Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-04-05
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SYM
PATHIZER
(Richmond News-Leader.)

| 81 10 oil e,SQIS S.liSSl.o.. Vi YIN
nervous system. A sentimen alist Is
a person generally deficient in juGg-
ment, or one who has SO sub.;cgatcl
his Judgment to his emotions rs to
have reached a state Of utter irration-
atty. Hysteria blended wit. sent;-
mentality produces the symra.hizer,
The sympathizer is in class By him
self.
1t is characteristic OF the sy!npatn:-
ger that he is at all times wrong. TINS
slate Of affairs appears perfectly mai
iral to MIN and altogether rs !; should
re. You say to him that you h@.ve the
law on your side and he will reply that
you are blinded b. precedent I'D are 4
slave to custom. You tell G':l TIA.
you stand upon justice and lie will
admonish YOU that you take TIC shoes
from cfi you feet and erect your per
pendicular upon mercy.
You suggest to the sympa,hi2er that
he has been unwise in his cou"5e and
ne will smile at you pityingiy. Prove
TO him the unwisdom Of hi: methods
and he VIII retire behind statement.
This ends the matter, in the mind OF
the sympathizer.
You point out to him that LIE trial
courts have sustained your vi,w OF the
case and he will prove to YOU that d
grievous wrong has been peirctratei
in the conviction Of criminals. ICu
urge upon him that the Supreme Court
of Appeals has upheld you in your
contention and he will reply that {.
great stain has been placed u%on the
escutcheon of Virginia. You remind
him that four Justices OF the Supreme
Court Of the United States have coin
cided with the verdicts and rulings OF
the Virginia courts and he Will reply
to you that this was due 20 legal tech
nicalitics. You tell him that the gov
ernor Of Virginia has weighed ne evi-
dencc and upheld the rulings of the
tribunals Of justice and he will foam
at the mouth and denominate the exc
cutive narrow and prejudiced prcdes-
tinarian. He will tell you in one breath
phat the governor lacked the moral
stamina to remain in the state at his
post of duty and face the music. And
in the next breath ne will re,ile the
governor for rushing bacl; in.o the
state to upset midnight conspiracy
and to uphold the majesty of the law.
You say to the Sympathizer tina. Il
circuit judge, prosecuting attorney,
a sheriff, a juror and an innocent wo-
man were murdered in a courtroom,
that the judge and juror were un-
armed and the woman helple 3. lie
will reply to you that human life is q
sacred thing; thing which should be
safeGuarded even against the law;
that the state has no moral right a
exact the blood OF a convicted as:as-
sin; that such an exaction would b>
legalizing murder He will tell vol
that there is no such possible taing Il;
a proven conspiracy, but that the gov,
ernor of Virginia conspired sgain=
| the penitentiary directorate to ?ceven
the presentation Of medal for Il muI,
der.
And what does all Of this mean
} Why this means that the sympathize
is right and that the rest of the Wort:
lis wrong. The fact that the resi- o
the world is too narrow and Digorct
: to accept this truth is received ant
treated by the synpataizer with indul
gence The fact tina. the rest Of tn
i world i: so very far removed from tn
, Eden Of Carroll county where outtw
ride out of the Fancy Gap section t
shoot circuit judges from COURTEOUS
: benches, is geographical proof 10 IN
: mind of the syn9pa,hizer that tn
: country at large is out Of touch wit
}. the proper. atmospheric surrounding
1 of the case and il no position to prop
crly sympathize with him in his poi!,
Of view.