had been brought up in vice and
misery; he had no gentle sister to lead him in the paths of virtue, a
kind word was never spoken to him; a crust of bread was denied him when
he was starving; and above all, he had no wealthy friend to pay an
enormous counsel fee, and my learned opponent standing where he did just
now, called loudly on the jury and said, 'away with such a fellow from
the earth!'"

"Do not think me blood-thirsty or unfeeling. The innocent sufferer in
this case, the sister of this unfortunate young man, has my deepest
sympathy and commiseration, as she has that of this audience and the
jury. But could those here present have gone with me"--(here the speaker
paused, too agitated to proceed)--"to yonder desolated home; had they
seen a mother, lately widowed, and four young sisters, around the bier
where lay the remains of the murdered son and brother--their only hope
next to God--he for whom they were all toiling early and late, that,
when his education was completed, he in turn might work for them,--had
they heard that mother's cry for strength, now that her last earthly
prop was thus rudely snatched away, they would have found food for pity
there. I tell you, my friends, I pray that I may never be called upon to
witness such a scene again!"

Wiping his cheeks repeatedly, Mr. G----resumed:

"These tears surprise me; for I am not used to the 'melting mood,' and I
cannot afford to weep as readily as my learned opponent, who will count
his pile of bank notes for every tear he sheds, and think those tears
well expended. I speak for an outraged community; my sympathies are with
the poor--with the widow and the fatherless--with those whose only son
and brother has been cut off in his hope and promise, and consigned to
an early grave."

"Shall these things take place unnoticed and unpunished?--and for a
light and hasty word, shall our young men of promise be cut down in the
midst of their days, and the act go unrebuked of justice? I look not so
much at this individual case as to the general good. Were I to look only
on the prisoner, I too might yield to feeling, and forget justice. But
feeling must not rule here: in the court room, justice alone should have
sway; and I call upon the jury to decide as impartially in this case as
if the poorest and most neglected wretch, brought up in vice and
wretchedness, sat there, instead of the handsome and interesting
prisoner; and I call upon the jury to show that, though