The Labor enquirer., 1886-12-04
Judge Garv's Deoisisn.

For the Enquirer.
It is now fully admitted by the prose-
cution that the bomb-thrower has not
been found. The Judge says, "The con-
viction has not gone upon the ground
that the defendants did have actual par
ticipation in the act which caused the
death Of De9an. Some man, I will not
say identified. some man in that crowd,
somebody, not known. did throw the
bomb" This completely disposes Of the
case so far as the defendants themselves
are concerned in throwing it.
But then the Judge goes on to say,
THE person who threw the bomb (all
the while unknown) did 80 in conse-
quence of the advice of the defendants,
and in pursuance of it and influenced
by it."
How does he know what influanced
the person throwing the bomb, If he.
does not know who threw it? Was it.
an infurlated striker? Was it thought
less tramp2 Was it an emissary of cap.
ital? Was it crank2 Or was it an in
dignant protester for the right of free
speech, and against the abuse of author
ity 2 While all these suppositions are
possible, even probable, how can we
tell what influenced the person2 Sup
pose we have found the bomb-thrower,
and he is an Anarchist, is it not possible
that he may have never heard of these
defendants ? Or supposing that he did
know them, does it follow that he was
influenced by them? In order to say
that another's act is Influenced by me,
so that I am responsible for it. the in
fuence must be immediate, direct, spe-
clfic, personal. None of these elements
have been proven as existing in the con-
spiracy between the defendants and this
unknow person. On the contrary
conspiracy to throw one bomb at the
haymarket on May 4, would have been
contrary to all reason.
How then does the prosecution claim
that there was conspiracy By bo dily
changing the indictment, 80 that
whereas, these particular defendants
were charged with murder, all Anarch-
lists are now charged with murder How
is Anarchy made synonymous with
murder, and how are all Anarchists
made to be murderers? Why, the
Judge culls some passages suitable to his
purpose and declares that for "two years.
these "infamed the public mind" and
advised to murder generally."n "They
left only the occasion, the time nd
place to the individual will. whim and
caprice of this (unknown) individual 80
advised" The individual will, whim
and caprice being dedrcted, with the oc-
rasion, time and place, we have only
left the inflammation of the "publit
mind" together with advice to murder
generally" as the basis ofa conspiracy
! What is it then to inaame the public
mind2 Can the public be constantly
inflamed unless it has got something tt
be infamed over? And is not the de-
gree of ofinfammation in proportion tt
the amount of its grievance2 If ther
the public mind shall not be infamed
no public grievance can be discussed or
agitated. And if the peoples oppres
sors are to set in judgment on tn
amount of inflammation that shall bt
permitted, then tyranny is a divine
right and slavery is the natural condi
ton of the masses. 1t was through al
unlawful attempt to suppress vent t.
the peoples indignation in peaceable
assembly that occasioned the throwing
eff this very bomb. The state was th'
9 conspirator.
If the defendants are to be held re
sponsble for the indirect consequence
of their teachings, then should james
G. Blaine have been hung for inf1amini
Guiteau to murder Garfield. The judge
himself is setting causes at work whose
consequence" may rebour is h'
responsible, and when tho -.ulvidua,
will, whim or caprice" shall break out
he should be hung. I know nothing
thatscan more infame the public minC
than seven judicial murders, picked a
the flower of a reform propaganda.
What then is this advice to murder
generally" where nobody is mentioned
in particular? A Revolution. What il
Revolution ? A reformation too Ions
DELAYED! What are the two factors il
its approach irresponsible power anC
oppression no longer endurable. Wha
is the usual signal to the con fict2 The
suppression of free speech and fret
press. By whom? By the aggressor
the opp1 essor. Why is this 80 ? Because
the telling of the truth is tantamount to
the release of his oppression.
Now the conditions may or may no
be present to culminate in Revolution
The Chicago Anarchists had right tc
think 30. Wendell Philips once said
This labor and capital question ls tt
have as angry an agitation as slavery
caused, and unless settled, republican
institutions will 60 down before money ed
corporations" Lincoln declared: 81
affirm it as my conviction that class laws
placing capital above labor are more
dangerous to the republic at this hour