From the fantastic inconsistency of the foregoing decisions, a disinterested person might be led to infer, that of all the _dramatis personae_ of this legal farce, the chief actor is the least liable to the imputation of insanity. It is instructive to remark that the learned judges who presided, had all, either separately, or in connection with a commission of lunacy, pronounced in favor of insanity--an opinion which was fully concurred in by medical men. But the efforts of learned and eloquent counsel, aided by public prejudice, mawkish sentiment, and the ignoring by the jury of all the expert testimony, determined the verdict as stated. I will not weary you with further details respecting jury verdicts in questions of mental capacity. They are so thoroughly farcical, that our judges do not hesitate to advise the friends to drop all proceedings when a jury is demanded. I will illustrate the statement by a few examples. It had long been apparent to the friends of D. V. that his mind was unsound. Some time since he became violent, loquacious, and obscenely _erotic_. He declared he was in frequent correspondence with the Emperor of Germany and his First Chancellor; that he owned large and valuable properties in this city, in which it was known that he had not the remotest interest; that he was the most extraordinary intellect the world had ever produced; that he represented in his own person, several different individuals, and other like absurdities. He was finally arrested for indecent exposure of person and taken to the County Jail. Whilst confined in this place, his wild incoherence and absurd statements convinced the most inexperienced observers that he was laboring under marked aberration of mind. A commission of lunacy was finally ordered, and the expediency of placing him in an asylum was unanimously determined. The patient disagreed with this decision, and demanded an examination before a jury. A jury was not impaneled; the necessity was kindly obviated by a friend of the accused, a lumber dealer, who gratuitously informed the Judge that the man was not insane, because, forsooth, he could play a better game at cards than himself. It was not deemed necessary to further invoke the popular wisdom in this case, and the man was discharged. Ten years ago J. T., a wholesale merchant, was attacked with a nervous disorder which his physicians pronounced _spinal sclerosis_. Epileptic seizures came on subsequently. His mental powers became manifestly impaired, and he was ordered to the country. He became a patient of mine, and I attended him for several years. He would have attacks of a week's duration, during which he would never sleep. These attacks were accompanied by frequent epileptic fits and _clonic_ convulsion of certain muscles. The condition of his mind at such times was wild in the extreme. He finally became violent towards his family, and unmanageable. His condition was generally that of exaltation. He was usually happy; always gaining