Hail to the Majesty of the Law

A murderous wretch shoots down the President of the United States. He intends to kill him. He does kill him. He does so without any provocation. He does so with a purpose of striking at the government itself. He does not believe in God. He believes in the destruction of government. He believes in the murder of the representatives of government. He openly murders the head of this government whom all the people respected and admired and acknowledged as their chosen representative. He acknowledges his guilt, and openly avows his purpose, and offers even no extenuation or apology.
     He does this deed in the open, in the presence of the people. Yet he is protected from violence by the officers of the law. He is taken into court and given all the benefits of a regular and orderly trial under the forms of law. He avows his guilt but is awarded the deliberate and orderly form of a trial. He does not want counsel but is assigned two of the most distinguished and able attorneys at the bar. He has had every right and privilege under the law that any other citizen, no matter what his antecedents were, would have had. There was a decorus [sic], dignified and high-minded defense, without haste on the one hand, and without dilatory and unwarranted pleas on the other. He was convicted without any show of prejudice or passion on the part of the judge or jury or counsel. [326][327]
     The majesty of the law has been vindicated.
     Anglo Saxon Jurisprudence has been honored.
     The traditions of the legal Profession have been admirably maintained.
     Now let the lynchers and the mob retire and hide their heads in the presence of this magnificent object lesson.