New-York tribune., 1882-02-08
THE LAW or RESPONSIBILITY.

~
One of the most valuable results Of the long
and tedious Guiteau trial will be lost if it
sbould appcar bv and by that it has settled
none of the vexcd questions regarding insanity
and responsibility which are raised every day
in our courts in behalf OF prisoners araigncd
for crime Material contributions have been
made TO the science Of medical Jurisprudence
in the course of the trial by the very clear
and lucid definitions of several of the experts
who testified as to the various phases of in
sanity and what constitutes irTcSpOnSbility;
but the chief thing gained is the settlement, so
far as this case is concerned, of the point that
person may be so unbalanced or half
balanced in his mind and so eccentric in his
habits and manners as to pass Tor crack
Drained or insane, and yet be perfectly respOn-
sible for all his acts. The verdict of this jury
under the rulings and instructions Of the
Court does not, as we apprehend it, relate
to the question of his absolute sanity, but
only to his absolute responsibility for his acts.
There were many things i'll the assassin's be-
havior before the shooting at the time, and
since, that would lead the superficial observer
to account for his eccentricities and idiOsyn-
crasies on the ground of insanity. n great
many people no doubt did and do consider him
in the loose way in which the word is COM
monty uscd-insane. But not one person in a
hundred thousand who is at all familiar with
the case believes him to be irresponsible.
Had this trial been as loosely conducted as
the average of criminal trials in our courts,
and had it not been that the Importance of
the case, the profound public interest in every
detail of it, and the watchfISness with which
every step in it was regarded all over the world,
put the experts upon the exercise of their utmost
care and highest skill, the chances are that
the murderer would have escaped justice
through the interpOsitOn OF the plea of
irresponsible insanity. 1t was a case in
which the tricrs, court jury, counsel
and witnesses, all being aware of public senti-
ment, could not avoid being more or less
affected by it, Affected not necessarily to the
prejudice of the prisoner, but in such a way rs
to intensity the desire to mete out exact and
impartial Justice SO far as regards the bring
ing out Of all the facts and theories on either
side that could aid the judgment OF the tIieIS
il must bc said that the case was thoroughly
tried. The verdict that Gutcau was sane
and responsible has received universal APP
proval as just and righteous one.
Still it will not be denied that III scores of cases
presenting evidences of insanity no stronger
than this verdcts of not guilty on the ground of
insanity" have been rendered, and the ac-
cused have escaped the consequences OF their
crimes. Many of these have been cases in
which the plea of insanity has been the merest
pretext upon which juries and sometimes
judges have seized for acqniting persons
charged with crime under circumstances which
excited their sympathy or pity
The point gained by this trial and It's right
cOus result is that it establishes "a precedent
in a case of great celebrity as to what con-
stitutcs responsibility for crime. II will not
be sufficient hereafter 90 show that person
charged with heinous offence has in
duged in ecccntTicties, or even been re-
puted TO be crack Drained. 10 secure his