Year: 1859

The following speech was delivered by Owen Suffolk on his trial at Ballarat (Ausralia) circuit court for horse stealing, to which charge he pleaded guilty The prisoner turned to the jury and addressed the following words, which could only be hearl in detached sentences, ow- ing to the prisoners indistinct enunciation:

 ''Gentlemen '' of the jury: shall not attempt to address you in defense of the crime to which 1 plead guilty, but wish merely to address you d few words in explanation, which hope you will hear in spite of an iufirmtv which prevents my speaking clearly. It is impossible to stand before my fellows or jury of my countrymen under circumstances more unfa- vorable than those which compel me to appear before you in feon's garb. And overwhelm- ed with shame as am, 1 must confess that my appearance bears testimony to my sad history and is in mournful harmony with it. It has been my unfortunate lot since boyhood's years to pass the greater part of my life in jail, in society which has rendered my life burden some. All that existed in life to make mine joyful one has been shut out from me. My long acquaintance with crime, together with this dress, proclaim in silent eloqneuce how con- pletely l am outcast from the community of men. If, then, under these circumstances, l do not appear innocent, 1 have at least no de- sire to assume innocence. Yet l am still anx four to repeat to you some of the dark passages of my past life. l am one of class which is the result of system. 1 belong to a criminal class, and while bound to another luw-being Ill the hulks, my own soul has felt the influence. of the cUrrodng chain bear on my body. I am an pie of what the moral pestilence and air laden with degradation with which have been surrounded can do to gxture not altogether perverted to evil. GeGtlemen, 1 will first occupy the few brief moments allotted to Me by eudeavorng to show how one origin all designed for good, may, by the force of cir cuisstances, be supernduced by the lights and shadows of life which cross his career, to a fu- ture of crime aud misery. Our actions are iu the plastic hands of circumstances, and we can read the partial progress of their influence on our natures by retrospect of our own hfe It Will be difficult to prove to which side these effects Iean have to acknow ledge that, in taking d retrospect of my own past career, it has been affected by this law. But flower blooming in our pathway, or by striking our foot against stone, we may be either made or marred. We are all the creatures of rircum- stances. The warriors of Rome, the artists and philosophers of Greece the prophet soldier of the Mahomcdan era who carried his Koran in one hand with the sword iii the other, the crusader who left his bones to whiten on the burning sands of Asia.

 His Honor was very sorry to interrupt the prisoner but as he had admitted his guilt, such an address as the present would be of no service to him.

 Prsoner-I only wish to point out to the jury the influence by which have been brought to where l stand.

 His Honor-But those remarks would more properly be addressed to myself 1 need not suggest to a person of your intelligence that public time should be devoted to purposes more directly connected with the matter in hand.- If you wish to prove your innocence

 Prisoner-l have nothing more to say. I only pleaded guilty to have an opportunity of addressing you, to show how 1 have been the victim of circumstances, but if your Honor thinks am only occupying vour time

 His Hopor-I certainly do not consider this the time for general review of the subject of penal discipline.

 Prisoner-(handing up some papers which he took from his pocket) t)-Perhaps your Honor will read these

 His Honor-Gentemen of the jury, wish to be understood not to attempt to control any prisoner wishing to prove his innocence, but un- less he has that object in view cannot consent that public time should be wasted

 A verdict of guilty was then returned.

 His Honor promised that he would read the prisoners statement carefully, and remauded the prisoner for sentence