The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-12-03

II has been said that il the best mans
faults were written on his forehead he
would pull his hat over his eyes. Ii
this saying be true one. 1t 10 well
that the practice OF inscribing on that
prominent part of the person. q record
OF ones misdemeanors does not gener-
ally prevail. The spectacle of q num-
Der OF our best citizens attempting TO
pedestrianize with their visual organs
covered by their head gear would be
both embarrassing and inelegant, The
strain on the hats would he as great as
that on the consciences. aud after a
season of collisions and other awk ward
blunders, the business Of making con-
fession OF impurities would 60 out OF
fashion. To know exactly how TO CON
fess IL. reqnires better judgment than is
found ia the average human being.
Most people like to put their best foot
foremost, if they have any best foot.
1t is natural. il We have faults and sins
and shortcomings, tn put them IN the
background and gay very little about
them. II we must talk about the lail>
iugs of any people. 1t Is easier to do
Justice to those of others than to our
own. We do well to keep quiet abopt
our own, for We might be prejudice1
conceruing them ami deliver an ineor
rect judgment.
Most people when they make public
confession OF their faulIs make buns
gle OF il. especially they unite cono
fession with apology or statement of
remorse. If they confess without an
indication of repentance and without
promise Of reform, their confession is
lacking in those nents which. if
present. would give e its chief value.
Ii the faulty person admits that be has
done wrong and boldly declares that
he will do 1t again, the confession seems
10 aggravate the error. A boy who il
suffering thrashing IL more apt than
any other creature 10 CRY out, oh, /
won't do 20 any moreP by this hs con.
fessss that he is guilty of the crimes
charged against him. he promises to
abstain from these crimes for the fu.
ture. and by the tones in which he
utters bis confession be expresses re-
morse aud sorrow. A boy who 10 not
under the rod may confess in different
style. The little lad who called nhis
father o TOOL and was commanded TO
apologize Is said 10 have stammered out
by way Of sentiment Of penitence:
Papa. Use sorry you're q fool Some
men have confessed in moments of
fright and embarrassment whatever
was charged against them. ard have
taken back IN calmer moments all that
they confessed. Some have confessed
things that they never did. More than
dozen men, in different jails, con-
fessed themselves guilty of the famous
Nathan murder. and told lies when thew
confessed 1t. 1t is said of the recently.
apprehended Brattleboro Bank defaul.
ter that he gave great pleasure to his
captors by declaring bis Willingness to
confess anything with which 10 was
charged. A man who thus loosely con
fesses when arrested is the loudest to
plead mot guilty when arraignei. A
clergyman who was vaguely charged by
eoa,mlttee with some slight irregular.
itias burst into an agony Of remorse
and astonlshed the committee by ADJ
uniting that be was guilty Of every
thing that q man could be guilty of.
When he had time TO think of il he
concluded that he had made himsslf
out great deal too guilty and backed
down from his confession altogether
A California Judge had occasion TO
confess his error 10 . jury whom he had
insuited. la an eruption Of Indignation
be bad told these jurymen that they
were worse than hnrss-thieves. Hs
took 1t all back and apologized. which
made the jurors better than horse
thieves ani seemed to have given them
satisfaction. Some people are very
easily satisfied. A lawysr foana hin-
self ia . position where be had To admit
TO judge his fault aud ask the leniency
OF the Court. THIS he did 10y SAVING.
Your Honor is right AID | am wraus
ss your Honor always ia The Cour;
received this smhi nous confession and
apology with 9 mental shake of il.
judicial head.
one OF the nestes. confessions min.
gled with apology aud request for mar.
don Is that which wa. uttered a day or
two ago IN Court in Paterson. n. j. A
well known lawyer .stnnished the
Court and the spectators by rising 10
confess. He had served a. counsel in
suit for the col.Sction OF claim which
he enusldered unjust and exorbi,ant.
he had st sundry times not taken the
rai'ngs OF the Court with the grace and
obedience they deserved He had fire.
aaen.iy bssn gruf and disoDliig,ng to
has fellow-lawyers. For these three