The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-02-16
The Moral of the Bond Street Tragedy.

So far as the Coroner and his jury are con.
cerned, the investigation in the matter Of the
death OF Doctor Burdell has been finished. The
verdict Of the jury, duplicating nearly all the per-
sons known to be Ia the house at the time of the
murder, and report Of the Coroner's summing
up, revised by that officer, are published in au-
other part of this paper.
The present position and past history Of the
parties accused afford sad record, the moral Of
which should not be lost upon the community
1t is the cant of the day to talk wisely about the
progress, the learning, the refinement, the educa-
ton Of our people, the enlightenment aud the
superior civilization of the nineteenth century.
Scholars pbilesophize about it-edtors turn pretty
periods with it-politicans make its praises share
with the American eagle and the star spang)ed
banner in their fastian harangues. Perhaps it
will be well enough to pause for moment, and
zee what II all amounts TO. Daring wha. we call
the Dark Ages unlimited power was given to the
few, while The many were held In bondage. The
favored few INDUCED their passions without
check. Did they desire anything TO minister to
their pride, ayarice, lust malice, hatred or re-
venge? They seized it. Did any one stand in
their way The assassin's knife, the Borgias
poison was always ready. Exemplary punish
ments were Of no value, because In cases where
the accused possessed wealth and position they
were the exception, no. the rule.
That was In the ninth century, when there
were no steam engines, telegraphs, newspapers,
Brussels carpets, daguerreotypes, glass windows,
brown stone front modern Improvement houses,
patent leather boots, Bible societies, republican
institutions primary elections, revolving pistols,
missionary meetings aud many other human
izng Injuries Of the nineteenth. Let
us see whether human nature lie bit
better for all these things. There were
brigands in the ninth century-fellows who went
out upon the highways and took your money or
your life. There were assassins-fellows who
came upon you from behind and introduced sharp
steel to the acquaintance Of your heart or your
carotid artery Some Of the brigands and assas-
aims were men and women Of good families,
agreeable people, who robbed and '1urdered In
the pleasantest style-gave soir Is doHs1nte-were
served on gold and silyer-paid great attention
to their religious duties. and were in every re-
spect shining lights Of polite society. Their rank
and position shielded them from punishment
How is II in our day? The barrier Of rank no
longer exists. Money, or the appearance of mo-
ney, is the only passport to what is called good
society. No questions are asked as to how he
obtained his money! he has it he may enter
the sacred circle. Once there he is safe. II has
passed INTO proyerb that the wealthy criminal
may escape the exemplary punishment which the
Law institutes for the protection Of the
life and property Of the weak against the
hatred or avarice Of the strong. Civilization
only makes acquittal little more expensive.
The ieudal baron tried and &C 4uitted himself in
five minutes. The magDate OF the nineteenth
century Is sometimes annoyed by forms Of law
| aud the criticisms Of The pres.
What We call civilization, then, is semi-barbar-
ism. The number Of criminals is enlarged. Peo-
pie are just 80 far educated that they can commit
crime scientifically. and are not 20 far civilized
8s 10 realize the fact that crime is not TO be com
mitttd At all They guard against all the
chances of detection; but il some accidental cir
cumstance should bring the matter home to their
deVys, tley gs)y upon TIC spells Vi the crime 70