved is for others to say. Judging from
the disciple who is before you, he would
scarcely seem to be IN appropriate instruc
tor for the youth.
Proceeding to expound the law on the
subject OF malice, and reading from the 1855
edition OF .Archbald's Criminal Practice
Porter dwelt upon the premeditation o.
Guiteau. Referring to his layingin wait and
to his dodgiDg the footsteps oithe President
he said, was this worthless vagabond the
man to be selected and inspired by God
u cheat, swindler, creature OF the vilesl
habits. He then is junior in the firm o
Jesus Christ & Company. This murderer
tracking his victim ut night, at Church, al
the railroad station, everywhere until the
deed is done. But grant this ludicrouE
pretension and allow him the inspiration
OF Paul, which he impiously quotes, that
does not protect him as it didn't protect
Paul from stripes and death. Mr.. POrtel
went on 10 say, that although the Presi
dent had died the Government still lived
and his successor was prosecuting his us
sassin.
"Yes, said Guiteau, and Arthur employs
you under misapprehension."
"Yes," said Judge Porter, "under the
misapprehension that the law was stronger
than Guiteau, but Guiteau seems 10 think
that he is stronger than the law"
II do not claim to be stronger than the
law, but God Almighty isstronger than the
law" said Guiteau sullenly.
ale will come before God Almighty
presently" said Porter solemnly. "Until
then he would do well TO refer but little Ia
Him. He will feel soonwhat he has never
felt before-Divine presenCe-in the form
Of n hangman's moose. The prisoner has
sworn on the stand that he was predestined
to remove the President-he had forgotten
to say that he was also predestined to DC
hung for it." Speaking again OF his inter.
ruptlons, and ofthe promptings Of his fam
lily, Porter said that he had a supreme con.
tempt for all the Guiteaus-not the re
spectacle ones, but those who sympathized
with the assassin. Porter then took up the
authorities cited by the defense, pronounc
ing them either unsupported or bad law
from obscure benches. He sneercd at the
assertion Of Scoville, that the antiquatet
arguments Of the prosecution could no
stand in the light Of those Of the defense
which purported to bethe outgrowth Of III
enlightened age-an age Of Guiteaus-wher
a hungry politician kills a President from
pique.
4 politician, continued Mr.. Porter, whit
had such belief in the gulIability and de
pravity Of mankind that he supposed h,
was doing men like Gen. Grant, Mr.. Conk
ling, the greatest parliamcntarian and on
OF the foremost statesmen OF the time, anC
even President Arthur, service for whiCl
| ha Nynull Rnnaft.o a ot,,oH1 NUb,t bo,