Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1841-01-26
The New York American asks-

The New York American asks
as II possible thing to bring about
such general understanding among
newspapers. as that they sahll all re,
FRAN from giving publicity to the hor-
rid catalogue of crime. No one can
undertake TO say how far morbid feel
ings may be instlgated to crime by re-
peatcd reading of its pcrpetration by
others"
The Northampton Mass. Courier remarks
upon the above inquiry:
We entirely concur in the foregoing
views, and remark that we have long
entertained the opinion that the fire.
quency with which details Of murders
and suicides are paraded before the
public eye, has been the indirect cause
Of many Of those horrible acts; and for
that reason, together with an unwilling
ness to minister to vtated taste, we
have rarely copied such details into
our columns. We shall be most hap
py TO do what we may to discounte
| nance the custom referred to.
We can by no means apprehend real grounds
| for the fears expressed in these extracts To
us i, is inexplcable that detail Of crime with
all its shocking, revolving features-wi,h the
idea Of punishment! inseparably connected with
| it-should DO an incentive to repetition Of
/ the same deeds, involving the probability of
being followed by the same penalty. We put
the question to any one, Will the reading Of
/ the account given in another column ofto-day's
paper, Of most brutal, inhuman murder re-
Gently committed in Hungary, produce de-
sire in your own heart TO commit similar a
trocity'
/ In regard to public executions, too, it APP
pears to US that a false sentiment has within
a few years Obtained III the public mind. 1t
is often objected to them that they also have a
tendency to induce others, who before had no
apparent inclination to take life, with strange
disposition to murder. 1t may be true; but
for one, we regard the conclusion as contrary
TO nature and absurd in the extreme. The
most hardened and abandoned have some hui
man feelings left, and we believe the majesty
of the law witnessed in the lnhcton of capital
{ - tic luJSt bilcNt hicfhou VI "P
pealing to those feelings. How strange the
thought that public execution should give
activity to a morbid desire for taking life
What under the rery Shado,o Of the gallO,cs,
where hangs fellow mortal in the last, awful
contor,ions of s,rangulaton, are we to sup
pose the innate depravity of the heart OF be
holder NAV be stimulated to the commission OF
the same offence that he may have the privi-
lege of undergoing the same dreadful ordeal
Impossible---to US, impossible.
I, has been our privilege to witness the ex'
ecution of five murderers; and if ever most
religious determination was formed in oui
, mind 10 avoid every thing that might result in
; such a cline, it was formed while witnessing
these spectacles.
Even with those who possess no moral feel
ings to be enlisted by the details of crime anc
? depravty, as exhibited in accounts given o
murders, it appears to us they cannot avoid Z
natural reprgnance 20 the thought OF running
tho hazard of bringing upon themselves th'
. fearful retrbu,ions of the law awaiting those
the history Of whose crimes they are perusing
Such is our opinion in opposition to so re
spectacle authority as is the \. \. American
and Northampton Courier. We hope to hea
the opinion Of the press upon this subject