Americans and the Britons

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1914 Excerpt: ... home and of the relations between the members of the family is different. It suits the people, and so long as that is the case, they have a perfect right to prefer their interpretation to that which obtains in the Old World. Only the sanctity remains rather vague and indefinite. It is a mere formula, in most cases, skilfully invoked by a clever pleader whose business is to save his client even at the cost of truth and morality and justice. This is recognized by the better part of the press and by the more thoughtful among the public. The particular case just cited called forth at once the following sound remarks, among many other comments of a similar nature, a proof that the community, that is, the thinking portion, clearly feels the evils and dangers of empty words and phrases, of lawlessness and lynch law: "The acquittal of former Judge in Vir ginia for shooting down in hot blood a young man whom his daughter accused of 'drugging' and maltreating her suggests the need of an amendment to the criminal code of that state. "The presiding judge in this case refused to admit testimony as to the truth of the story which the girl told to her father, citing as a precedent a similar ruling in the Thaw case in New York. The prosecution in Virginia offered to prove that the offense charged did not occur, and though this was not permitted, the jury unofficially decided from the testimony of the young woman herself and other circumstances that were brought out that no assault was actually made. The acquittal was ostensibly given on the ground of temporary insanity, though the plea for the defense was based almost wholly upon the 'unwritten law, ' which warrants every Virginia gentleman--and, of course, all native white Virginians are gentlemen--to avenge in blood, insu...