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There¡¡is¡¡another¡¡class¡¡of¡¡cases¡¡in¡¡which¡¡intent¡¡plays¡¡an¡¡important¡¡part£»¡¡for¡¡quite¡¡different¡¡reasons¡¡from¡¡those¡¡which¡¡have¡¡been¡¡offered¡¡to¡¡account¡¡for¡¡the¡¡law¡¡of¡¡malicious¡¡mischief¡£¡¡The¡¡most¡¡obvious¡¡examples¡¡of¡¡this¡¡class¡¡are¡¡criminal¡¡attempts¡£¡¡Attempt¡¡and¡¡intent£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡are¡¡two¡¡distinct¡¡things¡£¡¡Intent¡¡to¡¡commit¡¡a¡¡crime¡¡is¡¡not¡¡itself¡¡criminal¡£¡¡There¡¡is¡¡no¡¡law¡¡against¡¡a¡¡man's¡¡intending¡¡to¡¡commit¡¡a¡¡murder¡¡the¡¡day¡¡after¡¡tomorrow¡£¡¡The¡¡law¡¡only¡¡deals¡¡with¡¡conduct¡£¡¡An¡¡attempt¡¡is¡¡an¡¡overt¡¡act¡£¡¡It¡¡differs¡¡from¡¡the¡¡attempted¡¡crime¡¡in¡¡this£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡act¡¡has¡¡failed¡¡to¡¡bring¡¡about¡¡the¡¡result¡¡which¡¡would¡¡have¡¡given¡¡it¡¡the¡¡character¡¡of¡¡the¡¡principal¡¡crime¡£¡¡If¡¡an¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡murder¡¡results¡¡in¡¡death¡¡within¡¡a¡¡year¡¡and¡¡a¡¡day£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡murder¡£¡¡If¡¡an¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡steal¡¡results¡¡in¡¡carrying¡¡off¡¡the¡¡owner's¡¡goods£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡larceny¡£
If¡¡an¡¡act¡¡is¡¡done¡¡of¡¡which¡¡the¡¡natural¡¡and¡¡probable¡¡£§66£§¡¡effect¡¡under¡¡the¡¡circumstances¡¡is¡¡the¡¡accomplishment¡¡of¡¡a¡¡substantive¡¡crime£»¡¡the¡¡criminal¡¡law£»¡¡while¡¡it¡¡may¡¡properly¡¡enough¡¡moderate¡¡the¡¡severity¡¡of¡¡punishment¡¡if¡¡the¡¡act¡¡has¡¡not¡¡that¡¡effect¡¡in¡¡the¡¡particular¡¡case£»¡¡can¡¡hardly¡¡abstain¡¡altogether¡¡from¡¡punishing¡¡it£»¡¡on¡¡any¡¡theory¡£¡¡It¡¡has¡¡been¡¡argued¡¡that¡¡an¡¡actual¡¡intent¡¡is¡¡all¡¡that¡¡can¡¡give¡¡the¡¡act¡¡a¡¡criminal¡¡character¡¡in¡¡such¡¡instances¡£¡¡/1/¡¡But¡¡if¡¡the¡¡views¡¡which¡¡I¡¡have¡¡advanced¡¡as¡¡to¡¡murder¡¡and¡¡manslaughter¡¡are¡¡sound£»¡¡the¡¡same¡¡principles¡¡ought¡¡logically¡¡to¡¡determine¡¡the¡¡criminality¡¡of¡¡acts¡¡in¡¡general¡£¡¡Acts¡¡should¡¡be¡¡judged¡¡by¡¡their¡¡tendency¡¡under¡¡the¡¡known¡¡circumstances£»¡¡not¡¡by¡¡the¡¡actual¡¡intent¡¡which¡¡accompanies¡¡them¡£
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But¡¡such¡¡acts¡¡are¡¡not¡¡the¡¡only¡¡punishable¡¡attempts¡£¡¡There¡¡is¡¡another¡¡class¡¡in¡¡which¡¡actual¡¡intent¡¡is¡¡clearly¡¡necessary£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡this¡¡class¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡the¡¡name¡¡£¨attempt£©¡¡no¡¡doubt¡¡tends¡¡to¡¡affect¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡doctrine¡£¡¡Some¡¡acts¡¡may¡¡be¡¡attempts¡¡or¡¡misdemeanors¡¡which¡¡£§67£§¡¡could¡¡not¡¡have¡¡effected¡¡the¡¡crime¡¡unless¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡other¡¡acts¡¡on¡¡the¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wrong¡doer¡£¡¡For¡¡instance£»¡¡lighting¡¡a¡¡match¡¡with¡¡intent¡¡to¡¡set¡¡fire¡¡to¡¡a¡¡haystack¡¡has¡¡been¡¡held¡¡to¡¡amount¡¡to¡¡a¡¡criminal¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡burn¡¡it£»¡¡although¡¡the¡¡defendant¡¡blew¡¡out¡¡the¡¡match¡¡on¡¡seeing¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡watched¡£¡¡/1/¡¡So¡¡the¡¡purchase¡¡of¡¡dies¡¡for¡¡making¡¡counterfeit¡¡coin¡¡is¡¡a¡¡misdemeanor£»¡¡although¡¡of¡¡course¡¡the¡¡coin¡¡would¡¡not¡¡be¡¡counterfeited¡¡unless¡¡the¡¡dies¡¡were¡¡used¡£¡¡/2/
In¡¡such¡¡cases¡¡the¡¡law¡¡goes¡¡on¡¡a¡¡new¡¡principle£»¡¡different¡¡from¡¡that¡¡governing¡¡most¡¡substantive¡¡crimes¡£¡¡The¡¡reason¡¡for¡¡punishing¡¡any¡¡act¡¡must¡¡generally¡¡be¡¡to¡¡prevent¡¡some¡¡harm¡¡which¡¡is¡¡foreseen¡¡as¡¡likely¡¡to¡¡follow¡¡that¡¡act¡¡under¡¡the¡¡circumstances¡¡in¡¡which¡¡it¡¡is¡¡done¡£¡¡In¡¡most¡¡substantive¡¡crimes¡¡the¡¡ground¡¡on¡¡which¡¡that¡¡likelihood¡¡stands¡¡is¡¡the¡¡common¡¡working¡¡of¡¡natural¡¡causes¡¡as¡¡shown¡¡by¡¡experience¡£¡¡But¡¡when¡¡an¡¡act¡¡is¡¡punished¡¡the¡¡natural¡¡effect¡¡of¡¡which¡¡is¡¡not¡¡harmful¡¡under¡¡the¡¡circumstances£»¡¡that¡¡ground¡¡alone¡¡will¡¡not¡¡suffice¡£¡¡The¡¡probability¡¡does¡¡not¡¡exist¡¡unless¡¡there¡¡are¡¡grounds¡¡for¡¡expecting¡¡that¡¡the¡¡act¡¡done¡¡will¡¡be¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡other¡¡acts¡¡in¡¡connection¡¡with¡¡which¡¡its¡¡effect¡¡will¡¡be¡¡harmful£»¡¡although¡¡not¡¡so¡¡otherwise¡£¡¡But¡¡as¡¡in¡¡fact¡¡no¡¡such¡¡acts¡¡have¡¡followed£»¡¡it¡¡cannot£»¡¡in¡¡general£»¡¡be¡¡assumed£»¡¡from¡¡the¡¡mere¡¡doing¡¡of¡¡what¡¡has¡¡been¡¡done£»¡¡that¡¡they¡¡would¡¡have¡¡followed¡¡if¡¡the¡¡actor¡¡had¡¡not¡¡been¡¡interrupted¡£¡¡They¡¡would¡¡not¡¡have¡¡followed¡¡it¡¡unless¡¡the¡¡actor¡¡had¡¡chosen£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡only¡¡way¡¡generally¡¡available¡¡to¡¡show¡¡that¡¡he¡¡would¡¡have¡¡chosen¡¡to¡¡do¡¡them¡¡is¡¡by¡¡showing¡¡that¡¡he¡¡intended¡¡to¡¡do¡¡them¡¡when¡¡he¡¡did¡¡what¡¡he¡¡did¡£¡¡The¡¡accompanying¡¡intent¡¡in¡¡that¡¡case¡¡renders¡¡the¡¡otherwise¡¡£§68£§¡¡innocent¡¡act¡¡harmful£»¡¡because¡¡it¡¡raises¡¡a¡¡probability¡¡that¡¡it¡¡will¡¡be¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡such¡¡other¡¡acts¡¡and¡¡events¡¡as¡¡will¡¡all¡¡together¡¡result¡¡in¡¡harm¡£¡¡The¡¡importance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡intent¡¡is¡¡not¡¡to¡¡show¡¡that¡¡the¡¡act¡¡was¡¡wicked£»¡¡but¡¡to¡¡show¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡likely¡¡to¡¡be¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡hurtful¡¡consequences¡£
It¡¡will¡¡be¡¡readily¡¡seen¡¡that¡¡there¡¡are¡¡limits¡¡to¡¡this¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡liability¡£¡¡The¡¡law¡¡does¡¡not¡¡punish¡¡every¡¡act¡¡which¡¡is¡¡done¡¡with¡¡the¡¡intent¡¡to¡¡bring¡¡about¡¡a¡¡crime¡£¡¡If¡¡a¡¡man¡¡starts¡¡from¡¡Boston¡¡to¡¡Cambridge¡¡for¡¡the¡¡purpose¡¡of¡¡committing¡¡a¡¡murder¡¡when¡¡he¡¡gets¡¡there£»¡¡but¡¡is¡¡stopped¡¡by¡¡the¡¡draw¡¡and¡¡goes¡¡home£»¡¡he¡¡is¡¡no¡¡more¡¡punishable¡¡than¡¡if¡¡he¡¡had¡¡sat¡¡in¡¡his¡¡chair¡¡and¡¡resolved¡¡to¡¡shoot¡¡somebody£»¡¡but¡¡on¡¡second¡¡thoughts¡¡had¡¡given¡¡up¡¡the¡¡notion¡£¡¡On¡¡the¡¡other¡¡hand£»¡¡a¡¡slave¡¡who¡¡ran¡¡after¡¡a¡¡white¡¡woman£»¡¡but¡¡desisted¡¡before¡¡he¡¡caught¡¡her£»¡¡has¡¡been¡¡convicted¡¡of¡¡an¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡commit¡¡rape¡£¡¡/1/¡¡We¡¡have¡¡seen¡¡what¡¡amounts¡¡to¡¡an¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡burn¡¡a¡¡haystack£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡was¡¡said¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡case£»¡¡that£»¡¡if¡¡the¡¡defendant¡¡had¡¡gone¡¡no¡¡further¡¡than¡¡to¡¡buy¡¡a¡¡box¡¡of¡¡matches¡¡for¡¡the¡¡purpose£»¡¡he¡¡would¡¡not¡¡have¡¡been¡¡liable¡£
Eminent¡¡judges¡¡have¡¡been¡¡puzzled¡¡where¡¡to¡¡draw¡¡the¡¡line£»¡¡or¡¡even¡¡to¡¡state¡¡the¡¡principle¡¡on¡¡which¡¡it¡¡should¡¡be¡¡drawn£»¡¡between¡¡the¡¡two¡¡sets¡¡of¡¡cases¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡principle¡¡is¡¡believed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡similar¡¡to¡¡that¡¡on¡¡which¡¡all¡¡other¡¡lines¡¡are¡¡drawn¡¡by¡¡the¡¡law¡£¡¡Public¡¡policy£»¡¡that¡¡is¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡legislative¡¡considerations£»¡¡are¡¡at¡¡the¡¡bottom¡¡of¡¡the¡¡matter£»¡¡the¡¡considerations¡¡being£»¡¡in¡¡this¡¡case£»¡¡the¡¡nearness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡danger£»¡¡the¡¡greatness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡harm£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡degree¡¡of¡¡apprehension¡¡felt¡£¡¡When¡¡a¡¡man¡¡buys¡¡matches¡¡to¡¡fire¡¡a¡¡haystack£»¡¡or¡¡starts¡¡on¡¡a¡¡journey¡¡meaning¡¡to¡¡murder¡¡at¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡it£»¡¡there¡¡is¡¡still¡¡a¡¡considerable¡¡chance¡¡that¡¡he¡¡will¡¡£§69£§¡¡change¡¡his¡¡mind¡¡before¡¡he¡¡comes¡¡to¡¡the¡¡point¡£¡¡But¡¡when¡¡he¡¡has¡¡struck¡¡the¡¡match£»¡¡or¡¡cocked¡¡and¡¡aimed¡¡the¡¡pistol£»¡¡there¡¡is¡¡very¡¡little¡¡chance¡¡that¡¡he¡¡will¡¡not¡¡persist¡¡to¡¡the¡¡end£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡danger¡¡becomes¡¡so¡¡great¡¡that¡¡the¡¡law¡¡steps¡¡in¡£¡¡With¡¡an¡¡object¡¡which¡¡could¡¡not¡¡be¡¡used¡¡innocently£»¡¡the¡¡point¡¡of¡¡intervention¡¡might¡¡be¡¡put¡¡further¡¡back£»¡¡as¡¡in¡¡the¡¡case¡¡of¡¡the¡¡purchase¡¡of¡¡a¡¡die¡¡for¡¡coining¡£
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There¡¡is¡¡one¡¡doubtful¡¡point¡¡which¡¡should¡¡not¡¡be¡¡passed¡¡over¡£¡¡It¡¡has¡¡been¡¡thought¡¡that¡¡to¡¡shoot¡¡at¡¡a¡¡block¡¡of¡¡wood¡¡thinking¡¡it¡¡to¡¡be¡¡a¡¡man¡¡is¡¡not¡¡an¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡murder£»¡¡/1/¡¡and¡¡that¡¡to¡¡put¡¡a¡¡hand¡¡into¡¡an¡¡empty¡¡pocket£»¡¡intending¡¡to¡¡pick¡¡it£»¡¡is¡¡not¡¡an¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡commit¡¡larceny£»¡¡although¡¡on¡¡the¡¡latter¡¡question¡¡there¡¡is¡¡a¡¡difference¡¡of¡¡opinion¡£¡¡/2/¡¡The¡¡reason¡¡given¡¡is£»¡¡that¡¡an¡¡act¡¡which¡¡could¡¡not¡¡have¡¡effected¡¡the¡¡crime¡¡if¡¡the¡¡actor¡¡had¡¡been¡¡allowed¡¡to¡¡follow¡¡it¡¡up¡¡to¡¡all¡¡results¡¡to¡¡which¡¡in¡¡the¡¡nature¡¡of¡¡things¡¡it¡¡could¡¡have¡¡led£»¡¡cannot¡¡be¡¡an¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡commit¡¡that¡¡crime¡¡when¡¡interrupted¡£¡¡At¡¡some¡¡point¡¡or¡¡other£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡the¡¡law¡¡must¡¡adopt¡¡this¡¡conclusion£»¡¡unless¡¡it¡¡goes¡¡on¡¡the¡¡theory¡¡of¡¡retribution¡¡for¡¡guilt£»¡¡and¡¡not¡¡of¡¡prevention¡¡of¡¡harm¡£
But¡¡even¡¡to¡¡prevent¡¡harm¡¡effectually¡¡it¡¡will¡¡not¡¡do¡¡to¡¡be¡¡too¡¡exact¡£¡¡I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡suppose¡¡that¡¡firing¡¡a¡¡pistol¡¡at¡¡a¡¡man¡¡with¡¡intent¡¡to¡¡kill¡¡him¡¡is¡¡any¡¡the¡¡less¡¡an¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡murder¡¡because¡¡the¡¡bullet¡¡misses¡¡its¡¡aim¡£¡¡Yet¡¡there¡¡the¡¡act¡¡has¡¡produced¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡effect¡¡possible¡¡to¡¡it¡¡in¡¡the¡¡£§7O£§¡¡course¡¡of¡¡nature¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡just¡¡as¡¡impossible¡¡that¡¡that¡¡bullet¡¡under¡¡those¡¡circumstances¡¡should¡¡hit¡¡that¡¡man£»¡¡as¡¡to¡¡pick¡¡an¡¡empty¡¡pocket¡£¡¡But¡¡there¡¡is¡¡no¡¡difficulty¡¡in¡¡saying¡¡that¡¡such¡¡an¡¡act¡¡under¡¡such¡¡circumstances¡¡is¡¡so¡¡dangerous£»¡¡so¡¡far¡¡as¡¡the¡¡possibility¡¡of¡¡human¡¡foresight¡¡is¡¡concerned£»¡¡that¡¡it¡¡should¡¡be¡¡punished¡£¡¡No¡¡one¡¡can¡¡absolutely¡¡know£»¡¡though¡¡many¡¡would¡¡be¡¡pretty¡¡sure£»¡¡exactly¡¡where¡¡the¡¡bullet¡¡will¡¡strike£»¡¡and¡¡if¡¡the¡¡harm¡¡is¡¡done£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡a¡¡very¡¡great¡¡harm¡£¡¡If¡¡a¡¡man¡¡fires¡¡at¡¡a¡¡block£»¡¡no¡¡harm¡¡can¡¡possibly¡¡ensue£»¡¡and¡¡no¡¡theft¡¡can¡¡be¡¡committed¡¡in¡¡an¡¡empty¡¡pocket£»¡¡besides¡¡that¡¡the¡¡harm¡¡of¡¡successful¡¡theft¡¡is¡¡less¡¡than¡¡that¡¡of¡¡murder¡£¡¡Yet¡¡it¡¡might¡¡be¡¡said¡¡that¡¡even¡¡such¡¡things¡¡as¡¡these¡¡should¡¡be¡¡punished£»¡¡in¡¡order¡¡to¡¡make¡¡discouragement¡¡broad¡¡enough¡¡and¡¡easy¡¡to¡¡understand¡£
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