The Trials of the Soldier's Wife: A Tale of the Second American RevolutionAbrams, Alex. St. Clair (Alexander St. Clair)
History
The Trials of the Soldier's Wife: A Tale of the Second American Revolution
Abrams, Alex. St. Clair (Alexander St. Clair)
Confederate States of America -- Fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
It was some time before the police could restore order and quiet the
excitement. At length complete silence was restored, and Harry
continued:
"Such," he continued, "is the tale of this unfortunate woman, and the
position in which she found herself placed should excite, a feeling of
sympathy, and not induce you to punish her for an act which may be
deplored but cannot be condemned. That she took the money is
undeniable, but why did she take it? I have told you it was to save
her child's life, and though that class of philosophers and ultra
moralists who believe that there are no causes sufficient to justify
her act, may declare her guilty of theft, let the promptings of your
own hearts decide whether her position did not excuse, if it does not
render her conduct undeserving of condemnation by a jury. But in
claiming from you a verdict in favor of my client, I must take
occasion to say, that your acquittal will not restore this lady to
that position she formerly occupied, or remove from her mind the
impress left there by an act which necessity, and necessity alone,
caused her to perform. It will not restore to her the innocent child
now lying mouldering in the grave, it will not reunite the broken
links of affection, it will not ease the agony of the soldier when he
discovers that his wife was the inmate of a prison, nor will it
replace on its former firm base the mind of this unfortunate lady,
which, like the pillars of some ancient edifice, totters beneath a
weight of agonizing thought, soon, alas! I fear, to fall, a mass of
ruin, in the vortex of insanity. The patriot soldier must return to
find his daughter dead, his wife a maniac, and his only remaining
child a dependent on the bounty of strangers. But one thing remains;
he must turn from the spectacle thus presented and return to the
battle-field a heart-broken and unhappy man. The spirit with which he
formerly contended for the liberty of his country will have vanished
and fled, for the remembrance of his family's fate must ever remain
uppermost in his mind, and the reflections they will produce must
leave a blighting scar, which no future kindness can remove, sympathy
eradicate, or consolation destroy. I am done. On your good judgment
and the strength of my assertions, which can be proven, if necessary,
I rely for the acquittal of this lady."
As he concluded, the building shook with applause from the crowd, and
Mr. Swartz and Mr. Elder trembled for their safety. Harry felt that
the acquittal of Mrs. Wentworth was now secure, for the jury itself,
sharing the popular feeling, gave expressions of approbation in many
remarks. If the language of Harry had been simple, it had carried
conviction to every soul, and all present, as they looked upon the
accused, felt that her offense was fully atoned for by the chain of
harrowing circumstances with which she had been bound.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account