Gentlemen, I have gone through with the evidence in this case, and have endeavored to state it plainly and fairly before you.  I think there are conclusions to be drawn from it, the accuracy of which you cannot doubt.

    I think you cannot doubt that there was a conspiracy formed fur the
    purpose of committing this murder, and who the conspirators were: 

    That you cannot doubt that the Crowninshields and the Knapps were
    the parties in this conspiracy: 

    That you cannot doubt that the prisoner at the bar knew that the
    murder was to be done on the night of the 6th of April: 

    That you cannot doubt that the murderers of Captain White were the
    suspicious persons seen in and about Brown Street on that night: 

    That you cannot doubt that Richard Crowninshield was the perpetrator
    of that crime: 

    That you cannot doubt that the prisoner at the bar was in Brown
    Street on that night.

    If there, then it must be by agreement, to countenance, to aid the
    perpetrator.  And if so, then he is guilty as “Principal.”

Similarly, in most arguments of policy there are a number of considerations that converge in favor of or against the proposed policy.  If you were writing an argument in favor of keeping the study of Latin in the commercial course of a high school, you would probably urge that Latin is essential for an effective knowledge of English, that it is the foundation of Spanish and French, languages which will be of constantly increasing importance to American business men in the future, and that young men and women who go into business have an even stronger right to studies which will enlarge their horizons and open their minds to purely cultivating influences than those who go on to college.  Indeed, in very few questions of policy which are doubtful enough to need argument is there any single consideration on which the whole case will turn.  Human affairs are much complicated by cross interests, and many influences modify even one’s everyday decisions.

To find the main issues—­which are really the critical ones on which your audience will make up their minds—­is a matter largely of native sagacity and penetration; but thorough knowledge of your whole subject is essential if you are to strike unerringly to the heart of the subject and pick out these pivotal points.

A simple and very practical device for getting at the main issues is to put down on paper the chief points which might be made on the two sides.  Then with these before you, you can soon, by stating them and rearranging them, simmer down your case into arguable form.

In the argument on introducing a commission form of government into Wytown this noting down of the chief points which might be urged on the two sides would be about as follows: 

Contentions on the Two Sides.  On the affirmative the following points might be urged: