New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-11-04
Moral Tendency Of the Publication OF
Crimes-Dr. Banning's Lectures.

Moral Tendency OF tne fnphc"ti"H oA
Crimes-Dr. Banning's Lectures.
lOn- readers will remember our discussion with
a friend, in the Tribune of Oct. 18th, on the
auestion-Ought newspapers to refrain utterly
from the publication of tine facts connected with
the existence Of Crimes Our correspondent took
the ground, unqualifedly, that the Public Morals
are impaired by any such publication while we
maintained, IN reply, that although newspaper
details OF crime often pere hurtiul they need not
be So and are not in the shape wecndeavor to giTe
them.-.hat the simple knowledge of the existence
of crimes does not necessarily lead to their multi
plication.-But VIC will not go over the ground
Here is the rejoinder OF our friend (abatng some
personal allusions) which our readers viii take tor
what It IS worth, as We have no room or tune 70
pursue the discussion.
NJ DEAN FRIEND GREELEY: nuch
as have been convinced by a lifelong ooserva-
finn. Of the constitutional impossiblty of some
minds to entertain or even rightly conceive GER
tain ideas, vet it does seem to as if you could
not help but perceive that all your remarks amy
last communication, are precisely such as belong
to the mouth of the advocate for capital punish
,nent For mannestly, if they have any validity
in your application of them, they are equally valid
and equally cogent in favor of capital punishment
Blu. now more strongly than ever suspect what
have very strongly suspected before, not only IN
regard to yourself but many Others namely that
the foundation of your opposition to capital pun
ishment is more a sentiment than renson,-more
a matter of feeling than Of Deep clear, accurate
philosophical thinking. Well, it is far better to
have men feel right and think wrong, than both
to think wrong and feel wrong; for in the average
of human conduct, mans actions flow more from
his heart than from his head. You are pleased to
imply, in your remarks, that my accustomed
perspicaclty" IS such as commands your conf
dence and respect; but, friend Greeley, nothing
in mathematical science is more certain than tnat
if arm right in that which you have received
from me as true, | am right IN that which you
now reject as erroneous; and SO on the contrary,
if | am erroneous in this, | am wrong IN the
whole; for the whole rests upon the same great
physiological and psychological prncIples-the
same constitutional laws of mans complex ma
ture. Yet though | have all the confidence in
the truthfuness Of the views presented in my last
communication that have in any mathematical
axiom, still, | confess, did not expect you to re-
ceive them. Because, if you had had the mental
constitution and education, and been in the moral
condition to receive those statements from me, as
true you would yourself have perceived the truth |
Of them without my aid and know you are too
honest and too philanthropic to pursue course
which YOU perceive is decidedly and mischicv-
ously wrong. 1t is painful to contemplate the
fact, notwithstanding all history demonstrates its
necessity, that true prophecy has no virtue IN It's
freshness but must be rejected as fallacy IN the
iay of its utterance, and wait for succeeding
generations to acknowledge its verify and receive
as a revelation from Cod 1t remains, then,
or every one who has truth to utter to deposit
as the ostrich does her egg, even In the arid
sands of the desert, if it must be so and leave 1t
rustfully to the agencies which heaven has Or
lained, to produce the effects of incubation, and
,uicken it in due time, into living form and &C
ion: lest in our Impotence to hasten the de-
-elopment of its vitality, we bring on an etferves
,ence which will result in putrcfacton rather than
n formative process and the healthy organism OF
lie.
Bear with me a moment more on another point
see in your last weekly, notice of DR.. Ban {
,ings Lectures.-Now, though with Burns most
eartly do say to the devil-"I'm wac to think
pon your dere even for your sake"; and IN the
verfiowing fulness Of this sympathy, cannot
elp but wish success to every devil so far as
lis happiness depends upon his success, and purely
or the sake of his happiness, yet when perceive
hat his success is inevitably attended with evil
o others, am constrained to utter my voice OF
Let me tell you, then, that have
loosely examined the theory of that Dr. Banning,
md do assure you that it is founded wholly on d
allacy, and although he may work into the super
tructure some good materials, yet as whole his
eachings are more erroneous than true, and arc
adapted TO have harmful rather than beneti-
.ial effect on those that hear him. S. q.