Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-07-30
0utlawry and Hasty Retribution the only
Remedies for Seduction and Kindred
Grimes.

OIlilbS,
We have been made acquainted
with the latest occurrence of a case OF
bostaydg in a neigh boring town-the
seduced party motherless, thought
less unc0itured country girl-the Sc.
ducer's name not reported, but likely
one of Byron's Knaves,-
Possessing no virtue any single vice.
Bnt all the vices in pairs repeated thrice"
AS usual the public mind appears d.
vided as to the guilt, the good sympa-
thising with the seduced party and
| The injured family and society-the
evil declaiming in low slang the equal
guilt of both, but especially laying
against the woman that ever false
charge, that she was first in the fall
from holiness.
Strange as it may seem, the public
tolerates if it does not glorify the SCI
Queer; but the same public mind also
honors and applauds the hand which
Stays and levels him to the dust. TO
steal was heather virtue; but to re-
veal or betray theft was no less vir-
tue which Spartan justice balanced in
the scale along with theft.
But it is not yet a Christian public
opinion which frees tho woman from
blame the moment her sedueer yields
his blood at the hand of a noble friend.
The crime, to an unjust extent, stands
against her upon tho records of
christian Judgment. In this respect
the christian code differs from Jesus
in the case of the woman who was ta-
in the act, but allowed to go and
stand upon the human level-condi-
toned that she sin no more. al
The christian system of moral rec>
| titude should be reformed in this re.
spect, and be made to agree with Je-
sus and human nature, for it is human
to err and Christ-like to forgive. We
now speak of such forgiveness as
takes her who fell by the hand and
lifts her up to true christian level
In the case before us, is there not q
christian disciple or preacher of
righteousness in the land brave
enough to take this woman by the
| hand?
| Only for a single transgression this
woman was doubtless quite free from
sin, whilst many women of greater
knowledge and troubled under scores
of unrevealed sins are the first and
| bitterest in abusing her-the same
women also foremost in excuse rem
dering for the seducer 1t is quite as
remarkable that such women as are
| froest from polluted souls will be
| found friendly advisers and minister
ing angels to those orring ones de-
ceived and plupdered by men
The only difficulty to be met in the
way of begetting right public mind
in this class OF cases is, that such vast
numbers ofmen and women are guilty
either by act or at heart-the guilty
quite generally being the first to
vend and circulate evil reports and
opininions concerning her whose
shame is exposed. And, though the
pocLs have SO gracefully yet savagely
torn the mask from the faces of those
who profess al! the virtue and sanity
thought, yet whose hearts are as vile
as Sodom, this same weaknessis not
the least abated. aaa
Crimes of this class fall with equal
and alike hurtful effect upon the fam.
lily and society at large. The author
is therefore public enemy, and
should have no protection OF law
Christian exactitude allows no mercy
to the brigand who is supposed in>
capable of changing to a life of order
American law permits US to make
single or double>handed war upon
public outlaws. We may not wait
upon the slow process of law in deal
ing with one sowing pestilence.-
Worse than any pestilence is that
moral pollution sown by the adulter-
er and seducer. The cholera and
small pox very soon find their vic-
TINS and disappear with them; but
this moral depravity which works as
yeast upon this generation and the
next, and upon the pure and the i'm
pure, is even a surer victimiser than
cholera or small pox, because it aims
to destroy both soul and body.
The author of such crime, being an
outlaw and an enemy to his race &C
cording to every moral and religious
test, and in court and jury practice de-
serving of no mercy, he may disposed
ofin such summary way as any friend
OF a wronged woman may elect. Ann
Wheeler shot her seducer, through a
show window, at Milwaukee, and
jury refused to criminate and punish
her. Dan Sickles soon after shot Keys
for meddling with his wife, and jus
ry awarded him Justification. Boland
next shot Arbuthnot for seducing his
sister and jury cleared him. Lastly,
Lloyd slew DR.. fancy for demoralis-
ing his wife, and was cleared by one
of the best juries ever empanelled in
Grant County. In no case reported
has there been a conviction of late
years for shooting seducer or adul-
terer. Therefore, the practice of
shooting such, and of clearing those
who resort to the pistol for that re-
dress which the law fails to provide,
may be taken as fixed certainties in
all cases ofthe kind. Men may know
what to expect and be warned by the
facts we have set forth.
Not long since we asked distin.
guished lawyer and legislator this
question: as it possible to enact laws
especially providing for such cases,