Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1894-03-02

A vivacious and enthusiastic
expression of opinion, not guard
ed against or in some way tested
as to accuracy of statements or
conclusions, often lead the un-
thinking to the impression that
truth is evolved by such illusions.
Some seem to think that the
world is stirred and regulated by
q passionate verbosity Many
wishing to show their deep con-
yictions on any subject make use
ofso extravagant and determined
declarations of self-devotion,
egotistical conviction, or strong
public sentiment, and the like, in
favor of some body or some thing
that they dethrone reason with
incorporate sentiments (which
too much enforced shows haSty
spark and straightis cold again. J"
1t is much like the fractions exer-
else of accent or infection which
either destroys the effect of the
lines or pcrverts their meaning
1t does violence to good taste
and true sentiment. 1t does no
good except often to explode
itself and reveal the true stu
alton. Take an example of this
class of discussion:
A man desiring to give his
opinion editorially concerning
the fitness of a Peckham for a
place on the bench of the Supreme
Court of the United States POUNDS
the qualifications of the rejected
candidate on the characteristics
of his father. He says "Mr.
Peckham's father, the elder Ru-
fus, was man of intense prejudi-
ees, but he was nevertheless one
of the ablest and best judges who
ever sat in the highest tribunals
of New York State" He says
this probably without thinking
that this element in a mans
character is the greatest hind,
rance to the calm. temperate, yet
firm and efficient administration
of Justice which can exist in any
judicial mind. He says it proba.
bly, without thinking that he is
saying that in a time when the
greatest intensity of sentiment
prevails in our country; when
those questions most important
before that court grow out Of
sentiments heated with passion
and intensified with partisan
feelings, in a time in which the
Yerylife ofour institutions require
Il man who has been accustomed
and fitted by nature and the prac
tice of a candid and temperate
discussion of all subjects, that
this man is just the one to fill the
bill. In such time as this should
"a man of intense prejudices" be
elevated to a position in which
the exercise of conservative and
candid sentiments are SO neces
sary to the nations safety, and
in which prejudice and partisan
rancor will be so dangerous to
the republic? In describing the
antecedents of the rejected candi
date the article proceeds as fol
lows, referring to the fathers
charge in a noted murder case,
as illustrating what would most
likely be the natural tendency OF
the son:
THE Judge read in the faces of two OF
three duller men 10 the jury-box the sign:
of confusion of Judgment. His charge
therefore. ran somewhat on this wise
THE District Attorney has produced
the testimony of A. B., which counsel foi
the defence have not attempted to over
throw, that the child throat bore mark,
of strangulation by pressure from tn,
hands of another. Who choked that
child to DEATH That. gentlemen of the
jury, is question for you to decide!
1--WE have the undisputed testimony o
c. D., who entered the closet first, that
the child's body was found surrounded
with oil-soaked rags and sundry othel
inhammable material. They were sc
placed that she could not have put then
there herself. Who did put them about