Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1854-04-11

which is not worlhy ntfepeaLisf%& y.
s From,the CINCINNATI Commercial. p
Social ERects Of COnfounsliulg Elis-
fortune andi rime--C Charity in the
Ohio Legislatli ~,
The Senate Of the Sale OF Ohio, On Sat-
Furday losi in commitee ofahe whole, struck
ootsof a blIinuoduced byoMr. Foot, for The
relief Of The pooi, a section which prnsided
lhatnusiees Of townships should nifurd re-
lief 10 persons wiihiniher jurisdiction, not
having a legal settlement therein, when such
relief is needed. Beautiful philanIbropists,
and worthy represeniatiyes9of The chris,ian
The nineieenh cenluryt "A few
days ago a commiuees Of the same body
made a report in favor of abolishing The
death penalty for the crime Of murder. A
fiend in human form may perpetrate a cold
and deliberate slaughter of worthy man,
and useful anG viruous mother, or an inno.
cent child, md no sooner is the deed COM.
mlled Than he becomes an objec, of pity and
sympathy. Strong minded women, and
weak minded men are ready 10 devote them.
selves 10 the business of making him com.
Portable. Mourning for the dead and indig.
nation al the deed is forgotten in the intense
desire 10 render the unfortunate murderer as
easy as possible; and all this lime II II poor
Starving woman, or famished child, hap,
pens 10 stray within the Limits of any town.
ship, the Starving woman may expire, and
The lamished child may die, according TO-,
and in conformity with the statutes Of the
sovereign Sale Of Ohio, in such case made
and provided; but we will proudly ci,e the
testimony Of The living murderer TO prove
that we are very worthy and charitable
people. With such testimonials, who shall
dare to call our virtues in question? asal
We are surrounded by crime. A murder
iscan event Of amos, daily occurrence. We
know that there are nesls OF incendiaries
among us, and nightly attempts are made 10
fire the city for the purpose of robbiDg. We
sand appalled, as we survey the inquiry
which daily investigations develope, The
inquiry is constantly made. Whence is il
that wickedness is SO enormously on the in
crease? We will answer thai question -
Poverty and crime have changed places
among us. In The practical public estimate
il is an oflense TO be-poor; i, is only unror-
,una,e 10 be criminal. We punish honest
distress with neglect and indifference. and
reserve our .synpalhies for The outlaws. tho
ihieG The ro6bsr and The assassin We pay
a diseased worship-to no,orieIy. even inihs
form Of inlumy, and surrounded with the
suferiDgs Of honest poverty, We go forth 10
rescue a, criminal. from The consequence el
his pffsnses, and dcongralulate ourselves upon
having performed an act of shining charity.
This IS a great breach Of the fundamental
law Of society, for which we are paying the
penalty; may Heaven gran. that i. fall upon
US. no heavier than we con bear
We might readily show by q citation oI
history or an examination Of the laws oil
man as social being, that this apothesis oi
crime and This neglect OF merrItoriols pov.
erIy are correlalives-Ihat The one nyaria-
bly, follows md belongs with The other-lhal
in fact, the former is the result Of a deprayity
of lasle and sentiment consequent upon O
neglect Of the genuine charities Of life. The
poor are, od's heritage. He has committee
Them 10 the rich. and imposed upon society
an obligation 10 protect Them, WHICH cannot
be disregnrded Without bringing upon lha
community, which ignores lhe law, an ade
quale penalty. We have here pointed ou
one of The most dangerous tendencies nov
observable in our social syslem-ah inAu
ence which no family circle can bar against
nor any parenla' walch(ulness suppress. |
is an influence which hardens The heart. tha
sees suffering GO unrcleved and slimula,e
Imagination 10 admire The deeds OF The bold
and daring criminal To admire is TO desir
10 imilale, and when there is a suppression
Of that charity which is the conservative ell
emcnl against il, the danger that emuolioi
will produce imitation, is imminent.