The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-12-12
on, FOR STATESMEN AND JUDGEsi

erted a marked influence IN shAPihs
buman laws. The common Law IN
particuIar is indebted to the system of
morals incuIcated by the New Tesla
ment. /.
Among the many precepts Of Christ
that have found particular adoption
into the laws of civilized nations, Is
tbss which says. that it is better that
ninety-nine guilty men should escape
than that one innocent man should
suffer. The law has surrounded the
accused with every safeguard; he is not
called upon 70 establish his innocence
hisruilt mus be demonstrated beyond
psasonable.d pub; he is entitled to eoun-
sci TO defend him, and is brought be
fore a Jury of his peers. whom he, him
seN. was instrumental in selecting: he
is confronted by the witnesses against
him. and is accorded the fullest Oppor-
tunities for defense; he may appeal his
cause; ana in certain cases, may escape
sr.el where his offense was committed
sta time remote from the time Of trial.
This course has won for the.laE the
respect OF mankind; it has appealed to
the moral sense Of all people.
Had a different rule obtained, and the
suspected culprit been fastened 10
death or Imprisonment upon presumP
ton of guilt, without careful inquiry,
IaEsRould have been without efficacy,
because they Ronld have received neil
Their sanction. nor support.
Not only is the Christian injunction
that innocence must be upheld, even at
the expense of permitting vice occasion
ally TO gounpunishedr approyedby the
conscience and experience of man; but
those admsnitions Of Christ, that in our
private relations we should treat those
ckaritably who despitefully use Us;
that we should not exact an eye fo- an
eye, nor pursue orr debtors TO the at
NEST farthing, but should return good
forseEil, lieat the very door Of sociology,
and it is only in proportion as these
principles are observed that success at
tends the sooial efforts of the world.
The same course of mercy and
charity that inevitably secures the best
results in the treatment of neighbor by
neighbor, and of the culprit by the
State. is .the,only conEse sanctioned by
wisdom in the governing OF sects or
classes of people. Shakespeare says
that meccy becomes the throned mon
arch better than his crown; Paul ad
monishes US that Of all the virtues
charity is the greatest.
Laws begottsn in bitterness and
severity, and executed in preiGdIoe
have ever failed; history affords over
whelnling proof that coercion does moi
coerce. The flames of heresy were fed
By the s1Eerings wrought by the Inqui-
sition; PrSsestandsm developed ink
robust maturity Under the stern dis
cipline Of persecution. Five centurie:
of cruelties Rractised upon the Valid
enses, the unparalleled butchery Of th'
Aibigenses, the inhumanity Of the va
against the Hassites, were the feebles
arguments that the Romish chuTci
could have urged against the growing
sentiment. Scotch RcesbyteriaCs wert
not turned from error by the drsgoon
of CIsverhOuse: nor were the Dissenter.
of England converted TO the Established
Church, through the vigorous enforce
ment q cruelty restrictive laws; ant
Puritans and HugenotE hourishe'
despite the oppression of the g-ea
powers that gave them birth
And in affairs OF civil government
similar measures have produced liz
results. The Colonies were fOneye
lost to Crest Britain through narro'
and persistent oppression By GranEill
and North. Under the lead G
George III. COnciliRtory measures sue
SIS the incompatible Pitt advocated
would have delayed opposition. and re
.Sindled within the Colonist that Low
Of mother country which only tn
situated cruelty and Indifference G
British statesmen could destroy
Ees:her have five centuries Of coerciv
legislation and wars seemed 70 convine
Irelsnd that she is wrong, nor TO reduC
her TO that unprotssting servitud
seemingly desired by her powerfJ
neighbor. And the whole world 81
plauds the head and arr of that gran
old statesman, who, having sbandone
me faIlsey of coercion, now stands fort
as the champion OF the Irish. and seel
rather TO win their loyalty than con
Del their obedience. Since the goo
alone are great. the memory OF Gls'
stone. the foremost statesman Of Il
ase, will receive the reverence OF con
ing generations, while that of unScrr
pulous leaders, as for example that {
Bismarck, with perhaps larger braii
but heaTtIess, VII merit their execr:
ton.