Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-07-18
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
WEDNESDAY, JULY II, 1872.
rhe Low value of Human Life.
The trial of Edward S. Stokes for the

The trial or EDWARD >. stokes Tor the
murder of James Fisk, ir., and the
recent action of a Grand Jury in Ben
nington county, lead us to a considera-
ton of the low value set upon human
life in the United States. Homicldes are
rapidly multiplying; but with occasion
al exceptions, justice is slow in securing
the murderers, and slower still in con-
yicting and Furnishing them. Society
has so far reverted towards its primitive
condition than, even in our older States,
the practice has become common of
carrying deadly weapons and ayenging
alfronts, real or imaginary, with instant
death. The generation of young men
now coming forward in our cities and
larger towns, seem to think it manly to
carry knives and pistols, and to use them
on the slightest prOvocation. If mat
ters proceed much further in this direc-
ton, the shooting of man will soon
come to be looked upon as very little
more than the shooting of a beast
They meet from society and the courts
with a degree of tolerence which indi-
Gates anything but just appreciation of
their enormity on the part of the com
munitY.
There is powerful influence III this
country having control of numerous
presses, who are perpetually iterating
the cry that the worst assassins ''have
done nothing worthy of DEATH" and
that the execution of a convicted and
confessed homicide, is itself judicial
murder. The legitimate effect of this
is to awaken sympathy in behalf Of
murderers, and to obliterate all proper
concern for the fate of their victims.
The mistheiyous effects of this upon the
administration of justice may be seen in
the extreme difficulty with which, in
some parts of the country, convictions
can be obtained onplenary evidence. If
human life were rated at its true value.
these mcshes of the law would oc better
woven Justice would not be BATTLE 4
by mere technicaliti.as, or rather me- de-
finitions woul1l. be framed which, sbonId
reier t".tse acts to their appropriate
pr e in the category of crimes,
Among the causes which lead to the
disagreement of juries and low values of
human life is-tho composition of juries.
Trial by jury Is esteemed by every
nation enjoying a Cor .stitutional govern
ment as one of the great bulwarks
against oppress' ION, one of the chief sup
ports and or naments of civilization. But
instaesr .Jns, like individuals, differ
W'o> y often, in theory and practice.
Theoretically the twelve men who sit III
the jury box are men not only OF In
tegrity, but intelligence and discrimina-
ton, free from all vicious habits anC
every way competent to try the issue IL
thu cause they have sworn to decide,
according to the testimony presented tC
them. Practically, those twelve jurors
or majority of them, may happen tt
be men whose meagre intellectual furni
ture is exceeded only by the penury Of
their moral endoWments. The genius
of our government requires that al
voters shall be eligible as jurymen. l
is questionable whether such doctrine
is not romantic and pernicious. In it
practical workings it has, in many in
stances, proved hostile to our institu
tions. 1t embarrasses courts. 1t in
creases litigation. 1t corrupts the foun
tains of Justice 1t impairs the pOpula
respect for the judiciary. 1t is fruitful
of evil. Jurors ought to be men, no
necessarily of wealth nor of liberal cul
ture. but of character and average in
telligence. The incOngruity Of submit
ting causes involving large amounts 0
property, or still more personal libert.
and even life to the arbitrament of sue
personages as frequently appear on tn
panel, is so gross as to appear ludicrOus
Here we undoubtedly have the key t
many of the disagreements and verdict
in capital cases, and is one of the reason
why human lifehas so insufficient valua
ton put upon it by the tribunals.
1t is hard to rcvolutionizc the habits O
the people, but much more difficult t
change their principles and it has we
nigh become a principle with thi
nation and of law that human life is
. possession of but trivial value. But tn
work is not hopeless. The work 0
reformation must begin below the legiS
latures and the courts where the evil OF
iginated, in the nursery our childre
must be governed as well as instructed
Filial reverence must take the place c
filal insuborlination. Our systems c
education must be so modified as to la
more restraint upon the passions, to il
culcate the sinfulness of revenge and {
all ungoverned tempers, and inspire
profound veneration for human lif,
The pulpit must seek to Undue the publ
mind with more enlightened views {
this momentous subject. The pre-!
must lend its potential influence in IL
same direction of reform. The legisl;
lures must manifest their appreciate
of life by throwing around it every pc
sible defence. The courts must enfort
the laws against deliberate murder wit
infexible firmness and rectitude. AL
executive magistrates must forbes
the too frequent display of we
meant but mistaken lenity, which
often defeats the end of justice al
secures the immunity of criminals at Il
cost of public safety. Let these al
kindred agencies be brought to bear upC
this subject, and human life in o.
country may become once more a sacr
thing.
A WARNING TO ICED- CIDER DRINKER
The New York Herad says the fat
case of cholera morbus, enormously I
ported as Asiatic cholera by the Depu
Coroner who made the first nOst-lnOrtp