Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-10-24
pREvENTIoN,No pUNIsH lENT


the terms bad and good, relative tN,pan.
will have very different sigd Don
from that which they now possess. The
term bad will convey the idea only, that
the individuals 10 whom it is applied
have been most unjust.y and ignorantly
treated by the society in which they have
been trained and educated; that, in con.
sequence, they call upon us, individual.
ly, for our pity and deep commisscration,
and, upon society, to remedy the evil
with the least pain or inconvenience to
the injured parties. Terms Of rcproach
or abuse will no longer be applied to
them: feelings Of separation and avoid.
ance will no longer be created against
them; much less will any arrangement
exist to punish them for possessing quail.
tiles which nature, or the ignorance OF
man, forces them to have or to acquire.
Inferior qualities in individuals willth
cease 10 arouse anger, and all the worst
feelings that can be given TO man; they
will on the contrary, call forth all the
energy and best feelings Of our nature to
remove those inferior qualities, or,if from
long habit that be impracticable, to i'm.
prove the individual to the extent to
which he is capable Of being improved.
Such conduct being uniformly pursued
by those who govern society and who
influence public opinion; inferior char.
acters will soon ce,se to exist; nor will
there be occasion for prisons, penilen
liaries, or courts Of law. The immense
waste Of human labor and means thus
saved will be applied to more rational
purposes; the feelings of the compare.
lively wellinformed and rejecting will
not then be daily laceratel by seeing
the time and wealth oflhc people squan
dered upon ials relative to the lives
and properties Of their fellow men, for
no other real object than lhat1,he few
may rule over and plumber the many; that
error and injustice may be perpetuated
under the plausible terms Of Law and
Religion. No! Instead Of bad men be-.
ing punished, no bad or inferior charac.
ters will be formed; or though such may
yet exist for short period, measures
will be adopted to improves and not pun
ish them, for defects emanating from
others over whom the sufferers had pos
sessed no control.
Thus, by degrees, will a universal sys
tenn for the prevention Of eUiI supersede
that which has existed for numberlcs.
ages to punish it by the instrumentality "
Of the very parties who were thcmselve.
the immediate cause Of the evil, and o
the miseries which evil must always pro
duce.
Thus will the system Of injustice and
cruelty terminate for ever; and man will
attain 10 tha. scale, in the creation, tc
which the original faculties Of his nature
prove him 10 be entitled.
BY these measures alone, can the worl,
attain to that state in which peace ant
goodwill shall universally prevail, ant
kno owledge everywhere supersede ignor
ance and superstition -Robcrt Oacem.
Conscience.--In vain do we look Il
conscience for the knowledge Of crimes
for, as have often urged, that is but tn
mirror in which we see the impression
Of outward objects. A mans conscicnc
varies with his country-it is geograph
ical. A Hottentot's conscience dictate
to him 10 destroy his father and mother
as the last act ofpiety. A Mahometan
allows polygamy. The consciences Q
the different sects Of Christians vary
That of Quaker and that Of Roma
Catholic take different views.--Maltra
UerS. r.-. .-- 80.
The WORKING CLAss.-I have no syn
pathy whatever with those who woul
grudge our workmen, and our hun
BILE people the very highest acquisition
which their taste. or their time, or thei
inclination would lead them to roail &c