--SHAKESPEARE.
The members of a court-martial sit in the double capacity of jurors
and judges; as jurors they find the facts, and as judges they award
the punishment. Yet their session with closed doors was without the
solemn formality that the uninitiated might have supposed to attend
a grave deliberation upon a matter of guilt or innocence involving a
question of life or death.
No sooner were the doors closed that shut out the "vulgar" crowd,
than the "high and mighty" officials immediately fell into easy
attitudes, and disengaged conversation upon the weather, the
climate, yesterday's dinner at General Cushion's quarters, the
claret, the cigars and the Mexican signoritas.
They were presently recalled from this easy chat by the President, a
severe disciplinarian, who reminded them rather sharply of the
business upon which they had convened.
The officers immediately wheeled themselves around in the chairs,
facing the table, and fell into order.
The Judge Advocate seated himself at his detached stand, opened his
book, called the attention of the court, and commenced and read over
the whole record of the evidence and the proceedings up to this
time.
The President then said:
"For my own part, gentlemen, I think this quite a simple matter,
requiring but little deliberation.
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