The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-09-01
ERRONEOUS IDEAS.
A Wise Mans Opinion Of what the Re-
morse Of Criminals Means.

morse Of Criminals Means.
II am glad I'm copped," said Mr..
jackson when he fell into the hands OF
the myrmidons of the law. Upon
which text several lay-scrmons have
been delivered on the effect Of remorse
upon gentlemen OF his class. In my
opinion, this now historic phrase
should not have been quoted without
its context: ~ have had hard time
Of it lately" This latter reflection,
believe. is what most persons in Mr..
Jackson's position mean by their re-
morse; their sorrow is not for The crime,
but for It's consequences. In the case
| Of offenses that fall short OF murder.
though they are often infinitely more
| disastrous, and sometimes morally
worse. it is certainly so. The swindling
banker comfortably located at Stock
holm, in society of his fellow-country-
men, the grades OF which, am told,
are peculiar-the highest circles have
"gone in'' for upwards OF 100000 and
the lowest being mere pilferers of E1O.-
600 odds not disturbed by widows
means and orphans groans; but If he
is where extradition is possible, he is
full OF regret and pity-for his own
perilous position. The idea of dis
covery and arrest is never absent from
his mind. He hears "the voice we can
not hear" (saying II arrest you for
forgery,") he "sees the hand we can
not see" (taking hold of his shoulder)
every hour in the day; but it is not the
voice or the hand Of conscience, but OF
personal apprehension Qiterally appre-
hension). He is glad to be "copped"
though it is noticeable that he very
rarely anticipates that pleasure by
| giving himself up-because he has
such bad time of it, and not at all be-
cause he has initiated another gentle
mans handwriting. Yet If some
habitual criminal who has been beat
ing his fellow-creatures within an inch
of their lives, ever since he could han
die bludgeon, goes beyond the inch
and kills the fellow-creature, we i'm
agine him Frustrated with remorse. A
more absurd idea was never entertained
than that this sort of creature appre-
ciates in the least degree ''the sacred
ness of human llfe." The case of q
sentimental person, like Eugene Aram,
for example, who thinks he can com.
NIT murder and "have done with it,
is wholly different; the deed itseli
haunts him, and gives him bad nights
though it is to be observed that if he
murders one or two more people his
Insomnia disappears, and he recovers
his appetite. AS for Mr.. William
Sykes being troubled by Nancy's eyes
never believed one word of it. II yor
had put the question to him, I could
anticipate his contemptuous reply
exactly, though Idecline to write i
down. The opponents of capital pun
ishment are such excellent people
themselves that they can not under
stand the feelings of Messieurs le.
assassins. Ask any prison warder how
many days purchase he thinks his life
would be worth if "lifer" could no
be hung for taking it; for what is very
remarkable, your ruffian Is sensitive
about the sacredness of human lif'
when it is his own, but in no otheI
case, believe me. Mr.. jackson, o
course, may not be found guilty o
murder; but object to any person of hi
class being represented as influenced
by the sentimental emotions becaus,
he sings "The Thorn and the "Pil
grim of Love" so touchingly. Gifted
with such an ''organ," if he had onl.
thought of backing his face and assum
ing the guise of a niger minstrel, h,
would not have been ''languishing il
chains. ."-London Ne1cs.