' The Judge said I had no need to concern myself about the
public,--that the public did not concern itself about me. I answered
that the public _did_ concern itself about me; and that I was right in
concerning myself about the public. At this point my Counsel rose, and
spoke of my character and position, with a view to justify my demand for
a trial, or an honorable discharge. The Attorney-General then applied
for a postponement of my trial to the following Assizes, alleging that I
was the author of a seditious and blasphemous publication. I said the
statement was false, and that the Attorney-General had no right to make
such a charge against me, and added that to ask a postponement after I
and my witnesses had been waiting there eleven days, was most
unreasonable. The Judge then asked on what grounds a postponement was
desired. When the Attorney-General stated his grounds, the Judge
pronounced them insufficient. The Attorney-General then said he should
enter a _nolle prosequi_. Some of my friends, when they heard this, were
greatly alarmed. They supposed it to be a threat of something very
terrible, and expected to see me carried away at once to prison. And
some of the bystanders began to reproach me, and say I was rightly
served for not accepting the generous offer of the Attorney-General.
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