Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-23
henceforth reign in the relations between

solute Justice. But more than this
and it is this which completes the sig
nificance Of the scenes We have attempt
ed to reproduce--he seems TO say, that
in this age Of democracy, in this age
when kings and queens tremble before
the millions, neither statecraft nor any
other kind Of craft can conserve the
highest interests of society. Perhaps
they never could, but now more thin
ever justice is indispensable to the well
fare and happiness Of the race. This
is the message that comes to us from
these recent events enacted in the halls
Of Westminster, and this is our own
solemn and deliberate conviction. We
believe with Theodore Parker that
Justice is the keynote Of the world,
and all else is out OF tune; and with
Chateaubrisnd, that "Justice is the
bread Of the nation it is always hun
cry for it." and with Diderot that
Justice is the first virtue Of those
who command, and stops the complaints
of those who obey" A Finland story
relates how a mother found her son in
a thousand fragments at the bottom OF
the river Of Death. She gathered the
scattered members to her bosom, and,
rocking them to and fro, sang magic
song, which united them again and re-
stored the departed life. That mother
is Justice. Her voice is law, which, as
Hooker has it, A" is the harmony Of the
world, ;" and by which can all discordant.
discovered, and warring classes Of So
ciety be brought into closest fellowship,
and be charmed into mutual esteem and
fair accord.
A recent article in the Forum has re-
vived that tragic episode Of the "Odys-
sey," when Ulysses, on his return to
his wife Penelope. murders the suitors
who had besieged her during his alb
sence, also destroying some dozen OF
her faithless female attendants. Tele-
machus, his son, takes the nurse,
Fury yclea, to behold the bloody specta-
Gle, and she gives way to unbounded joy.
The writer then adds "Three thou.
sand years ago, among one of the most
highly-civilized peoples then existing,
it was felt that if a woman stumbled
Unexpectedly on the bleeding and man
gled bodies Of company Of men whom
she hated the most natural thing for her
to do was to feel great joy, and give loud
expression to it. Ii virtuous woman
had in her charge q company Of disobe-
dent and unchsste girls, she was
merely eyincing her high standard Of
morals and sense Of duty in leading
them out in body to be slaughtered
like sheep" This, he says, is what we
are to learn from the passage. He
makes this statement, and rehearses
the classic story for the purpose Of
showing how changed is humanity from
this ty ype, and that be may more eiIec-
lively point out the extreme to which
modern philanthropy has been carried.
1t is. in his opinion, diseased, morbi1,
mischieyous. He says that brutal
murderer in New York during the last
few weeks Of bis life was the recipient
Of many delicacies supplied BY ladies'.
Maxwell he might also have cited as
another instance in point. lie, too,
has received flowers and various other
marks Of sympathy from the ladies OF
St. Louis. We are not hastily to con-
clude that these females would not
sicken at the sight Of blood. would not
faint if murder were committed IN
their presence, and would not condemn
every kind Of suffering. Far from it ;
only the source Of these intense feel
itgs is a peryersion of sound senti-
ment. They are nervous, excited, hys-
terical, and are as much overcome
by deserved pain as they are By
undeserved anguish. In what they do
they are not so much moved by love o.
humanity as by love of self. They are
afflicted themselves, and their maudlln
interest in the criminal is only form
Of interest in themselves. Were y
otherwise they would recognize tbat
the punishment Of rascality car
ried safety, respect, and honor TO viz
tue. Herbert Spencer deplores this
false sentimentalism, and Carly yle grows
indignant that it should occupy so large
a place in our age. But whatever may
be said in its defence, one thing is very
evident, the pauperisrn and the wretch
edness Of society have not been dimin-
ished by .ts Offices. Never were chari-
ties as numerous and as magnificent aS
they are to-day. The moneys now
contributed in this country and in Eng.
land by benevolently-minded persons
are sufficient to provide for the actual
needs Of every destitute family. Modern
benefactiOns are without parallel in
history. Unquestionably, therefore,
something is wrong, something is out
of sorts. What is it: May it not be
that We have drlfted into erroneous
conceptions, and appreciate, if not too
highly. at least dispropOrtiOnately,
some blessings, such as liberty, libe-
ra!ity, and even culture: For weary
centuries men have toiled for freedom,
and ttey have sacrificed that enlighten-
ment might be the privilege OF the
many, and have preached and taught
that money giving to the poor Is the
duty Of all. We have become ena-
mored Of these things. Contempla-
ting the worlds dire distress, we have
cried out, " Be free" ~; and multtudes
are free to starye. Seeing the wants
and woes Of mankind, we have appealed
to education, that the misery may be
more intense by being known, we sup
pose or we have advocated wholesale
almsgiying, by which personal dignity
is diminished and general shiftlessness
increased. But all this time We seem
to have overlooked the functions and
value of justice. II does not occur TO
US that, after all, liberty is but tenn
pie for the exsltation Of justice, and
;ha. it is not only without god and
altar when justice is absent, but is pre-
pairing to crumble to pieces. Nor does
it occur to us usually that culture is
or should be the real preparation for
the exercise Of justice, and that chari-
ty can only supplement the sterner
virtues and can never be its substitute.
We have mystifed ourselves, have
surrounded ourselves with poetic clouds,
! bava f.llar into chsiinu hahhiinyG