The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1845-09-23

% We had intended writing an article on the
subject of a late trial at Portsmouth, N. H.. but
find one prepared to our hand, in the Newbury-
port Herald better than we should have done it.
and coinciding so nearly with our views. that we
copy it.
MORE IMMUNITY FOR CRIME.
In the month of July last, several young row.
dies assailed the house of Mr. Seaver of East
Kingston, breaking in the doors and windows
and avowing their determination to demolsh the
mouse. The result of the outrage was that the
family were driven from their beds, the house
was torn to pieces, and its shattered and ruined
wreck is now spectacle to the traveller. Worse
than all, one of the stones thrown into the win
dow atthe commencement of the attack, struck
Mrs Seaver on the head and fractured her skull,
SO that she died in few hours. The ringleaders
OF this bloody riot were known for they made no
secret of their purpose starting. Six of them
were arrested and trio on a charge of mansaugh-
ter, at the Court of Common Pleas, at Portsmouth,
lew days since, and acquitted. The Ports
mouth Journal says ''the jury tested the doctrine
by the rules of sound reason and common sense.
They were unwilling to convict of high crime,
when there was no evidence ofany intent to com
nit it, and after having listened to the charge of
the Judge, withdrew to their room soon after can
die light, and returned into Court about ten o.
clock. with verdict of Not GuiIty
Such is the verdict Of New England Jury,
and with such compacency is it looked upon by
ajournal maintaining high rank for its moral
and religious tone, we'll its political charac-
ter. We protest most earnestly against such
verdict. 1t is stain upon the Justice of New
Hampshire, and disgraceful to the jurors who
rendered it. clearer case of crime could not
be committed In the midst of New England,
mans house is assaulted during the dead hours Of
night, his windows and doors are broken in at the
first onslaught his family are compelled to flee in
their night clothes, his wife is killed by the fly
ing missiles, and his house demolished and the
jurors release the young ruffians who perpetrated
this midnight murder and riot as innocent
Shame on such libel upon law such mockery
of justice
The only excuse alleged for this high-handed
crime, is that the family were worthless and in
temperate persons. No charge is alleged against
the family, exceptthe vague and general one that
they were nuisances in society. But is this
method of abating such nuisances in New Eng
land to be tolerated And horrr easily, and to
what an unlimited extent may this kind Of ssdoc-
trine" be carried 1t win be easy for designing
men 10 raise prejudice against many innocent
sap 49,. a9a 49, 81
family is safe under this s'doctrine Because
this family was poor and friendess, the crime is
more aggravated, because the law could easily
have reached them. Had it been family bid
ding defiance to law, by cunning and fraud or
so wealthy or influentially connected as to hire
ingenious lawyers to keep them out of the mesh
es ofthe law. and enable them to triumph over it
in oftyrranny or RIGHTEOUSNESS, then there
would have been some slight apology for the
lynching and murder perpetrated by these ruff
fans.
AS the matter stands, we look upon this out
rage deserving punishment. 1t is not re-
lieved by single paliating circumstance. The
denuncations which our pious and order loving
citizens have poured out upon other sections of
the country, are now needed at home. The mob
at Lexington, Kentucky, could plead in extenu-
alton that they fought against an incendary who
endangering the lives of their wives and chill
dren, and whose establishment was, in their
view, vastly greater nuisance than any poor,
worthless, and dissipated family would be to US
The rowdy firemen of Baltimore and Philadelphia
can aver that their outrages are fair fights with
equal numbers. The lynchers of the frontier say
with some truth, their violence is necessary for
self-preservation against villains too strong for
the law. Seldom have we known crime more
wantonly perpetrated than this or more deserv-
ing Of punishment, and yet the rascals who per-
perated it are let loose to prey again upon socie-
ty Shame on a jury so recreant to their duty.
Their example is hundred fold more dangerous
to society than was that OF the miserable family
who were driven forth from their beds and MUIR
dered by the rnffian violence OF these young vag-
abonds They do not deserve to live unmolested
in the quiet and comfort of a New England home.
We have quite as much OF pity and forgiveness
for those who fall into crime or disgrace, through
the temptation of opportunity of restless passions
and strong appetites, as any individual But we
have no patience and no pity for those who wan
tonly perpetrate crimes for which there is not the
slightest excuse, not even the miserable plea of
gratlhed cupidity, ambition or revenge Such
Wanton and interrupted offenders deserve as little
sympathy from mankind as do wild beasts.
A letter from Rome states that about the end of
June some Mnlkmen nccnnied IN rnnLi,n. . .nond