Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-09-26

be disposed Of by lynch or mob law This
state of things does not exist in our COM
muntv but it does in some parts of our
state as every intelligent man knows.
1T is charged here that our client is an
anarchist a man who does not believe in
any law or in any form of government.
And there are, as we are told. other iudi-
Nduals who entertain that opinion. We
all feel that such doctrines are dangerous.
when that doctrine becomes sufficiently
prevalent in this country, II it ever does.
our institutions will he set aside and over
thrown and If we are not msnformed as
to the state OF mind of some people n
some parts of our country the time is fast
approaching when men charged with crime
will not be permitted to come into court
and submit to a calm and dignihed trial
but will be strung up to a tree on the bare
suspicion that some one may hold the fact
that they have committed some crime.
Now it Is the duty of every America an
citizen. of every good man, to stand firm
~ by the law and put his voice against
any idea that man should be punishe
for any crime until he is proven q ny
in court beyond any reasonable do bit.
81 remember. gentlemen, when l was a
young man living in Auburn, studying my
profession. when the news came that i
cOlored man had gone up on the shores
of Owasco Lake and there had murd red
practically an entire family named Van
The people gathered on the streets to hear
the news. In tho course of the afternoon
1t was learned that the man. Ere, m n,
had been arrested and was being brought
to the city To be jdlel The people VI on
the streets became more ana more excited.
They began to talk about mobhing the l.
Orcd man when hc arrived. William - W
ard, who then lived I'm the city, appeared
upon the street and counsclle1 modera-
ton counsellcd the people to wait and s 'o
whether the man was really guilty Of The
crime or not. and permit him to have
legal trial. Iiut the people protested. He
was guilty, they said. and must be dispos-
ed of Mr.. Seward insisted and they incar-
ccrated Freeman in Jail 1t soon became
known that Mr. Seward had voluntcer rod
to defend the negro when he was put on
trial and Indignation arose against n m.
but that statesman saw that there WAS a .
opportunity of giving an object lesson t.
the world as to tho proper diSpuSit on
that case, ana for two long months that
trial went on with Seward defending tho
negro. II occupied some three weeks I'm
oht1ining Jury and sat By during al
most the entire proceedings of that trill
and listened to the defense that Mr. Sew
ard intorroscd. BOT that he cared any
thing for the negro, but he wanted 20
maiuain the law giving every man a trial
and pvt down mob violence.
Here is case whore a man has stricken
down the beloved President Of this C'un-
try. If there was ever a case that would
excite the anger, the wrath of those who
saw II, this was one and yet under the at
vice Of the Pre- sidcnt. let no man hurt
him, he was taken. confined in our prison,
indicted, put upon trial here and the oase
IS Don To be submitted to you, as to
whether he is guilty of the crime charged
against him.
Here was n man occupying an exalted
position, man Of irrcproa enable char
acter man who had come here to assist
us in promoting the prosperity of our
great exposition. And he was shot down
while holding a reception.
THE law nrosumes the defendant limo
cent until h is proven guilty and We
start with the assumption that the defend
ant was not mentally responsible for the
crime he committed
'liow can man with a sane mind pt--
form such an act? The rabhle in the
streets will say no matter whether h. Is
insane or not, he deserves to be killed If
YOU find he was not responsible Won
would aid in lifting great cloud from the
minds Of the people Of this country. "
the beloved President had met with rail-
road accident and been killed our gri. {
could not compare with what II Is now
II watched the President during his long
public career and he was one of the no.
hlest men God ever made. His policy we
care nothing about, but always met with
the saddest blow to me that has occurred