National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-01-21
BRADFORD. FRIDAY, JAN. Fl, 1870.
Personal RoroHge.


revenge against those who violate
the laws of chastity or Of marital
fidelity, and the freedom from pun
ishment given to the murderer who
avenges his injury are worthy of
careful reflection. Is it coming to
be orr common law to oyerlulc all
statute law, that the kinsman who
kills the seducer Ct his wife or sis
ter, cannot he punished. If so the
good people Of the land who depre-
cate the incllicicHcy of law, and the
reign of private vengeance, may yet
find some consolation in the result.
This sword must have more than one
edge. Though all good citizens may
regret that all punishment is not
meted out under the forms of law.
and that the laws cannot be made
efficient to protect all Who are limo.
cent, and to punish all who are gull
ty; yet they may see that this very
violation of law has an efficiency in
1t to prevent crimes that are fast in.
creasing under inadequate laws ard
inefficient administration.
In old times, aud in all scmi-civil-
lied communities it has been the
custom for the nearest kindred Of a
murdered person to pursue the muir
derer and kill him at sight. TIC
Mosaic law found this custom pre-
vaIling in all SUR ounding nations,
and probably among the Jews, 50
recently come out of slavery, and
did not repeal or resist it, only mod
flied it; restrained its more danger
Gus features by appointing cities o
refuge into which the man slayer
might flee and find protection unit
he was properly tried.
In our country and in most othc,
civilized countries, the laws agains
murder are severe enough, and thci
administration certain enough, t,
leave no necessity for the aVOcatiol
of the avcnging kinSman. But il
the case Of seduction, and adultery
both the laws and their application
are SO inefficient, and the passion
involved are so violent that it
coming to be common for the injurc
kinsman to take the penalty into hi
own hands. And the popular feel
ing is SO strongly in sympathy wit
the avcngcr. thai lurics cannot b
persuaded to find him guilty, ne
would the community allow him t
suffer the penalty OF the law for muI
der if they did. These cases haV
been so common in the last ten wear
from the case OF Daniel T.. Sickles
who shot the destroyer of his de
nestle peace III open day in th
streets Of Washington, to that {
Cole, who shot his victim in tn
principal hotel i'll Albany before tn
eyes OF many Witnesses, that thcl
is no need Of naming them. 1t look
as if the right of private rovcna
was coming 20 be fully recognized i
such cases, if it is not already Iccc!
nlzed. We cannot help feeling
however much we deprccatc til
weakness of the law. and the sub
stitutlon ct personal Vengeance in
stead Of its deliberate Judgments
that therCarc some clements of goo
u this state of things. While III
sacredncsS and power of public Ia
Is, in this direction brought into go,
tempt, the vilcncss of these Grim,
is more and more felt in the publ
conscience, and a Salutary fear
transgreSSiOn must he instiilcd I'M
the hearts of the inSidiouS coriup
ors of wolranly virtue. We ccrtai
~ have no objection to the fact thi
every would he illain of this kin
should bc compelled to fear that Il
next hour or day, or week, or mon
. after his vile deeds are done, he m,
atone for them with his life. Al
this appears 10 be the ease alrcad
Public opinion has almost if II
quite come to consider hm who y
olatcs the sanctity of our homes,
onscaSt from society, whose lie {
officers OF the law refuse to prolc
Let llberlincs beware. No ma
life is 80 insecure as thpi.S: we ha
not any cities of refuge for them.
WESTERN NEWSPAPER EMF
PRESERVE sometime since rccciv
copy Of the Davenport lloN
Democrat, in which was a yeiy II
and minute account OF the histo
ol r,ntiug IN that thriving wcstc
cty, together with Il lrsrtiptiuu