Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-18
THE IMMUNITY OF CRIME.
FROM THE ALBANY STATE REGISTER.

There IS no conceaing or denying the fact that in the
present day there is very strong and very dangerous
inclination the part of the public acting the capacity
Of jurors to suffer their feelings to sway their verdicts
and to permit the oahs they take urymen to give way
before the sentiments they experience <
The public in the present day too apt to suffer their
feelings gain the mastery their of duty and
to yield to that dangerous spirit Of shigherawism,
which, if not speedily checked threatens work the
most disastrous consequences When man is acting
juror any case, he is guilty of perjury if he does
calmly view the evidence and render his verdict rightly
according to his best judgment, without fear favor
prejudice. However unpleasant duty he may have to
perform it is from which he dare not shrink if he
specs his conscience and the requirements of the
law. The moment he suffers his feelings to bias him
way the other he violates his OATH and is unfit for the
position in which he is placed We have often thought
that the example of the judge who sentenced his
might be studied with advantage by many in the present
day The duty and the advantage of straight Of
handed justice set forth in the dialogue between
the Chief Justice and the young King in the second part
Of Shakspeares play Of Henry w. and yet how few in
our times occupying even the highest judicial position
would resist the influence which prince could bring to
bear upon the defeat Of ustice To how few could
monarch say,
Happy am that have man so bold
That dares do justice my proper son;
And not less happy, having such son,
That would deliver up his greatness
Into the hands Of Justice"
juryman occupies position equal to that Of Judge
His voice decides the innocence guilt Of fellow being
him does the accused party look for justice and him
does his country look for the yncaton and enforcement
Of her laws He is the guardian of the peace and the we'll
being of society The duty he owes the world requires
that he shall punish guilt much the duty he to
his fellow requires that he shall shield and protect
innocence. If laws to be enforced at aif society
is be held together by the bonds which present
men it peace and order is not to give way to violence
and anarchythen is it that justice should wear
stern unyieding 'front.' and that every who consents
to be the minister of the law should do his duty with rigid
and unfinchng integrity We know that it is difficult
matter for human nature 10 prejudice but in
proportion to the hardness of the task should be the
guard throw around hearts when justice
to remain calm and impartial upon any matter And
unless feel competent to the undertaking. we should
refuse to act in the capacity of jurymen.
great deal has been said and written concerning the
alarming increase of crime among Cannot the cause
OF this increase be traced to the easy construction
queny put upon the law, and the facilities which are
afforded for criminals escape from the consequences Of
their gut 1t to be fashionable now for the pub
lie sympathy to array itself the side of an offender
and the henous his crime the greater is the interest
he excites in the minds of the people No sooner has
uruer peen coh'teu than set OF pretended " phllan-
thropists set to work to excite sentiment Of compass
sion not for the victim who has been hurried to an un
timely grave but for the rufan who stands chance of
paying with his life the penalty of his crime The hor
rors of death by hanging wildly FORTH and all that
can serve to awaken compassion for the murderer
brought forward on his behalf by these foseres of law
lessness And all this evil is consummaed with upturn
ed eyes and clasped hands, as though the
very saints and patterns of law abiding citizens
Until the morbid sympathy which is felt for crime is
tery eradicated and until these dangerous of phi
lanthropsts the practice of their deyiish sant
ness we cannot look for due and just enforcement of
the laws, and its natural accompaniment decrease Of
crime.