Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-03-10

pravity of purpose and Righteousness of conduct
shocking to contemplate. The destructires have OBJ
tanned the mastery over the conservative principles
of society. -.
There must exist some general cause for this lax
ity Instances of malfeasance in pecuniary trusts
may be traced to circumstances OF a temporary
character Speculation and oseractlon IN gan,ul
pursuits are the sources Of large portion of the fob
les and crimes exhibited in the forms OF inhdehty 10
private engagements, public defacatlons, luxurious
expenditure suicide, and even murder But, indepen-
IDENTIFY of these social vices and Irregularities there is
general relaxation of the bonds OF society eXhlp-
ted in an increasing spirit of INSTRUMENTATION among
the youthful portion of our population that does not
strike the eye of the observer with the startling APP
pearance that accompany, the ordinary forms 81
crime, but which, silent and unseen in its effects, is
gradually undermining the fabric OF American So
ciety. -.
1t the duty of those who impress their own char
acter large classes of men, and shape public opn
on, to discover the sources of this relaxation, and
apply the corrective before the evil assumes mag
nitude too formidable for removal or restraint. We
have our own theory on this subject 1t may not be
hattering to the selfove Of our people, but we are
satisfied of its general truth. We have arrived at
the conclusion that our entire system OF law IN It's
incertitude and feeble influence and sanctions, is
acting most njuriously on the public morals and
manners. l-
Those whose recollections reach back to twenty
years will remember how much more were legal pen
allies, and how much more largely they were res
pected by public opinion than they are at present
Juries then held in high veneraon the shield that
the law held over person and property. Now we see
acquittances by them, through misplaced mercy,
of atrocities that the whole world have agreed to
call murder, because they are ayerse to capital pun,
ishments. How is all mis- to END
If the njunctions and sanctions of the law in the
case of capital crimes are to be thus dlsregarded,
where shall we be at the termination of few years
What crimes will be thought to merit punishment
that will sufficiently secure person and property =
On what scale abandoning all the standards of pun
irbn TINT havp hpap dpvisp1 nv civil sOclpy
we to graduate penalties to offences against social
order? Are we in our higher claims to wisdom and
humanity, to adjust punishment to crime by STAN
dard of our ownI
There would then appear to be something in the
state of public opinion which has brought the law
and its administration into condition of dangerous
axity, that is silently, irresstiby undermining what
have been deemed social safeguards IN the present
organization of society," Morals and manners are
fortified by the laws. Between them there is syse-
matte influence-aclon and reaction. The people are
the fountain head in this country of al;authory IN
matters of legislation, government and the admins
tration of Justice. Juries magistrates, legislators
fInconaries, are all under the dominion OF popular
opinion. Legislative measures official conduct ant
the administration of the laws acknowledge with Us
the healthy influence, the reverse, of ,ound public
sentiment. But let this continue to exhibit an indlf
ference TO public engagements, and malieasance, pr
vae and official will still spring up in all It's frlghlu
proportions. Let juries from misplaced mercy, dis
play an increased disposition to screen guilt from pun
ishment and cr:me in all its forms and gradations
will be sown like dragons teeth all over the land
Let the people place no sefrestrants on their natura
love of power, in the occasional outrages tina
supercede the authority of the magistrate and more
destructive range will be given to misrue and lcen
| tousness.
Real ameoraiion of opinion, conduct, md manner
must proceed from the people themselves. The ba
sis Of such amelioratiou is the orerthro,1 of mos
pernicious DEMAGoGuEIsM, 1rich is fast supercedini
,oh us all The natural influence of TALENT public rir
tue and solid requirement. The better educated
portion of American society is rapidly leaving on
legislative halls; the next step in social DECLINE
will be the abandonment of their stations of val
liable body of Judicial magistrates, the only remaining
counerpoisc 10 The destructive influence Of the dena
gogues ,rho stirring TO destroy their indepcn
dence, in changing the tenure Of the judicial oGic
hroughhs basest arts Of popular .fattery.