The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-05-16

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MONDAY.......'. 40 So
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Fanasioism, Law, and Nature.
wo have had q rare exhibition of false
,,h,,osophy, singular criminal proceedings,
and strong natural Impulse In New York in
the McFAnLASp-RsunARDsoNcase. Our read
era are well informed Of the main points ~
this remarkable trial. A striking feature Oh
Il was that 1t involved prominent persons OF
ths school Of false philanthropists as FRIENDS
o,,d advisers OF McF ARLAND's wife, ana the
yoho,e case bore upon the principles ana
false teaching Of male enthusiasts and female
rhansotists upon the subjects Of social econ
oyr,y snd marital rights. -,
This school lie bitterly opposed to homi-
eide !; and very naturally, since the Incense
thev would infnse into the social iapric Is SO
outsareors Of domestic peace ana natufai
;nstinets that It puts in peril the unioit :.
natc followers of their mad theories. Thelr
svssem Of morality would be altogether In
complete did It not shield those who en-
brace it nom the terrific passions 1t must
arouse. Yet such has been the impetuosity
and boldness with which these dangerous
ideas have been pressed-so persistentiy
have their advocates employed every means
Of acting upon the public sentiment, even
doyetailing their theories with religion and
laundering them from the pulpit-that the
cnurts In the administration Of law have
been brought in good degree unoei
their influence. For instance, in the mat:
ter Of killing, the idea that man mas nc
right to kill for anything, and certainty
mot for the stealing of his wife or for adui-
terry with that wife, is SO prevalent
that of late years the criminal law
yers have been driven to the plea Of
insanity to save man who has kill
ed for such cause from the gibbet. we
know Of no recent case in the northern
courts where any lawyer has pleaded Justi'
tication for killing for such cause. And YET
10 strong is the conservative natural feeilngs
Of men that jurors who are so imbued WIFE
the sentiments of the false teachers that
they will not acquit a man for killing in any
case, gladly avail themselves of the pretextt
of insanity to crafty the natural sympa-
thies, and save man from the death OF a
dog for having killed the slayer of his peace
and the honor of his house. ..
In the CoLE-HisCocK case the plea saved
Co1ys neck, although it was clear that
H1scocx had destroyed the virtue OF Coles
wife while he was perilling his life in the
cause Of his country. Yet his defenders
had to sneak through the dark and pusllan-
emous by-way of the eyasive plea OF insanity
to get their client off; and the jury, fol-
lowing the bent of true, natural impulses,
brought in verdict that COLE was sane
lust before and Immediately after the killing,
tut insane at che time, and upon this fraudu-
lent verdict the accused escaped. And so
MCFARLAND is saved in like manner.
And what is settled by such decisions that
may be gratifying or protecting to society,
or that condemns the vilainous invasion Of
the domestic peace and honor Of the sacred
family circle? Nothing. The avenger Of
the wrong-the most grieyous wrong he
s,ifers-escapes by subterfuge, and the
crimes Of lawless love and criminal inter
course 20 mcensured; nay, more, the
guilty parties are assured that but for the
subterfuge of the defence not only would
the decision of the court have implied theil
innocence, but they would have been re-
venged by the hanging Of the ayenger.
So that people may go on following the
theories of the crazy philanthropists. Love
at first sight, or the "passonal attraction >
engendered by the artful devices Of the Sc.
Queer, are set up as more sacred than that
relation which was previously conceived
and sanctioned by the holy tics of wedlock
in law and religion. For such interference
with the happiness of family and the
rights of matrimony these philanthropists,
at furthest, offer no redress but suit at
law with, like as not, six cents damages to
the plaintiff. ....
Even MIR. GREELEY, in his sworn testi-
mony in support of the transfer of Mrs.
McFARLAND's affections to RICHARDSON,
said that he had supposed that cFARLAND
had surrendered all claim to his wife before
the divorce. And what if he had? Did that
authorize RICHARDSON to assume the close
and confidential relations towards her which
the parties admit were existing even before
that mockery of divorce which was OBJ
tanned in Indiana? 1t would be o perilous
state Of society which would justify this
freedom of the affections, and the relations
Of men and women.
In the case Of MCFARLAND there was 6
grand opportunity for an intrepid defender
of justice and humanity to win something
like Immortality. The whole school o
false philanthropists, from the Vice-Presi
dent Of the United States down to TIT
rhapsodical female advocates of woman
rights, were grouped together, and nigh
have been raked by a fire that would hay
been to them almost humiliation.
Had such man seized the occasion t,
plead justifable homicide, and to hold VI
the awful tendencies Of the morality whic1
gives rein to the worst of passions
and would hang those who kill for the tres
pass OF those passions upon the sacre
rights guaranteed by religion and law, b
would have Won not only his cause but til
everlasting gratitude of society.
And what scene was that Of the clol
Of this MCFARLAND trial The court-roo
in general disorder. Women exstatic wi,
Joy, promiscuously kissing the lawyers, Il
reporters, and spectators What does th
all mean? 1t was great trial between n
tire and mock philanthropy. The stri
had engsndered wildness Of exciteme.
that invoked the most extraordinary IL nt
llonstrous exhibition. TO the rejecting