Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1841-06-10
EQUAL JUSTICE.


"a r,icle IN The present state of society in
the United States. The editor notices the
extraordinary increase IN crime, notwlIh'
Standing the multiplied sources ollnsiruc'
!. lion and moral Improvement, and express
SEES great surprise that among the veal
thy, or those reputed to be wealthy, Grim
Iinal acts should have become as tenloId
to thai what they were at twenty, or even
: ten years ago This he attributes 10 the
r great desire TO acquire money! and the
prohigate use made of it when obtained.
: lie is, in part right. There can be no
doubt that society has undergone a won
r derlul change and that from isolate and
Y industrious people, we have become ma
lion of stock jobbers and Spectators
The disposition TO acquire wealth by
other means than industry and (rugality,
is almost universal and this disposition
r is owing to the great Difference which is
: paid 10 wealth. Fashion has introduced
, an extravaganza which cannot be main
tanned by the proceeds OF an ordinary bu>
siness. The humbest individual in So
ciely must have splendid ottomans, pier
J tables, glasses, and every other article
TO correspond, and the general conse.
quence is, that young man in mediocre
circumstances, on commencing keeping
house, is soon ruined in the effort to keep
pace in style with his more wealthy
neighbor, or resort to hap hazard specu-
lations with the hope of being able by one
master stroke TO procure the means Of sup
porting his extravaganza. The great
misfortune is, that we look, not with our
own, but with other peoples eyes, and
place our happiness not upon ease and
comfort, but upon folly and show Hun
tdreds are led TO the commission Of crime
in order 10 sustain the false position they
have assumed. Like drowning men they
catch at straws- land unfortunately, loo
often in their desperate struggle to main
tain themselves in fashionable life, sink
themselves and families into degradation
and misery. Extravaganza is the natural
parent Of crime, and hence the unusual
! increase Of it within few years past
! But tnele is another reason Tor this in
, crease Of it in the weather. portion of
the community, 1t is The IMMUNITY with
which it can be praciiced and herein the
0 laws are not equally administered. If
r we think and speak harshly Of the Brit
q ish government for its oppression an its
aggressons, we cannot bu! admire the
:, unlnchlng sterness and impartality with
s which her criminal laws are enforced. -
e There the elevated criminal cannot es-
IS cape by the influence of friends-here he
cannot be punished. 1t is natural then,
that men in high stations shall commit
: crimes when they know they can set the
Q laws at defiance. Indeed, SO well is it now
: understood that the law was made for
: petty offenders only that little or no effort
is made TO apply il to others. The man
: who steals hundred dollars may find a
= berth III the penitentlary- let him
:, make it the sum of hundred thousand,
IS and justice is blind and mute. The sue.
% cess of the elevated criminals induces i'm
itators among those of an inferior
= sphere, for it is natural thu; the humble
d individual should anticipate a mild fate
y for an inferior offence, when he finds that
e great crimes 90 UNPUBLISHED, and thus the
"A lax administration Of justice introduces
immortality and crime.
\ There is another cause why men are
r extravagant AMI regardless Of conseuuen
IS ces. He who has spent his time in idle
il nessand luxurious living, upon reverse
!, Of fortune becomes an object Of compass
! sion and is placed in public Office on the
4 / Dle Int hntnf
y cannot earn a livelihood by his own indus.
d try He is preferred to one who has ap-
piled his time diligently aud faithfully,
and maintained himself honorabIy and
i respectfully. And why Because the lat
/ ter is working man. Thus industry and
= prudence are frequently urged against
man, and made 10 constitute an obstacle
!. to his elevation. And thus the centecl
j ioaier, who has eaten the bread Of idleness
"a during his past lie, insists that his indo.
q lence and dissipation entitc hlmto be fed
al the public crib for the time to come.
] Society is certainly in a melancholy
f condition, 1t is uponihe high pressure
i prInciplc, without the necessary steam to
/, continue it nmolon. Banks and indiyid-
uals have expanded beyond the natural
+ limits, and The consequences are only be.
ginning 10 be experienced. The bad1ers
upon which We have been swimming, are
bursting under us, and the struggle for
life Is hard. We have it is true the means
Of safety il we choose to employ them
they are, reireDcamen and reform. Down
4 with extravaganza and up with indusirv
andwo may delay stormS--but this viii
never be done 50 long as honest labor is
looked upon with contempt II would BE-
betterto scrape The streets for a livelihood
than 10 cat bread OF dependence, or to
make creditors pay for it. 'Betler Is a
dloner Of herbs honestly acquired, than a
stalled OK" with the sheriff to disturb
your meal. 10 mend the times we must
first mend our own ways, and it we will