Blue-grass blade., 1899-02-19
CHAS. C. MOORE
Sentenced to the Ohio State
Prison for Two Years.
REPORT OF THE TRIAL.

IL was scene which few men have
opportunity to observe in life time.
A white-haired man, whose years at
are few best, sitting in the seat of Jus
tice sentencing another man, likewise
gray with age, to Imprisonment for
two years, for few trivial words
sent through the mails. Words,
which TO the student Of sociology or
to any literally minded man, cannot
be twisted into any shape as TO rem.
der them iudecently Offensive words
which some OF the best lawyers and
judges in this city have declared,
contain no particle OF obscenity.
The naked truth, like nude statue
morally impresses men differently.
1t shocks and shames some, and to
others 1t is pure and beautiful.
Men likewise see justice. Cne po-
litical party sees little to commend
in the judgments OF another. The
various religious factions bate each
other. The various constructions
they place upon meaningless dogmas
have led them to massacre, and tor
ture, each other. There is in reality
ne such thing as party or religious
justice. Only where Judgment rises
above party, religion, friendship,
and kindred even, Can mankind look
for justice. 1t is for this reason that
| Justice is represented as blind.
| William Bundy the District Attor-
ney and Judge Thompson who pros
ucuted aud sentenced Mr.. Moore
may honestly believe thgt they have
fprrlior tiscir vuty sid 1 5ll15i ca
| a just sentence, in depriving MIR.
Moore OF his liberty, taking him
from his family, and confinipg him
In the penitentiary for two long
years. AS | said before different
people will place a different con
struction upon a statute or dogma,
and do so both naturally and honest
| ly. The weight of a single word
has thrown nations into violent dis
pute, both sides fighting to the death
In support of their ideas of justice.
Religious men have condemned a
dissenter to the stake honestly be-
lieving that justice (?) demands that
their shall be no difference of opin-
ions on ghostly subjects. The Pur-
itains honestly believed chat justice
| (?) was meted out to the man, who
was sent to the pillory for' Kissing
his wife on Sunday. Elizabeth may
have honestly believed that her sen
tence of death to the Queen of Scots
was just deed; but it is recorded Of
her that she never slept well there
after.
There ace no questions which involve
so much discussion as the sociolog-
ical questions of today. These ques-
tions are only in "a state Of develop
ment. What seems justice to one
seems persecution to an other. Take
the divorce question for instance.
Some of our religious creeds say
there is no Justice in granting a di-
vorce; for what God, the priest, hath
joined together, let no Judge, the
mortal presume to put asunder.
1t is altogether the way different
factions are taught to view these
things. The Catholic teaches that
it is immoral, lustful and lascivious
for divorced person to re-marry.
The Protestant teaches that it is both
moral and virtuous. Both may hon.
estly entertain these different ideas
Of Justice, and both may be honestly
right in some cases and both again
be honestly wrong. 1t is a question
which involves human affections, and
never was the man born so wise as
TO be able to comprehend the nature,
the wants and happiness OF the heart
of another, or decide the laws which
shall govern it.
The growing evil of divorce, the
marital jealousy and unfaithfulness
which leads to murder and suicide,
the yearly prostitution OF hundreds OF
| thousands OF somebody's daughters,
the secret abuses OF youth, the ven
ereal and other diseases which prop
ogate consumption and insanity, the
dense ignorance OF provocative law,
which incapacitates three fourths OF
mankind from making proper mari
tai selection, aud the rapidly spread
ing secret vices which cannot be
thought OF without a feeling OF
shame, surely make the proper
knowledge OF sex, the greatest NOR
al issue-tbe most vital issue in this
country today. Every political and
military question before this country
today is q trifilng insigniticance be-
side it. The holy hush which is put
upon the sex question only tends tc
vulgarize 1t. Is it better to have q
fraa and onan discussion of thasf