Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1885-12-17
LOOSE IDEAS OF JUSTICE.

We have but little sympathy for viii
iful cri~ioals. Men may sometimes be
,sccussd Of crimes of which they are not
In the least guilty. Those stepped in
crime to avoid detection, often seek to
10 impute that crime to others to shield
Themselves, and oftentimes succeed for a
time to induce the public to believe that
an innocent person is guilty. Cases have
occurred wherein conviction Of guilt and
sentence Of death been pronounced and
the doomed man executed and afterwards
either BY confession or by circumstances,
il would be plainly shown that the exc
cuted man was wholly innocent and an
other was guilty. Hence the caution
that should be used, by everyone, against
inputiug crime to anyone unless we are
provided with indisputable evidence.
But where the crime is confessed, OF
where the proof is clear beyond doubt,
We condemn the sickly sentimentalism
that constantly seeks to cover up and
palliate the crime and shield the criminal
from the punishment which the law pro-
yides. The laws were enacted tor the
punishment Of tho lawless and DISC
bedient, anu every effort on the part Of
= citizen to prevent the course Of the law
and the agents Of the government from
bringing the criminal before the bar Of
justice, that he may receive the penalty
of the violated law, is an effort to weaken
that government, which Is our shield and
protection, and when that governmest is
once broken down becomes ineffective,
then steps tend in anarchy, and misrule,
such - no good citizen can long endure,
or desire to zee. In some communities
Il becomes apparent the moral sense Of
she mass Of the people becomes so obtuse
upon the question Of crimes which, seem
sugly, do not effect individual citizens,
directly, that the individual citizen does
not seem to care whether criminal goes
fses OF not, in fact, Some 50 SO far as to
sasise known criminal to evade the Of
acen Of the Law and escape the punish
ment which they know to be his due.
But when It is "your bull that has gored
his OK" the same Indifferent citizen all at
once - filled with holy Indignation
against the apathy Of the community
which viii not be vigilant and active, and
sealous to ferret out and have summarily
buaiahed the perpetrator or perpetrators
uF the crime. MIST Of these ezcresences
upon tho body polite in relation TO crimes
are tho result Of want Of study Of the
common every day duties which each
and every citizen owes to himself aud to
The community in which he lives. If
these duties were more carefully con. id
sred BY citisens generally, the officers of
the law would be more prompt and vigi'
lAnt; courts and Jurles woald be less lcni-
ent towards criminals. There would be
leas liability to attempts at bribery Of
Jurors, aud officers Of the court. Less
delay in trausacsug the business Of the
sourts, and equally Is much certainty in
dispensing Of justice, and more satisfac
ton with judgements aad DEGREES rem
dered. Now and then case is 50 cloud
Cd BY extraneous circumstances and sur
scsndiags that it would require more
Sins TO elucidate the facts to compass cor.
rectly decision that meets the case
But the instances arc few which both
prompt and correct conclusion cannot be
attained. We say then that the real SO.
sret Of the evil complained Of in our
sour1 aud in the administration Of the
laws i in the neglect Of the people them
selves 10 properly consider their individ-
nal obligations % citizens to the great
body polite. We notice that when the
people are vigilant themselves their Off.
Gers are prone to be vigilant and attentive
70 their duties. If they are not they
soon have to give place to others who
will Be vigilant and attentive. Loose
ideas Of justice among the people will not
long preserve . government that will be
worth preserving. The Oft repeated SEN
tence that "tternal vigilance is the price
Il liberty" is as true At this day as it was
WHOM 6rst tho sentiment was given ex.
pressfon IN language. 1t is 20 stale ex.
preston to be laid aside upon TIE shelf
Of dim memory, only to be called wildly
to mind once in quarter or half Gen.
fury, when anarchy stalks, and struts and
bidh defiance to law and justice. These
few reminders are given to our readers
lest they become iorgetfui Of the obliga-
tieas which daily press upon them as citi-
Gems Of every community in which they
1.-Two and from which they claim protec-
ton.