The Lawyers call and examine the witnesses. These are not permitted to tell the truth in their own way at all. They are sworn upon the _Sacred Writings_, upon pain of penalties of the Law, and the dreadful fear of the awful Jah and Hell, _to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth_! Now, the truth which they are to speak must be that _sort_ of truth which the Lawyers and the Judge determine upon to hear--not by any means _that_ truth which the witness, in his simplicity, is about to utter! Here, then, an honest and conscientious witness is likely to be at once bewildered; but a callous, self-possessed one, who does not intend to say one word more than he can help, finds himself doing exactly what the Lawyers and the Court understand by the oath--that is, to speak _for_ the one side or the other; _not for truth_! Consider the position of a witness, perhaps a timid woman, or an inexperienced person, never before called upon to take the _awful oath_, never before in such a place! Confronted, made to stand up, _thrust_ without respect, sometimes rudely and with positive disrespect; treated, in fact, as if a party to the crime, though perfectly ignorant of anything excepting of some chance _link_ required in the _theory_ of the charge--thrust forward into the gaze of the Judge, of the whole assembly. Every eye is fastened upon the trembling witness. She is ordered in a rough tone to hold up her hand, to take the _oath_, _to kiss the Sacred Writings_! What with the crowd, the novel and painful position, by this time the poor woman, when asked a question, can scarcely speak. The old, half-deaf Judge, turns his awful be-wigged head to her, raises his ear-flapper and says, "Speak louder, witness; I can't hear you." An officer bawls out, "Silence!" and, not unlikely, the poor witness fairly collapses, faints, and she is allowed to be seated. The Lawyers examine the witnesses, and if one begins to say something very damaging, if possible, will interrupt him; or, by and by, will insinuate some vile charge against him, to destroy his character with the hearers--not that there be any truth in the insinuation, but merely to effect the purpose of a vile _minion_ paid to defend, perhaps, a notorious offender! Thus the _trial_ proceeds; every effort is made on the side of the accused (which is the active side) to mislead, to confuse, to bewilder. The Law, read from big books, is constantly referred to, now to stop a witness in what he is about to say; now to get something _already_ said scratched off from the minds of the twelve men; and now to take the opinion of the Judges as to whether this or that should, or should not, be heard by the Jury.