The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1859-05-05
No.
From the CiaeinnAsi Gazette.
A Social Lesson

a SOc1u1 Lesson.
An abaniaat harvest of moral essays rray hs
expected one of the results of the notorious
trial n Washington which has 50 long drawn prh-
lie aiteation. The tragedy and It's attendant CIR
aumstauce are such as to suggest q great va iety
et comments upon social and fashionable life ii
this country. and 10 enforce saiutary lessons
in this regard, if properly considered. A. pres
eat Se are content 10 notice one Of these aidaetic
suggestions Of the CASTS, aud one shioh we think
all large communities may proEtably heed
Without inquiriag into the past life and deport
nant Of Mr. Sickles, and granting all thar his
most ardent apologiss and friend could desire the
public 10 believe as TO his personal character and
tn former happiness of his domestic relations.
there is one point hich the prosecution ought 20
have made against him. and which, on public
opinion a, least could not have failed of its ef-
teet. By rather singular sort of tactics,
though perhaps as good as the case admitted oe
the counsel for the defence labored industriousIr
aad with complete success TO establish the fact
that. Tor opg period Siekles aud Key were on
terms of close intimacy. La Siekes himself
who introduced this destroyer Of his peace" AT
his own hreside, and fit companion for her
whose rail this tenpter wrought The climax 10
this case would have been reached by the defence,
had it been proved las undoubtedly ii might have
eeea, the Court admitting such testimony that
Key was Al! this time repatei to be a hbertiue,
aa1fron his intimate relations with Sickles known
by the latter 10 be such. This STEP for obvious
prosecution was too intent upon the mistaken
purpose OF trying to exciade all testimony 20
the grounds of p.oyocation for the homicide, eI-
thec to see the Importance Of turning the tables
upon their advers lres by introducing these fscts
or t. be able to do so with consistency. In this
way, It would not Only have been seen how lightly
Sck!eS himself valued when Others were concern
ed the sort Of offence for which we took zach
Summary vengeance, but also how careless he waa
about exposing his youthful and volatile semi
italian wits to the contamination of wantoa, m
moral. NbidIous society. He showed his appto-
ba,ioa Of lhertinism If Ia no other way) By cor
d a ftilo wship with man known to lead gross
IL impure life. lie in fact invited his own d s.
grace and tbs iufamy OF his wife, by not oily vo-
untary Introducing her TO the seducer fully ua.
derstandag lis character, but by either careles,y
desi ,nedy allowing this intercourse to continue
long after he knew it to be subject of public
scandal
y, d. not say that this coniuc. deprived Mr..
Sickles OF all reason of ind gnation AT the clear
ly proved consequences Yet we do slv that
ii detraets very largely from the public sympathy
ha might otherwise have had. And most surely
do We say. it has left him right whatever ID
as-Ire 70 be a special champion above ADD
Cllnsl tie law-'t purity 10 the marriage Iea-
toI He violated the purity himsef-if 10 no
other-by Introducing this mora leper as &c
aeq iaiutance of his vile; by encouraging hs man
ifJfd attention to her IN pubic; and b - least
tl.it'y cOHsentBg TO repeated interviews between
them III private so that, setting asds t1a cur
rent rumors as to his own habits and the light
value practically set by himself upon marri %
vows, Siokles really the first offender, aud
most hagrant
We wish the lessoa this point to be duly,
conned h7 fathers husbands aud brothers every
where. The knogn lIbertne is totally unfit be
asasTed iAto the presence OF pure minded vn-
man, under any circumstances. Men who aelip.
era'eiy INTRODUCES such iuto their fam lies,
commit a flagrant wrong. ContamInaioa and
drbasetnent the natural tendencies fl sing cut
from the corrupt springs of a debased nature.
- FAR IS auy equal and approving reco2 1i5ioa
~ ttc social or d)tnestic circle Is conceraed d
not ordinary dec ucv. well due regarI 10
tie obligations We owe our families and society
REQ ire to avoid all such characters when un-
derstooit II Is Obvious that any Other course is
Iudeteas.b!e however often this Just rule Is either
th .aghtics,y Or deliberately violated in practice
such associAai 0ns should be peremptorily declined.
not 50 much merted punishment or ia the
st5le of ialligent frowning a. from sense of du-
Il towards hose under our protection, on whose
purity no breath Of contamination should como
through our nstrumentality or BY our consent -
Is one woIld allow no immoral and Ioatheone
Ok ia his family, ought he land still more)
- exclude the embodied immortality and loath.
slneness Of tho ljhpfti1e and the seducer
Unbounded confidence ia the integrity IN
compatibility of those who are voluntarily eg-
posed 10 such evil presence, Is 10 apology in
this case Il rather aggreYates the evil. No
-snsbe Leouatus, however trustfnl proud 10
Ejs admiration of virtaous spouse would ganfoa-
iy snbjrc' MS Imo2en to the annoyance aud dig.
gust Of receiving an rtfal Iachiglo as a special
friell Of Der lord Having done so. be may
justly lament the wrong done TO a woman
prosiztcntiv Innocent, and accuse himself with the
hgtrrest rcproaches.