The Russellville Democrat., 1875-06-24
The Folly of Sympathy with
 Crime.
J. N. SMITHEE.

The New York Herald in an editorial headed. Are Criminals Automata?" reviews the tendency of the teachings of certain class of socalled scientists who are was ting great deal of sympathy upon the criminals who have late ly made the community shudder at the attrocity of their crimes, and points out the folly of such teachings and the danger into which they are calculated to lead.
 The views expressed by the Herald strikes us to be so correct and applicable to the times, that we produce the following extract:
 Now, while the psychology of criminals may be a fascinating study, this morbid and increasing sympathy for them which has passed the limits of the metaphy- sician's brain, and to some extent taken possession of the Judges bench, the jury box and the pop ular heart is simply folly. It re- suits in offering premium on the very worst forms oi crime, while it spurns the ordinary scoundrel with contempt. fla deed be only passably bad it is punished; but if it be most horribly bad then it is not punished but physicked. The safest course for murderer to pursue is to mutilate his victim and make each particular hair on the head of society stand on end. The worse the deed the better for the doer of it. This may be startling, but it is nevertheless true. Simple confusion is con temptible, but confusion worse confounded is equivalent to q yer dict of not guilty. The motto of science is, prison for the man who steals once and feels sorry for it, and dose of paregoric for another who steals all the time and laughs at it.
 It is absolutely necessary for the welfare of the community that the accountability of all classes be emphasized. It must be pro- claimed in tones which know no such thing as compromise that evil deeds Of all kinds and grades will meet with severe and unpity- ing retributionr that justice holds the balances firmly, and there is no appeal from her decisions. It must be remembered that society punishes crime, not sin. What sin is, what is the weight of mo tive that prompts to it, what is the just and exact punishment for it, is not for us to decide. A higher power will take charge of that matter, and, without doubt, many of the decisions of that higher court will startle us. Con- demnation will strike in unexpect- ed quarters and pity and mercy will go hand in hand along sur prising paths. But what is known as crime in political economy can not be tempered with with impu- nity. It will not do for Despine to sit in the Judges chair and treat the criminals of q great city as so many automatons whose peculiar psychological bias ren- ders them amenable to no law. Such a policy would disintegrate our social system ill a very short time. It is we'll enough for the philanthropist to mix crime and disease in such inextricable fash ion that they become inseparable, but it would be exceedingly dis estrous if the so-called dangerous class should learn that that theo- ry prevailed to any great extent, either among the police who ar rest, the jury who listen to the testimony, or the judges who heal the case. Heaven help us all when we learn to pity and fear te punish!
 The age is just a bit softheart