The New York herald., 1869-12-10
THE RICHARDSON-MFaRLAND TRAGEDY.
Various 0piutous at the peou,e.

ID. Richardson, as may bc seen by the length and |
variety OF correspondence bearing on the matter.
Nor Is there LIKELY to be falling of for to
come OF the pubic concern in all that apperains to
subject or such trarscendent social importance
that which concerns the integrity OF the marriage
relation. Human freedom and civilization are not
more dependent on Christianity than Christianity
itself Is dependent upon the sacredness in which the
institution OF marriage Ii held. When the noisy
nondescrlpts OF the Woman's Suffrage Bureau
tramplc the traditions OF eighteen centuries under
foot and openly advocate reeiovisn. It Ii time 10
inquire WHITTIER are we stcering2 But let our cor
respondents speak
MAKING ASSASSINATION EASY.
To THE EDITOR OF The HERALD
1t seems TO be natural impulse OF the human
neart TO punish great offences with the utmost rigor
Hence, at period anterior to the present day, IL
was customary for an aggrleved party to challenge
the aggressor to mortal combat. Tnen the offender
knew that he was liable to meet the person whom
he had wronged IN q combat regulated by code
which secured fair dealing But as the world ad-
vanced dueng gradually fell into disfavor, and now
is prohibited generally. The sending OF challenge
even is a legal offence. The execution OF the tec
tat0nas In due!s IL now incompatible with the te1
judtc,at,s, and tie only form OF retrbutve justice
lett to the aggrieved person eher the proper legal
resource. OF tnat Daroarous form OF teL taHonas,
assassination.
THIS later method has not upfrequently been re-
sorted to OF late years IN cases Where martial rights
have been lnfringeu upon and the pubic Journals
have spread the news over the whole country. FIRE.
quenty the general veruict has been that the aggre
sor who was Killed was rightly served; and even
jurles have rendered verdlctS tlnged win Senti-
mental weakness and opposed to established law !.
when makes premedltatea Killing punishable as de-
nDerate murder. Ingenious counsei Win cap
tdndufn arguments and specl0us pleas have some
times secured tue escape OF their guilty clients.
Thus assassination Is IN process OF being made not
only easy but sale In certain cases ana we seem to
be vergng toward che recognition OF method OF
leC tatt0ats far more reprchensDle than the puncti
lious method OF a fairly regulated duel.
Now, the question arises, "What are we tending
to?n That tue process OF generalization has begun
among us IL an unquestlonable fact, and IL Is not
only 70 be regretted that assassination mas 80 Ire
guenty occurred to shock the pubic mind, but there
Is stl greater cause Tor apprehension arising out OF
the fact that with the puDllc announcement OF as
sassnasion, any excuse should be offered for an
offence wnich Is manltestly contrary 70 established
law.
Tne pubic mind is now agirated again by the aues
tion whether an aggrleved husband may XIII one
VINO either has actually robbed him OF his wife
is supposed to have committed sucn a grlev-
GUS offence. Certain articles have appeared in pub
lic Journals which take for granted that the oence
against marital rights was sure and positive fact,
ana they either assert or imply that killing In such
case Is Justihabie. That any such teachlng should
be made pubic Is bad enough III Itself. but there
something sun worse behind tnat, Tor the puSiica-
ton OF such teaching implies that there are some
VINO already synpatnize with such views, and the
danger Is taat more adherents VIII be gained TO the
oroer Of those who advocate such sentiments. Now,
In the case before Us neither the pubic nor the
journalists know all Tue 1act5, and yet excuses for
act which has in itself all the manifest character
lstics OF deperate murder have been spread broad
cast over the land. How many others conse-
quence have resolved In their own minds resort
10 like method III similar cases no human sagacity
can discover ana time alone VIII disclose.
To XIII another who has ROBBED you OF the dearly
beloved wlfe may at rst sight appear TO be the only
punishment commensurate with the grav1,y Of the
offence, and especially II you nnd the aggressor in
the very act OF guilty commerce with the one whom
you love dearly as yourself. But 1t Is outrage
against common sense and public decency when
excuse is coupled with case where man who has
only certain circumstances on which he chooses TO
place the worst construction watches for opportu-
nifty to XIII the supposed aggressor, makes one mur
derous attempt and tails, and 1naiiy searching Tor
hts victim and finding nim, not In the cnalnoer OF
cent business, deliberately gives hlm pistol siot,
coming MS Toe with the stealthy approach the
mean-sprlted and malignant ASSASSIN. Lei US nave
Law ana order. LEX.
sENTENTIOUs CONCLUSIONS.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
All sorts OF comments are being made and opn-
ions expressed III relation to the late Richardson
Mcfarland tragedy, to which undue importance hes
been given merely on account OF the action OF GER
tain prominent characters. Were all the crcum-
stances known doubt not that the public would
look upon the three principals as equatsy uawortny
OF defence or ustlficaton by rghl-Inlided people.
My idea Is that Richardson has got his desserts; the
..lnadam' VIII undoubtedly get ners from ner own
sex, though she may deserve some pity, and McFar-
land should be treated as TOOL for placing himself
less woman. Experience has taught me TO believe
IL to be Impossible Tor any man To cause any woman
to be unfaiinful to her marriage VOWS unless the
husband has been unfaithiul himself. w.
DEFENCE OF BEECHER.
To TIE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
They beg the question who. apology FOR mur-
der, are pratng about the sanctits OF marriage.
They say and / agree with them "what God has
joined together let no man put asunder." But God
never Joined that pair between whom there is no
sympathy. union or soul with sodl-nothng but
the physical bond IN wno ,he pure mnnea naro
passion OF one man, although her soul loatAes the
bond. so much delight.
beings that makes them one IN booy and soul be-
lleve tue most sacred Of all human relations. But
serving and upholding In union unblessed
with love aud inaoe miserable with domes-
are divorced from each other. in law as
they already eternay divorced In soul the bet
ter. lay 1t down as an axiom that the man worthy
OF q woman's love VIII lind no difficulty IN retaining
1t without the aid OF the law without the weapons
or brute force. The lian VINO makes womans iife
miserable with himself, and who, with his petty ma.
hgn,ty stln pursues her H she seeks happiness with
another, Is william: and that sentiment that insists
on buding woman TO such creature IS radically
unjust ungenerous aud unworthy OF men ulaktug
preGeuce To religion and morality.
{a'k about seduction The man who takes
Young and trusting girl, sweet and pure and sensi-
tive flower, from tue home OF fond parents, and
then IN violation Of his marriage VOWS MAKES her
young lie miserable, what Is he but q seducer
vile and heartlcss a. a scduccr ever can beg
Mr.. Beecner has been condemned by some well
meaning persons bur, NOBLE and useful as his life
has been, Beesher never rose higher, never did O
nonler act, than when IN defiance OF sham and can't
he defeated muldercr's ann and united those two
true. pure and willing hearts IN the sacred bonds OF
marriage.
As Tor the censure OF the approval OF such thing
as the St 20 decent nan wlil heed lt for OF all lhe
papers IN existence the Slta, under Dana's control
IL tue most unfair, mean and malignant. 10 the
san, and to that alone should belong the distinction
OF siunderl0g and hunting rown q poor most deenly
afilicted woman, and Of hyenclise prowling IN The
graveyard anu LOWING over the remains Of m,ur.
degea ana now dclenceleSs lAan. A. l.. ).
COLLISION BETWEEN 4 Fe ,Rfs0aT AID a STEkATDs
The Brooklyn terryboat Manhassot and tue tupboat
fhenix coihded at haif-pass eleven O'CLOCK yesser-
day morning. between the Futon and Catharine
ferries, on the Brooklyn side or the river. The
cabins n,,las ,..nrn nhnnr one third lnni