eriod of 'quickening'
has been attained as afterward. But you still defend your horrible deed
by saying, 'Well, if there be, as you say, this mere animal life,
equivalent at the most to simple vitality, there is no mind, no soul
destroyed, and therefore, there is no crime committed.' Just so surely
as one would destroy and root out of existence all the fowl in the world
by destroying all the eggs in existence, so certain is it that you do
by your act destroy the animal man in the egg, and the soul which
animates it. When is the period that intelligence comes to the infant?
Are its feeble first strugglings any evidence of its presence? Has it
any appreciable quantity at birth? Has it any valuable, useful quantity
even when a year old? When, then, is it, that destruction is harmless
or comparatively sinless? While awaiting your metaphysical answer, I
will tell you when it is sinful. Murder is always sinful, and murder
is the willful destruction of a human being at any period of its
existence, from its earliest germinal embryo to its final, simple,
animal existence in aged decrepitude and complete mental
imbecility."[38]

[Footnote 38: Gardner.]

"There are those who would fain make light of this crime by attempting
to convince themselves and others that a child, while in embryo, has
only a sort of vegetative life, not yet endowed with thought, and the
ability to maintain an independent existence. If such a monstrous
philosophy as this presents any justification for such an act, then
the killing of a newly-born infant, or of an idiot, may be likewise
justified. The destruction of the life of an unborn human being, for
the reason that it is small, feeble, and innocently helpless, rather
aggravates than palliates the crime. Every act of this kind, with its
justification, is obviously akin to that savage philosophy which
accounts it a matter of no moment, or rather a duty, to destroy feeble
infants, or old, helpless fathers and mothers."[39]

[Footnote 39: Black.]

Instruments of Crime.--"The means through which abortions are effected
are various. Sometimes it is through potent drugs, extensively
advertised in newspapers claiming to be moral!--the advertisements so
adroitly worded as to convey under a caution the precise information
required of the liability of the drug to produce miscarriages.
Sometimes the information is conveyed through secret circulars; but
more commonly the deed is consummated by professed abortioni