The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-04-25
TIE DAILY DISPATCH.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, .......APRIL IS. ISIS lsa
INSANTTY-SELF.DE DEFENCE.

Every one must be struck with the incress
ing prevalence of Insanity OF iate' ana us
freouent development in the killing OF peo'
ple. Indeed, such is the improved condlnon
of the world, that we rarely hear of muir
der in modern times which is not committed
either in lf-defence or from insanity. A
worthy gentleman in Southwestern Virginia
was SO unfortunate, not long ago, as to fire
revolver into crowd of peaceful and unof-
Tending men one of them he was so un-
lucky as to pursue and to shoot repeatedly,
till he had thoroughly dispatched him. we
are not surprised TO hear that these melan-
choly deeds were performed by an individual
who was laboring under mental alteration
and who, no doubt, at the time he discharged
his revolver, imagined that be was hunting a
number of wild animals, and was determined
to make sure of at least one of the herd
Yet, notwithstanding the double misfortune
of insanity and bloodshed, he has been thrust
remorselessly into prison, and we should moi
he surprised If there he should remain tor
months. before, after the tedious Formally OF
n trial. he is restored to the full enjoyment OF
life and liberty, and the future pleasures OF
the chase.
After all, what's the use of making such
grand fuss about human life 1t is true that
the law of God classes murder as the chle1
of crimes. and that in all the civilized coun-
tries of the old world--in England, France,
Austria Prussia-po plea of insult, no stun
about self defence, unless the quarrel was
begun by the dece Ased and his slayer was abb
solutely forced to the wall and in real danger
of his own life, can possibly save murderer,
however high in social position and wealth.
from the execration of the community and
the hangman's cord. Butwe have improved
in some parts of this country upon the law
of God and the civilization of Europe. And
after all, we repeat, what is life Is it not a
vapor bubble, perishing flower of the
field And what matters it if the hand OF
violence end brief existence n few moments
sooner than its usual duration The old
gentleman who was recently killed by Ora
ham, in Wythe, could not possibly have
lived many years longer; Butler, who was
slain by Ward, it is true, was in his prime,
but he would have had to pass the rest Of his
days in the drudgery of school teaching, and
being a good man and ready for Heaven, it
was benevolent action to hasten his enjoy
ment of celestial happiness. Several hun
dreds of other cases of similar character
might be mentioned, all of which occurred in
self defence or from insanity.
The law of self defence is not properly I'M
derstood in England. There, it must be &C
tuaI, bona fde self, defence of life or member;
but, in this country, we take more liberal
and chivalric views. A desperate ruffian
can here eek cause of quarrel with qui-
ct and unobtrusive individual; insult, brow
beat and even strike him, and if he resist,
then, in selfdefence, the ruffian aforesaid
may shoot him in his tracks. Or if a gen
tleman with a strong appetite for blood is
not able to crafty it in any other manner, he
may commit such wholesale and enormous
murder, such sublime and internal crime,
that the world will Immediately conclude that
no man in his senses could have been guilty
of such outrageous atrocities.
There can be no doubt chat all crime is
IloTo OT ltss luSdAlty. IL VIII ali COuG uHu6T
the definition given by the celebrated Irish
advocate, Curran, of "a doldrum." "My
lord, my lord" exclaimed perjured wit
ness, whom one of Curran's searching exam
inations was making very uneasy, ''Mr. Cur.
ran puts me in such a doldrum." "Doldrum
doldrum,'' exclaimed his lordship; "Mr Cur
ran, can you tell us what's doldrum p
"Doldrum," promptly replied the advocate,
with great gravity, "why, your lordship, it's
simply confusion of the head, arising from
corruption of the heart
We know no better description of the in
sanity which leads to so much crime, and
gives to crime such impunity, than Currans
definition of doldrum.