The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-05-12
Is it Right to 40 Justice l.?

NC have 'OllSluCICi IL ttS oIIC VI 1iAc
alarming signs of the times that there is
such tendency among men high in social
and political position to ignore the great
truth that in order to do right we must
deal Justly with violators Of the law.
Some people seem to think that justice is
synonymous with revenge; that to mete
out Justice to the greatest villains the
world ever saw would necessitate re-
vengeful spirit. Nothing could be farther
from the truth.
TO illustrate what we would guard
against. and show the reader the great
danger of the times, we shall here refer to
a case in which we have felt good deal
of interest, and with which all our readers
are familiar: Some eighteen months ago
Frank Converse, a bright, promising lad
of sixteen, was deliberately murdered in
cold blood at Maiden, Mass. The muir
derer Edward w Green. was arrested,
tried. found guilty and sentenced to be
hanged. The time set for his execution
approached and passed, Gov. Andrew
negIecting to sign his death-warrant and
although some six months have elapsed
since he was to have been executed, the
law as yet fails to be enforced. There
was not an extenuating circumstance con-
nertel with the preparation of this mon
strous crime-no one pretends there was
it wis prelneoitated, deliberate, afro
cious.
1t is understood, with how much truth
We cannot say, that Gov. Andrew is op-
posel to the death penalty. If so he
doubles will not hang Green at all.
Within the past few months there has
been strong tendency in other quarters
besides the executive chamber of Massa-
chusetts to turn aside Justice; even to re-
store to citizenship and good fellowship be-
ings whose crime so far tranScends Ed
ward w. Green's as the assassination ola
nation overshadows that of an individual.
And had not treason oerleaped itself and
struck down tie beloved head of this great
nation, thus bring ling more strlkingly to
view its monstrous atrocity, We doubt if a
traitor in our land had ever suffered the
Just penalty of his crimes as traitor.
Prominent among the advocates of this
loose, roSc-water humanitarianism, is the
New York Tl1Jme; and woe to the cOun-
try, if in this great day of Divine retribu-
ton against sin, it shall follow the leader
ship of such men as Horace Greedy. lie
is doing more to undo the great work of
our army, and to make us stencil in the
nostril1 of Heaven, than all the copper
heads put together If we do not hang
traitors, 'ce are conquered. not they; and
we lay the foundations Of unending rotten
ness in every department of society.
What is Justice? 1t is Right; it is
Righteousness as applied to human affairs.
Is it not right to do right-to deal ri ht.
cously with men! Some people talk as
though justice and right were some awful
things only to be practised in extreme
cases, when nothing else will do. They
would not make justice and truth the rult
of conduct in dealing with men, but the
exception; following a sickly and shallow
scntimentality, as cruel in the end as it i:
Short sighted, and by which every noble
and Just sentiment of the moral nature il
shocked and outraged.
Ii Gov. Andrew does not hang Greer
he will establish three points: (D MAKE
all the villains in Massachusetts feel tina
they can commit murder and be safe
And most Of those who are imprisoned
for life will in a few years be pardoned
GU The pirate judgement of the magistrat,
will be set above the Mr; and so all oath
and constitutions and laws are set aside a
the option of the ruler, and his ,rhims be
come our lars. This is in essence abso
lutte monarchy, which all laws and consti
buttons are made to check and limit. Is
If the chief magistrate may override tn
law, much more may private citizens.
Why should Il ruler make it a matte
OF conscience not to execute law he doe
not Ike, and no matter of conscience t
break solemn oaths, and to violate dD
We have little respect for mans head
and still less for his heart, fin times lik
these, when justice has been trampled un
der foot. and all law and order outraged
he takes sides, even by implication, agains
law and Justice and truth.
How comes it that there is not a con
science in keeping law as well as in break
ing it? A handful Of rebels are concien
ciously in favor of breaking up the Union
and Buchanan, by executing the Law