The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1899-12-22

The immemorlal and almost unlver- !
sal opinion OF all Engllsh-speaklng peo- |
pie Ia that there Is and can be only |
one justification for taking a human
life, and that Is self-defense. The
State, by due process OF law, can COM
NIT homicide, hut the individual can
do It only when his own life is in peril.
This general proposition was denied
In a recent address by member Of the
Supreme Court OF Connecticut, Judge
Simeon Il. Baldwin. The venerable
jurlst brought by his denial hornets
nest about his ears, and In sheer self
defense. he has offered n second state
ment somewhat modifying his original
declaration. He does not wish to be
understood as advocating suicide, but
he does think that there are cases In
which n doctor should let nature take
its course. all hope Of recovery being
inevitable; also that there are extreme
cases in which one may with a good
conscience relieve himself OF the bur
den OF existence. The first recorded
suicide occurred when armOr-bearer Of
the Hebrew King, Saul, disobeyed his
royal masters orders to run him
through with a sword. The king then
used the weapon on himself. The only
other notable suicide reported in the
Bible was that Of Judas, n thousand
years later. The race from which our
religion was derived has always held
suicide to be downright murder. The
detestatlon Of all Christians for Judas
rendered his example more effectual
safeguard against self-slaughter than
any prohibition, legal or religious,
could be. But the position OF Judge
Baldwin does not lack presidents. Ac-
cOrding to Straho, Il was an establish
ed custom of one famous Greek coun-
try. Ceas, to allow those who attained
the age of sixty, or were infirm, to do
rs they pleased about living any long
er. The stole philosophers rather en-
couraged the taking Of ones own life
when the fates seemed to be adverse.
Many cases OF suicide by eminent and
honorable men could be cited from
Greek and Roman history, especially
the latter. The hara-kiri Of japan
AAAth uuNh Aull1 nbt years. Inc hOin-
an law treated self-murder as a venial
offense, but the English law treated
II as a great crime, and an accessory
to II was punished as a criminal. In
1880 the State OF New York included
suicide In its list Of felonies, and not
| long afterward man who tried sui
/ eide was sentenced to one year I'm the
| penitentIary. But public sentiment did
not sustain the law In that State or call
| for Its extension to other States. The
| feeling toward one who takes his own
| life or seeks to do so, Is pity rather
than censure, and legislatures cannot
alter this sentiment. Nor is there any
reason to suppose that legislation has
an appreclable effect In preventing
suicides. The man or woman who has
reached such a state of despair as TO
seek relief In the grave is not in a
mood TO heed the penalties OF the law.
The only really potent restraint is the
fear OF punishment beyond the grave.
No doubt many a Hamlet has been re-
strained from ending his life by the
fear that death would not end all. In
proportion as immortality Is n vivid
and confident expectation. is the hand
OF self-destruction stayed. no matter
how irksOme the burden OF existence.