Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-05-14
Fruln the Springfield Rcpublcan.'
wanted 4 statute Against Cusscd-
ness.


There IS an oifcnse Of which everybody
l. coguixant, but which il is difficult 10
define; sometimes confined TO the family
but of which society more frequently, and
the state or nation not rarely, are the vic
tins: an offcnse which is not murder, nor
theft. nor arson, nor highway robbery
indeed is not any crime, but rather the
very essence Of all crimes Ii has degrees,
beginning with what is euphuistieally
called a passion for dissent witnessed
in those individuals who, If they do not
say with old lord Brougham, you must
not contradict me il our interview is 10 be
a pleasant one" vet express it in every
look and action; and ending, well, every
body knows what we mean, but IT Is dit-
fcult 10 describe it,-in those numberless
actions that rasp the feelings of individu-
ais. harrow up the surface of society,
make a hell Of what is intended TO be q
paradise, or near approach to it. Rasp-
ing and narrowing are all very well IN
their way, and are sometimes necessarily
performed on persons and communities
for their own and Others good. Of such
operations none would complain, though
personally We might prefer that files and
drags should be restricted to their leglti-
mate uses in ironmongery and agriculture.
But the hatcheling referred TO is not for
the earthly or immortal good OF amy one.
Ii merely gratifieS the evil natures OF
those guilty of the offensc, for the time
being, and in the end is as ruinous TO the
offender rs To the victim.
There are different names for the differ
& ha
can only BE- satisfactorily expressed by
one 'wurd, and that is 'cussedness,' OF
when il is necessary TO put it very strong.
ly. we say pure cuSsedncsS." 1t would
not bc difficult to demonstrate that fndi'
yiduals and society suffer more from Gus
sedueSS than from all the crimes known
to the legal profession, but the astound
iug fact remains that we have reached oul
present state of civilization, and the year
Of our Lord 1865 that we have laws made
by the yard every year to prevent cruelty
to all kinds Of animals except man, and
even defining what he shall eat and drink
and wear, and when he shall be shaved
and still there is no legal remedy agains
cussedncss 1t is not an otfcnse indictablt
at common law, and there is no statut,
defining and punishing it as it deserves
d 1t is to be hoped that the legislator
, will take immediate notice OF this defec
, in our statute books, and remedy it a
once Not SO much to punish the offend
er-for he is sure to get his desert
: sooner or later,-as to protect society, lie
e cusscdness in the individual be made
I criminal offense, and in the official al
Improbable one Had it been attende,
t, before We should not have had all thi
bother about the removal of Andrev
J Johnson. II is notorious that not one 0
o the eleven charges against him woul,
h stand for moment against dead mar
. But he will he convicted by the Senate
and the people will say amen, for tn
: pure eussedness displayed in all his act
= since he became President, and nothin
/ else How much simpler the trial woul
o have been if the offensc could have bee
!. explained in legal terms, in one simpl
article; how much talk wonld have bee
saved to Butler and Bingham and old Nj
Nelson aud the rest; how much les
Y would the patience of us all have bee
T. tried We ought to be prepared to d
: the thing better next time.