The Yazoo City weekly Whig. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 18??-1855, 1854-01-27

markable facts ia regard to the convicted
criminals 81 Che State which ire worthy of
notice. One Is. there Is not . single woman
/ il The State prison, ahd another Is, ont Of
the 04 conyicts that are paying The penalty
Of their crimes ia durauee vie. onlg Aspsal
Of he number ars natigs torn Mgsissppiaas.
A few are from England, ireland md Ger
many. but tie greater proportion are from
the Northern and Eastern States.
For the frst fact there ere two explana-
tons: the FIRST. that The women 81 the State
being seldom reduced 81 necessity o resort
to crime for aliylihood, are above the temp
tations that sometimes overtake men in their
struggles with the world. We take it, as a
general thing, that there are barriers thrown
around the women Of Mississippi to protect
them from want, and fromits too often con-
comitant vice, which exist! mo where else.
Let the world scorn the Magnolia State for
her repudiation Of her debts, it must do her
honor for her chivalry in the protection and
defence Of her mothers and daughters. It
would be no arrogation if our States es-
cutcheon bore the motto Of the proud house
of Percy, 1.-The men are all brave, and The
gOnen uisSuOusp We believe no woman
| in Mississippi has ever been tried for grand
larceny ~-or for forgery-and none for mar
der, except when actuated by cause which
Machiaveli says is sufficient reason to justify
a man or woman in the commission Of any
crime-JEALosY In aneighboring county,
there was once on time woman tried in
the Circuit Court for killing her sistef.in-
law. She was condemned in spite of all
efforts to save her, though no male Witnesses
could be found to testify against her.-She
herself offered no defence, but seemed re-
signed to her fate, since the object of her
Jealous hatred was removed. The Judge
and jury all wished to clear her--the facts
were stubborn and the law plain, and she
was pronounced guilty. But lolone night,
so goes the report. "while the jailors slept, =
the Sheriff assisted the culprit to escape.
No pursuit was attempted or desired, and
the thing was talked Of as good joke and
as great relief to the commonwealth. The
report that the Sheriff had assisted the wo
man to break Jail, never injured his poPu-
larity, but on the contrary he was returned
to Office the next election with an increased
majority. So much for Mississippi galian-
try. The next fact connected with the PEN
itentiary--the scarcity Of Mississippians on
our criminal records, is worthy of serious
consideration. Why is it, that youth and
men that come here from the old States,
from the land of steady habits-forti6ed with
Bibles and mothers prayers and blessings.
should SO soon become inmates Of the States
prison? We think we know the reason in
part--aside from the natural proclivity 10
vice that some natures have, whether they
draw their breath frst under the Northern
bear or The Southern Cross. In the old
StatesAhe population is overdone-the mas
aes of foreigners that crowd into all the en-
Payments Of life, underwriting the native
laborer in all the departments of industry,
throw many young men into idleness. And
as idleness is the mother Of vice, they soon
become outcasts and vagabonds at home
The South to them is an Eldorado, where
men only have to lounge about the streets
and pick up money as they do pebbles in
the North.
They come here-are disappointed-when
they find that the old curse Of Adam. to
earn bread by the sweet of the brow. has
reached even to Mississippi. The restraints
Of home they have broken away from-.whoi
cares what the world thinks Of them, it will
never get back to disgrace their relatives
and maybe they will not be found out
When they are rich the world will not be
very particular to learn how they acquired
their money-and thus crimes are commit
ted and young men over whom have been
breathed baptismal VOWS Of pious mothers
far away. are working in the Mississippi
Psnitentiary. We heard Of one instance,
where convicted criminal in New Orleans
sent petition to the Governor to have him
committed to the States prison under a &c
titious name. because said be, ! have apray-
ING mother and respectable father ia a
Northern State, whose hearts viii break If
they should see my name Oh the list Of con-
victed criminals But enough.
~ The Report Of the late Auditor Of
Public Accounts, Danl r. Russell. has been
rrinfad IL order ~ he Ianieln.llra frnnn