Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-09-14
Tho Value of Life.

"There is no other man in America SO
universally despised, so universally alb
horred, as Charles ]. Guiteau. He is im-
prisoned for shooting down the Executive
Head of the government. And yet in such
sacred regard is human life held in this
country that the Army and Navy are
already put in requisition to protect the life
of this execrated miscreant, and to secure to
him fair and impartial trial. Verify, the
equality and fairness of our Institutions are
not an idle boast, but an invaluable reality"
New York Sun.
This is fact we in Kentucky should most
carefully consider, this, at least is the
theory upon which our laws rests, and it
should be true, not only of every murderer,
but of every man in the land There is not
one person who is not entitled to this pro-
lection. Life should be held in the most
sacred regard; all the power in the govern
ment should be used in protecting the
humblest alike from the murderer or fro;o
the mob.
The Army and the Navy ought 10 be; as,
no doubt, they will be, used as promptly 30
protect Guiteau from the vengeance of the
Individual, or of the public, as to protect
the highest in the land from the assassin.
This is simply vindicating the majesty of
the law; it is reason restraining passion.
1t proclaims that one wrong does net and
can not punish another 1t is with society
alone that the right to punish is lodged
This position is sustained by healthy pub.
lie sentiments sentiment which demands
the enforcement of the law alike, whether
it protects or Furnishes the criminal. The
public knows that Guiteau will be pun
ished, therefore it restraints all who are
seeking vengeance. If there was any
where well-founded doubt of this, if
there was the slightest ground to fear he
might escape, the Army and the
Navy could not protect him, for pub
Gc sentiment is stronger than armies.
This same certainty should exist every
where. That it does not exist is discredita-
BILE to our lawmakers and to our courts
discreditable to pulpit and press anda shame
| to our boasted civilization. 1t is because
the laws do not punish that they do not re-
strain. 1t is because the laws do not pro-
tect that man arms himself for self-protec-
ton 1t is because the laws do not punish
| that mobs do the work instead Lawloss-
| ness begets lawlessness. Life with us is
cheap and justice dear. The individual is
everything and society nothing. We do not
think of invoking the law to defend US we
defend ourselves. With us it is thought an
evidence of cowardice to avoid difficulty.
| 1t is terrible condition of affairs, but most
| of us are Indifferent. We are controlled by
| false ideas of duty and courage, and no one
| is able to set us right
The law should protect man not only
against assaults, but against any necessity
! to slay man in order to save MS own life,
yet in Kentucky We are safe from neither.
1t is an awful thing to take life even in self
defense it is something never required OF
any man in well-regulated community, but
in Kentucky it may be required of any man
at any time, and in this respect we recognize
the code of the barbarian.
As now administered, law is failure II
is expensive, cumbersome and inefficacious
Crime is not punished; life and property are
not safe. We have laws enough for dozer
States, but not justice for any man. Matter.
have gone from bad to worse long enough
and it is a serious question what to do, fo
do something we must. We have trified to-
long with most important questions. Law
have been nulliied by degraded pubi
sentiment; it must be changed, elevated
purified. We must no longer conside
murder heroic; we must pardon no mai
who seeks himself to punish wrong doing
this is the province of the courts. Drunk
enness is no excuse for murder, and tn
plea or temporary insanity is usually
most fraudulent pretense. Teach criminal
and their lawyers that society has som
rights which they are bound to respect
Hold public servants to a strict accounta
bility. Impeach judges for drunkenness
purify your courts of all suspicion Q
, completely in crimes against the people
Go to the polls at every election, howeve
unimportant, and vote for the best man
When summoned to serve on the jur
give none but the most imperative reason
for exemption. When on the jury remem
l Der your duty to others as well as to tn
prisoner; give him the benefit of a reason
. BILE doubt. but be sure in your own min
that the doubt is reasonable; the averag
juryman is disturbed by doubts whic
ought not to be entertained by one outsid
of an asylum. Denounce wrong in hig
places as well as in low, before the gran
; jury as well as on the streets. You hav
duties of this kind as well as your persons
Z and private ones. For the present dis
l turbed condition of affairs you are responsi
L BILE, and change will only come throug
the personal participation in public affair
, , of our best private citizens.
= = Courier-J ournal.