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Dr. Webster; but he says be knows nothing of it. We stand,
then, Gentlemen on that-on that, as from the beginning. When Dr.
Webster, on the morning of the 1st of December, after such a night
as a man has scarcely ever passed, recovered partially the power of
speech, he uttered, in simple but expressive language, his defence : °' I
do not think those remains are the remains of Dr. Parkman ; but
how in the world they came there, I am sure I don't know." His
proposition, then, Gentlemen, you perceive is, that by some way and
means, and for some purpose or other, those remains were placed in
that building, without his agency, and without his knowledge; and
never has he professed to know what they mean. He cannot now
profess to be able to explain them. This he says-'° I am guiltless of
my brother's blood." The evidence of the Government, how sum-
mary soever it is, cannot and ought not to avail. I wish, then, Gen-
tlemen, to trace, as well as I can, the evidence of the Government
which bears upon these two propositions.
There are a few subjects which, it seems to me, can be disposed
of nosy better than in any other stage of the cause ; and I now propose
to dispose of them, before going to the great propositions. The great
circumstances which the Government rely on are, that Dr. Parkman
entered the Medical College, and never went from it; that shortly
after, the remains were found in such a manner as to imply that Dr.
Webster must have known about them. There are several auxiliary
circumstances connected with it.
In the first place, I call vour attention to these anonymous letters.
Three letters were received by the Marshal. They are brought in
here for the purpose of showing that Dr. Webster attempted to avert
the attention of the police from the College. And it is said-the
argument must be, that Dr. Webster, if conscious of innocence, if there
was no occasion for diverting the attention from that College, could
never have written such letters. The argument is strong, if the fact
is established beyond all doubt. It would be difficult to assign a
motive why Dr. Webster, as an innocent man, should have written
such letters for any purpose, except to divert from himself the in-
quiry.
But, then, we are to consider, first, - is the fact proved, that these
letters were written by Dr. Webster. That, Gentlemen of the Jury,
is utterly denied. I mean to state it to you from him as strongly as
I can; - it is utterly denied. And I mean to call your attention to the
proofs in the case, for a moment or two.
I am sorry, Gentlemen, it happened that these letters came so re-
cently into my possession as they did, -that I should have had so little
opportunity to make a personal examination, and to go abroad, and to
see what examination could be there made, in relation to them. They
were put in the last of the Government's evidence. My engagements
were of the most pressing character, and those of my associate, also..
We were drawing towards the close of the trial, when we were to
make preparation for this hour; and our attention could be less effect-
ively given to these letters than it otherwise would. And yet I
have seen sufficient of these letters, enough to satisfy me that
the evidence is not such as to convince you that Dr. Webster wrote
them.
The evidence that the Government has is, first, the letters themselves,
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