Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1855-03-22
ID Of The TINES NEWPOkI H. THURSDAY MARCH

The PRoGREss OF CRIMT.-The recent
row in the city OF New York in which Poole
a pugilist was morally wounded, and the
incidents attending his funeral, on Sunday
last, have occupied considerable space in
the New York papers.
William Poole, it seems, when he was a
year aud half DID, lost his mother, and
when nine years old he lost his father. lie
was then laken into the family of his broth
sr.inrlaw, and by him brought up to the
trade Of butcher. In tho pursuit Of this
honest occupation he might have been
good and hanpy man; but he became IA
nous pugilisl and "sportsman," which latter
term is fearfully comprehensive in its i'm
port. Having long been engaged in strife
and contention with the kind of persons
with whom he might be supposed to min.
gle, he at length SO excited the malignant
hostility Of some OF them that, meeting him
at place of dissipation at the dead hour OF
night, they assailed, insulted, and mortally
wounded him. Such were the life and
death of this man, except that we may hap
PLY add that thers ID good evidence that he
died penitent, invoking forgiveness for
his enemies, rsgretting the life he had lived,
and declaring that he would, were he per-
mitted, live new life, renouncing forever
the whole tenor Of that through which he
had passed.
But the living do not appear to see the
evil that was in his life as poor Poole saw
it; and we are crediby informed that tens of
thousands Of persons throneed the streets
of New York, the greatest city in this en-
hghtened Republic, to witness the funeral
of"Bill Poole, the Pugilist," whom, rlmem-
berng as such, they came forth to honor
Societies, fire companies, and military com.
panies were on parade. Among these were
the "Poole Guards" the poole Association
the 'Rynder's Grenadiers, &c. A solution
of all this solemn display is to be found in
the fact that the friends of William Poole
are OF parties protesting to b. peculiarly
American in their princip les and policy
whilst they by whom Poole was slain and
their confederates are alleged to be indvd-
uals of foreign birth. An inducemcnt, it is
thus seen, lies beneath the surface.
But there is no aspect in which the affair
may be viewed that is not deplorable. Had
we more reverence for the laws that exist,
for order, and for morality, there would
be no need of champions of any grade to
protect the American name from di,l,onor
and contumely. Were crime uniformly
punished in the city of New York, and revc-
renee for the law enforced by its own strong
arm, there would be neither occasion nor
the opportunity for the expression Of feel
ings of hatred and bloody rancor. The ten
dencies Of the times are to evil, and good
men, who have less fear If popular odium
than love for the public welfare, should in
every community in the land demand the
supremacy Of the laws and respect for their
ministers. Neither the hopors Of Office, nor
any selfish advantages deriyable from them,
can equal the qualification proceeding from
opposition 10 the public voice, when that
public voice persuades to the preparation Of
violence and crime. Well considered
changes in the municipal law, and even in
the Constitution itself, are within the sphere
Of the legitimate duties of the people; but
well.consiiered movements entail no Incl.
dental evils under our system Of Govern
ment, and even the most thorough revolu.
tons may always be legally and peacefully
communicative. Int.