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1 Address to the Jury by Edwin Countryman: in the Case of the People agt. Thomas C. Platt, at the Albany Circuit, January 12, 1888 1888

handle is hein.trials/abfe0001 and id is 1 raw text is: THE PEOPLE vs.THOMAS C. PLATT ADDRESS TO THE JURY 0 t EDWIN COUNTRYMAN A 'I THE Albany Circuit, January 12, 188S. Mr. Countryman: trate of the State, impugning his acts, If the court please, gentlemen of the jury; I assailing his motives, and even going had supposed during the trial that I had been so far as charging him with improp- retained to assist in prosecuting the case er interference with the administration known as the People of the State of New of justice, has been to some extent, at least, York agt. Thomas C. Platt; and that the only prompted by other motives than those of issue of fact which was to be submitted to the simply performing his professional duty to his jury in determining the merits of this contro- client. I leave that, however, for him, in his- versy was, whether Mr. Platt had a legal resi- calmer moments, to consider and determine. I dence or domicile in the city of New York in will merely remark in passing that this is not January, 1880, when he received the appoint- the lace for airing private grievances or ment of quarantine commissioner. But after washing the dirty linen of disappointed office- I had listened for half an hour, or to just one- seekers. I owe no allegiance to Governor half of the argument which has been addressed Hill, personally or politically. I neither ask to you by my learned friend on the other side nor expect to receive any political favors from (Mr. Moak), I began to think I was mistaken, him. He is under no obligation to me and I and, to reassure myself. I looked at the title of am equally independent of him. But I esteem the action indorsed upon my papers to see him as a private gentleman and respect him as whether I had not been employed to try apublic officer. Iknow, for he is about my age some other case. I began to feel deeply Im- and we came to the bar about the same time pressed from the course of the discussion that and practised in the same judicial district, I you must have been impanneled to render a know that he has risen by his own unaided verdict in another and very different case than efforts, from the humblest beginning to the that of Platt, a case, however, equally notori- chief magistracy of the State; and we all ous in this community, the somewhat cele- know that he has won for himself an honora- brated case of Moak agt. Hill. I could hardly ble and enduring fame. But he is entitled to resist the conclusion that my friend was en- our respect, if for no other reason, from his deavoring to enforce some supposed right he official position as governor of the State; thought was in peril, or to redress some sup- and whether we agree with him politi- posed wrong he believed he had suffered from cally and personally or not, so much the governor of the State; and I leave it to you at least isdue from us as private citi- to say whether, after listening to his remarks zens. It is, however, much more clearly for half an hour, if you had known nothing his due from all who are participating in this more about the case, you would not have trial as officers, counsel and jurors, constitut- reached the same conclusion. I am afraid, ing as we do, for the time being, and for all gentlemen; the virulent attack which the the purposes of this case, one of the great de- learned counsel has deemed it proper to make partments of the government. in a court of justice upon the chief magis- The learned counsel over the way (Mr. Mc-

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