The Express. — 1860-12-19 (London, England)

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 19.  APA lit altogether from its serious political commotion% the year now drawing to a close has acquired a special character, and will hereafter be distinguished by the unusual disturbance of the material and moral elements on which the welfare of the community depends. It is the year of violent storms and brutal crimes. We by no means, of course, wish to suggest any necessary connexion between the extraordinary variations of the barometer and the increase of murderous assaults. The depressing influence of November weather is, indeed, proverbial ; and during most mouths of the present year we have had a good deal of November damp and gloom. But this would only explain any increase there may be in cases of suicide, and madness of the melancholy type. Why cloudy skies and ungenial weather should inflame men's evil passions, and raise them to a pitch of murderous violence, is not so apparent. But, absurd as a meteorological explanation of murder may be, some of the explanations actually offered are scarcely less so. At a meeting of the Law Amendment Society two days ago, for instance, Mr. Wseeraa stated his belief that "in " most instances murderers were influenced by "psychological conditions, and it was vain to " expect such persons would be deterred from the " commission of murder by fear of the hangman." This curious statement is either an inconsequent truism, or a denial that such a crime as that of murder is possible. Of course, any one who acts, who dose anything at all, is influenced by psychological conditions ; for both the will and the motives that affect it are psychological conditions. In the cave of the criminal, the fear of punishment is just as much a psychological condition es the gratification of passion. Strictly interpreted, therefore, Mr. Wammut's statement is a contra. diction in terms. He says, that since murderers are influenced by psychological conditions, it is vain to expect that they will be affected by motives—or in other words, by psychological eon(biking. If, on the other hand, he means to say that criminals are fatally determined by passion to the absolute exclusion of all considerations, then there ia no such thing as crime. In either case Mr. WEIRTIA failed to explain what the psychological conditions on which murder depends are, and why they should have been more active during the last six months than • year  Whatever the explanation may be, the fact remains, and it is • very serious one. Within the last few months there have been upwards of • dozen brutal murders committed, about as many savage manslaughter; and an equal number of murderous assaults, in which the victims' lives have been saved only by accident. Murders and attempts to murder have indeed during the last few weeks accumulated in such numbers that it is impossible for the 'lady journals to report them fully. The most terrible tragedies have to be crowded into a few lines. They have multiplied so rapidly that the most diligent readers cannot keep up with them unless they happen to possess • morbid appetite for horrors. The more sensitive, sickened with the thrice-told tale of brutal outrage and violent death, instinctively recoil from the fatal columns. We cannot wonder at it. Take up our impression of yesterday for example. In a single column of Assize intelligence, containing the report of the Oxford and Northern Circuits, there follow conse• cutively live trials for wilful murder ; while in another column are accounts of three attempts to murder, each of the most determined character, and one of peculiar atrocity. The first of these trials for wilful murder will indicate the general character of the fatal outrages perpetrated during the last few months. In a majority of cases they have been of a peculiarly savage kind, without adequate motive or provocation. The murderers have given way to an ungovernable passion of hatred, jealousy, or revenge, apparently on the slightest grounds. In one or two cases their evil passions were inflamed by drinking, opposition, or fancied ill-usage, but in general the more powerful motives that urge desperate men to tho last fatal step ins course of crime are wanting. In place of such motives we have simply the terrible ferocity of passion and a savage thirst for blood. Tile victims are unsuspicious and unresisting. The real or fancied wrong is brooded over till an opportunity for sanguinary retaliation offers, or avenged at once by • tiger-like spring at the life of the unconscious offender. Take the first case at the Oxford .tesizes--that of SAMUEL Twioo, arraigned for the wilful murder of his wife, Mane Twiou. This e nitched man was convicted on the evidence of his son, a youth sixteen years old. The son deposed that his father, who is a bricklayer, came home very late on the night of the murder, all the family being in bed. He heard his father knocking at the front door and shouting, "Now, Poo.; " get sip and let me iii." His mother went down stairs and let him in. Twu.n having a companion with him ordered his wife to cook some steaks and let them have supper at once. She replied there were none in the house, and that it was impossible at that hour, one o'clock us the morning, to get any. Having only a shawl on, she left the room and refused to return while the stranger was present. TiVIGO, it seem., bad been drinking, and this refusal roused him to a state of savage vindictive passion. The boy heard him say, "If her don't conic down and " conk me some steaks, I'll cut her throat from " ear to ear." The stranger having left, his wife and WU ...sine down stairs to get Tw ea: to hed. He refused to go, and they made him as comfort