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CHAPTER II.
PARSONS' HAYMARKET SPEECH.
HIS SPEECH OF MAY 4, AS REDELIVERED IN THE COURT-ROOM, BEFORE THE JUDGE, JURY, AND SPECTATORS, AUGUST 9, 1886, AND WHICH THE CHICAGO "TIMES" DECLARED TO BE THE FINEST SPEECH OF HIS LIFE, GOING "FROM ELOQUENCE TO ORATORY, FROM ORATORY TO LOGIC, AND FROM LOGIC TO ARGUMENT."
On July 9, 1886, Mr. Parsons took the witness-stand in his own defense and this is the occasion of his having given the speech which follows. The Times said of this speech:
The climax in the Anarchist trial was reached yesterday. Schwab, Spies and Parsons told their respective stories to the jury from the witness-chair, to a spell-bound audience of spectators, an amazed jury and a surprised Judge. * * * Parsons was composed and eloquent. * * * His brother, Gen. W. H. Parsons, sat with eyes fixed upon him during the time he was upon the stand. As soon as Mr. August Spies retired Mr. Parsons took the stand, and in a quiet, deferential tone answered the questions put to him in a firm voice, not appearing to be in the least unnerved by his peculiar position. At length he was asked to given the substance of his Haymarket speech, and he did so, and if the jury, the Court and the audience have been entertained since the trial began they were entertained by the chief agitator of the Chicago Anarchists. He pulled out of his pocket a bundle of notes, and began at the jury in tones which betokened that the speaker was primed for the finest speech of his life. He held his notes in his left hand, and, together with the swaying of his body, gesticulating with his right arm. From low, measured tones he went on from eloquence to oratory, from oratory to logic, and from logic to argument."
CAPT. BLACK: "Now, Mr. Parsons, going back to the meeting, retracing our steps for a moment—will you tell us, please, what was the substance of your speech that night, as fully as you can remember?"
"I have taken some notes of reference since then to refresh my
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