New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-12-20

under these genial influences, deny. If the
sunshine gllts every leaf and twig OF the land.
scape, 1t likewise makes them more distinctly
visible. There is much significance in the
| scripture phrase wise hcarted'
The doctrines of forgiveness and love, taught
BY Jesus, are rot, as men seem to suppose, mere
beautiful sentimental theories, fit only for heaven
they arc rational principles, which may, not only
safely, but profitably, be reduced to practice on
earth All divine principles, if suffered to flow
out into the ultimates of lie, would prove the
wisest Political economy. habi,ually arrive at
truth by faith in the infusing principle, rather
| than by calculation of results Once frml ' con-
WINGED Of truth, do not fear to trust 1t in any
| offs applications; for | know it will carry me
to safe conclusions, as surely as the horse guides
his rider home across the untracked prairies.
In answer to my otrepeated remark, th4t So
ciety makes It's own criminals, am told that God
leaves the will of man free; That no Insn is CON-
peLeG to sin, and therefore every individual
sponsible entirely for his cwn sin. Whether the
same action is equally sin, in the sight of God,
VIXEN committed by individuals in totally 6iffer-
ent circumstances, will not attempt to discuss.
Such questions should reyerenlly be lett TO Him
who mace the heart, and who alone can judgeit.
But feel that if were to commit crine, with
my weaknesses IN every direction, | should be
much worse sinner than persoa guilty OF the
same deed, whose childhood been had passed
among the lowest heunts of vice, and whose after
years had been unlisted by outward influences
purify and refine. The degree Of conviction
esisted would be the measure Of my Sin.
With regard to the question of mans fee will,
| cannot but observe that the friends, who argue
thus with me, are extremely careful to place their
children under safe outward influences. Selltte
d, they trust their free will to the guidance of
Providence, they Will not even allow them to g.
TO schools taught by persons OF different creed
from their own.
The simple fact is, human beings stand be-
tween two kinds of influences, the inward and the
outward. The inwaIdis thespirit Of God, which
strives with us always. The outward is the ill.,
fuence OF Education, Society, Government, &c.
In right state of things, these two influences
would be in perfect harmony; but it Is paiofully
obvious that they are now dscoIdant. Society
should stand 10 her poor III the relation Of parent,
not of master. Governments should spend
more money to prevent crime, and then they
wilneed TO expcnd less in Furnishing it. In pro-
portion as Hamburg Redemption Institutes in
crease, prisons. will diminish. The right Society
to punish, or restrain, implies the duty to prevent.
When Bonapartc objected 10 womans talking
politics, Madame DC Stael shrewdly replied, SIN
country where women arc bcheaded, its very ma
tural they should ask the reason why" And if
the children of poor and ignorant men are brand
cd, and ruined for life, by the operation Of civil
laws, it is reasonable that they should be carly
taught those moral obligations on which laws are
based l repeat, that Society Is answerable for
crime, because it is SO negligent OF duty. And
would respectfully suggest TO legislators, what
probably will have more power to attract their at
tention than any considerations ofhuman brother
tooa, viz that practical adaptation ofour civil
institutions TO Christian principles would prove
an immense saving of money to the State. The
energy spent in committing crime, and in pun
shing crime, is u frightiul waste Of human labor.
Society calculates its mechanical forces better
than its moral. They do not observe, that son
the occasion of every great crime, proportionaly
great force was in mohon;' and they do not CAL
culatc how different would be the produc. of the
social sum, if that force had been wisely instead
of unwisely employed. Add TO this, the alarming
consideration that crime hardened by severity is
continually sent back upon Society; that Society
thrnsts at i. vita thousand pearpoints, and
goads it to desperation, TO re again punished by
removal of the hardening process
Inquiry into the causes OF CRIME, and tlle
means of prevention, cannot receive too much
attention from the wise and good. :" Tho soil OF
Vesuvirs has been explored" says Schiller, " 10
discover The origin of its eruptions; and why is
less attention paid to a moral, than to physical
phenomenon Why do we not equally regard
the nature and situation OF the things which SUI
ropnd man, until the finder within him taxes
| fire !"
Pouhnann lately beheaded in Paris, for rob-
berv and murder, when his head was under the
ave said: II owe society grudge, because 1t
condemned me to the galieys when was onfy
seventeen. After the expiration OF the tcrm Tor
| which was sentenced, there was still enough
stuf' left in me TO make all honest man. But !
WAS always pointed at as liberated alley slave.
In come ction with this subject, would most
urgently entrea, all who will listen to me, to De
yery cautious how they treat FIRST crime, III any
person. ] have known young girls OF sixteen
sent to Backwell's Island, for stealing property
valued at quarter OF dollar. once there' seen
by visitors III company with prostitutes anu
thieves, haunted by continual senseol cegtaoa
tim. is their future course likely to DC DINER 'ha
downward one To employers, who take suca q
harsh measures with erring domest.cs' lns'eau Oh
friendly exhortation und Cristian "a .l'
,..,c.,o of human soul, always want TO say,
An + che were thy own daughter, dependent on
tho t;,dness and for5earance of strangers Is II
thus thu YOU would have them treat her II she
oa c had mother, that watched her cradle ten
der,y. and folded her warmly to loving hesifl
treat her gently, for tina, mothers sake II her
childhood was unnurlured, and unch'e; ed by the
voice OF love, then ttcat her more gently i9I .hst
| ,orv reason; aud remember the saying, mas
n,,cb as VIC have done II un'o one oil the ieast VI
,hoss NV brethren, yc have done it unto me-
would likewise ent,oat those who happen .
t.o,v n som. delinquency in jelow-eelng 10
keen keen, the secret Faithfully, 50 long as his i,'e
n ~ yes assurance of sincere amendment. a very
Young man. who is now in Sing Sing, when s E hsT
lur his second offence, told story a. ,,o CO.,
wb;ch was in substance as follows my hrsl
u w..'Ua was committed more in thoughtlessness
J ,bsn with deliberate wickedness. But felt that
i' @as to blame, and was willing to bear the pen
a, W." ke man. In prison, formed the strong,
cot resolutions 10 atone FOX my fault by he OF