851 Sheet – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

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Reading Time: 3 minutes [409 words]

Here is the translated text as follows:

THOMAS COOPER

You, the jury, have found otherwise. You are a gentleman of the profession, possessing such capacity and knowledge that it is more within your power to mislead the ignorant. I do not wish to oppress, but I will restrain, as far as I can, all such licentious attacks on the government of the country.

Mr. Cooper, I have been asked by the court whether, in the case of a fine being imposed upon me, I shall be supported by a party. Sir, I solemnly aver that throughout my life, here and elsewhere, among all the political questions in which I have been involved, I have never demeaned myself to be a party writer. I have never been in the pay or under the support of any party; there is no party in this or any other country that can offer me a temptation to prostitute my pen.

If there are any persons here who are familiar with what I have published, they must feel and be satisfied that I have had higher and better motives than a party could suggest. I have written, to the best of my ability, what I seriously thought would contribute to the general good of mankind. The exertions of my talents, such as they are, have been unbought, and so they shall continue. They have indeed been paid for, but they have been paid for by myself, and by myself only, and sometimes dearly.

The public is my debtor, and what I have paid or suffered for them, if my duty should again call upon me to write or to act, I shall again most readily submit to. I do not pretend to have no party opinions or to have no predilection for particular descriptions of men or measures; but I do not act upon minor considerations. I belong here, as in my former country, to the great party of mankind.

With regard to any offers that may have been made to me to enable me to discharge the fine that may be imposed, I will state candidly to the court what has transpired, for I wish not to conceal the truth. I have had no previous communication or promise whatsoever. I have since had no specific promises of money or anything else. I wrote from my own suggestions. However, many of my friends have, in the expectation of a verdict against me, come forward with general offers of pecuniary assistance.