Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1829-02-20
FRIDAY, February 20, 1929.

years loG anu 70, Dy tne aulD0fS, La heuDeuy anu
t. B. Granger &c Extreme poverty (say the
writer's more especially where man has family
TO support, is in itself great temptation and if
Through that he sets bad example to his children,
the evil hundred fold increased. =
The evil has increased to such magnitude as to
attract the attention of almost every nobleman and
gentleman in the kingdom. Experience
has unhapply, of late too clearly proved that the
pronencss TO crime has outran all the severity and
terror ofpunshment and why Because, in add-
ton 10 the motives of temptation already mentioned,
the fact is VIGOROUSLY true, that many men actually
commit crime Tor the purpose, or at least with the
hope, of lettering their situation There may be
many shades OF opinion as to modes and measures
but there surely can be difference to the main
point, namely--that it is most essential to the well
fare and prosperity of the State that large number
of the individuals comprising its population should
not be reduced to that hopeless condition in which
they have other prospect of lettering themselves
than by the commission of crimes. Humanity re-
volts at the bare idea but stubborn facts have un
happily proved its reality. Educa-
ton may undoubtedly do much; but II there is great
poverty and great temptation, it may, unfortunately
teach man in what way he can more securely sys-
tematize crime, we'll as point out to him the paths
of religion, of virtue, and integrity and it is we'll
known and melancholy truth, that instances OF this
retrograde course-of this abuse OF either natural
rare. But where, it may be asked is an eitectuai
remedy TO be found Religious instruction, and
education accompanying it, are unqnesonaby most
essential but they not of themselves, nor can
they be, the remedy sought for they, doubtless
frequently enable men to bear up against calamity,
and resist temptation but it is impossible they can
remove the evils arising from the extreme poverty
of numerous classes of the community, especially
where man who is sent to goal, or transported to
New South Wales, fares better and is better off,
than when he was at large, or at home. The temp
tations to commit offences thus much lncreas
ed, that punishment IN many cases becomes mere
name it is in fact, no punishment it is what the
offender sought what he looked forward to.
what constituted his chief motive for committing
the offence for which he is Gas it is called) punished
That this is no exaggerated statement every days
experience abundantly testes how, then, Car
punishment, generally speaking operate to decrease
crime The reverse il. unhapplly, too clearly es
tahshed, and is indeed admitted. Even these meas
ures which were thought to operate as preventative:
of crime, by means OF the reformation OF offenders
have been found to be Intellectual and why be
cause the strong motive still exists 1.-The desire
man has to better his situation; and his being unable
to discover any other mode of doing it than by com
: mllting some offence which, through the medium o
legal punishment, may lead to the Accomplishment
: of that object, he takes care, at least believing
that he does so, not to subject himself to the exrem
IF penalty of the law. This is. in truth, the real stat
ID of the case, and if is most fitting that it should b.
lie anxiousy looked at in that point of view in orde
d. that some remedy, may be discover and applied.
Here is contrast, indeed The people in on
80 country giving way to the benevolence which i
at natural to man when his kind feelings not re
a. pressed by want or the dread of want In the 9th
,r err, the base which society rests so miserable
Ill that the habual existence of the people cannot b.
n made worse by punishment!
ar 1t is the in which the people live in Anne
lie rica observes, very truly, Mr. Cobbet that make
n, them kind and neighbourly. And how is it tina
~ there is so much ease in America because Their
r. ale so few oilers to live on the fruits of labour
n True, as far as goes. But then, how is it tina
o. there are few dlers in America, and many in Ene
" land The establishments of the country, civ
w and military, no doubt. account for many Of tn
ne ldlers-The National Debt, also, presses hard o
IS, industry. But still this accounts only for part
lie the evil. There rents to landlords in Eng LAND
M in America the abundance OF land prevents, exceI
in in particular spots, the eyacton ofrents. In Anne
he RIGA the abourer takes all in England the landlor
he takes third of the produce, and the 1.-THE -hode
k tenth.
!, There are about fourteen millions of acres
e- England under the plough, and there are fourtee
ne or fifteen millions of people TO be ted from then
oh The numbers of the people make their iabour
an drug and we have hundreds ofthousands otwretch
T called weayers who work in cellars, whose pa
~ faces, when they walk abroad bear the testimon
ne to the drearness of their ot to produce silks
&C. musns, and laces and shawls, for those who al
,ps privileged to share the produce of the soil will
RI. out labor we have hundreds of thousands of poe
Ia. creatures competing with each in various othe
n. ways, each tasking hmselfto the utmost TO pr'
ts. duce some gewgaw to tempt the Lords OF tn
,ty Creation 70 accord 10 .lie ptlauce % .ie p's
ho parish lahourers competing with each other, an
he only rescued by the Poor Laws from still create
of misery-the Poor Laws, which secure to the wrec
at least subsistence, work or not work. leavin
mo in the latter case leisure for poachng or theving