Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-09-20
1857.
Increase of Crime.

49, Jul
try, are commenting on the alarming signs
of the times, manifested by the bloodshed
and violence that is rife in the land every
where and the prediction is made that the
year 1854 will show a vast increase of crime
in the United States. Nearly every paper
we open, is full of the painful records of muir
ders, essassinations and bloody afrays.-
Men shoot each other Down with impunity-
trial by jury has become a solemn mockerv,
almost every ut-throatrascalbein acquitted,
especially if he has wealth or influential con-
nexions-drunken deeds of bloodshed are ex-
cused under the plea of insaRity-the assas-
s~ination of an unarmed teacher in his school
room by a wealthy scoundrel is justified on
the plea of self-defence-the seduction of a
daughter and then the murder of her father
by a silk-stocking, purse proud villain, is
winked at and the guilty perpetratOr allowed
to go unframed, after a sham trial-amid
such a state of things, what can we hope for
as a security against the malice and rage of
wicked men.
Y The public press seem to be aroused upon
S the alarming spectacle, and the general in
), quiry is-What is to be done to arrest it
what steps taken to visit condign and sum
mary justice upon the heads Of the guilty,
and afford that protection and security to
society which the laws entitle men to claim
1t at the hands Of Government? We are re-
of ioiced to see this awakening of the Sentinels
s. upon the watehtower, and trust while they
a are shuddering over the scenes of violence
m 1900 49, H. Ill Ios&o,-o 1,etlo 4Io.-lL
is upon the causes that produce these effects
to We have observed very closely, for the last
ut few months, the melting causes to the revolt
ing murders and crimes perpetrated in the
lot land, and we positively assert that eight out
Of every ten hare been Super-induced by intori-
eating drinks! Now, suppose every paper
m in the country were as ~unitedly to join in de-
re nouncing the cause of crime, as they are in
mt, lamenting it's occurrence, how soon would it
nen be when such ~recitals would be rare indeed
in our papers? Not a year, perhaps not q
ana month, for then public opinion would be so
'wn instructed and fortified that the producing
Inc evil would be so secuted and denounced that
it would be driven as a demoniac outcast
pre- from the pale of society.
egal How frequently is it the case that we take
up papers containing the details of horrid
crimes perpetrated under the influence of IL
~ quor-crimes that arouse every refined sen.
sibility of the human heart, and which it is
admitted could have been conceived only
=, while under the influence of the devils drink
and against the deed itself and the guilt,
perpetrator the s~everest reprobation is heap
ed, and mayhap an apostrophe at the close
=, " Another sad warning to the deluded vic
c. TINS of the bottle"-and yet in the same pr
per are to be found the bitterest denuncif
tions against those efforts designed to max
the cause of crime unlawful, and the mos
uncharitable and unpatriotic motives as
much .;.aod - -
~ q hiring about this greatly desired end Thel
are -.
at in - iNJ"o''
IN such a course, that there is little to no,
for correction of the evils of the times thr
the public press, until there is amendment
this particular. Still, we are glad to see Il
newspapers generally animadyerting on II
alarming increase of crime, hoping that
y the end it will result in the removal of L
h de- -. ~
will, w
avery 80" IAN
Louisville, KY, JAMES F. MCGOWAN, W;
stabbed and killed on Thursday night, Il
: 31st, by a man named Daniel Smith. The
were both intoxicated, and Smith said to
smor +bo 49, e~~- - . :
nts-
e the
briate - 'H anu ~
)rture 1v;tb ~, - 80 - III. w Mele
imself grayation. and no extennation for crime