Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1854-02-10
A Capital Sin.

A Capital Sin.
A few days ago publ she'd compact sign
c by all the principal lawyers Of Wayne
county, wherein they pledge the selves "not
kenceior,h TO defend any person who is charged
with and who they believe TO be guilty of sell
ing by retail. spirituous liquors 10 be Irans -
On publ shlng i we endorsed il fully bv saving
tha, i, "a noble stand for them 10 take and
one which will reflec, great honor upon al! who
have entered into the compact"
The editor of the New Albany Ledger com
ments at some length the position Of the
Wayne county lawyers and our endorsement Of
it, and expresses strong condemnation Of the
''extraordinary proceeding" Mr. Norman has
we'll sustained his positon-n good language
and with much reason as il will admit Of
He asks,
"Why is it that the legal gentlemen Of Wayne
county have singled out the liquor sell er the
only criminal unworthy Of having counsel in
prosecution instituted against him? Is his
crime much more atrocous than that of the
murderer. the assassin, the seducer. the burglar
the forger, the gambler the thief that he should
be deprived of legal advice when put upon his
"'4t5 rs the last interrogatory we answer mos; un-
hesitating gly and emphatically, Yes. Ihe man
who makes his living by deli iberately ling TO
his fellow creatures that liqui,i poison which
he knows will ruin them body an soul. is a
worse criminal than either Of the above
merated; and no one. however expert an1 plau-
sble in argument, can sainsay the proposition
TO the satisfaction Of those who Judge Of the
extent OF a crime by its evil effects.
Let US consider the ma gnitude Of the ofenses
Of these criminals (nark the editor of the lie t.
ger. himself, bran IS the liquor seller as crim-
inal) respectively and Sc what disaster they
pro luce: anil in the cons eration Will use
the words Of Mr Norman where can, as they
we'll depict the horrible features Of the crimes
which are placed in contrast to the one we write
about.
fenling citizen without provo alton in cold
blood" The ASSASSIN skulks Ike a coward out
Of view Of his intenic victim and stikes him
to the hear, while he i powerle~s 10 deeu i NJ
self The seducer "entcrs the family, blasts
the fair name Of the conf ling girl. ami dra-~
down the a aLe parents with shame AMI grief 20
the grave The burglar breaks into the house
or store AMI f!che~ n sinsI night the hari
earnings Of years Of honest in iustry." The
incenliary apples the torch at the midn cht
hour an gloatS over the cries Of the shriekI \ :
victims within, awakened t, the muse Of all
ing roofs and cracking beams" The per iurrr
''rai>es his rieht han ! to heaven AMI. While IN
vokins the name Of Col pronounces the soul
DESTROYING fa}S hoo .. An avaric .ou> scounl :
rel Laws hs plans TO cheat the WI low and the
orphan Of the pitta,ce left them BY fnn
husban anl father. The for -er eiheraieiy
counterfaits the Signature Of another person
an thereby possesses himself of :housan II
il'-gotten dollars. The Gambler makes OF
tn vileSt arts {, entrap the uu>uspectin. ar
fleece them Of, il may be- their last cent. The
thief, in violation Of the laws Of Gol AMI man.
lives life Of constant depreciation Oh the pro-
perry Of his fellow men.
These crimes are dark enough almost 10 over
shallow the gooi leeds or mankind as with q
pail but they who sell ardent spirits for q beve.-
age. not content with equang the aJov Grim
inas in the enormity Of their sins outstrip all
in the black cata ogue and unite IN their desper
ate career The whole mass Of the above crimes
Not only this, bu, BY putting "a thief INTO me n !.
mouths to steal awav their bratns. they cause
the great mass Of outlawrv AMI incite their IN
fortunate victims 20 10 acts which they woulc
shudler at if possessed Of their natural reason
In defending all other criminals lawyers car
Justify themselves. because there i general
some doubt of cult, or II not; there may b
palliatinG circumstances going 10 modify the de
gree Of crime: and services of the legal profe.
sion are necessary TO see tha, no more exenl
plary punishment, is administered. But in cas-
Of the class strongly condemn. IT, Sc
forth in the compact, they are believed '.to b.
guilty Of selling by retail spiriuous liquors Il
be drank they ought 10 receive 4 defence 0
iu.tifca,io for with reason be offer
el. They sin knowingly, deliberately. unaw
fully, and for the neanest Of all bjects-t
amass sorlid lucre' They ruin their poor ap
petite ridden victims, boiy and soul-tempor
ally and e,ernally; they bring his relations I.
shame, and his father and mother with sorro,
to the grave; they take his substance in pay 70
their worse than poison: If he has wife an
children they bring them 70 want; in short, the
annihilate all his hopes. murder him physically
and damn him spiritual v-and all for N none,
Il If there noble impulse 10 actuate ,hel
yea. if even an gnobls one such as hate c