, gentlemen of the jury, I ask you as men
having hearts of flesh, and all the honorable instincts of manhood,
which alone could constitute you worthy umpires in this issue of life
or death, do you, can you wonder that regret sits at my ear, chanting
mournful dirges, and remorse like a harpy fastens her talons in my
soul, when I tell you, that I have committed a blunder so frightful,
that it borders on a crime as heinous as that for which my victim
stands arraigned? Wise was the spirit of a traditional statute, which
decreed that the author of a false accusation should pay the penalty
designed for the accused; and just indeed would be the retribution,
that imposed on me the suffering I have entailed on her.

"Acknowledging the error into which undue haste betrayed me, yet
confident that divine justice, to whom I have sworn allegiance, has
recalled me from a false path to one that I can now tread with absolute
certainty of success, I come to-day into this, her sacred temple, lay
my hand on her inviolate altar, and claiming the approval of her
officiating high-priest, his Honor, appeal to you, gentlemen of the
jury, to give me your hearty co-operation in my effort to repair a foul
wrong, by vindicating innocence.

"Professors of ophthalmology in a diagnosis of optical diseases, tell
us of a symptom of infirmity which they call pseudoblepsis, or 'false
sight.' Legal vision exhibits, now and then, a corresponding phase of
unconscious perversion of sight, whereby objects are perceived that do
not exist, and objects present become transformed, distorted; and such
an instance of exaggerated metamorphosia is presented to-day, in the
perverted vision of the prosecution. In the incipiency of this case,
prior to, and during the preliminary examination held in October last,
I appeared in conjunction with Mr. Wolverton, as assistant counsel in
the prosecution, represented by the Honorable Mr. Churchill, District
Solicitor; the object of said prosecution being the conviction of the
prisoner, who was held as guilty of Gen'l Darrington's death.
Subsequent reflection and search necessitated an abandonment of views
that could alone justify such a position; and after consultation with
my colleagues I withdrew; not from the prosecution of the real
criminal, to the discovery and conviction of whom I shall dedicate
every energy of my nature, but from the pursuit of one most unjustly
accused. Anomalous as is my attitude, the dictates of consc