Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-12-22

- '' 49, ---'--4'-<
within the state. Az Roe Is already ut
the amount OF HE lora, and he has the
certainty OF getting nothing out Of II
except the satisfaction OF fevcngc. No
usually let's Doe ntny where he ". Tho
result OF the above process Of law may
be summed up tina, Roc han lost d
thousand dollcrs. tho state has gained
the thouunnd dollnra. and tho thief Is
loose on the people OF some other COM
inunity and ready for another job.
We. In thiE country, laugh III tho
story told of nm icclaadlc fisherman
who. overturnlng his boat. was about
TO drown, anc being barely navcd by
another fisherman. who went to isis
rescue. nftcrwnrd sued his fescuur and
BOT Judgment usainst him for not saw
ing his boat also. Tho story sounds
ridiculous to US, but II IN hard to zee
wherein II fails to inset the measure OF
common sense any more than do the
WORKINGS OF our own laws, OF which
instancea are givcu above, II cSttain-
~ looks like these lava should he 10
amended us to do 1us,ice both to tho
injurer nnd 10 the injured. na far as
II is possible for the criminal TO mako
rcparation by his labor 10 him who
hap borne the loss caused by his
crime
All good citizens are supposed TO nm
stat or promote the enforcement OF the
itNT VI hut anu tHDtNitiH Nv
when they arc tho Immediate victima
OF criminal injury, but the only incen'
tive which the citizen hns 10 90 70 Is.
In niue crsca out of ten, simply Il de-
alro TO get revenge on the criminal.
This spirit OF revenge is one OF the
coarrol feelings OF human nature.
which all civilization should tend 10
lessen instead OF encourage, and tho
laws OF this enlightened axe should
not, In any measure. depend Tor AT IN
ccntive TO their support By the peo-
pie upon so low an animal inntinut As
revenge. In many easen this spirit or
revenge ia not strong enough TO rausc
the Injured party 10 throw good MONEY
after had, 40 many criminals arc leit
loose on the people OF other rommnni-
ties and there commit new crimes.
He who raises objection to one con-
dltion. and can offcr none TO take its
plhcc. makes an empty talk, 80 tho
following ideas are submitted for con-
alteration. II may be that they are
defective, but they can hardly DO moro
20 than our present halfway syH-
tenn;
Every one who owns property IN the
state land " therefore subject 20 the
loss OF aamc) In taxed to maintain our
courts, penitentiafies. and all the ma
chinery OF justice. from which ma Mn
cry he now receives no beneiit except
the negative one OF prevention OF more
critae by the criminal while he " In
confinement Every rphincd criminal
who has stolen from, dcfraudei or m
jurcd any other person w. therefore
rlghtfully, morally and should be LEGAL
~ Indebted 10 that person In the
amount OF the injury, fraud or thcft,
The fact that n debt Ii crlmlnlily e,n-
tracted does not make II amy less u
debt, and the law should no rccog aixc
II. and on account OF lis crlminanty the
debtor should be forced. by his labor 10
pay same II he has not the property
subject TO execution sufficient TO pay
II without labor. When ono pni'y mas
stolen from another, and In cunvi,tcd
OF the thoft before the court. II ~ SUI
pnrfuous That the injured party should
have to bring another action against
the thief. and prove the facts asain, IN
order TO have Judgment rendered IN
his favor against the party VINO mas
crimlnnlly contracted the debt. 80 "
Doc steals 500 or property not recov-
cradle OF that value. from. toc. tue
| court which tries Doe should have au-
| thurity not only to md MIN Euuty ~
| q thiof, but also, at the same Time. 70
rendcr Judgment against him Tor slvo
criminal Indebtedness 70 Hpa. rms
! would not be q civil not by criminal
court, but should be- 4 part OF ~ erin
| innl Jurisdiction. The court which mas
| The power OF diapoRink OF porb per-
| nonnl liberty could certainly he trustei
| with discretion enough to say whetner
| he Justly owes the 800 or not, ana "
| IN obviously and unnecessarily wronS
| that Roe should be forced nj MS own
| expense. TO 30 into court hknin anu
| proye facts which have already ltth
! nroven with atitlclcnt force TO deprive
| Doe Of his liberty THESE facts consist
| entirely OF the nature and extent OF MS
| injuries to Roe. 49,,
imprisonment for ciVil DEBT " INV
| generally recognized Us wronH, because
| Anvil debt IL an agreed bargain wherein
the creditor, FOR his own ilnanci,,i gam,
| truata tile debtor and takes the fihk
Voluntarily OF the debtor not being
nbIr 10 nay him. In criminal debt me
creditor Ia not consulted az TO US coI,-
traction, but In injured. deiruuneu, ~
stolen from by the debtor, ana impris,,
onmcnt for such debt until paid. anu
then puniHhment afterwnrd In ndui-
| lion. would be nothing but nbhoiutr
Justice, provided II were posriDir W
the criminal to work ana pay susn
debt while In such confinement. IN
above case II Doe has money or p,u,
perty subject to execution Wnd tnc ~
ihief generally has none whntevefl "
aho,,,d be liable for his debt whrn
cri,ninnl Judgment W rendered III nu
has none. or not sufficient, he should
be put to work by the state nnd W
lowed \ certain sum OF Wht'h 49," -. 49,.
nbnys the cost OF his keeping, be this
ann much or little. strict hcconn.
OF IL should he kept and the amount 80
earncd should be ~ piled By the s.etc
In Iiouidntion OF his debt TO Roe. TINS
would be nothing but forcing nm 70 uo
by daily work what the honest peop,o
do without forcing. viz. pay luh' uen,;
After this debt has been paid no shouiu
then egin his penal Servltude. accord
Ing TO the sentence OF tho court, 70
punish him Ter his criminal act IN i's
contraction. 80, 49,. =,
which the state is to pay these Wnxcr;
with he exception OF interegt on lana
payfnents deferred On Texnfl forfeited
bonds. and some smaller considerations,
Mi money for the state Is raised py
taxation, and the fund for the abo ~,
named purpone should be 80 raiscd. ~
a great part OF the unthinklnE mnsHen,
VINO do not stop TO consider now
vaiueiess their property would be VIII. VIII.
out the government which tnxn,ioh
aupportr. tho naming o. any nddiuon.
nj TAX IL the invarfnblc signal for :
,,op,.'ar protest against tho tax. There
ir no Investment which tho citizen can
make which win bring him greater re.
| f'-'-'|~ tIuU VIII I0uL