The Wilmingtonian., 1885-07-25
Where is the Responsibility.


Quite number have expressed desire
to have the Rev. r. II. Adams re-deliver
his memorable sermon of July 9th, on the
"Antecedents of Officer Peterson's Murder
er." We gladly join in this expression of
feeling, because it has been claimed by
some that an editorial comment in these col.
umns on the above mentioned sermon, plac-
cd the minister in false position.
The press of this city has uni
formly stood side by side with the
"nlnit in pleading for the right and in con-
demnation OF the wrong, and it was farth-
est from the thoughts and feelings of the
management Of THE WILMINdToNIAN, in
any way or manner to distort the utter
ances of the pastor of St. Paul's NJ. E.
Church.
Basing our comments on the report of the
sermon which was furnished us, we simply
protested against the idea of so diffusing
wide territory, that by the time it reached
Davis his measure Of accountability would
have become so attenuated that its influence
would be unfelt.
If Judge Comegys is to be held RESPONSE
BILE, in any measure, for Officer Peterson's
death, because he issued the license to the
house which is claimed sold the decoctions
which nerved the hand to do the fatal deed,
then tho Chief Justice of the State of Della
ware must be considered an accessory to the
murder; and, being an accessory, how, can
the Judge sit on the bench when Davis
comes up for trial?
Furthermore, if the court is responsible
for the murder, inasmuch as it granted the
license to the house that sold the drink
which nerved the haud to the work of muir
der, is not the ommonwealth that granted
to the court the power and authority to is
sue licenses equally criminal and culpable
as the court, and if this view is to be accept
ed where are the jurors to come from, be-
fore whom Davis is to be tried for his
life?
1t yet remains to be proven WHETHER as a
matter of fact, Davis was drunk at the time
of committing his murderogs deed, but
whether drunk or sober at that time, this
fact is patent to all that when Davis put
that loaded revolver in his pocket on that
fatal day, he was not drunk, and he knew
full we'll that he was taking with him a
weapon of death: loaded revolver is syn
onomous with death and it cannot be plead
ed in extenuation of this mans offense, that
thei6 y as The sIg ghsost Excuse for lnm to
carry to that picnic a loaded revolver, and
the very fact of him so doing demonstrates
beyond doubt, that there was evil in his
eye and thirst for blood in his heart.
Public morals.are in coulessedly loose
condition but it is lamentably true that
there is an equal laxity in bringing the
volators of law to face the legal responsi-
bility of their acts.
The late Judge Bradford remarked to
the writer short time prior to his death,
that he believed 'the safety ofa community
was in the rigid enforcement of its law"
Responsibility independent of tangibility
is too ETHEREAL for consideration. If the
commonwealth is responsible for officer
Peterson's death, then it follows as a
natural sequence that you aud I, Ct al have
our hands stained with the blood of Andrew
Peterson, and that we are ameuable to the
law for the barbarous manner of his death.
If we shared in this belief our lives would
indeed be most miserable, and mental
distraction would confront us at every turn.
While we would not add one iota to the
pangs of remorse which must be gnawing
at the soul of young Davis-whlst we
would not intensity the awfulness which
the thoughts of dying upon the gallows
must create, yet as young Davis pressed
the poisoned chalice to the lips of another
he must expect to assume the full
responsibility of his dastardly actions