New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-30
Communicated
JUSTICE.

There is implanted in every human mind
an esta blished idea Of justice. In the savage
breast as well as in the tutored brain of civil
lied man; a vague, underlined instinct in the
one, principle established by study.
thought. careful attention in the other.
And yet it is often the case that the savage
instinct is true justice, while the principle
which has been nourished and tutOred is but
warped and CARRIED ideal, which becomes
a semblance Of justice through prejudices
pre-existing in its favor.
God made the country: man made the
town. SO, in the first instance. God places
within Us the instinct OF justice; in the
second, man makes our practice OF it, which
is generally deemed justice and passes by
that name.
We are very prone to consider that we
are doing what is right: that we have, per-
chance, performed very benevolent act.
and to feel in our hearts that we should be
rewarded for it: and if a misfortune befall
US, too. exclaim that we have not had JUS
tice done us. Now, whom do we accuse of
injustice. Who but the Immaculate Being
who notes the fall of the sparrow. He
who is mercy and justice combined
Were we to reap strict justice, measure for
measure, eye for an eye, and tooth for a
tooth, what good things would fall to our
share of life Does not each day bear q
blot Of wicked deed, careless word. or un-
kind act, upon its fair escutcheon9 Still, if
one deed, word or act Of kindness be written
there too, it redeems the record and washes
away its stains. This is divine justice. Not
such the measure that we erring mortals
mete out to each other. If a brother has
fallen. q sister strayed, each searches his
vocabulary for the largest word stone it con-
tains to cast it at the offender. ''He that is
without sin among you, let him cast the first
stone" This is divine justice; human JUS
tice says throw your stones, hit him hard,
he has sinned and he must be punished"
Thus We live and admister justice, such as
it is. from the standard which we, who are
SO full Of frailties, have erected. Make
judge and jury of ourselves (but never the
prisoner. oh. no. we never put ourselves
in his place hear and condemn the way
ward brother without an idea of the motives
which Influenced him, and which, perhaps,
exculpate him. and pass sentence on him,
which sentence. being passed, we resolve
our judgeship and jurorship into officers.
and propose to execute justice as we have
determined it to be.
We never see an inch below the surface
We see or hear something to our neighbours
apparently. and hurry to give
it publicity, We do not ferret out the
whole story. but just catch at tina; small
portion which is apparent, without inquiry
into it, and put it before the world to his
and the virtuous world calls for |
justice: justice for the wrong-doer. But |
when the truth is pursued and brought to
light, and the man discovered to be innocent.
no one is in a hurry to do justice by making
amends for what he may have said or done
TO spread the SANDER. nor does he who
started the hue and cry take half the trouble
70 disseminate the circumstances which
DccasiOned it. Not he. He says. perhaps
10 himself. Il was mistaken" but it never
occurred to him that he, who has clamored
20 loudly for justice, is the pe-sonfier of its
opposite. He looks upon himself as an
honest worker for the good of the human
amily, while. in reality. he is one of the
of mistrust. suspicion and I'M
happiness, instead of votary at the much
IL