The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-13
HEUTHANASLA."
Tho Latest Scheme OF Social "Progress''
In England. LOT

Tho Latest Scheme OF Social 'sProSross''
in England. cot
Some OF the leading English journals are
gravely discussing the merits Of doctrine
avowed by limited class OF philosophers In
Great Britain that suicide is sometimes duty,
In such cases, for instance, as when q person
Is suffering under painful and incurable
disease. A Mr.. Lionel 4. Tollemanche ap-
pears 10 be the leading advocate Of the prin-
clple that man has right TO die when ne
chooses, and Mr.. Tollemsnche has found an
earnest disciple In Professor Francis W. New
man, who Ia writing letters to The press en-
Enthusiastically supporting the theory that men
are Justified In substituting an easy death, &C.
compllshed by their own means, for lingering
torments and fual extinction from natural
causes. Professor Newman insists that this
idea ls somewhat widely spread among Guilt
yated persons, but suppressed in consequence
of the odIum attaching to tho profession Of
such opinions.
But the EuthanasIsnists, as they are called,
are not satisfied with limiting the adVanta-
pes OF Euthapasia, or easy death. 10 those
who choose 10 avail Themselves OF the discoy-
cries of sciences for prematurely ending their
own suffering In this vale OF tears. They aleo
Intimate that under certain conditions tlt
would be an excellent thing to give their
neighbors the benefit Of q painless exit from
a world which they cannot enjoy and W5ich
has no particular use for them. Professor
Newman specially objects TO the prejudice ~
layor OF natural deaths whicu 80 Cften result
in causing sesons ,IaIy TO .as ..
ing at sick bed merely In order, as he says,
t'l6at an old person may mlserably hnger
few moAlhs longer" This View OF the subject
la NOT original, however. Some OF the
Polyneslan tribes Of savagss have been ID the
habit of killing of their old and useless Ieia-
tions from time immemorial, although they
were not sufficiently advanced IN civilization
io adopt 40 pretty name as Euthanesia for
the practice, and having no scientific knowl-
edae at their disposal 10 afford them painless
methods of shortening life, they were not 30
particular as to the means employed 70 eneCt
their object 80 long as they were e1ectuai.
But the POlynesisns practiced their netnoos
of getting rid of old persons from selfish EGO
noneIeal motives, for they not only killed but
ate their superannusted relations, while the
British Euthanaslanists profess to be governed
in their opinions only by the loftiest consider
ations OF humanity. ,,-...
II Ia evident that If the unrestricted rlgntoI
a man to abruptly terminate his own e3lst-
ence or that Of nelghooI; WHOSE Sahso iEnEeL ~
shonld be generally admitted, the practiceot
Enthanass would be Liable to abuse Ia the
hands of persons deficient In moral principle.
This fact is fully recognized by the advocates
OF easy death In Great Britain, who proposeto
procure for the practice the sanctlon OF mo
law under fixed conditions. Professor HeN-
man expresses himself freely on this subject,
snpgestinp the nature of the precautions
which should be taken to guard against 90.
fashionable use OF Enthanasiastic agents, ana
nlainly says he cannot see "h0W any one Jan
lear abuse II death were legalzed under de-
liberately planned restrictions" - 81
Mr.. TOllemache is also anxio9s tnat nls
views should not be misunderstood on LIE n lm-
nnrtant ouestion. and In q letter to the spec
tator he asserts distinctly that ne dlsapprovso
of killing a dying man Without the dying mans
eYnress consent; but, this consent ootaiueo,
he thinks the doctors should furnish Inc means
for securing the desired result. III s oPel W
me,n he says, ITO hold thst II certa.n p.oSososs ~
,po,soS of The sufferer by public officer be-
% fore witnesses, and an affidavit signed by them
m the effect that the dying mans consent waa
1i1en. without external pressure-Eutnanaelo
1wonld be no more liable TO abuse or fraua
there certainly would not be stronger mo
tive) than Ia the case of q Will. and no more
demoralizing than capital punishment. Built
NAV be quite consistently held that, where
these safeguards cannot be obtained the sui
ferer must be allowed to llnger on. Hal 9
LOAF, says the proverb, Is better than no bread:
Professor Newman, however, appears
take broader view on the suo1ect, ior, az.
though he iavors legal restrictions regarolnB
the practlce of Euthanssia, he seems TO COL s,a
slider the patients consent only desirsS5ss, ss
not an indispensable f9rmalliyi yi.ua Baa 1a nsr. ne
IsSS oo,one especIally at mis- command, W1en
sIse sSs ". others viii pereh uselessy for diIss Ss
e ike sss4s ,shs6s 'R I
occurs In sickness ~ 'tSoss around him." The
ruins the health OF snos1 desire 10 havethe
asS Who sst ssss9s@ @ s
ions on the subject T11sa Ss1sas sst to iunscs sso
Inc aPPcis, nn cincspsple OF giving legslassent TO
tbeIr TeuIe own vi summary extlncsion."s,ao ..sp'