The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-11

- - "ssA 20 Iu0y Woyso nAAss ooA6A~s
to murder him, for what reason does not ap-
pear At Al events. without stopping to in
quire their cause Of grievance, the editor shot
one OF his sssailants dead and badly wounded
the other. resolving in return severe but not
dangerous out ON the head from bludgeon.
Mastaksn Mercy.
Philanthropy has it, eccsntriciies, amp
they arc not always according to reason II
Is vol enough to pity the criminal and to use
all possible effort to throw light on the mo-
tives that impelled him to the deed, but to
advance theory which takes away individual
responsibility b subversive Of society. The
insanity dodge rather took us by surprise at
hrst and through it, sophistry the gallows was
cheated Of many . deserving victim. We
looked upon the testimony and found
that murderers were in state
OF cerebral excitement when they
handled the knife and that after
the deed was done they talked in an inoohe-
rent way. Il was perfectly evident that they
were in morbid condition. which indicated
disease, and our good nature would not allow
us to apply the rope to jugular whose circu-
lation was somewhat irregular. This style
of argument has been for years one Of the
most successful roles Of the lawyer. II was
never difficult to find witness who could
swear that the oulprit's hand trembled when
he drank his beer the night before the MUIR
der was committed, and that he noticed in his
general demeanor unusual and very marked
signs of excitement His eyes were staring,
and he appeared to be absorbed and forgetful
We jumped to the conclusion at once that
Wild Bill or Devil-May- Care Jack was affected
very seriously at the brain centre and ought
not to be held responsible for his acts.
The counsel delineated the horrors of insanity
with such fearful rhetoric that the jury's hor-
ror Of the criminal yielded to pity, and, instead
Of the well-deserved rope, the prisoner was
commended to the seclusion and rest of the
Penitentiary Hospital for q few months, when
the diet Of Cruel and beef tea restored him to
his normal state Of depravity and be was
again let loose to the probability Of another
attack of cerebral excitement
The general public was never so gulled by
its own sympathies or duped by lawyers
special plea as it has been in the last few
years. People found, however, that insanity
was getting to be universal among rogues,
and then came the sober, second thought,
which brought the gallows into requisition
once more. It remembered that when man
is about to commit murder his base intention
starts the blood at more rapid rate, increases
the pulse, makes the head hot and gives one
an distracted look. The man who contem-
plates such crime very naturally drinks
his beer with . trembling hand and
gives inooherent answers to the ques-
tons Of his comrades. No man
can handle the knife or pistol calmly, or lie
in wait night after night for his victim, with
. pulse running ct exactly seventy-two beats
. minute. Why they, the people, did not
think Of this before they had let loose whole
gang Of villains is . mystery which the student
Of social order must solve. A diseased and
morbid pity that was willing to find an
excuse for crime took possession of them.
They are, however, convalescent now.
and rogues will hereafter have little
mercy. The gallows is part of the
wholesome discipline of society, and it would
be all the better if New York juries would
visit upon the acknowledged criminal the
extreme penalties of the law. 1t is an un-
healthy sympathy which tries to excuse crime.
Let crime be punished summarily and rigor-
ously, and let criminals be taught to fear q
certain detection. and we shall do more to
restore the community to its normal condition
than this Mandy PANTY and sentimental pity
Will ever accomplish.
We do not hesitate to say that while Chris
tian men and women should devise methods of
reform, and that while those methods should
be encouraged in every possible way and made
component and prominent part of our penal
discipline, the welfare of society will be best
secured by rigid and incorporating en-
forcement Of the law. Let crime be branded,
Let punishment follow close on its HEELS let
the door be shut on every legal bubble which
is used as the means of escape, let our Judges
do their whole duty and our jurors refuse to
recommend to mercy, let the discipline Of the
prison be carried out towards the criminal of
high and low degree alike, and guilt will at
once recognize the danger in which it stands
and take to honest pursuits.
meteorological Buncombe.
II the reports which come to us concerning
the meteorological wealth OF this country be
true the American eagle may flap her wings
- A. N ~