American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-12-04
Ignorance and Crime.

Ignorance nnd Crime.
According to official reports the whole num-
Der of persons convicted of crimes in the State
of New York, from 1910 to 1848, inclusive, was
7,949. OF these 1882 were reported as hav-
ing received g common education" 4l4 as
having " "toerably good education" and 128
only as well educated. OF the remaining &c.
225, about half were able merely to read and
write the residue were destitute of any educa-
tion whatever.
Facts, such as these, should be carefully can
vassed by those who 60 against the free school
system in this and other States. Who, not
blinded by the essential oil of selfshness, can
not see that crime goes with ignorance? Nearly
one-half the number Of persons convicted of
crime in this State, in eight years, had no edu-
cation whatever; while 13,000 or forty-seven
per cent. of the whole, were able merely to read
and write. Only 1913, or less than half Of one
per cent were well educated intellectually
Their moral and social education is not stated,
but we have right to presume this was grossly
neglected, or that the persons were led into sin
by crafty associates or, what is perhaps worse,
by the stern temptation Of pinching want.
There are five species of education which
every child, whether born in riches or poverty,
in or out Of ,wedock, has right to claim of
society, namely, intellectual, moral, social, phys
ical, and industrial and society having this
young, unsophistcated, breathing mortal, or
rather Immortal, in its midst, is bound, by the
most imperious duty, either to let him die at
once, which is, of course, absurd and revolving,
or to feed, clothe, and develop his body; ex-
pand and inform his mind; give his moral facul-
ties right direction; and furnish his social
faculties with appropriate stimulus among
good society, and to teach his head and his
hands some honest occupation, by means of
which, as soon as he is old enough, he may pro-
cure all that is necessary for his mind and body.
This, and only this, is worthy the name of edu-
cation. Give every human being this, and it is
our earnest conviction, that it would reduce Of
fences against our criminal code to an absolute
nonentity.
If, with all the ignorance, positively vicious
training, poverty, and no business education,
we find so small per centage of the entire COM
munity amenable to law by crime how might
the whole category Of crime be swept by the
board by large and thorough education. 1t
costs less, by more than one-half, to educate a
child and teach him trade, than it does to
try, convict and support a criminal in prison,
as has recently been shown by statistics; so
that those short-sighted, miserly hunkers who
oppose free public schools stand in their own
hght1n pecuniary sense.
Give us free schools, and teach all the people
how to obtain, by honorable toll, an honest and
abundant support, and "to LETT might be Writen
on all our prisons. Our ministers of criminal
Justice, our sheriffs, constables and policemen
might then have the premises for school. houses,
stores or workshops, and do good to mankind
instead of, as now, spending their lives in try
ing to detect and punish eVa.
When will the world awake to true sense
Of its duties TO the rising generation in respect
to education? How long win sin and misery
curse the race through a want Of wisdom, and
an enlarged spirit Of noble, but just benevo-
lence Pulpit orators may become hoarse in
teaching abstract theology and morality the
press may groan with it's voluminous burdens
Of transcendental philosophy; reformers may
croak over particular evils, nay, these agencies
may be quadrupled in number, power, energy,
and industry, and yet, like the rushing rapids
of Niagara, the generations Of men will dash
onward through strife, sin, and sorrow to dis
honorable graves, until broad and manly phi
lanthropy shall make thorough work Of uniyer-
sal education in its largest acceptation; until
all the powers and faculties are trained in har-
mony with their nature, including as an essen
tial element thorough education to ON honor
able and remuneratiye occupation.
We beg to insist upon and enforce the propo-
sition, that, from want Of proper business
training to pursuit, which, with common pru-
dence, industry, and skill, will yield good sup
port, thousands become vicious vagamonds, who
otherwise would pursue an honest course re-
spectacle and respected. We may thunder the
terrors of the law at idle, unskilled hands and
hungry stomachs, yet men will steal, lie, and
cheat before they will starve. The pinchings
Of want, and a dreary winter, drive many man
hn ,ro,fIH ha hnnoct IN 20 intpn6n1 rnprplv
to secure quarters, home, a shelter,
and table in prison.
Shall politicians and paltry demagogues,
backed by few narrow souled sons Of Shylock,
be permitted to deny to all an education at the
public charge? Forbid it, spirit of the 10Th
century ! Thank Godl such men cannot deny
to the poor the sunlight, or hoard up the pure
air of heaven to deal il out ms merchandise to
others at fifty per cent proht-Phreao1ogica
Journal.
Trv Thn Gtot