The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-11-13
False Sympathy.

raise Sympatny.
There is, notwithstanding the perversity
of human nature, much that the species
may be proud of and thankful for. But
unfortunately we are constantly called
upon to deplore pitiable exhibitions of
human frailty and mental imbecility. The
execution of Margaret Waters, the baby
farming murderess, in England, is q case
in point.
Great exertiOns were made to have this
woman reprieved. Because there were
persons who happen to have particularly
sentimental views on the subject of capital
punishment, they have not ceased to ring
the changes on the barbarity of executions.
One reason of COMMUNICATION urged was
that the culprit was woman, and as such,
should not be put to death on the scaffold.
The full force OF this is confined to those
who urged it. Another reason for leniency
was, that her victims, if indeed they were
her victims, were only children. That
such a notion should be held by any large
number, would seem to be hardly credible.
They forget that the commandment, "Thou
shalt not kill" is binding on all, and at oil
times. The delusion on this head can only
be uprooted by demonstrating what the
law of murder is in the sight of the law,
il they are unwilling to learn what it is in
the sight of God. Yet, although there was
not one particle Of palliation shown in the
AeQnrss OF the trim y lsrgs body, not an
finauentisl bod made strenuous exsrtionn
| to arrest the arm or Justice. This maudlin
sympathy is shown both in religion and
| politics. Italy's sentimental grievance 10
fooled to the top of it's bent, and English
gold aids the Italians in making Italy one,
whole and indivisiblc. But Ireland's real
ills are passed over, and her aspirations
after freedom, her demands to be treated
| with at least simple justice, are ignored or
stamped out with an iron heel. An united
Germany is hailed as the noblest idea Of
the day, but the notion of an India self
government by her native princes is secuted
as impous and sacrilegious. For starving
Ireland, in her years of famine, money is
tardily voted by the Government on strin-
gent conditions, and the deficiencies sup
piled from English pockets only on the I'M
Outstanding that none but Protestants and
Converts" from Romanism should be re-
lieved. Nay, English public vessels could
not be made available when generous
hearts on this side of the Atlantic would
gladly freight them with breadstuffs. Os-
tentation, therefore, and sentimentality, to
say nothing of inconsistency and injustice
of the grossest, too often enter into British
notions of mercy. In the same way, mis-
sionary societies and souper confraternities
manage to feather their nests well at the
expense of a credulous public, which pre-
fers to see the natives of Borriobeula- Cha
supplied with red shirts and moral pocket
handkerchiefs, to doing anything towards
abolishing the fostering, seet1ing mass OF
wickedness which every day discloses itself
in every English town and the cottages Of
laborers, and thinks that there is greater
glory in perverting one little Irish peasant
boy from faith to infdelity than in evan
gelizing the courts of London or educating
the street Arabs. With regard to the senti-
mentality in behalf of Margaret Waters, the
baby murderess, the Weekly Register says
In any case, the last words of Margaret
Waters, that if there were no illegitimate
children, there would be no baby farmers
ought to be laid to heart, and some means
devised to put the system down forever
even if it should come to registering nurses
for the reception of the poor infants. A
Catholic cannot but be at once prompted
to recommend a return to the old religiou
ystem of the past, and would fain see, a
of old, the basket hung outside the door
and the bell handle close by the " turn" 81
that at the sound of the bell the poor vic
tins of mans deceit and inquity might b'
enabled TO see the only traces of her fal
d removed, and, taking heart of grace at hel
fresh chance of reformation, might go of
comfortod to sin no more.
She deserved her fate, but there were
those who ought to have swung with her
those whom the Government, out of respect
for the class from which it's members are
taken, refused to expose, lest haply, one
member suffering, the whole body should
suffer with it. In the name of common
Justice, in the name of humanity and reli
gion, az Catholics and journalists, We sol