Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-06-22
School Of Vice.

/ There is no class more cmphaically iccely-
ing an eoucaf'on appropriate 10, and preparatory
for a profession, than tho children, who sauntor
the streets, bowling alleys, and theatres of a
city or tuwn, are preparing for life OF crime
as their habitual occupation, and lof which "A
tutcs the grddudting honor. An article in
Chambers Miscellany furnishes "a sad illustra-
ton of this fact The writer says;--
a few years ago was summoned TO appear
as a Juror in the Sherllf's Criminal Court at
Ednburg. ! was one of fony-fye persons
brought together on the same errand, many
from distant parts Of the country, and the
wholc, from their counenances, evidently felt
that the sacrifice they were making to the in
functions of the laws was by no means light
one. AT length the court mct-tho chair was
taken by the sherif,-the cuprit was brought
and arraigned lie was little boy IL or IS
years old dressed in pair of taitercd corduroy
trowsers and his tangled hair, dirty face and
hare feet, told plainly TO what class he belonged
one of the poor, wretched vagrants who lived
on charity. lie was alone and ircndless
When addres scd by the judge ,he seemed puz-
zled in makciUg reply before so large an
assembly.
1t was at length gathered from him that he
pleaded mot guilty and so the case went To
a ury' of which iwas one. There was some
thing exceedingly affecting, vet droll. IN ,he
whole affair. The apparatus enyoked to try
the little vagrant, seemed like crcc,inga steam
,engiae Of five hundred horse power To kill y
mouse. On one side were the Judge, prosecutor,
and S,,l,n oIi
cials, and the Jury, a selection of ff,cen from
five and forty men, dragged from their daily
occupations over compass of AT least thirty
miles; on the other, was dirty little urchln so
short in stature that his face barely reached
the top of the table behind which he was placed;
and to avc proper hook at him he was cause
ed to stand upona chair in front of the court
Crime charged-stcdbng an old brass camille
stick ,corM arpcncc' The theft was proved,
as a matter of course; aud, in very common
place sort of way, the culprit was condemned TO
six months imprisonment, the hint being added +,
that as this was his third offence of the kind,
he should, on the next occasion, be brought
before higher tribunal. ffic warning was
well meant; but as the poor creature could
neither read or write, and had been neglect
I'D child from infancy, 1t may be doubted iihe
understood single word that was addressed
20 him. Ahcr another case of a smller kind,
the members Gf the jury were Informed they
might depart and the court broke up. The
icxpense To the county and TO the individuals
EMPLOYED in these miserable trials, should moi, ,
! | am informed, I've estimated at less than fire
kundr,d dollars
"Nne months later, was summoned rs a
jlror in the Supreme Criminal Court, and there,
among much more imposing apparatus OF law
and lawyers -iur one thing three learned ludg-
cs on the bonch-appearcd To undergo his trl-
al, the same unfortunate little boy whom
had seen before the Sheriff. Working his way
up, as il is called he had passed through all
the inferior tribunals, and improving a. he pro-
ceedcd, had committed a crime which incurred,
one of the highest statutary penalties. The
hint of the Sheriff had been made good. lie
was now before a higher court--the highest he
could reach Again there were all the mlnutla
of evidence, with harrangucs from lawyers; and
again was the culprlt found guilty and condemn
ed. Again was thcrc al admomtlon from the
presiding Judge, again did the court brcak up,
and again did every member of the jury wcnd
his way home i'll state of discomfort ut having
been put to so much trouble on 50 pitllul a bus
mess. As the assigned punishment was trans
portaton, the country, on this occasion, incurr-
ed probably an obligation of three or four hun
drcd pomd< Hundreds of pounds to punish
crimc Five pounds, rightly laid out at first,
would have prevented lis commission. The
possible ruin of boy, body and soul, Is dliler-
ent and more impressive question.
This is no solitary case, instances Of the
same kind are daily and universally occurring
1t is not unusual to impute blame 10 magistrates
and Judges for not making an effort to remedy
50 gross an abuse; but the spcc,oldmy of the tn
bunals over which they preside is TO Puni not
to prcroni crime, and on society at large lies the
responsibility Of eradicating this great evil.
What, then asks the philanihropst, arc the
means to be adopted for accomplishing this desi-
rable object After every consideration which
have been able 10 give the subject, and AFTER VS.
iting various countries in which the reclamation
of Juveniles has engaged the efforts of the State,
| should say las general principle, that juvenile
mendicancy cannot be cradlcatcd without resort
ing to legal compulslon. 1t might, think, he
safely adopted as a theory, that every act oi
mcndicacy, along with apparent neglected des-
,itution, should constitute title to enforce at
tendance at school; such alternative being
obviously preferable to compulsory detention IN
prison.
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