The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-09-12
The Causes OF Crime...Remedies.

large space given to details oil shO0A'"s
crimes. A contemporary at Washington
unable in the SO columns OF his weekly tC
find space for a 1.-THE of the details, yet wish
ing to keep up full record, regaies us
readers weekly with two or three columns
Of crimes in a condensed form, under the
head Of The Crime Epidemic" As for our
selves. we have no ambition, had we room
10 keep even partial record Of the kind
The more glaring crimes, it is true, as faith
full chronicles Of passing events, we ar
compelled to notice; but we hope our read
ers have as little taste as we have. for all TIT
disgusting details Of the ten thousand muir
ders, homicides, robberies, thclts, rapes, Sc
auctions, elopements, &c, &c, which i'll thS
columns Of so many OF our cotemPoraries
Such literature, so far from creating whole
some adherence OF, but hardens the mind tc
the contemplation of these crimes, which
from oathiug, it gradually learns to toe; ate,
then pity and embrace
But is it really true, that crime has SO
fearfuiiy increased in the land as TO amount
TO an epidemic! 2" Without proposing to
enter into statistics on the subject, we ac-
cept the universal testimony OF our cotem-
porariss, that if lot at such 4 pitch, the
last few months have at least been marked
by so many crimes of terrible and start
ling character, as 10 justify the assertion
that never before in cur history ha ) the
II y..y y.6 oh
. reinforcement of energy and virulence.
Taking this for granted, the first and most
obvious duty of the philanthropist and pa
triot is to probe the cause and seek out a
remedy for so frightful disease of the body
polite. In general the more common causes
Of crime are not far to seek. a cotempora-
" is probably rot far from the mark who
sums them up thus:
l. Vicious and iIl-assorted parentsge.
9 Immoral influences in the parental
home, OF early Punishment therefrom.
g. Evil cOmInun' cations outside.
f. Deficient or IuISdirected education
8. Lack of early training TO industrial skill
and efficiency, the natural basis Of honesty
II after Life.
The sum and substance of this i, that
the increase Of crime in our land is attribu-
table to the want of correct moral and rciI-
gious training Of our youth, and particular
" 10y their own parents III purified, well
ordered, and happy HOME. The father and
mother Of such homes will see that theiE
children are properly educated, that they
are withheld from eyi! communications, and,
above all, that they are taught some useful
calling. But how few children in these days,
have the advantage Of such a home. In
the early times of our pilgrim fathers, when
population was sparse, and when every
mans home was his school house as well as
his castle, New England, if she raised scan
ty crops Of corn and beans, at least abound.
ed in teeming crops Of yirtuous, intellectual
stalwart, sturdy HEy. Crime was scarce II
the DAYS when the courts and "sessiOns
occupied themselves with the punishment
of such grave Offences as ogling the girls in
meeting. But in the present more cnilght'
ened age, tie home, as the scene Of early
training, has gone clean cut OF fas.!an.
What respectable parents can now sub
nit to the druJgery OF teaching their child
reu,-to say nothing Of spelling and read
ins-,he rudinents Of the christian religion.
Have we not erected, and do We not pay
literally to support frst-ciaSs public schools;
and as to religion, have We not sabbath
schools?
And to this pass, in this enlighten day,
have we CONS. Education, like the air We
breathe, is free-ihe rich and the poor en-
Joy opportunities alike 10 have their child
rem taught not only the rUdiments, but the
higher mysteries OF the learning Of the
schools. But well enough as this i, as far
as it goes, have we thought Of the sacrifice
at which this blessing" is purchased To
enable al the children 10 attend the public
schools, there must nothing be taught in
them tlsat can have the least leaning TO sec
tdridnish1, and to accomplish this, the tail
of the monster is cropped behind his ears
All religion-even the simple and sublime
text Of the holy scriptureS-is baHished
from the scbool-room. None of that most
important OF all training, sacred awe and
reverence for holy things, and the unspeak-
ably greater importance of a knowledge OF
'the way and the life" than all other hu-
man wisdom, is allowed to be there Obtrud-
ed Is it any wonder that our youth grow
up not only in utter forEetfu.ness, but with
a contempt for the restraints of religion?
But to supply this manifest defect of our
free school system, we are pointed TO the
Sabbath Schools. To their importance As
such an auxiliary 20 our public schools, the
venerable patriot and statesman, Gen. CAss,
thus gives his testimony, in a letter to the
Michigan State Sunday School Convention ::
a. appreciate the Importance of our Sun
day Schools, and l consider their institution
amongst the most valuable and efficient
means of religious Improvement that have
come in our day To encourage the noble et-
forts which are making to amcIiorate the
moral condition of the world. And no re-
fecting man can look abroad upon the dan
gerous and delu>ive yagarIes ch, under
the name of religion, take possession day
by day OF the hearts and minds of men,
leading to individual and social dcpravI1y,
without being deeply impressed with the
importance of Jealous and concentrated ex
ertiOns to check this great and threatening
evil. And it can best be ell ctuaily checked
by training the youthful mind in the know!-
edge of God and the truths OF lis revelation.
Standing on this vantage ground, the battle
may be fought and won. And |, for one.
believe the contest to be one of the most
momentous which society has ever been en-
gagged in, and the Sunday school tuition of
the youth an assured means, under God, of
eventual success. So believing, my prayers
and best wishes go with YOU"
And SO, the only hope to arrest the down.
ward tendency of morals and religion in this