Viewing page 177 of 274

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

2

faith. In addition to the usual queestions, the following was propounded by the Judge - "Gustavus A. Wingfield" - to each Jury man, in these trials, and a negative reply obtained, preparatory to his taking his seat - viz "Will the fact of the prisoners being a Negro have any influence over your mind to prevent your dealing fairly and impartially with him?" or words to that effect.
A Mr Hughes Dillard, however - a notorious Lawyer of this place, employed, in addition to the Attorney for the Commonwealth, for the prosecution of the first party by John G. Meadows, (a white man, proved in court to be of bad character, on whose complaint that the accused had broken into his house at night & stolen there from some meat and cotton, the latter was arrested) - took advantage of the occasion, in replying to the argument for the Defence, not to vindicate his clients reputation, since that was impossible, but to ventilate his own Rebel proclivities, & vent his splenetic disrespect and hostility towards the United States. Defendants Counsel - the Prisoner had three Lawyers - on rather plausible grounds, had set up the plea, that as some of the stuff - the cotton - said to have been stolen, did not belong to Meadows, but had merely been kept with him in trust; after really disposing of it himself, he was now only striving to shift the offense on the shoulder of another; in order to clear himself of all responsibility. But they also entreated the Jury, should they deem the accused guilty, to take into consideration that he was but, a poor ignorant Negro, who had just recently emerged from a degrading state of slavery, and therefore, should not be held as strictly responsible as if he were thoroughly enlightened

Transcription Notes:
4.26.2024 - "splenetic" = "bad-tempered; spiteful"