The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-07-19

that the impression of startling wickeduess |
as attaching to the community is essentially |
a false one.
Undoubtedly there needs to he some
amendment of the English laws. But this |
does not prove that the Gdre'ie'S disclosures |
are necessary or wholesome. That London
is given over to utter lawlessness we cannot
believe. New York journals have sometimes
given us a picture of great lawlessuess in
that city. But sergeant of the New York
police is now in prison for an outrage on a
defenseless girl, and the keeper of a dive is
awaiting sentence for similar ofense. So
law is generally ready to extend its protection
TO those who appeal for il.
The question of the legitimacy Of the
unsparipg disclosures Of the Pail Mall Ga
<eHo is somewhat akin to the equally dis
puted question Of tina Nude in Art which by
a coincidence was under discussion a short
time before. II does not seem that the
problem ought 10 he so insoluble or the
disputauts necessarily so bewildered as the
newspapers would make us believe. Why
should the element Of intent, which is the
deciding point in all other criminal matters,
be left out of view in this? It is true that
it may sometimes be difficult to apply the
test TO certain transactions, but that is the
case in other departments of the law. In
trial for larceny of an article lost by the
owner, guilt is made to turn upon the subtle
and obscure inquiry whether the finder
formed the intention Of keeping the
| article at the moment he picked it
the owner aud return it, The act of
| killing may be either murder, excusable,
or even justifable homicide according to the
motives, that is to say, the intent, with
which it is done. The distinction is GER
tainly wide (taking extreme cases) between
a scientific work upon anatomy and the
weekly journals devoted to crime and crimi-
nails, with which this country is afflicted. The
idea, therefore, that there is no middle
course between the rigidity of Puritanism
|
forms of lutuicity on the other is unfounded
and indeed absurd. II is almost as bad as
the misapplication of the saying, " Let him
who is without sin cast the first stone," as
if il meant that no Judge should punish
vice TO which he is himself tempted or in
clined. When dealers in obscenity are
hauled up in court they often attempt to
read extracts from the Bible which they
claim are as open TO censure as any
thing of theirs. The application of the
test of intent at once confutes. such defense.
So with the question of the nude in art The
trustees of the Corcoran Gallery in admitting
a few well-chosen works OF this class GER
tainly had very different motives from those
which sctuate the vender of vulgar and sug
gestive daubs, or the variety show with its
punished or suppressed without rejecting
upon the former could only he put forward
as weak plea for the guilty or the notion
of few extremists. Common sense itself re-
volts from such doctrine, even when the
logical difference above pointed out may not
be clearly in mind.
The little war cloud which has been
hovering over the mountains of Afghanistan
does not clear away. Almost every mail
brings facts which show that Russian ambi-
) ton is sleepless and that preparations for
further conquests in Asia are being pressed
steadily forward. There is steady stream
OF troops moving toward Merv and Ssrakhs,
the Russians are laying claim to positions
which command the Zulfcar Pass, and work
, on the Transcaspian Railway is urged forward
with all speed. On the other side the only
news of importance is that the Quetts Rail.
way is to be carried forward TO the Khojak
Pass on the road TO Kanhahar, aud that the
Heratese, becoming alarmed at the threaten
ing attitude Of the Russians, have invited the
into the city, where they have been received
with great cordiality, and are directing the
work of strengthening the Notifications.
Exactly what these movements mean il is
difficult TO fathom, because, after all, the de-
cisiye word is likely TO be spoken I'm Berlin.
In another column will be found an expo.
siton of certain reforms and reformers for
which and whom much has been claimed
Messrs. Perry and Fendall appear 10 have
their review will undoubtedly attract and
repay perusal. The public has been aware
for some time of studied effort TO besmirch
the hard-earned reputation e very able
, aud faithful school officer, Mr. J. ormond
. Wilson, and OF no less able and fathful
school trustee, Mr.. B. q. LoyeJoy. In the
progress OF their assault upon these men
the reformers are understood to have resOrted
to very questionable practices-practices
which Mr.. B. II. Warner. then president OF
the School Board, would not submit 10. Al
any rate, he threw up his commission as trus.
tee and retired from the School Board as soon
as lie learned of them. ID an evil hour These
reformers were induced TO formulate and Ole
their charges, so that the public could know
what they were, ,-and Mr.. Lovejoy, against
whom they were filed, could prove them to
be false. Up 10 this time there had been
banded about in the public press such
, phrases as the " old school ring" and the
like, evidently for the purpole OF creating
prejudice, but nothing tangible could be goi
hold of. Now, at last, the charges We're specif
cally made, and they have since been exam
ined and dismissed as groundless. There il
one other matter to be noticed in this connec
tion. The parties assailed have lived long
, time in this community and are well known
One Of them was born here and was educated
in: one Of our own colleges, and the other hai
, lived here nearly third Of a century, whil'
their assailants are comparatively new
comers, and 1t is necessary TO 80 back I,
their former residences for their records
We hope that will not be necessary.
The New YORK sun must be desperate about tn,
circulation II lost during and after the Presidential
, contest, when II Is driven TO such expedient u
reprinilng the articles OF the PdH MaHGaSee In full
IRsuBAEcE COMPANIES having risks ON the :I'Os
building OF contents should promptly adjust and pa
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