Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1854-09-06
THE INCREASE OF CRIME.


of crime Of all kinds in the country, and endeavor
ing to account for it. There can be no doubt that
crime has increased considerably during the last
year, for the papers contain of it in various
shapes than we have before observed; but some
allowance must be made for the added means of
publicity, by which nearly every thing that is done
no matter where. is at once made known.
But wherefore this increase of crime? Whose
fault sit? What is the remedyP We can scarcely
open newspaper without seeing an account of
homicide, robbery, rape, or a suicide or a con-
spiracy to deprive fellowbeing of property life.
Then we have churchburnings, and riots, and mobs,
and assassinations-all tending to the conviction
that the increase of evil deeds more than keeps pace
with the increased population of the country. We
think we can give one of the reasons for this and
that reason is denessa disposition to live without
labor-a dependence, not upon industry and manly
exerton, but on shrewdness chicanery, and over
reaching can idle brain is the devils workshop"
and man habitually lazy is habitually and inc
vitably mean.
Another reason may be that the laws are not as
rigidly enforced as they should be- Juries, under
the influence of the eloquence and ingenuity of coun
sci, who in turn under the influence of gold in
the shape of large fees too prone to acqut the
wealthy when charged with crime; while the poor
man, general rule, is subjected to the rigors of
the law and left to his punishment as matter of
course and without compassion. What would have
been the fate of the murderer of Butler the school,
master, if he had been poor? He would certainly
have been hanged by the neck until he was dead;
but Ward had money, and what was falsely called
o1o L
acquitted and the tendency to violations of the
law and to crime was thereby increased.
But it is useless, perhaps, to dilate upon these
things If the pulpits of the country cannot restrain
vice and save communities from the increase of de-
pravity and disregard of law the press will scarcely
be able to effect it. Yet it is incumbent upon all
who WELD influence to set their faces against what
soever is calculated to engender encourage crime
and prominent among those who possess influence
in this respect for good class the clergy the ci
vii authorities by whatever name called, and the
press. 1t will require the power and all the power
of these conservators of morals combined, to stay
the food of evil now sweeping over the land and
manifesting itself in many acts of crime.
One noticeable feature in this matter is that there
is more crime in the Now England States in proper
Southern States The statistics of the last census
will show this. The canting and hypocrisy of so
many of the people of the former States on the SUBJ
ject of domestic slavery, are we'll known. They can
see the mote in their brothers eye but have no in
cination to remove the beam that is in their own
eye. So true it is th:t the fanatics of New England
not only not heard for their 'much speaking" but
they are not improved thereby. Thanking God that
they not other men, their skirts neverthe
less stained with paupersm fourfold to what is
in the South, and with constantly varied and aug
mentng crime. The condition of the slaves gener-
ally of the South is much better than that of many
of their overtasked white laborers; yet grave par
sons, sentimental young and old ladies' and ignorant
but pous young men consume their time in plying
tho slsve and in devising means for what would be
his ruin, to wit, his emancipation forgetting the
while that the wretched the heart-oroken, the hum
gered. of their own blood and color. are in their
very midst 1t is but natural that crime should fol-
low close upon the heels of hypocrisy and We are
not therefore, surprised to find the former on the
increase in the States referred to. -:
az The second advent people or Mlerites, are
again in high spirits at the prospect which they
think they see of the "consummaton of the earth.
They holding meetings in New York and New
Jersey, and are looking confidently for the second
coming of Christ in May, 1856. Correspondent
of the New York Express gives an account of one Of
these meetings, which, matter of curiosity and
of some interest we may transfer to our columns
The New Bedford Standard says these poor deluded
fanatics regard the extreme drought now prevailing
in some of the Northern States, is sign Of the final
judgment. The earth, they believe, is to become
quite dry, then take fire and burn up; meanwhile
they to ascend, their robes, of course, being
ready. H..
w 1t will be seen, by the following from the
Baltimore Sun, that the Know-N Nothing organization
has been defeated in Washington City:
WASHINGTON, August 2s. The election in the FRS
Ward to-day for member of the Common Council
to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Rev
Mr.. Sayra, resulted in the choice of Rev Charles
Davis, "the friend of civil and religious liberty.