Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-04-14

hireline presses Of England. Not content WIN
aneinp the fashions aud notions the ia''er' aas'
often sris,ocra,ic) Of the English, are we 10 oe,
come seryile imitators OF their very vices!
Are we. a free, republican nation, 20 I'M
bibe through the depraved taste OF some'
principles and practices repugnant TO ever!
feeling of deiicacy and humanity-and 'hese
nrincipIes TOO, the principles OF press inc
nanders, the advocates Of the follies ana vices
Of dissipared, a demoralised nobility! for'
10 show the immoral and degenerate state OF INC
English press, il will be only necessary ~ men
ton the daily accounts of horse racing, COCK
fighting, gaming. and pugilistic oat'ies. ~
teens with; and, to point out the demoralizeo
state Of the English nobility, have only 10 re-
fer you to the turf at Newmarket, anu o'"e
places Of like note, where members Of inc 'oyai
family and princes of the blood do not hes'a's
to associate with sharpers and Jockeys ano
participate in their illegal practices:
Blu, 10 return: If ! conjecture Alright, as 10
the origin of the custom under CONSCIENTIOUS
il is stigma, on the talented EDITORS OF our
country, which can only be wiped out ny us
immediate discontinuancr.
sir, am an enemy to a<a'ai puhiSh'hthtS'
which assert, and few will deny, TO be preJu-
eicial to morality. Ifthey, then, are injurious
in their effects, Judging from inference, 'ne mi
mute description OF the manner IN wnic" .".y
are in flic tee, must also be pernlcious. In 'he'.
details, we generally have an accurate account
OF every word, action, &c. OF inc UNHAPPY
wretch, from the moment ne enters tue eo"'
de mned cell until The fatal cap is drawn over
his ewes. These statements may o1Ien DC
drawn up from truly good motives, by the cier
he laSf
pical drama; bu, will venture 10 affirm, 'hat
The, have ostrner produced the contrary TO the
an,icipated effect. These narratives, instead
Of bere,t,ng a horror for crime and dread OF
n,nishment. are the parents Of a sort OF cal
iousne,s in L. minds OF those naturally de,
prayed (for believe as firmly as am living
beng. that every man, by nature, has certain
disposition Of passions, and that 'hls may oe
modified, but never radically changed, by CIT.
cumstances,l to the commission oil CLINE, anu
it's consequences. They see, from these ac,
counts. land The csse is scarcely ever otherwise
that the criminal was launched into eternity
without pang, and with firm reliance on 'hr
hardening mercy Of the Rrdeemer; which is
nothing more than telling any man, disposed 10
commit crime, that he will meet the same ie-
ni.nt fate-lenient, say; Tor how many VII
lains do we see, who care not more ior deatn
than do for the prick Of pin; and one would
be likely to suppose 'ha' man, knowing .ne
doom awaiting the perpetrator OF capital Often
ces, would care little for thai, to commit them;
and, with the hope of future regard, what VII
lain would hesilat"?
| To those clsrgymen who assist IN the con-
uerSion Of the poor wretch.s, and help 10 NIL up
| the narrative of their las, earthly words and
deeds, would say a word. If they think, by
cases OF aae,r c6hverss 10 oe'aIn s' heirs unto
Christ" they &C, in contradiction the doc
,rine preached by themselves: for, do they not
say that there is lt,le or no hope TO be placed
in death bed conversion? And If they ha' e
so h,lle faith in the change of hear wrought
in man while dying naturally, how can they
hav. confidence in the regeneration OF most
gully sinner-and that man, TOO harnssed by all
the horrors of certain death-of an lgnomi-
Nous death upon The scaffold!
There is class Of persous-l had nearly
| forgotten them-who think newspaper OF no
value, farther than II suits their diseased appe-
li,es for the horrible. They deligh, to pour
over accounts Of murders, suicides, and every
thing OF that sor,-so Disgusting to a delicate
and refined mind l, is these people alone,
who would feel deprivation from The correc'
ton OF the evil have Just been talking about;
bul despise more than pity them.
| I have now, Mr.. Editor, ,respassed further
than ought upon yon, without being half so
prulix as intended when setting out; but il
this meet your appreciation, may resume the
subject al some Other :ime. NOEL.
-.
For more than two hundred years he British