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Notwithstanding all this, if we may believe the
compiler of an Institute of Scotch Law, "Self-
murder is in it's own nature as highly
criminal, as the putting our neighbour to death."
and it is from hence
that he justifies his
Law, in that like
our's, unable to vent wreak
its rage upon the
it makes
itself amend upon
his relations.
It seems, hardly works
For the sake of such an observation, it seems hardly
worth a man's while, to deviate from the character
of Reporter to that of Judge: but there is a
sort of Knight-errantry that seems to be contagions
in the Professors of the Law; no sooner
do they spy out an absurdity, than they conceive
it to be their duty to defend it.
For a defence of suicide vide a letter signed Zeno
in the Morn. Chronicle Septr 10. 1776 - Ledger
Septr 26 1776 — an answer to it too.
Legislators are governed by revenge like individuals.
The weakness is inveterate.
It will be a long time yet ere it is cured
An individual punishes according as he is
angry the same +
A man is is angry
He is always said to be angry on such an
occasion, and is satisfied it is right — that
that it was the man himself who killed himself
no matter — a man is killed. The Legislators
angry. If he could be brought to life again
he'd kill him again to make himself amends
This cannot be — the mans life is gone —
What's has he left? There is his body — There is
his estate — His Wife, his family, his
friends — Tis a poor shift however, the business
is to make the most of it had collated, beggar
his wife his children and family distress his friends.
Achilles dragged Hector naked round the walls of
Troy — Achilles was very angry — It was in
nature — The man was dead+ The estate was out of the way — The
Wife & Children not to be come at — What was
there left for revenge to wreak itself upon? This
body thought the Barbarian Hero — So
thinks the Legislator.
+ The estate, Wife
the Family, the
estate were distant
objects.
SUICIDE [BR][7]
---page break---
A Juryman's path grows every day less respectable
and the benefit proposed by this severity is in
no degree attained.
If Custom be the applauded foundation of
our Law, Custom is against it. — Custom
gives not punishment — Customs gives impunity.
It is not the entertaining this or that opinion
concerning the moral rectitude of this obj act
that moves me; it is the Law's subjecting
12 men to this distressful alternative, ruin
the , or violate your duty.
Things go on upon this footing tho' not well
yet whereby — When A man is angry, in general it in general is not
is not+ angry unless he feels supposes mischief done to him.
A Legislator in general will not be angry unless
he supposes mischief aimed or done
But the fact of the provocation may be mistaken
He may be led away by appearances
+ without provocation - It is because
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jeremy bentham |
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