Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-05
THE ErREsS UPON THE MADISON PLACE
TRAGEDY.

Inc kllling OF hey by SlckIeS still occupies,
and will for a lOng time occupy, a large portion
of the press. The n. Y. Courier speaks of
Keys guilt as enormous, and .'treacherous,"
and wholly without extenuation, hardly capable
of greater baseness," and of Sickles it SAYS.
that his crime was one against Christianity,
law and society. We quote:
=" Mr. Sickles did precisely that which a
Sioux or Pawnee would have done under
similar circumstances. 1t is n pity he could
not have risen to higher level. An old sage
well said, :. By taking revenge. man is but
even with his enemy; but in passing il over, he
il superior"
We make no representations respecting the
private character of Mr.. Sickles, but we do
'<naintsin that the community in which he has
mpved has an entire right TO inquire whether
he himself has respected cODjugal ties. He
Hitannot hope to escape this inguiSition. III his
record Is clear. there is no danger that he will
not find sympathy enough; #. on the other
hand il Is found stained with similar wicked
ness, he ought to be, and will be Judged with
rlgor True, bad men have their rights: but
this Is question, not of justice, but of grace
Is Mr.. Sicklcs to be absolvcd of what on its
face was crime What personal recommen-
datIon has he for such clemency' Public
opinion Is apt to be somewhat strict upon such
matters. There il, after all. "a sense of equity
IN the human heart-a feeling very different
from reVenge-that feels no grief when it sees
Even-handed Justice
Commend the ingredients of our Poisond cbalicc
To our own lTs.
The injuries in this affair are not merely of
private character. Society itself has suffered
agrievOus wound. tits disgrace to tho civil
1atlon and Christianity Of the country. that
sneh hideous abOmiuations should occur IN the
high life Of its metropolis.
The Tribune takes the same view Of the past
history Of the chief actor in the homicide as
the Courier. We quote
Ii Mr.. SlckleS's past career especially with
reference to female purity and the sanctities of
welded life. has been pure and exemplary
then his deeds of blood will Justly wear a more
eXeuSGble aspect than in the opposite case If
en- the contrary, he has been systcmatically
reckless OF those sanctities-if that wife has
seen in her connection with him very much to
mlslead and corrupt, little to admOniSh and re-
strain her from the reckless indulgence of mas
siOn-why, then, the case is bravely altered
and the claim to immunity and sympathy set
up In his behalf has not n leg to stand upon.
We disclaim all knowledge. we withhold our
Judgment in the premises but we insist that
the Justification attempted to be set up shall
he complete and untainted. or it will not serve
its intended purpose
[From the Albany Atlas
Since his marriage Mr. Sickles DISPLAYED not
merely affection, but devotion to his wife; and
hlS own life seemed to have been elevated in
tone, and IN its aspirations, by the relations of
husband and parent. We can measure the
agony of the pang he has been forced to feel
by the extremity Of his revenge.
But while We say this which seems like an
eXtenuatlOn for his ect feel compelled to
say that We have no federation for that false
Code OF Honor which records its judgments
and executes them, rs IL has in this case done.
From the Correspondence of the N y. Courier I
The tragedy mt Washington has been i'm all
voices to-day. Beyond all the other features
of this case is that terrible truth. that where
man of hne intellect participates in such
scene - tbs the survivor dies" II must be
sO--diSmiSSed such scenes cannot be-tbe red
ray viii he IN all the light of the future. An
engineer on one Of our railways. had. without
fault OF his own, run the tremendous power
under his control over a human being. The
nody was removed from the rail, death had
done this dread work. examination was made
cf the circumstances, and the engineer acquit-
TED the homicide was not in him. Yet a little
while afterward, that engineer came TO the su-
perintendent and asked to resign his place he
could not endure it any longer
why do you go said the Superintend-
ent-.' no one blanes you
All said he. Il mast go. Every night l
am on the road 1 see Hsat man Sta,,d'Hg BE-
fare the engine -
FROM the Albany Evening StatesrnanJ
The career of the individual Who so pompously
enacts the character Of the injured husband
III thiS domestic turmoil, Is familiar to our citi-
zens, as indeed II is known to the people of the
entlre State He has a reputation for every
thlnS oHt integrity. honor. morality and man
mood III there Is moral vice with which be
Is not conversant-practically familiar-we
think II must be indeed modern Those who
are familiar with the libertine career which
hrst gave him possession Of the unfortunate
woman whom he calls wife, will not be surprised
no de- yg..F
she could 80 long preserve her purity through
such an example l. matter for conjecture In
misfortune which ordinarily comm ands for a
man - injured the sympathy of every human
creature, he seems less entitled to the consoIa-
ton to be derived from the coincidence of his
islcw citizens than any man we ever knew
We can recollect no one act Of his life that
should bring him even the well-wishcs Of anv
mortal
cJme years ago-wc think about six-be
married MS wife, then young volatile, way
ward girl. but already. if common rumor be
true, hiding her shame in taTdy marriage.
[From the New York News1
For ourselves, we cannot bat sympathise with
him. Though homicide cannot be justified
under any cIreUmstances-noT do we Justify il
IN this case-yct there occasions when the
instincts OF nature rise paramount TO every con-
slderatIOn Of reason, and the best Of us are hur-
ried into acts which Judgment would Mt other
many good traits Of character; and we hope he
may be able to recover from this lamentable
affair, and yet ber0lne a useful member of So
oIety.
The friends Of MIR. SickIes have advised him
10 waive the preliminary examination before
the committing magistrate. and thus avoid
repetition Of the details of the unhappy causes
which led to the melancholy affair The evil
denee will go to the q Grsnd Jury direct and the
ease VIII be tried at the March term Of the
court, commencing at an early day. There j.
strong feeling Of sympathy existing in all
class in Washington touching the homicide
but the feeling Is by no means so universally in
favor Of Mr.. sckles as Is represented by certain
letter writer's Mr.. Key had many warm
friends. lie was popular with all conditions of
men, and his sudden taking of is probably Ne
much cause Of general regre; possibly
be felt in that which led 10 the distressing posi-
tioH of his murderer.
From tine New York sun.