The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1871-03-31
[From the New Orleans Picayun
MORAL ASPECT OF SUICIDE

q
If suicide is the result of a gdisor-
ganized, diseased, deranged condi-
ton of the system, it cannot be class
ed as a crime, nor does its consider
alton enter into the domain of morals
OF ethics in any manner. All healthy
organs as are consistent with the
lengthening of life. All that tends
to beget, or superinduce, or aggra-
vate any of the multitude of causes
which lead to disease and to death is
itself abnormal, unhealthy, disorgan-
ling and a malady. All that cul-
inmates and has its expression and
effect in a damage to any part of the
organism must be a disease or its
symptom. Health is conservative,
tending always to the keeping of
the machinery of lite in motion; dis
ease is an enemy of health and to
life. The instinct Of self-preserva-
ton is an absolute necessity. With
out it the race would speedily per-
ish from off the face of the EARTH
The spirit of the law of human life is
the love of life. The knowledge of
pain and pleasure is given TO ward
US from what must damage and de-
stroy and invite It's to what will
strengthen and preserve. Love OF
life is an instinct as universal as life.
Every healthily constituted human
being loves life and clings to it.
There is no kind OF use for any facul-
ty, function or organ which has not
the preservation of life for its pur-
pose and object. 1t is absurd to say
that the reason,can be used to destroy
the life of the reasoner, for the only
use of the reason is to preserve and
cherish. It is absurd to argue as
to the morality or eriminality of sui
eide, since the seIf-destroyer had
ceased to be within the scope of any
moral or criminal law before the hor-
rid deed of self-slaughter was COM
mitted. The man who arms his
hand against his own life is neces-
sarily insane No matter how meth
odical his anterior conduct may
have been or how carefully he may
have prearranged his business with
evident reference to the calamity;
no matter how Systematically he may
have prepared for the act or its con-
sequences, there is no escape from
the conviction that at the moment
when the fatal act is done the self
DESTROYER is mad. The disease OF
the suicide is vital and functional.-
In the healthy organism every or
gan and faculty readily and eagerly
labors to keep alive the divine spark
of existence. What tends to the
preservation of life is normal and
healthy, and what tends to its de-
struction is abnormal, anomallstic,
unnatural and diseased. Much more
then, must that condition which re-
suits in an act of self-slaughter be
regarded as wholly and intrinsically
morbid and deranged.
On the theory that the suicide
must always be insane, which il
the better and later Judgment of al
our American courts, his act canno
be classed among crimes, whatevel
damage to others may result from
his deed. 1t may deprive a helpless
family of Their sole stay it may
leave matters Of very grave momen
in an inextricable confusion; but We
it is no crime, for crime implies :
moral responsibility, free will, self
control, and the capacity of making
a distinction between right ane
wrong. For the same reason sui
eide is no disgrace, being the result
of misfortune and the crisis of 6
calamity. 1t cannot even be held
rightfully to reflect upon the
past life, pursuits, education, princi-
Piles, or training of the victim. Il
is no just reproach to his parent, bis
parents, his relatives, his children OF
his associates.
Self-destruction was viewed by
our ancestors with with peculiar hor-
ror, ranked as capital crime, and