The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-07-24


FRIDAY MORNING. 49,. JULY "a, 1887.
JThere was good deal Of excite
ment in the city yesterday in regard to
proceedings before Justice Mills. in the |
Lilies, case. Every one feels that the
alarming increase Of violence and crimes
against persons is caused in great meas
urs by the inefficient administration of
criminal justice. The most outrageous
assaults and batteries are now punished
BY slight pecuniary penalties. Homi-
eide and murder have become bai!able
offences. Not one murderer in ten suf-
fers the penalties Of the law. 1t is
maxim that the efficacy Of punishment,
as preventive Of crime, depends upon
the certainty Of its infection. The
chances Of escape are now 70 much in
favor Of the criminal that the thoughts
of It's penalties have little or no influence
upon the criminal in the contemplation
OF his hsllish purposes. The sickly SEN
timental philanthropy Of the day has
abolished all severe. or what it denomi.
mates ...barbarous, "punishmsnts from our
cole: and our charity has run into such
an excess. under the repetition OF those
old saws, that it is better that ninety.
nine criminals should escape than that
one innocent man should be wrongfully
punished, and that punishment of the
criminal cannot repair the wrongs that
his crimes have inflicted, that We have
forgotten our duty to society. We al.
low hundreds Of innocent men to be as.
sassinated by the knife and revolver o
the murderer, rather than that one guilt.
less man should fall by the wisapplica
ton or rigid enforcement OF the law
Our philanthropy is perverted, and con
templates only the trembling and at
frighted criminal before the bar of jus
tice, and overlooks the safety Of society
and forgets the security and lives of tn,
millions who have entrusted their safety
and protection to the State. If tn,
State will not do Its duty through it
ministerial agents, the people, gored oil
by an outraged sense Of justice. will TAX
the power into their own hands, an,
execute their own verdicts. Lynchini
and mob law will usurp the functions o
legal justice, and personal crimes viii
lead to popular ousraSes, and the over
throw Of all law.
Many Of the evils arise from the obso
iete system Of criminal jurisprudenc
and the perversion of the sound princi
pies of the law, but the greater share ar
caused by the incompetehcy and ineff
cheney of-the magistracy. Since tn
judiciary was made elective, and til
people have become so careless and ne
glectful of their public affairs, chance, c
political intrigue, are left to form the ju
diciaI magistracy. Our citizens are :
absorbed in the pursuits of gain that a
regard for the public interest is di- carde,
Avarics itself will enc day be arouse
from its dreams Of profits to a sense of Il
Importance Of reign of law and justic
as an element in the value Of propert
When entire confidence in the securi
Of life and property is once permanent
disturbed, values in property will depa
and industry and trade will be paralizs
Every mob--every defeat Of just
and right before our courts-is blow
property;-and the men Of property W
have heretofore neglected their pub
duties-or who have lent themselves
the schemes of party, regardless Of
true public interest, will begin to feel
effects of their recreancy, where ii
least expected it to be felt-in tn
pockets. No day is SO important to
money maker, even, in q pecuniary pc
Of view, as an election day and partis
larly where a judicial officer is to
elected. Though the neglect and in
ference Of those who have the grea:
interest in the city. our magistracy
been Of character 70 cast reproach u
the city and to destroy the respect
confidence Of the community in the
ministration Of the Laws. If our G
zsns want reform they must atten,
their public duties as citizens. Sc
proper men and exert themselves to :
them.