The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-07-07
EXTRACTS FROM
DIR. CLEANLINESS ELECTION sERuon

thr1y say, that this object should be kept in vi;
: through the whole of legislation Far H. ~ -
Jaws should be as few and as simnle os ,,.-. q
~, al extensive and obscure code multinI;ses =
ooo ns OF offence, and brings tie CITIZENS -
Tx III I, INTO collision with the state Ar
nress c"s pear broadly on their front, the If
III PoSS Vi JuStlce and humanity, so thar The ~
al sense OF the community NAV beco,,e ~ "a, ,ho
W oegncuon' Arbitrary and oppressive laws invi
onehce and take from disobedi-nce H. ~.
Sclousness OF guilt. 1t is even wise 70 ahs,o;
from laws, which however wise and good
themselves, have the semblance of ineonai;.
""l'n mas no response in the heart of the ri;
q zen, ana which viii BIO evaded with IttIs =,
2 morse. The wisdom of lerisIa,;n nltie re
t y seen in grating laws on conscience Peo oSd
i %"at seems to me to be of great imnor1.noo
. nal Tue penal code should be brought To hao
WIN lne sternest impartialitv on the r,cb ~,
eAaHeo' as well as on the poor and fallen So
ciety suffers from the crimes of the former no
not Tess Than by those of the latter. II has baer
ru.y ssid' tnat the amount of property taken
whot anu forgery is small compared with
lnei is sent to prison, and the dishonest bsn Le
up hVes perhaps in state. The moral senti.
e'en, OF the community'is thus corrupted and
lol tnis ana other solemn reasons. a reform is
greatly needed in the laws which resnect
insolvency am shocked at the imnrison pent
u Inc honest debtor; and the legislation which
aiows creditor to play the tyrant over an in.
nooeht man, would disgrace, | think. a barba.
lous age am not less shocked nv tba 80,
nifty with which criminal insolvents cont;, onPu
escape, ana by the lenity of the community ~.
"dros these tTansgresSors of its most essen,;oI
| laws: ' A'Vss essehuai
nun;sh no !. means of preventing crime, is TO
po" II wisely; and by wise punishment 7
I7" thdt winch aims to reform the offender
nnow that this end of punishment has been
f f;Heseioneo oy wise and good men, But what
W. "oi VI more practicable end can be PROMISED |
b;.ty we mus: punish for example. Rnt
nnniS5 SHOWS mat what is called exemplary
EE-: lsnient' cannot boast of great eficiencv
crime thrlves under severe penalties thr;nSS.
LIE; .lie plood OF Offenders. The frequent exhi.
pl'loh OF such punlshments, hardens neonIo's
neart' and produces defiance and reacfiop IL
Tue gulity. Until recently, government seems
~ nave ianored to harden the cr. a..5v throw.
,ng MN INTO crowd of offenders, into the mn.
tn ,a;n; osP!ele OF common prison. Human. |
IS spreading through our country To re;aI 1920
nc convict from bad influences. is an essant;ai
'tep TO his moral restoration. 1t is. kou,a,so. I
Jul step. 10 place him under Inc "a 90 =
.ooo influences is equally important: and bera |
"u!Eiuual exertlon must come to the aid of Tia
ogIsisuVe provisions. Private Christians. Ga. a
eotia at once Tor their judcousness and mi. c
eli, P"y, must connect themselves with the
ers g., P.Soel' ano oy manifestations of sim b
ere iraternal interest, by conversation booL, a
iigiis s emeh 1J msst tt9DGh ahp uhsa
waitan n1", ksr-~; ,nnst show him that all is {
ot lost, that God, and Christ. and virtue and a
ne friendship OF the virtuous, and honor. and {
may yet be secured. OF this oio. Il
lous ministry of private Christianity. do moi o
eSps!r' know | shall be told of the failure of f
! II enor1s to reclaim criminals. They have not e
ways tailed And besides, has philanthropy. c
as genus. has the strength of humanity, been Q
arly and fervently put forth in this GREAT con. S
ern? find in the New Testament no class b
human beings, whom charity is instructed to t.
orsake. find no exception ...ss15e by Him. o
'ho came 10 sAe5. 1nd save that which was lost. b
must add that the most hopeless subjects are II
OF always to be found in prisons. That con. i,
lets are dreadfully corrupt, know; but not ft
lore corrupt than some who walk at large, and 81
re not excluded from our kindness. Tie rich W
ian who detrauds, is certainly as criminal as a
ne poor man who steals. The rich man who P
INKS 10 excess contracts deeper guilt than he il
mo SINKS INTO this vice under the pressure of b
rant The young man who seduces innocence y
eserves more richly the House Of Correction. a
nan the unhappy female whom he alIured into Il
ne path OF destruction. Still more, cannot n
Ut remember how much the guilt of the con- "
!ct results from the general corruption of so. a
iety. when reflect, how much of the re- Il
ponslbhlty for crimes rests on the state. how L
'any OF the offences, which are most severely
u a are 10 De traced to neglected educa- "
ION, and early squald want, to temptations and e.
exposures winch society might do much TO re- o
eVe'-l ieel that spirit of mercy should tenn e.
er legislation; that we should not sever our o
ewes widely from our fallen brethren; that Il
70 should recognise in them the countenance y
nd claims OF humanity; that we should strive |
4 win them back TO Cod y
" In this discourse have insisted on the su- II
RENE Importance OF vlrtuous principle of NOR Il
lorce, ana elevation In the community; and n
nave thus spoken, not that might conform t
professional deity, but from deem personal 81
onvlctlon. feel, as doubt not manv feel C
nat the great distinction of nation, the ONLY b
nc worm possessing, and which brings after il Ii
II otner blessings, Is the prevalence of pure
rlnclpie among the citizens | wish to belono 81
state, IN the character and institutions Of n
men may Ind spring of improvement. c.
'hich l can speak of with an honest pride in Il
these records may meet great and honored b.
ames, and which is making the world its debt "
T by its discoveries of truth, and by an exam. 81
lie OF vlrtuous freedom. o save me from (!
ountry which worships wealth, and cares not u
or true glory; in which intrigue bears rule Il
n which patriotism borrows its zeal from the II
respect of office in which hungry sycophants ii
hrong with supplication all the departments of @
tate In which public men bear the brand of
rlvate vice, and the seat of government is a P
loisomo sink ofprivate RIGHTEOUSNESS and pub. "
lc corruption. Tell me not of the honor Of be. il
onging to free country, ask, does our lib. d
rty bear generous fruits Does it exalt us in L
manly spirit, in public virtue, above countries II
roddeE under foot by despotism? Tell me not c
# the extent of our territory. | care not how b
orge it is, if it multiply degenerate men. Bet. d
CT bo one of a poor people, plain in manners, Il
evering God and respecting themselves, than II
'elong to rich country which knows no high. u
II good than riches. Earnestly do desire for d
his country, that, instead of copying Europe is
With an undscerning servility, it may have a o
character of its own, corresponding to the free Q
lom and equality of our institutions. One Eu- Il
ope is enough. One Paris is enough How o
much to be desired is it, that, separated as we n
IRE from the eastern continent by an ocean, we n
hould be still more widely separated by sim IL
'licity of manners, by domestic purity, by in