Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-10-26

1t has become extremely fashionable
among the newspaper writer's at the east
to speak of crime and outrage as trait Of
! character peculiar to the west. Many east
ern journals never speak Of the people Of
the west, only as they would speak of bar
barians or a half civilized population. -
| These traducers Of western character are
either wilfully Ignorant, or maliciously dis
posed to injure the prosperity Of the west.
1t is through their influence that the more
credulous portion Of the community at the
east, are led to believe that life and prop
erty are far less secure here than in New
England. Crimes committed in the west
commonly receive more conspicuous no
| tice in eastern papers, and are almost inva-
riably charged to the "morals of the
west" The west is continually accused
Of crimes offences committed in the west
are magniied, which in the states of the
east, would be passed by with half the CEN
sure which is bestowed upon them. Stran-
gers and emigrants very rarely come
among US, who do not express their sur
peise at the good order which prevails in
community. and the respect which is paid
to morals. We have heard hundreds ex-
press their establishment at finding SO much
refinement and intelligence, where they ex-
pected the common courtesies and civilties
Of life, were scarcely observed Instead
Of coming into community of cannibals
and violators of law, they find their per-
sons and rights secure and we'll guarded
instead of finding the sabbath desecratad
and unobserved, they find the institutions
Of religion respected, and heaIthful moral
influence pervadng the state Of society,"
instead Of finding the interests of education
neglected, they find schools and the means
ofinstruction, keeping pace with our growth
in population.
|. is true that this gratifying state of So
ciety does not exist universally in the west;
there are many exceptions bad men, and
bad society, are found in the west as we'll
as in other portions Of the United States
But the general aspect Of society will not
suffer by comparison in point Of morals,
intelligence, public spirit, and good order,
with New England. It is true that crime
is committed in the west as we'll as else
where but that it is Of more frequent oc-
currence, or that the inhabitants have less
respect to the majesty Of the law than at
the east, has no foundation in fact. The
progress Of crime in the United States it
is feared, is rapidly On the increase
Causes are in operation which are appa-
rently undeveloped, and which appear 10
escape the detection Of human observation;
their results are of startling character,
and threaten the destruction of civil soc-
ETY.. The newspapers Of the day are freight
ed with chapters Of crime Of the most ap-
pallIng nature !; the baser passions ofman-
kind seem 10 be let loose upon the world.
Human ingenuity appears to be upon the
rack, to seek out new avenues TO lawless
violence. Man turks for the blood of his
felow'man, as the beast of prey lies in wait
for the victim of his appetite.
But where have recently been commit
ted the most deliberate and attrocious MUIR
ders Where have teen perpetrated the