Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-06-25

We extract the oIl,wing sensible aud
a,us r. marks fIom the =. i. Courier and
Enaarer, in reference TO the TRIAL Of young
Robinson for the murder Of Ellen Jewett,
a woman g.: III fame. Robinson WIS ac-
quilted, bu, from the time Of the murder
until his aenuittal, every thing connected
with the transaction appeared TO possess
an interest not Surpassed by the great fire
IN that city, five may judge by their pa
gers.
We do not, hnwe ever, mean in the slight
es. d. gree 10 ;nsinuate that the verdict
If the Iury ought not 10 be considered q
full and satisfactory acqnittai OF the crime
with which he was charged. We do not
wish to throw any additional blight on his
character, or TO cid in preventing his return
to ,h.se paths If duty, from which it ap-
rears he has so widely stray ed. We have
o,her purposes in these remarks. The
fir.t is To hold UP his example IS war'-
ing 10 the youth Of our city, against the
indulgence Of habits 10 which he was 90
early in If. addicted. I he lesson Is sol
EMMY impressive, in showing how easy II
is to become deeply implicated m the worst
Of crimes, by habits which bring them into
an ASSOCIATION with the worst OF characters.
The n ost direct and certain road to dis
grace and ruin, is through the Puriieus o.
che house Of Ill-fame.
Our second o. ject Is to remark On the
growing disposition in the public mind,
10 lean towards al persons suspected or
accused of great crimes. There is nav
kish. .ickIy sensibiIity on this subject,
which, il INDUCED to excess, defeats the
ends Of justice, perverss the stern prcprieiy
with which the law should invariably be
administered, encourages the commission
Of crimes by the hope Of IMMUNITY, and, Of
consequence, Jisninishes the safeguards Of
society.
We every day see these truths exe,np,i-
fed IN the judicial proceedings OF this
coun,yr; the very last in which this morbid
ernsibi,ity should be INDUCED, because lis
criminal code - the mildest Of any under
the sun, and ought thereto 10 be infiex.
iblv administered. Cir unsiantial evil
denre, the only evidence which IN ninety
nine cases out ola hundred can ever be
procured, is now for the most part con-
temned, and the midnight murderer must
be seen in the very act, or he will escape
with impuni,y. In other cases Of frequent
occurrence, the murderer - acquitted On
the score Of drunkenness. as If the wretch
who wilfully changes himself into beast,
Nv that act releases himself from the re-
spor Possibilities Of a man.
In other cases, II still more frequent
occurrence, The murderer is acquitted on
the ground Of insanity, and then suffered
- 90 at large, perhaps, to commit new
crimes. In general, j, may be said, that
the moment a wretch commits, or is sup
posed 10 commit a murder, he becomes The
hero Of popular admiration. Ills Likeness
appears in the windows Of print shops; his
dress, features, actions and manner, are
carefully described N the public prists,
- if he we're some great public benefac-
sor; he is visited and wondered at by thou
sands Of curious amateurs: IL he escapes
the consequences Of his crime he is hailed
with shouts Of victory; and If he Perishes
under the gallows, is immortalized in a
diving specch and confession, in which ne
- represented as sanctified sinner, going
directly to the enJoy"ent Of eternal re-
wards.
That this growing sympathy in favor Of
all sorts Of criminals, and this habit OF ma
king their crimes, as il were, illustrlous
By ccnserring fictitious importance on the
perpetrators. arc calculated 10 diminish
our adherence Of crime and encourage its
commission, will appear obvious to all
tho.s " he look into their own hca.ts.-
We would therefore respectfully take this
opportunity ofrcmird,ny our Judges. Jurors
aud public prose cu;crs, that though Il ma!
be better that ten guilty may escape. thar
that one inrocent one m y suffer, still this
benifcent maxim may be carried toofar in
its application, when it requires positive
pruef OF guilt A conscientious belief
Cou nded on testimony, ought to satisfy the
scruples Of any true lover Of justice, wheih.
er the fact I've positively proved or not
Let juries hear in mind. that when thro'
any feeling Of morbid sensibility or from q
timorous flinching from the performance Of
jus, and necessary duty, they suffer q
guilty person to escape, they are justly
c..argeable in the sight Of God and man
with participation in all the crimes that
0rscn may the reafer commit.
rvnLIc llCrsE IN THE Moon "A rustic
having gone to the Carlten-hili Observable
~ 10 get sight cf The moon, and after
having got glance Of IT, hs drew away