Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-04-05
WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE

We have before referred to the case of Tutor
Dwight, who in College riot, was stabbed by
a student under the influence of strong drink.
We have also mentnned the Sermon of DR.. Ba-
con, on the responsibilities of men for each 9TH
err; but it is so much to the purpose, that a
larger extract seems to he desirable. The Ser
mon is founded on Matt lS,7. "Wo unto the
world because of offences for it must needs be
that offences come: but wo to that man by
whom the offence come,h! -
The following is an eXtract:-
"A young man OF one of our own families
young man, the brightness of whose promise
IN respect 10 talent aud learning and virtue, was
equal to the vcHcrablencss of the name which
he lnherted--a young man who had Just enter
ed upon an honorable and responsible Office
was struck while in the discharge of an official
dnty-was struck once, twice, thrice, with
deadly weapon, and has since been carried to
MS grave. Public justice, reused at last by the
death OF the sufferer, seizcs on the unhappy boy
whose hard is supposed to have held that dead
ly weapon, and whose trcnzied purpose is sur.
posed 10 have impelled it, OF his crime--what
name should be given to it--what penalties i,
ought bring upon the offender, that society may
guarded against the repetition of such acts, ]
have nothing to say. All that is 10 be argued
and decided according to the law, and as the
facts may appear in evidence, before the cons,i.
tutonal tribunal of public justice. All those
questions let public justice decide as well as it
can, in lis own high and calm sanctuary, unin,
vaded by the breath of popular excitement.
Here is the scope and utmost reach of human
Jurisprudence. This is its province.
But Gods justice does not stop here. Nei.
Their his law, nor his administration of his law,
is bounded by such limitations. Christ says
"Woe to that man by whom the offence com.
eth" by whom then came that offence Who
were partakers beforehand in that sin d! Whose
responsible agency went BEFORE in the series of
moral causes leading to that frenzied votion
which drove the cold steel into the living flesh
When God maketh inqulsition for blood, these
inquiries must be answered
We have been tod--and, for the sake of it,
lustratlon, we will suppose it to be true--that
some one, we know not who, few minutes be.
fore the commission of the fatal Decd put that
deadly weapon into the hands of the desperate
stripping. God, before whom the darkness
shlneth as the day, saw it; and who does not
see that in his eye, that the offence came by
that man who carried the deadly weapon to the
scene of riot, and placed It in the hands of
wild boy whom drink had madene
Yes, We are told it was even so. The perpe.
traitor of the outrage was beside himself. lie
knew not distinctly what he did. Drink had
maddened him. Drink Then that madness
takes nothing from his responsibility. Drink
had maddcned him Who gave HIM that drink
1t was not through any defect of maddening
quality in the drink--it was not through any de-
feet of vollton to strike, in the boy whom that
drink had maddened--that the weapon welded
in frenzy did not pierce the victims heart, or
spill his life blood on the spot from discovered
artery. That the yoliton which drove the two
edged blade within less than an inch of main
artery, did not divide that artery was not owing
TO any want of force in the voliton, or of mad.
ness in the drink That the wounded man sur.
vived the strokes awhile--tha: the hone of his
recovery was fair TIL disease superyened unon
his enfeebed frame--,hat we are permitted to
assuage our horror somewhat by the doubt
which science confesses respecting the cause
Of his death--all this is not through any defect
OF maddening quality in the drink, nor through