The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-17

1t is painfully evident that that body oflaw
which the future will know as Mr.. Bergh's
code is inadequate to the occasions of the
society for the invention of offences against
animals and its Torquenada. In fact, this
great Panjandrum has left himself uncovered
at several points, and his ingenious enemy, the
public, is in fair way to find all the joints OF
his legal armor and to pierce him savagely, OF
course. This fact appears in the course taken
by the Grand Jury in calling to the attention
Of the Court the fact that an undue and i'm
proper pressure had been exercised upon their
deliberations by the only wise, just pure and
virtuous man in this or any other community
But the friends of virtue and dogs and cats;
the believers in the champion of tortured tur-
ties and defender of impolitely handled hogs
need be under no apprehension. Bergh is not
to be sat upon by grand jury and not to
have his head diminished by the learned
Judge. He will come out with the useful ex-
perience that has taught him what further leg
isiation. he needs. Hitherto he has wanted
only this knowledge. As the operations of his
society proved defective for want Of authority
he has made his short trip to Albany, secured
ON additional statute covering the doubtful
point and returned to the charge. This Incl
dent of the Grand Jury indicates the direc-
ton Of further operations of this nature.
He needs first law defining his relation to
grand juries. This statute should provide
that Mr.. Bergh as the great Panjandrum of
the society for minding other peoples bust
ness, and all his associates OF persons desig-
mated by him, shall be excepted from the oper-
atoms of all statutes or constitutional provis-
ions or rulings of the common law in virtue
Of which the Grand Jury is protected in its
special function as the sole and only inquisi-
torial body under our political system. It
should make it misdemeanor for any grand
jury man to be guilty of the gross imperti-
hence of having an opinion Of his own on any
subject whatever upon which the contrary
opinion of Mr. Bergh has been brought to
his notice or is publicly known. In fact. this
statute might broadly provide the subordina-
ton Of the Grand Jury to the Grand Inquisi-
tor. Another law should designate the exact
penalties for that grievous offence now first
known to our law-the failure to sympathize
with Mr.. Bergh in his noble and philanthropic
enterprises. This law should strike both those
who do not admire Bergh and those who
publicly or privately express their sympathy
with the poor wretches whom he gets
''mewed up in prison walls for saving their
lives or eyes from CATS In virtue of little
statute like this of about twenty lines Bergh
would be censor of the press, and that would
make him supremely happy. 1t is strange he
has not secured such q law already.
Another statute should settle in general
terms the great point in regard to good in
tentions. 1t should determine, once for all,
that everything that Mr.. Bergh does or pro-
poses to do is right, and must and shall neces-
sarily lead to good results. Much of the
trouble in the world arises from the way
people have of considering good men like Mr..
Bergh fanatics. There are persons who
argue that it is as proper to make dog work
as horse, and that Mr.. Bergh in preventing
it only uses the law to give effect to his own
opinions. People say that all the persecu-
tions the burnings and roastings of religious
wars, the butcheries of the Spaniards, the
English, the French, in the Middle Ages were
all contrived and intended to make men bet
ter and more amenable to the right In short
to take the 'cussedness" out of humanity;
and they say that while Bergh's intentions are
equally good his procedure is at least
equally Objectionable.
Such a law as we propose above would end
Ill kI,nk 1oov b.,
doubt as to the full propriety and satisfactory
consequences Of any of the acts of this ad-
mirable man.