Weekly national intelligencer., 1857-10-10
PREVENTION OF cRlNy.

We recently observed in one of our city papers
an article designed to answer the inquiry, nhow
crime may be prevented" The alarming increase
of social disorder and insubordination throughout
the whole country, as manifested sometimes in
banded rowdyism, and sometimes in individual out
breaks of violence, may well excite the solicitude
and fix the attention of all good citizens. The
evil has, indeed, reached such height that it not
only mars the harmonious working of our civil and
political system, but threatens with danger the
very elements of all social organization sacred
ness of human life and the security of private
property.
If we may Judge from the records of the con-
temporary press, it has come to pass in all our
larger cities that the chapter of wilful crime has
become more varied and replete than the chapter
of those daily accidents against which human pre-
ekution IS unable to secure the denizens of the
crowded street and thoroughfare The private
passenger is in danger of death from the miscreant
that turks in some darkened alley, while dozen
persons assembled at club-room or marching In
procession are liable, perhaps for reasons which
measuraby inculpate themselves, to be assailed by
shower of deadly missiles or discharge of shot
from the still more deadly revolver.
The moral canses of this cheap contempt in which
human life is held among lie upon the surface, and
seen in the extravagant notions of personal rights
and personal independence which are fostered, not
only by the perversion of our political doctrines, but
by the laxty of parental discipline, which, renounc-
ing the duties of parentage plants thorns not only
*r the pillow of its own declining age but scatters
"fre-brands and death" throughout the whole
community What wonder that our rabble youth,
left unrestrained and subjected the influences of
depraved companionship and of " street education"
should soop become chiefly remarkable for their
xeeettEaa,sy u crime?
And out of this extravagant theory of personal
independence, thus perverted by early contact with
vice and violence has grown equally extrayagaht
motOn respecting the right of self-defence, which
turns every man into an avenger not only of the
wrsogs actually committed against his personal
peace and safety, but renders him swift to shed
blood in the very apprehension of danger insult
As partly the cause and partly the effect of this in
difference to human life, the practice of going
armed loih concealed and deadly aceopons has well
nigh become one of our social habitudes. The only
conceivable object of course in thus carrying these
Instruments of death, is to xiii: the violent that
they may perpetratc their misdeeds with impu-
nifty; the peaceful, under the plea that the habit,
though originally reprehensible, has become dire
necessity under the reign of license and disorder.
Well may we deplore the social state in which such
an apology for such practice has only too much
foundation.
But, whatever the motive and whatever the ex-
.se for this dangerous custom it is one that should
nat be tolerated in any community which has emerg
ed from the condition of savages and processes allie
giszes to law and order All experience has prov
ed that Americans are too irascible and quick IL
the resentment of personal afronts to be trusted
with the means of executing such summary process
for the redress of wrongs, for personal defence
against threatened and apprehended danger
The subject in hand is one upon which we have
long reflected and recent events in cur own city hav
oily tended to revive its pressing importance, ant
prove is immediate concern to the peace and vel