The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-01-24
cR1M1NAI STATISTICS FOR 1854.

We lately published an annual list of
the criminal statistics of the year 1854,
from which it appears that the number
of arrangements before the Courts of
General and Special Sessions has been
less than those of the year previous
In the Court of General Sessions, during
the year 1858, sS5 persons were convic-
ted of felonies and misdemeanors, while
during the year 1854 there were only
544 convictions. So in the Court of
Special Sessions there were 5,l4o con-
Vietions in 1853, while in 1854 there
were only 4,878.
With such mixed population as ours
it Is somewhat curious to notice the diff
ferent species of crime to which differ
ent nationalities are addicted. We
heard learned judge of great expert
ence In the criminal courts of New York
once remark that nearly all the murders,
riots, and violent assaults were commit
ted by Irishmen; daring burglaries and
highway robberies by Englishmen pet
ty thefts and larcenies by Germans; and
adroit forgeries, obtaining goods under
false pretences, and similar offences by
Americans.
From our own observation we are en-
abled to endorse this statement as being
perfectly correct But the proportion
of native born criminals Is trihing COM
pared with those of foreign birth. We
venture to say, without fear ofcontradic-
tion, that within the limits of the city
of New York, there are FIVE times as
many Irishmen convicted as native
Americans. During the past year there
were upwards of one hundred and fifty
convictions for crimes of violent nature,
instigated by revenge or by wanton bru-
tality, end often committed under the in
fuence of strong drink. These arc most
ly, if not altogether, attributable to the
Irish. English criminals are scarce in
namber, but such as they are they have
rendered themselves sufficiently notori-
GUS by daring robberiea and hurglaries
They arc composed chiefly of men who
first earned an unenviahle reputation in
their own country, and, being hunted
down by the police, escaped to contin-
ne their depredations here until they
IRE brought to trial and condemned to
The State prison. Germans figure large
y IN the list as perpetrators ofpetty |
arcenies, receivers of stolen goods, and |
lot unfrequently as parties to assault |
ind battery. On the other hand, where
Iome grand scheme is set on foot for
obtaining money, and ingenious fraud
re praoticed on the public, an Amer |
can, with rare exceptions, is sure to be |
he head and front of the offence.
An examination of theae criminal |
tatistics gives us another reason to re-
oice at the rise and progress Of the |
resent native American party. By no |
of justice can we be expected to /
eceive among 4s the offscourings ofthe
European population. This kind of i'm
algration during the past few years has
multiplied vice in al our large cities,
as filed our prisons and has been the
ause of leading many of our young men
rom the path of virtue It has oblig-
d us to increase our police force, which
still too feeble and too badly managed
0 protect life and property, But we
rust that through the influence of Know
sothingism, this vice, now on the re-
line, viii be checked, and European
oVernments will be taught that this
ountry is not to be regarded by them
5 q receptacle for their cast-of con-
icts.-Nesc York Herald. u