Now, I have gone over just a few of these charges. I have shown you that
they are false; that they are without the slightest shadow of foundation
in fact. Now, gentlemen, after you hear all this evidence, it is for
you to determine. It is for you to say whether these men entered into a
conspiracy to defraud this Government. It is for you to say whether our
testimony is to be believed, or whether you are to decide this case upon
the suspicions of the Government. It is for you to say whether you will
believe the contracts and the witnesses, or whether you will take the
prejudice of the public press; whether you will take the opinion of the
Attorney-General; whether you will take the letter of some counselor at
law, or whether you will be governed by the testimony in this case. It
is for you to say, gentlemen, whether a man shall be found guilty on
inference; whether a man shall be deprived of his liberty by prejudice.
It is for you to say whether reputation shall be destroyed by malice and
by ignorance. It is for you to say whether a man who fought to sustain
this Government shall not have the protection of the laws. It is for you
[indicating a juror] and it is for you [indicating another juror] and
you [indicating another juror] and you [indicating another juror] to
say whether a man who fought to take the chains off your body shall have
chains put upon his by your prejudice and by your ignorance. It is for
you to say whether you will be guided by law, by evidence, by justice,
and by reason, or whether you will be controlled by fear, by prejudice,
and by official power. That, gentlemen, is all I wish to say in this
opening.