The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-01
THE ETHICS OF SUICIDE.
A Mysterious Interchangeable Ansmas
Eincyl.m-siorni Covasyiice.

A very mysterious inconsistency. IN
human nature lies in the contrast be-
tween life which makes SET preservation
lis frs. love. and that utter contempt and
intolerance Of il which induces self de-
struc.ion. e. all human laws, the man
who takes anotner's hfo IN defending his
own is held suiltlcss Of murder; his deed
is accounted Unsuitable n recognition OF
the self saving instinct with which tho
creator has accompanied tie gift OF mo
10 al Lis creatures. "itl the earliest
consciousness Of Young animals TINS IN
s.irc. aPpccrs in timi-lty and slfinkint:
fro,n dan-cr. real o. Imaginary: and
down to the lowest order Of BENG. a
wouadc,l thing will exert It's last strength
70 escape having its existence biotted OUT
As fer tho human species, We have 1t ON
SCRIPTURE authority that AL that man
hath vii lie give for his life. "
In viex Of this. who that is unaware
of the facts would expec. to So con-
stantly hear of mon and women. and
even children. finding life unbearable
and ending all? What a surprising vio-
lation Of this innate principle it seems,
when for this or that cause, and often
for no cause :hat is evident, some choose
death rather than ltcl
Suicide Is not entirely confined to the
human species. There are numerous
well authenticated instances OF different
animals deliberately killing themselves
when circumstances rendered life no
longer desirable 4 recent traveller IN
the tropics tells Of coming at various
times upon the skeleton Of species OK
poisonous serpent within a circle or
leaves Of the prickly cactus. and later the
riddle was solved 10y lis seeing some
MONKEYS engaged in surrounding Il Sleep
Ing reptile with the spinous vegetation,
Upon awaling and finding itself im-
prisoned and all It's attempts TO escape
| futile. the serpent presently took refuge
i'm singing It's own body and dying at
once Ii Is commonly reported that tho
same thing happens when poisonous
snake i hcmmed in by fire, in spasrn
of desperation at finding no chance Of es-
care. il turns IFS means OF self defense
into means of self destruction.
The animal %ingdom is n law unto
itself Not SO with man. lie il subject
10 the higher law OF duty and accounta-
bilitv: and no environment can be called
homeless To one who believes in gra-
cious overriding power and the better
life to come. \ portion Of the alarming
number of current suicides. It must be
confessed. awaken only the sincerest
pity in every susceptible and benevolent
heart. and probably there are very many
more cases OF this kind. were the secret
causes that have actuated the victims
brought 10 light. Yet wherever human
law is founded on the divine law, self
destruction must necessarily be regarded
as a crime 4 mans buildings are not
his own in the sense that he can set them
: on fire and burn them down with impu-
nitv much less is his life-a possession
which cannot be resloreG-s exclusively
personal that he has the right to end It
lv violence In an hour Of discourage
, ment CT disgust.
The yearly list Of suicides IN some OF
the countries Of Europe il appalling to
contemplate. The waters of the Seine
rive ~ their dead daily. and drowning
! i bat ono among the common methods
] FOR shufling OF this mortal coil. Pes
3 sion. inneiuosity and. above uil, lnllicl
e IT'S. arc prominent fac.-ss n recruiting
T.. c~mv If suicides Statistics OF afl
nations show dat occa. lonally there &C
= cura vha. las been called an epidemic
T, &C suicide; though whether this Is an
l Illustration of the force cf example, OF
Tire result cf some general impclling
fore, such as temperature during the
= exuausiil0 heat Of summer, remains an
& unsettled question. That the month OF
g july has long been noted ior the large
numb-r OF IL suicides fayor' tho latter
, conclusion. OF direct causes among
l yoaug n,ople. affairs Of the heart, love
, matters that have taker an unfortunate
turn. must be- reckoned the leading one
Yer Cstel. too, tho circumstances at
; tending t..csc cases are unspeakabiy pa.
thet.c. Next como losses OF money and
businoss. friends and health. OF Grim
inah who hagc recourse TO dagger, bull
+, le, q rope t. eyadc Just penalty, 1t Is
UNI ccssafy 10 Speak.
There is moral cowardicc in fleeing
frOs; NE battle Of life, which striL.nglJ
contests with the patient, heroic endur
ancn If rlnlti.udcs of men and womer
r in every land and in all sorts OF larC
4 conditions. 10 the tempted it might
=. serve a. n tonic = rel history on TIN
J. point. or better to recall. cvcnts. Think
r, for example. of the crew Of the Jean
,. nette in their frozen flstncsses, and d
n Capt. belong and his men in the Len;
d Delta. dying OF slow starvation, yc
n brave to the lat. But what need to s.
+ beyCad tine streets OF Il city, with II
= views Of pinche1 and haggari faces ant
d toiling dccrepitude, FOX heroes and hero
ire. that shall be fosevcr nameless?--
o Layiail S. Goodwin in Boston Globe.