charge openly attempted bribery, and if what I say be not true,
let the jurors speak out now from their seats. Attempted bribery, I
say--whether it will be successful bribery, will depend upon what may
occur hereafter. If, after invoking the vengeance of Heaven upon their
souls should they not render a verdict according to the evidence, the
jurors are willing to sell their souls, let them decide against us."

This home-thrust produced a great sensation. It was evident that the
jury were disturbed. When the case was submitted to them, they were
absent only a few minutes. They returned a verdict in our favor.
Some of them afterwards came to me and admitted that they had been
corruptly approached, but added that they were not low enough to be
influenced in their verdict in that way. "Of course not," I replied;
though I had little doubt that it was only the fear of exposure which
forced them to do right.

I have said that in those days everyone went armed; it would be more
correct to say that this was true in the mining regions of the State
and when travelling. I, myself, carried a Derringer pistol and a
Bowie-knife until the Summer of 1854, though of course out of sight.
I did so by the advice of Judge Mott, of the District Court, who
remarked that, though I never abused a witness or a juror, or was
discourteous to any one in court, there were desperate men in the
country, and no one could know to what extremity they might go, as I
would not be deterred by any considerations from the discharge of
my whole duty to my clients. So, until the Summer of 1854, I carried
weapons. And yet they were not such provocatives of difficulty as some
of our Eastern friends are accustomed to think. On the contrary,
I found that a knowledge that they were worn generally created a
wholesome courtesy of manner and language.