Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-23
For the Evening Star.
Peregrina on Judge Edmonds and the Rappers

For the Evening Star.
Peregrina on Judge Edmonds and the Rappers
DEAR SIRs: Have you ever had an idea sug-
gest itself to you, and the more you said
avaunt! the more it "dogged your side?''
Well. l have just finished reading Judge Ed
monds' letter on "the Rappers, Il cannot bear
to use that sweet and musical word "spiritual'
for such a purpose.) l remember the old
proverb '' Heaven and earth unite in vain
against a fool" l tried not to think of it,
but there it was at the end of every para
graph, and at the end of the letter the proverb
would pop into my memory, Heaven and
earth unite in vain against fool" I was
afraid l was giving way to wrong state of
mind. [ took up the letter and glanced over
it again with the most charitable intention.
determined to find out some good in it, for
it was written by a good man, a good lawyer,
good judge. 1 determined not to be CEN
serious. My heart said to me. You are an
old maid, and you love to find fault, you know
you do, but before 1t had uttered it's sentence
my head was ready with the proverb again,
. Heaven and earth unite in vain against q
fool"
Now, | do not mean to call Judge Edmonds
fool. am not in the habit of calling names,
and l know he is not fool, but what on earth
has got into him thought, to be sure, that
when we heard from him we should hear some
thing spiritual indeed, but it is the same old
nrIn cti Of
hammering Nothing beautiful, nothing har-
monious, nothing to charm us away from this
tedious life-nothing to draw us on to better
Nothing but the unfaiing tap, tap, tap, and
the spirits saying their A, q, C's. and people
crowdiEg to see the show at 100 cents Il nj ght.
Dear me. we Americans are always running
after some new thing; but think We might
let our poor dead friends alone, and not be
troubling them with so many foolish questions,
and much childish talk / warrant Won
they had enough Of Yankee notions while they
were alive and among us, and they are not so
very anxious to be stirring up new themes
What will the New Workers be al next? From
all that l can hear those New York Yankees
are at the bottom of this and most of the other
fuses that are agitating cur country, and
sending so many of our poor countrymen to
the insane asylum.
Now, thought to see something in the way
of an apology for Judge Edmonds belief that
would be worth reading. did not expect to
believe as he did, but / fancied there might
be some beautiful thoughts born of interviews
with the unseen, some tender but sorrowful
sentiments, uttered by an angel that had stood
beside him when apart from men-foldins her
silyery wings and dropping crystal tears from
her glorious eyes, tears shed for mortal misery,
and, it may be, for mortal sin / thought he
might have cherished and preserved some
such tears in receptacle near his heart,
known only to mortals who held converse with
the spiritual world. l deemed it possible that
he might have related the history of some
night, its hours he had devoted to reflection,
concerning the destiny of poor criminal in
a measure under his control. He wa. to be
the judge-Oh awful thought-he was to pro-
nounce sentence of death upon fellow NOR
tai, death to the body, and death to tie soul
might follow. [ thought in the silence of his
chamber his imagination might have called
forth scenes vivid and life like, and his memory
might have transcribed them as they seemed
to occur.
His mind then wavered between Justice and
mercy, leaning towards mercy For, after all.
is the testimony complete, Did mortal eye
see the murderous blow? Did mortal ear
catch the expiring breath of the victim, as
with its outrouring went forth the soul of
man to meet his God. How shall n man. even
judge, be sure that he has sufficient evidence
to condemn! How often do appearances de.
ceive the wisest. Even if the guilt of the
criminal be unquestioned, who shall condemn
him? For look you Judge, open the windows
of your own heart let stream upon it the light
of an accusing conscience, is no dark sin re-
corded there Stand aside, self complacency,
and let judge (but mortal1 bare his bosom
to the searching eye of his God Has he been