Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-07-28
The Investigation at 81. Adams.

significance for thoughtful men in all parts
Of the country. A member Of the St Al
bans bar, the son of an eminent citizen, a
youth Of gentle manners, Of kind heart and
of generous impulses, has found It necessary
TO the vindioation Of his character, TO the
freedom Of his movements, and probably to
the preservation Of his life, to put himself
on informal trial for completely in the crimes
Of rape and murder Aud this, although no
discriminating facts had even been alleged
against him by any living man, and although
no suspicious circumstances at all bearing
upon the case had been proven, or even al
legged to have been proven, by any response
bic party. Moreover this young man had
accounted to the authorities for his where
abouts on the day Of the tragedy, to the entire
satisfaction OF the selectmen Of the town, the
detectives employed aud the counsel retained
to assist in the investigation. Any one in
terested in the case had only to inquire Of
the proper persons, to be directed to ample
proof of the utter baselessness of the rumors
which connected this innocent person with
the outrage.
Yet, though whole year has afforded
ample time for those first nervous and ex-
cusable suspicious, which crime ever begets
in any community, to subside, Mr.. George
Gregory Smith finds it actually necessary,
for his personal freedom and safety TO asso-
oiate his name with the two foulest crimes
any hardened wretch can perpetrate-not to
disprove guilt, but to establish innocence.
lie must needs demand a public hearing,
waive all the rights Of prisoner at the bar,
admit every vague street rumor, or vile whis-
pering Of malice, as evidence against him,
to be rebutted by positive testimony, with
an excited populace for judge and jury.
True, the vindication was absolute, over
whelming, triumphant. Every man was
challenged to appear on the stand, or to
question the witnesses. The idlest gossip
was treated as solemn allegation every per
son supposed to have, or likely to have,
knowledge of adverse facts or circumstances
was subpenaed. The rumors, under scru-
tiny, one by one, became, manifestly TO all,
merely the impalpable fictions of the com
mon busybody. Adozen responsible parties
established an abb, with minuteness of
circumstance for the possibility of which
acknowledgement is owing to merciful
providence. The result must surely con-
vince even the most suspicious or the most
hostile.
Still the significant fact remains that
man unimpeached by fact or circumstance,
against whom no grand jury would or could
have found true bill, has been indicted,
arraigned, and tried by common SANDER.
The cruel ordeal has marred his happiness,
injured his health, and ruined his prospects
of business; il has wounded the sensibii-
ties OF Christian family, and left a shadow,
however unjust, upon their history.
Now, how has this come to happen in a
land of courts and of law2 This is the
mystery. Scarce a man is found willing to
confess that he has either asserted or be-
lieved the victims guilt. Ithas been thought
by many that conscious malice alone could
account for the persistency and extent Of
the persecution but it seems impossible to
establish such charge upon individuals
Indeed, the result is beyond the working OF
few enemies. Not this man nor thai
man did it. Ten thousand did it. 1t cam,
first out of the general distrustfulncss which
the murder very naturally provoked Then
like thistle-down, the soft whispers noated
every-whither, and found Judgment in many
ready soil, until the land bristled with it.
hardy crop of lies. 1t did not matter that
the authorities Indignantly denied the ru'
mors; they were under influence II effected
nothing that the father of the poor cir
disbelieved; he was bought up. One liz
stamped upon, ten sprang up in its place
1t was enough to know that the young maj
was rich, and the son of his father. SO a
last there was vigilance committee forrne,
in the woods, and a demand upon the victim
TO stand trial for his life before mob as
sembled at the scene of the murder; an,
the public investigation of the Goth, befor
the town authorities, became the cruel ne
cessity we have declared it.
The man who looks ON all this with
merely philosophical eye, and thinks that
concerns him not, except as a curious and il
congruous incident, possesses a very shallo'
insight. This occurrence concerns ever
one. For who is safe ? The frightful POI
sibility of suspicion, false accusation an
unjust trial by public opinion, besets us all
The monster Of defamation roams abroad an,
none may say when it shall come his turn t
suffer malicious assault.
Tbs danger is intensified in the fact tina
Islander is impersonal. Responsible partie
will not father it. Its malice is, in tn
main, unconscious. Good people lend then
selves unthinkingly to its dissemination.
is human to take a low view Of our kin,
1t is even courtly to "wink reputatio
down"
And then, Islander becomes so readily III
weapon of previous antipathy. II man
obnoxious to you, how easy to believe an,
thing TO his discredit. You need not asset
your credence. Say only that others believ
and give the story shove. The malice
TOO much in the background for self-accus
ton; and no one will hunt you out to d
clare how ungenerous you are. But remen
Der that you have invoked a fend of mi
chief that now will serve you, and by-and-b,
may return TO destroy you. 1t is an old sa,
ing that curses like chickens, come back /
roost The habit of defamation, in any con
munity, is always an individual peril. Sci
interest, as well as charity, is concerned
its prevalence.
There is but one effectual remedy. II
not enough to appeal to generosity an
goodness. Let each man perceive his ow
danger, and consult his own interest
standing guard over his neighbours reput
ton. Let him feel responsibility for h
vicinage. When he hears the story of Il
busybody, let him, in his own interest. r
fuse utterly to believe it, and rebuke Ii
tattler unless it seem weighty, and in thu
case, let him demand the proof, inyestigat
for himself, and on finding it false, give
publicly the lie-always remembering that o
the morrow he may himself need the sam