The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-22

dict implied we saw the great test of tie
principle on which the pact of society is based.
We knew that crime had been committed;
we knew, further, that the law declared an
individual guilty thereof; we then asked that
the penalty of the crime be exacted from the
criminal We have made no exceptions in
this, and shall make none. We do not cham
pion the gallows, but the safety of the person,
which the elimination of the gallows from our
practice Of law had threatened.
We count in the effect of these executions
the terrifying Of all evil-doers. It is from
the strength of their well-founded fears that
society will gain liberty to breathe once more.
For this reason we have given large share of
our space to-day to the ahfrighting tableauI.
The great reason that the public good is
paramount over all private considerations
leads us to display these scenes of agony.
Some days since we received the following
letter, praying us to take another course,
which we print as written. It comes from o
source to command respect
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
y
head and front Of American jOurnalism-a position
which the world has admitted that your paper
and ! as one Of your subscribers, ask that you
forget not charity.
Since your Governor nix has decided the fate Of
William Foster, who, by his decree, shall suffer
death next Friday. cannot you. on behalf OF his
loved ones, withhold giving the doings on the day
He Is soon TO surrender his lie to the law. His
dear family are now bowed to the very earth in
their deep distress for his fate.
harshly OF him when he is dead. "Have charity"
WIN you not, Mr. Editor, use your powerful
proprietors OF all pictoriS papers to remember
with mercy his afflicted family and not come out
after his death with horrible woOd-cut engravings
showing his sad death scene
What good can come from such descriptions
only puts more arrows Into the bleeding hearts
Remember without charity we are nothing
worth.n
AS your Journal is the head and front in power
snow your power to withhold from publishing any
scenes-and ask others to-what shall transpire
PHILADELPHIA, March II, 1873. &c "
When we referred above to private con-
siderations it will be seen from the foregoing
how pathetically touching they may be. We
are conscious of the load of heart-breaking
grief which the events of yesterday have
brought upon the innocent, the good and the
pure. We would not willingly lay hairs
weight upon their burden; but it would be On
inexcusable mistake in us to cover over exam
Piles intended for the world, and earn at such
cost character for hollow sentimentality.
But there is deep reason for this publication
which must not be ignored. The horror, the
anguish of loved ones and the heart-wringing
partings are the very things from which many
M xuO,,11 chripb cOOOor khoy from In <,o1
lows. Foster, SO far as we know, was just the
man whom these things would have Influenced
had they been before his eyes in time. To the
very class from which the Fosters are recruited
surely picture of that anguish and parting
would be great preventive of future crime
A reckless man may often be careless of
his own safety; but he will think long
before exposing those he loves to the
tortures that Foster brought upon his family
Those who read our accounts out of morbid
curiosity will find before they have ended that
another and deeper feeling than gratifed NOR
out of no desire to pander to such taste that
we print them. The details of the crime
have been spread abroad because society
demands to know its dangers and is the safer
for knowing them. new system of burglary
q novel mode of garroting, fresh plan to
rob, are all necessary to be published that
people may know what they have to fear, what
to prevent a .fortioi is this true of the
crime of murder. The same reason which
prompts the publication of the offence calls
for the details of its punishment. The FIRST
may tend to the incipiency of panic in the
orderly elements of society; the second we
desire should have the same effect upon the
criminals and deterring effect upon those
lowering on the borders of crime. The les
SONS of yesterday are not likely to be soon for
gotten. They preach to men eyes and minds
as the Gospel of the tangible alone can preach.
They grimly and emphatically proclaim that
murder is something which demands the
immolation of the murderer on an altar which
is gallows by celebrant who is hangman,
and before an audience which embraces all
civilized mankind.
Tho British PressLraking Lessons from
the Herald.
When men see and admit the superiority
Of others over themselves in the prosecu-
ton Of their calling it is hopeful sign
of their willingness to learn and DISPOSE
ton to improve. Therefore we are led to
hope that British journalism will gain from
observation Of American neucna nor ontorpr;oo