Page:Federal Reporter, 1st Series, Volume 10.djvu/186

 174 FEDERAL REPORTER. �other papers, but, perhaps, with more emphasis and clearness. He is represented as saying that the situation at Albany suggested the removal of the president, and as the factional fight became more bitter, he beeame more decided. He knew that Arthur would become president, and that would help Conkling, etc. If he had not seen that the presi- dent ivas doing a great wrong to the stalwarts, he would not liave assas- shiated him. �In the address to the American people, then written, he says : �"/ now vmh to state distinctly. why I attempted to remove the president. I had read the newspapers for and agairist the administration, very carefully, for two months, before I conceived the idea of removlug him. Oraduaily, as the restilt of reading the neimpapers, the idea settled on me that if the presi- dent was removed it would unite the two factions of the republlcan party, and thereby save the government from going into the hands of the ex-rebels and their northern allies. It was my oion conception, and, whether right or vyrong, I take the entire responsihility," �A second paper, dated July 19th, addressed to the public, reiterates this and concludes, "Whether he lives or dies, I have got the inspira- tion worked out of me." �We have now before us everything emanating from the prisoner about the time of the shooting and within a little over a fortnight afterwards. We have nothing further from him until over three months afterwards. Let us pause here to consider the import of all this. �You are to consider, first, whether this evidence fairly represents the true feelings and ideas which governed the prisoner at the time of the shooting. If it does, it represents a state of things which I have not seen characterized in any judicial utteranoe or authoritative work as an insane delusion. �You are to consider whether it is se described in the evidence, or does not, on the contrary, show a dcliberate process of reasoning and reflection, upon argument and evidence for and against, resulting in an opinion that the president had betrayed his party, and that if he were out of the way it would be a benefit to his party, and save the country from the predominance of their political opponents. So far there was nothing insane in the conclusion. It was, doubtless, shared by a great many others. But the difference was that the prisoner, according to his revelations, went a step further, and reached the con- viction that to put the president out of the way by assassination was a political necessity. �When men reason the law requires them to reason correctly, as far ��� �