The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-03-24
MURDER THEORIES.
seas.

Nine murders in one week what tenn
ing vocabulary of EXPLANATORY words, and
points of exclamation are sprung by the
thought And in our moment OF perplexity
we vainly go back on what we know for relief
from what we think. Life is an infinite and
absolute principle, not an infinite expedient of
qualified conditions. 1t is the universal, all
pervading, all animating principle from which
spring spontaneously the prevailing forces IN
the universe of cause. Death is its disuse.
And these definitions apply equally to all
diversities of life and death. The mind has
no infalible sense by which to know and dis
eliminate, and be informed, and the argument
that comes of the logic of use or habit is sole,
comprehensive and profound. So from what
we are accustomed to see and hear we gather
all our wisdom, and from what we are accus-
toned to do all our discretion.
Savage and civilized are stages of growth,
and the incentives that inspire murder are
usually thought inherent in the former. But
perhaps, logically, this is precisely untrue.
IL lIlG Clllu vi SiNllLdllOlJ DOIh OfSt
the border, outside of the savage demesne,
and supplied with new motives, methods and
means for killing. The brute kills without
committing murder, which springs from an
element or quality of the Consciousness. So
the savage will do unless in condition too far
removed from the brute and too near the
social man. In society," as it is, selishness is
intensified and doubly armed by culture, for
men love themselves better for wearing nice
clothes, better for their accomplishments,
wealth, influence, and this self-love manfests
itself by taking steps to be recognized !;
or if in possession Of only some
of the advantages, by taking steps to secure
the rest. The energies are awakened and, I'M
less under the control of principles, become
dangerous in the individual. And society is
but body of individuals from whose qualities
or tendencies, average or aggregate, it will
make for itself government as nearly con-
genial as it dare.
Familiarity with deadly weapons familiar
ICES the mind with conditions incident to theiI
use, though wholly unused. The unguarded
boy pistol and pictorial furnish the staple for
his day-dreams and thus make character, and
when temptations beset him, lead to the
vicious consequences more or less to be de,
plored Farther on he natures into the man
An interval OF prison life under our existing
| social system renders irrecaimable the MIND
which is thus hardened into hopelessless
rather than crime and, sooner or later, the
curtain falls upon ruined life and soul con
, signed to an abyss of outer darkness, imagin
airy or real.
, The fact is that the laxity of moral force il
both laws and their administration, is what il
the matter with society. Its members have
booked themselves generally for self-indul
, gences, and are chiefly mindful not to get un
} der the wheels of the jauggenaut of state
l W thout caring for the rest. 1t will be so til
: the social iniquities cure themselves by thei
E own excess. In the ripeness Of their prime
when scarlet shall be the open livery Of vice
e the citizen will retain an interest in the gov
e eminent he makes by his franchise after it
: made and carry his duties within its doors
/ When Magistrate, or other functionary, fall
: short of his whole duty there will be hue ant
i cry, and a moral whip IN every honest man
: hand to lash the transgressor. There is n
r true reform but that which first reforms III,
reformer.