Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1849-06-07
VOL. Xxx. NO. 10.
fri6ap, 1uue !.

nFIt is not many weeks ago, that we
spoke oftwo instances OF wanton and sacrl-
,Iegous robbery ofthe Burial Ground, in tins
town. We thought that we were sufficient ly
explicit, at that time, for the comprehension
of every one and that we said enough to
shame even tho most hardened and thought
less. But it seems that we were mistaken,
for another desecration was committed IN the
Island Cemetery la st week. Some beautiful
shrubs which had been planted by parental
hands over the sleeping form of beloved
child, as hallowed tribute Of atecilon,-
were ruthlessly and wicNedly stolen by a.
,,oung lady, who is known to the injured and
wounded parents. The father is determined
to prosecute her, and she certainly must be
convicted. The law of this State protecting
the sanctity of the Graveyard is very severe
and although we have once published 1t for the
benefit OF transgrcssors, we again give them
and the public generally, an opportunity to
peruse it, with the hope that we shall not again
be compelled to speak on the subject 1t reads
as follows -
Sec 05. Every person who shall he con'!c
ted of willully and maliclously destroying mu
t!atng defacng, covering over, inJurIhg or
removing any tomb, monument, gravo-slone OF
other structure or thing placed or designed
for a II emorial of the dead, or any fence, raIl-
,pp. curb, tree shrub, or other thing intended
Tor the protection or for the ornament OF any
tomb, monument, grave stone, or other stIuc-
ture before mentioned, or of any enclosure Tor
the sepulture for the dead, shall he Imprisoned
not exceeding ten months, or fined not ex-
'ceediug five hundred dollars.
1t will be seen by the foregoing section
from the Criminal Code, that the slightest
desccration of the Sanctuary of the dead, is
considered a high offence, and is punished by
a severe penalty. And 1t is right that "
.bould be thus. We are charitable enough
70 suppose that many of these offences, and
,hey are quito common are the result OF
thoughtlessness rather than depraviiy, for we
are unwilling to believe that there is any one
30 wholly devoid of the most common sym
pathy of our nature, and so lost TO al noble
ness of soul, as to plfer from the dead tic
simple floral offerings of the living and yet,
these offences arc so often repeated, that VIC
sometimes can hardly refrain from conc'u udIng
that they are done from malicious motives.
Even tho rude and untutorcd Savage sfares
the ancestral mansolcum, and looks upon Tho
tomb as the gate to the paradise of the great
Shirt. All nations and kindrcds, in every
apc and cline, have possessed these same
,eyerental feelings and surely, as the hui
man race progresses in knowledge and cnlIght
eminent, it should not be guilty OF retrogad'
step in this sacred matter.
Let our beautiful Cemetery be the God S
acre of our loved ones, who have been 81
nrecious to us in life,-,hat we may wend ou
wav thither at tho calm hour of sunset, am
Sold snirit-communion with those who ono
rvmpathised with US in the flesh. liner
.bould be no rudeness there, no hllarlty, n
,bouphtlessness. We stand in the midst G
an immense city its population lar ou'hu'"
he,s that of the town, but yet no soft, swee
voice disturbs the tranquility Of the place, n
lind whisper arouses the harnonles OF IN
,oul. or causes its pulsatons to quicken
is death that surrounds us, anu the pale win
of mortality's gathering angel o'ershado"
the heart, and its great hopes are buried
sorrow. Here is the volume from which "
NAV read truthful and salutary lesson hel
We feel the vanity of ourselves, and the tra
sitoryness of earth and earth's aluremon's.
From these we may look up TO a bright
world, and anticipate the smile of our low
and lost. Oh, keep such place sacred +
Desolatc not the sanc,ity of that last hon
which the Rcdecmcr alone was privileged
despoil,- and that only of its gloom and Il
1or.