Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-31
THE YELLED NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ROB-
INSON.

II is not often that make individual crimes
the subject of editorial comment. Nor would we
on this occasion do SO, but for the fact that the
interest manifested for this female murderer and
the reasons urged for her from the gallows,
partake of those most senseless, stupid and pesti-
lent hereses and isms that unhappily prevail at
the north, and that ambtiously aspire TO rule the
destnes of this country.
That Mistress Robinson was proved 10 be
murderess there is no doubt. That she manifest
ed symptoms of insanity there is no doubt. That
| these symptoms OF insanity commended her to
clemency is equally plain. If insane, she ought
not to be executed; if insane, she ought not to be
imprisoned in the penitentiary. Her proper place
would be lunatic asylum.
But Imprisonment for life, if she be insane, is
far better than executing her. So we will not
quarrel with Governor Clarke for committing her
punishment from the gallows to Imprisonment in
the penitentiary for life.
But these internal women rights men and
women, who infest the North, have risen up to
intercede for her on the ground that she is a
lcoman. This disghsts us. Is she a woman;
We believe that it is ascertained that she is a
woman, and very bad woman into the bargain.
is woman sensible and responsible being;
We nave always thought that she is If so, can
she commit crime' She can. And when a
woman does commit crime, she is worse than
ten male criminals She has so much Of tender
ness, of gentleness, of kindness, and of mildness
TO overcome before she can become bad, that
when she does become bad she is thoroughly so
re
should receiveit
But the argument is, that because a criminal
is female she ought to go free. Womens rights
people urge this. Then these women rights
people proceed upon the idea that women, be-
cause Of their sex, are ignorant, insensate, and
irresponsible. II is poor compliment TO the sex
to say so. Give to bad women perfect immunity,
and what would become of good women
When a woman is bad, and vile, and criminal,
let her hang higher than Haman-hgher than
any man, for she is, when bad, and vile, and
criminal, worse than any other created thing. If
insane, when her crime is committed, lei her,
like man, be put in lunatic asylum.
But there is great reason Of policy why Grim
inal women should not be exempt from punish
ment. That reason is, that men who wish TO
commit crimes-thefts, burglaries, arsons, and
murders-would get bad women to commit them
in place Of themselves, and thus all implicated
would escape punishment. The true idea of re-
spect and gallantry towards women, is to make
and to kept them pure and good and spotless. IL
is useless to say that true ideas of gallantry do
not originate in that miserable cline that invented
wooden nutmegs, and originated what are called
womans' rights. No true lady would have any
other feeling than that of scorn for the man
who would say to her, exempt from all respon-
sibility because Of your sex, you are free to de-
grade that sex by any indulgence, and by every
crime. Go-you are lawless-because you are
senseless. You even below the birds Of the
air, and the cattle Of the field" You are not
human beings