The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-02-10
What Is Wrong

| What is Wrong?
Bulwer in his Night and Morning says that a
different eras, society seems to be afflicted with
! kind of monomania for some particular crime A
the tine of which he wrote the mania was for coin
ing, and so extended was the practice and so sue
cessul the operators that it feared the current
coin of the world would become deprecated in
value. But in the course of time the passion fol
counterfeiting passed away, and later ages saw
other deliriums succeed. At one time suicide be.
came fashionable; at another, highway robbery
was common, and then thousands of young men
became emulous of the fame Of Jack Sheppard.
These periodical vistatons are sometimes general
sometimes local in their attacks. At one time a
whole nation is afflicted and at another only iso.
lated communities. Our own city at the present
moment presents an evidence of the fact we have
stated, but the disease among us is of far graver
nature than in any of the instances we have men,
toned, aiming not at property, but at what is far
more valuable, human life. Ii is a melancholy
fact, but one which our duty as public journalists
must preclude us from endeavorng to conceal, that
the rage for murder is rife among us. We Use a
harsh term, but the word is only the expression of
a horrible fact. To those who are not in the habit
OF perusing the papers, or whose associations do not
force the knowledge of the fact upon them, it may
be astonishing and almost incredible that within the
last three weeks we have had to chronicle no less
than nine deliberate homcides. In that short time,
within the narrow boundaries of our own city,
nine human beings have been deprived of the most
precious of the Creators gfts-not by the natural
decay of life, the insdous attacks of disease or the
occurrence of some unforeseen casualty, but by the
nj fhpp fol NV 1ntu
is to protect and cherish, rather than destroy what
they never can restore. There must be something
wrong when such things happen there must be
some radical vice in the constitution of society, or
in the administration of the laws. This is fact
which needs but to be stated to be appreciated. Its
truth is evident. Crimes of so deep a dye and of
SO frequent occurrence, certainly indicate loose
and depraved state of public morals, condition of
things alarming to every. good citizen. Of what
use is law officers of the law, or civilization
with its boosted benefits if they cannot prevent the
perperation of crime and repress the vile appetite
for the destruction of life 1t is not our present
business to inquire into the causes productive of the
disagreeable events which have lately cast stigma
upon the fair fame Of our city; it is sufficient for
Ills TO know that murders have been committed in
public places, and that in some instances the guilty
parties have ESCAPED, without effort having been
made to arrest them. This is truly ameniable
state of affairs, and which every person should
Use the utmost effort 10 terminate soon may
be. In times past New Orleans has, uDjusly, had
the reputation abroad of being disorderly city
the favored home of robbery and murder-where
The tenure Of life was uncertain, and crime walked
the streets unwhipped Of justice. All this we
have denied, and have challenged the world to
show community of the same extent enjoying
greater immunity from violence, or where the rights
Of property were more respected and secure. Our
assertions were then supported by fact, and for
some time the tongue of detraction and malice was
lushed, we had hoped for ever We regret to say,
hat should the accusations which before We're des-
itute of reason, be repeated, we could not, as
,efore, Indignantly deny them, if we would keep |
,ur conscience clear of the stain of falsehood We
annOt now say that New Orleans is the most quiet |
md orderly city in the Union, and should we so |
ssert, the residents Of other places might justify
heir skepticism by pointing to the commission of |
line murders in three weeks. They could tell us
hat if in the past their structures were unjust they
you'd at present be abundantly applicable. In re-
Letting upon this, no one can avoid feeling sense
# personal shame, for every person is in some de-
rec interested in the character of the community |
# which he is member. Il becomes then |
uty incumbent upon all to ascertain, if possible, |
he cause of so deplorable state of affairs, and |
o make every effort TO remove, or at least prevent
heir producing in future such dreful effects