The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-30

reckless daring. In these warm countries.
where life is so easily sustained, there has
always been great contempt for life. The
annals OF the early settlement of the South-
west are full of duels, personal encounters,
and fierce oombats, in which we find rude men
deliberately Staying one another to satisfy q
rough notion Of honor. Much as we may
have deplcred the sentiment that made exist
enoe so cheap, it was generally attended with
sort OF coarse chivalry which took from 1t
the malignant element OF murder. II Andrew
Jackson attacked Thomas II. Benton in the
public highway, Benton know his intentions,
and the shooting was returned. twas life for
life. There was no skulking, no oowardcs, no
hiding in room, no undue advantage. Had this
young, high. born Virginian met Mr.. Pollard
in the street and shot him there would only
have been another OF the encounters Of which
we constantly read. One man might have
been killed, and probably two for we find the
dying editor instinotively graspipg for his
pistol to defend himself. But here is an as
sassination as deliberately planned as that
accomplished by Wilkes Booth. The MUIR
derer not only takes every prscautiou for his
own safety, but, rs it were, to escape detection,
he locks the door and arms himself in case OF
an attack upon him; and thus, in the silence
and security, lies in wait for the man who
had wronged him. Tried by any ideal of JUS
tice, by even the lowest ''code of honor"
society, this man is cowardly and delibera'e
murderer.
And yet we find, according to the papers,
that this assassin is actually a hero. When
the minister of the law comes to him he sinks
on his knees and asks for "protection." There
is 'joy" in the city, and his friends crowd
around him. 1t is telegraphed to the North
that thereis gladness because one poor writer
lies dead upon the sidewalk of great city,
surrounded by the people by whom he had
long been cherished, and by the party of which
he had been for years an earnest and accepted
leader. We dismiss the motive in this case,
because there can be no motive for assassina-
ton. There is no human wrong that any
tribunal, however barbarous, can recognize as
sufficient to excuse one mans lying in muir
derous ambush for another. Sucn things are
only known among the wild Indians and the
tribes of Africa. For the first time we see It
in Virginia. For the first time we find high
born youth Of the Old Dominion taking upon
himself vengeance that has long since been
abandoned to savages, and around him are
sympathiziDg friends. He suddenly becomes
famous. Instead OF being committed to prison
like felon, he is Gin the Office OF the Chief of
Police, where he enjoys the company Of his
friends, and is supplied with the best OF every
thing that can be- provided" HE is not
treated like criminal"
There is much to be done in society where
| assassination becomes a fashionable virtue.
| The story of this murder is the saddest we
! have heard for many years from the Old Do
| minion. We trust, for the honor of its
| people, that another sentiment will take the
place of that which makes a murderer in am-
bush the hero Of the hour