The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-06-13
Crime In Eastern Cities.

We give an extract in to-days paper from
the N. Y. Tribune relative to Crime aud
Criminals in that city. The Chicago and st.
Louis papers are also filled with accounts Of
crime. 1t appears to be on the increase
with them. We give an extract from the
same paper, showing the cause of this state
Of things.
Who is responsibility You are the man, Mr.. Import
ing Merchant; and you, Mr. Manufacturer; and you,
Mr.. Banker and you, Mr.. Lawyer. You "hate lett
undone those things which you ought to have done =:
you have remained in your stores and Offices whiie
knaves plotting against your peace; you nave as
regarded of the press when warned yon that
rowdies were nominating villains for office; you have
allowed these rowdes to make your ticket, and per-
mitted them to elect it, without opposton you have
been again and again importuned to take Office your
selves at least induce honest men to become cand
dates and work for their election; but you would
have nothing to with the dirty pool Of politics. u
And now you find yourselves crushed with the enor-
nous taxation of eight millions per annum, of which
you know half is in one way and another stolen;
You have Police in the main nefci mt and irrespon-
sble upo whom citizen ever thinks OF depending,
and in whom your confidence is Illustrated by the
universal employment of private watchmen; You have
streets in condition of filth that would disgrace far
mer's hog-pen and poison his swine-a city literally
sinking in the ris of the world and you are threat
ened at any moment with pestilence that would de-
populate the metropolis and set your boosted progress
backward for half century.
That's pretty hard case, truly, but may
be so. There is world of misery in these
words quoted; warning to the people of
our own city. We have not become SO ut
terly rotten in our municipal affairs get as
the above picture indicates, but the least
tendency in that direction ought to be "nip-
ped in the bud,'' before any fearless journal
of our own city shall be com. elled to give
such picture of crime and vice as that
On such a corrupt political state of affairs in
any city, vice and crime always await. 1t
commences by fraud at the ballot-box-by
the deceit, dishonesty and ignorance of the
dcmagogues who thereby thrust themselves
in Office, and support and encourage the
fraudulent votes in it. We have, in this
city made move or two in that direction
1t will easily be seen what will follow -
"Who is responsible?" We are all reSpon-
Sible citizens it is the duty of every one
to see that these things are never repeated.
But the most fearful responsibility rests on
those who openly and without shame hound
ed on these outrages of law and order, en-
Outraged them in their crime, and rejoiced
over their success in it. With such servle
politicians in office, St. Paul would advance
with precipitate move, to the fearful state
of things described in the n. Y. Tribune as
existing in that city. But keep men of in
tegrity and honesty in our municipal offices,
and we can always boast of the morality
and good name Of our city. They would
feel jealous of it, and to the preservation of
it all minor interests would sink into insig-
nificance, if true men.