618 Page – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

Here is the translated text as follows:

586 X, AMERICAN STATE TRIALS,

If it would be any satisfaction to him, we will retract that saying. We will admit that there was first and second fiddle and bass accompaniment. But as he is himself the leader of the band, he ought not to complain of the effect.

After breaking a lance upon my colleague in the honor of this daughter of Eve, he attacks the doctors en masse. "What do they know," he says, "more than other men?" But that is not all; he goes farther and levels a shaft at your Honors on the bench, and says you have as much experience in such matters as any doctors or any persons whatsoever. Some gentlemen have a happy knack at saying anything. If I had even suspected any of your Honors of any such experience, or at all to have dipped into such matters, even from curiosity, I never should have ventured to hint at it.

After disposing of the faculty in a summary way, and representing all the doctors who don't believe that black men's children may be white as a set of coasting doctors, who don't go out of sight of land, who run by the line and the dipsy lead, he then introduces a doctor as a god upon the scene. Never was a god introduced more apropos. It was truly dignus vindice nodus. It was no longer your men of experience who believe nothing but what they see, and tell nothing but what they know, who never go on voyages of discoveries or explore the unknown regions of hidden wonders. Not so, Doctor Mitchill. At his name, all ears stand erect; might and power are his attributes. Be it so. I rejoice in his strength. I glory to magnify him, for if he be that great Ajax elimonins, who then am I, who have scuffled with him for one hour in the heat of a burning day, and come off, if not with victory, with life, which is great honor? And now, having returned by the same sally-port through which I ventured out to skirmish with him, once more I plant my standard on the ramparts of the law, and display to the whole camp the trophies I have borne off the field.

It is grievous to see the disposition that pervades mankind to laugh at serious things. But ever, by the side of eminent learning, there is a niche where malice loves to lurk.