A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded
1791.  Browsing: Legal Papers of John Adams, Volume 3  Docno:
ADMS-05-03-02-0001-0004-0016  Author: Adams, John DateRange:
1770-12-03 - 1770-12-04  Adams' Argument for the Defense1  3–4
December 1770  May it please your Honours and you Gentlemen of
the Jury, I am for the prisoners at the bar, and shall apologize
for it only in the words of the Marquis Beccaria: “If I can but
be the instrument of preserving one life, his blessing and tears
of transport, shall be a sufficient consolation to me, for the
contempt of all mankind.”2 As the prisoners stand before you for
their lives, it may be proper, to recollect with what temper the
law requires we should proceed to this trial. The form of
proceeding at their arraignment, has discovered that the spirit
of the law upon such occasions, is conformable to humanity, to
commonsense and feeling; that it is all benignity and candor.
And the trial commences with the prayer of the Court, expressed
by the Clerk, to