Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-06-28
The Propriety Of Publishing Insane
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The Propriety Of Furnishing InsAne
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DR.. VIM. A. Hammond, Of New Yerk,
who has probably given as much study
10 the subject ,sf insanity as a cause OF
crime as any physician Of our time, bas
written q pamphlet on the subject, which
we feel assured will attract widespread
and marited attention. We have net yet
seen the essay itself, but from the
sketches Of its line of argument which
have appeared In the newspapers we
take II to be a more complete statement
than the author has yet made OF Ills
theory that insanity does not necessarily
deprive an individual Of all self-controi,
nor make him irresponsible for his &C
tions. He relates an incident illustrating
the way IN which Insane people them
selves regard tse matter. When an In
sane man named Martin, was arrested
for firing the Cathedral at York, Eng
land, the inmates Of a lunatie asylum
In the vicinity were heard discussing the
matter, and they secuted the Idea that
the iueendiary could be punished, saying,
50 He is one of us, and, Of course, is not
irresponsible"
In advance of reading the Doctors
pamphlet, we are strongly disposed TO
accept his conclusions as just in them
selves and important To the preservation
of human life. The slightest familiarity
with insane persons shows that many
whose minds are very much out OF
balance are yet capable Of self-ccntrol
and subject to the control Of others.
The fear Of disagreeable consequences
exercises restraining influence over
them, and they refrain from doing those
things which they know will subject
them 10 punishment. We know an in
sane woman, who, after an assault made
in blind fury on a physician whom she
blamed for a necessary, but irksome re-
straint 10 which she had been subjected,
laughed about it afterwards, and de-
clared the delight with which she =" heard
"his old coat crack" during the tussle.
She knew what she was about, and
doubtless would rot have dared to make
the assault but for the license to misbe'
have which the popular notion of the
irresponsibility Of the insane accords u
them.
There are Of course degrees of insanity
in which the victim comes to differ httl'
in impulse and action from Wild beast
and though there is room we think Il
doubt II this state would often if ever b.
reached, were the victim compelled to III
fullest exercise of self-eontrol Of whiel
he is capable, BY firm and fearless san
people, from the beginning Of the disease
yet the stage being reached the fact mus
be recognized and the lunatic must be q
least IN the eyes Of the law held unat
countable for his acts. But every othe
class Of insane people ought to be bel
accountable for their acts, and thong
their mental condition should be take
into consideration in fixing their punisl
ment, they should yet not be entirely r
lieved as they ROW are from the fear
punishment. Where however, the inssl
lily is not provsn to be of such chaaet
as TO have had a specific bearing on u
very act for which the prisoner Is beiu
tried, we doubt if it ought To even be co
sidered as a cause for mitigating Il
punishment. When msn 70 some exte
insane, has enough sanity 10 plan a mu
der to which he is melted by revenge
euch other motives as impel confessed
sane men 70 similar crimes, and euoul
sense Of his responsibility for the erin
10 seek escape from It's eonse quences
fght, be is quite sane enough TO sui
whatever punishment is inflicted on a
man for that crime, even If he shOu
sincerely entertain belief that the mo
IL made Of green cheese, or that the e
did in very truth jump over that lumina
We believe great many law abidi
people are being forced gradually 10 l
belief by the oath dsfyiug antics Of M
ern juries, and We shall be very glad
see 70 wholesome a conviction fOrtif
aud spread by arguments from an int
gent student Of the phenomena OF msani