Trial of Thomas O. Selfridge, counseller at law : before the Hon. Isaac Parker, esquire ; for killing Charles Austin, on the Public Exchange, in Boston, August 4th, 1806 / taken in short hand, by T. Lloyd, esq. reporter of the debates of Congress, and Geo. Caines, esq. late reporter to the state of New-York, and sanctioned by the court, and reporter to the state ; copy-right secured.

  • Selfridge, Thomas O. (Thomas Oliver), -1816.
Date:
[1807?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Trial of Thomas O. Selfridge, counseller at law : before the Hon. Isaac Parker, esquire ; for killing Charles Austin, on the Public Exchange, in Boston, August 4th, 1806 / taken in short hand, by T. Lloyd, esq. reporter of the debates of Congress, and Geo. Caines, esq. late reporter to the state of New-York, and sanctioned by the court, and reporter to the state ; copy-right secured. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    sions, the liberty, the life, the reputation, and the property of man. In the very best times, it is the best reliance, and surest founda- tion for ail the rights of all men. In evil times, which sooner or later befal every community, it will be found the only protection for the possessions of the rich, against the grasp of the needy, and the violence of the profligate ; the only safeguard and shield for the rights of the poor and oppressed, against the insolence of wealth and power. May we not, then indulge the hope, that all men, of whatever sect or party they may be, persuaded of this truth, which will be the more apparent, the more it is reflected on, will bring to the altar of public justice, all their passions and their prejudices, a willing sacrifice for their own good, andthat of their country. From the nature and circumstances of this case, known as they wei-e,or could have been, at the moment of this dreadful catastrophe, which we all deplore ; from the age, and relation of the deceas- ed to the cause of that fatal event, which is the subject of our present inquiry ; the most unfavourable conclusions were made against my client. The deceased was a young man, just emerging from a state of pupilage to that of manhood, glowing in all the bloom of youth, and pride of strength ; to behold him, of graceful and well proportioned form, of athletic muscle, and of nervous arm, in a moment, stretched lifeless en the ground, his heart's blood gush- ing in copious streams from his manly face and breast, called forth the commisseration and regret of every beholder. These feelings almost instantly changed to resentment against him, who was sup- posed to have done the deed ; for of the hundreds, I may say, thous- ands, who saw the last part of this tragic scene, there were not ten, perhaps not five, who saw the whole transaction, and witnessed the necessity imposed on the Defendant, a necessity, with which he could neither equivocate nor compromise, of preserving his own life, at every expense to him who assailed it. And yet even of these, some, hurried away by the impulses of the instant, and catch- ing the contagion of other men's passions, surrendered their judg- ment to their emotions, and joined in the general execration ; and found, or thought they found, an apology for this strange abandon- ment of their reason, by assuming the doctrine, that no man can innocently spill the blood of another ; a position, unsupported by any law, human or divine, and contradicted by every principle of nature and of reason. I shall contend, and I have too much respect for those I address, to doubt of proving, that every individual has not only the right, but is in duty bound to defend his own life, at every hazard and expense to him who assaults it. The principle of self defence is founded in the very nature and constitution of man. It is inherent in, and inseparable from his character. It it not derived from books, nor from the institutions of civil society, though confirmed by them. It is born and created