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or a thought expressed in action, to convince either of his counsel that he was not innocent of the crime for which he suffered.
I told William B. Mann, District Attorney at that time, that the sceptre of his power would be taken and placed in other hands.
I hope the present District Attorney will profit by his example. Jurors, in that case, repented of their verdict and gladly prayed a heartless Executive to spare his life.
And now, is there in Philadelphia a man so ignorant, or so blinded by prejudice, that he does not regret that that young man was ever brought to the scaffold. If there is such a man I pity him from my heart of hearts.
One week ago last Sunday night, as Simon M. Landis was about to preach the gospel of truth, in the name of Christ, an officer of the law, armed with a warrant, arrested him, took him to the Central Station and locked him up in a felon's cell.
Doctor Landis, begged for an opportunity to communicate with his family. He asked for a few minutes to go with the officer in order to find bail, but this was denied him. He was compelled, without sufficient clothing, with no fire, to remain till Monday in that cold, damp, filthy cell. Why was this? He had been guilty of no crime. Why was he dragged from his pulpit on Sunday night and placed in a loathsome cell? The District Attorney says he assumes the responsibility of this prosecution.
Does the District Attorney for the City and County of Philadelphia assume the responsibility of this arrest and what followed? Dare he do it? "Offences will come, but woe unto that man by whom they come. It were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the depths of the sea than to offend one of these little ones." On a former occasion, Gentlemen, when a certain one had been healing the sick, without drugs, and saying hard things against the popular churches of his time, pronouncing a woe upon them in language quite as severe as any you will find in the "Sharp-Shooter," the magistrate was a little doubtful about the propriety of punishing him to please the popular religious associations of that age, and in the presence of the Priests, Scribes and Pharasees, washed his hands, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person, see ye to it." And all the people cried out "his blood be on us and our children." Look at the terrible results of the responsibility thus assumed. That persecuting people and their descendants have been scattered throughout the earth, oppressed enslaved, degraded, persecuted by all the peoples of the earth. Verily they have been a by-word and a reproach among the nations. From what I saw of the Commonwealth's witness upon the stand, I presume he is a descendant of this same race of persecuting people. Has he not seen enough of persecution, or have the sufferings of his race failed to purify his blood-thirsty nature from its ancient longing for a victim? In this witness, Gentlemen of the Jury, the only one the Commonwealth could find, I see treasured the vices of seventy generations, accumulated through eighteen centuries. Doctor Landis has been preaching and practising (for he practices what he preaches) in this City for seventeen years. Yet this is the only living witness in the City and County of Philadelphia against this defendant.
This book which will be placed in your hands, as a witness against him, by the Commonwealth, was published in 1866. Why in the name of the man's liberty; of the purity of public morals and protection of society, if this book is obscene, why did they not commence this prosecution four years ago? Why was it necessary to wait four years, and then arrest this man on Sunday, just as he was about entering his pulpit to preach the Gospel? This book was in the hands of thousands of men and women of Philadelphia. If it was obscene, if it was calculated to corrupt the morals of the community, why did'nt they commence this prosecution before? Was it necessary, after they procured the warrant, to put off his arrest two days in order to desecrate the Sabbath- a day set apart for men to attend to the education and development of their religious natures? Ah! Gentlemen, there is something in this case that looks like religious persecution. There is something in this case deeper than what
