Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-06-23
miscellaneous.
FIAT JUsTITTA.
BY T. S. ARTHUR.

Let justice be done, if the heavens
should fall" Mr. Ellington spoke with a
firm voice and steady eye.
Crime is often committed under the
pressure of great temptation. In a mo-
ment of weakness, the unhappy subject of
evil allurement falls said the person with
whom the gentlemen was in conversation
'All true,' replied Mr.. Ellington; 'alI
true But every act has It's legitimate con
sequence; and we wrong society, and The
individual wrong doer whenever we seek to
interrupt SO wisely ordained relation. If
man steals from me he is thief For
theft, the law ordains punishment; and |
hold it to be every mans duty to give up
the thief to justice, if it in his power to do
So The progress of crime is arrested,
thereby, and society guarded from future
This is stating the cause very generally.
But general principles are never ofequal ap
pication. There are collateral considerations
in every case, which may not be disregard
ed without wrong to the individual And
we may assume it as an undoubted truth,
lhat in doing wrong to an individual, we
wrong the body of which that individual is
a member.
There is a great deal Of false philan-
thropy, as well as false Judgment excused
by this arrangement based on exceptions
to general rules, said Mr.. Ellington, with
an air of self satisfaction. For my part,
believe that more harm is done in the end
I by admitting the exceptions, than could
possibly arise from an invariably stringent
app ication of the rule. The man who
steals, knows that be is violating law Of
God and his fellows, The statute of the
country says. that for such an evil act he
must suffer the penalty of an imprisonment
Let the penalty be made so snre, that es-
cape becomes next to a moral imposslbil-
Ity. Let every one who becomes cogniz'
ant Of an act Of stealing, give up the often
der to speedy justice. For my part,
painful as ths necessity might be, | would
not stand between justice and my own son,
were he to become an old offender. The
stern old Roman father has left an exam
lple of answering justice that Christians
would do well to initiate.
The time may come when you may think
la little dferent,I' said the friend; when
collateral influences will have sufficient
weight TO interpose an exception to your
stringent general rule
We'll see, reterned Mr.. Ellington. con
Gdently, as the two men separated.
A few days after this conversation tool
place, Mr., Ellington, who was a merchant
was rather surprised by notification tina
he had overdrawn his bank account NOR
than two thousand dollars.
This is a mistake, said he to himself al
he opened his desk. in order to TAKE
therefrom his bank book. But the banl
book was not in the usual place.
After tumbling over some papers hur
redly to see if it were not concealed be
meath them, he turned to one of his clerk
, and said
Where's James?'
He hasn't been to the store this morn
: ing, SIR
why? Is Ae sick?
4 cannot tell, sir. He has made no CON
plant of iudisposition on leaving the stor
last evening"
,ol Ii was on the lip of Mr.. Ellington to sa
in doubtful tone Of voice;
There's something wrong;' but checkir
= the utterance thereof, he took his hat an
left the store
A little while afterwards he presente
d himself at the counter of the bank, wheI
: he kept his deposits, asked the book keeI
er to turn to his account.
Il see no credit here for two thousar
n. dollars deposited yesterday said Mr.. Ell
r.. ington.
it Did you make such a deposit? askc
ad the book keeper
4 certainly did; or at least intended
: make it.
, The blotter of the receiving teller W
: l-c-.-l A. I..L -. IL. e - -. =. j..