The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-07-21
CO2z,eSDOnZence.
We wish to be distinctly understood that we do
not hold ourselves responsible for opinions ex-
pressed by our correspondence
To the Editor of the Esrrnrr1sr.

pressed by our correspondents.
To the Editor Of the ESrxRPRIsE
1t is almost unnecessary to say that
laws are for the protection of society,
and that laws without penalties are
dead, but while this truth seems to be
generally recognized in theory, there
is a growing Indifference to the de-
mands of justice that threatens to abol-
ish all moral distinctions and put the
criminal on as safe footing, so far as
any punishment for evil doing is con-
cerned, as the honest and law abiding
citizen. 1t has been said, with too
much truth, that however low and vi
cious man may become, and no matter
how outbreaking he may be in viola
ting of all legal restraints of society, If
he have money or influential friends, or
energetic and persistent friends, the
legal consequences of his crime are
often very much mitigated, If not en-
tirely escaped. Especially is this the
case if he can secure n postponement of
trial till the memory of his misdemean-
or becomes somewhat indistirct, or un-
till his friends and attorney have had
time to suggest fancied extenuating Cir
cumstances and dwell upon the lack of
early education and moral advantages,
and finally put sympathy largely in
the place of the sentiment of just
ice. The injustice done to the vic
tim and society is almost forgotten
in the intensity of pity for the poor,
unfortunate, sniveling rascal who makes
an abject show of penitence because he
has been caught. He cares nothing for
the injury, and will, nine times out of
ten, do the same thing over again, or
even worse, the first time he has an op-
portunity. The delays and uncertainties
of the law when a case is in the hands of
a shrewd lawyer give abundant time for
friends to manipulate witnesses of
weak conscience and accommodating
memories, and to enlist the sympathies
and active efforts of influential men, so
that finally, prosecutor, judge, jury and
the community are befogged, and the
"hO uCoCANCo bAAO
Penitentiary, is allowed to escape with
an Insignificant fine and q few days
imprisonment, If, perchance, the case is
ever allowed to come to a trial at all. 1t
would not be necessary to go out of
Wellington to find illustrations, but l
choose not to be personal but to speak
in general way of what has already
become a crying evil. Cases have been
known where the individual has been
a turbulent, outbresking criminal, dan
gerous to the lives of others and peace
of society. who have escaped justice for
years, and when, ut last convicted and
sentenced to the Penitentiary for
brief period, society has hardly begun to
enjoy the peace and quiet and free
dom from thefts and burgularies ard
drunken riots which, by strange COIN
cidence are almost unknown after their
departure, before most persistent effort
is made to get the Governor to grant a
pardon; and strange to relate, although
there is not one mitigating circumstance
not known at the time of the trial and
presented to the judge and jury, men
who stand high in the estimation of So
ciety-men of reputed honesty and good
judgment-aTe found by scores to sign
a petition to secure that pardon! They
yield to the importantly Of friends and
appeals to their sympathy, act contrary
to their better Judgment, and cannot
afterward give a reasonable excuse for
their conduct. Instead of having the
manliness and backbone to say "no"
when justice and the interest of society
demand it, they sign petitions, write let
ters, do anything rather than displease
the friends of the criminal who are in
spireo by no higher motive than SYM
pathy, and mistaken even in that. Would
that men could learn to say Mol when
the interests of justice demand 1t. Such
weak, kneed, soft-hearted, unmanly
sympathy is a shame to US. An attorney
who labors to convict the criminal and
is fully convinced of his guilt may be ex-
cused If, afterwsrd, he engages to make
a plea for his pardon on the ground
that he works for the interest of those
who employ him, but it would be better
if all would remember that society has
some claim upon US, and that on no ac-
count can we afford to give our influence
or our active efforts to subvert the ends
of justice. If we do, evil results will
follow to US, as certainly as misery fol-
lows sin. CITIZEN.