The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1853-08-24

pie sI the Judge who Sentenced his ow
son might be studied with adssniag
BY nany in the present day The dut
and the advantage ola straight eoars
Of even handed justice is set forth il
the dialogue between the Chief Justicl
add the young King. in the secnnd par
oi shakspeares play of Henry Nv ana
YET how few in our times, occupying g
ven the highest Judicial position. would
resist the influence which a prince
could bring to bear upon the defeat oI
justiess To how few could monarch
say,
Happy am that have mas 90 bold
Thai dafss justice on my proper son;
And not less happy, having such sen,
Thss would deliver up his gfsainess 50
Into the hands Of justice"
A juryman occupies a position equal
70 that Of judge. His voice decides
the innocence or guilt Of a fellow being;
to him does the accused party look for
Justice. and to him does his country
look for the vindication and enforce-
ment Of her laws. He is the guardian
OF the peace and the wellbeins of So.
eiety. The duty he owes TO the world
requires that he shall punish guilt as
much a. the duty he owes to his fellow
man requires that he shall shield and
protect innocence. IL laws are to be
enforced at all-if society is to be held
together by the bonds which at present
cement II Ut peace and order is not to
give way to violence and anarchy
then II is necessary that justice should
wear stern unyielding front. and that
every man who consents to be the mi
mister of the law should do his duty
with rigid and unilinching integrity.
We know that it is difficult matter
Tor human nature to overcome preju.
dice. but in proportion to the hardness
OF the task should be the guard we
throw around our hearts when justice
requires US to remain calm and Impair.
tlal upon any matter. And unless we
feel competent to the undertaking. we
should refuse to act in the capacity Of
jurymen.
A great deal has been said and writ
ten concerning the alarming increase
OF crime among US. Cannot the cause
OF this increase be traced to the easy
construction too frequently put upon
the law, and to the facilities which are
afforded for criminals to escape from
the consequences Of their guiltf II
seems to be fashionable now for the
public sympathy to array itself on the
side of an offender; and the more hei-
nous his crime the greater is the ints.
rest he excites in the minds OF the peo
Pile. No sooner has murder been
committed than a set OF pretended
"philanthropists" set to work to excit.
a sentiment of compassion, not for the
victim who has been hurried to an un.
timely grave, but for the ruflian who
stands chance Of paying with his life
the penalty of his crime. The horrors
Of death by hanging are yividly Sc,
forth, and all that can serve to awaken
compassion for the murderer is brough
forward on his behalf BY these foster
ers of lawlessness. And all this eyi
is consummated with upturned eye
and clasped hands, as though the per
petrators were very saints and pattern
Of oflaw.abidlng citizens. Until the NOR
bid sympathy which is felt for crime i
utterly eradlcated, and until these mos
dangerous OF philanthropists cease tn,
practice of their devillsh salntliness,
we cannot look for due and just en-
forcement Of the laws, and its natura
accompaniment, decrease oil crime.