Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-11-16
Crime


YsS We can scarcely open nm exchange pa
per-. especially. from the cities. without
being startled by the recitalof somc scene
sof horror. Fraudulent failures of busi-
mess men--embezzleme of trust-funds
by those in whom implicit confidence had
been reposed astounding swindles upon
the public by moneyed corporations
ycheatery, theft, robbery, burglary, arson,
counterfeiting and murderG--in short, crime
of every grade and name, seems TO be the
order of the day. The columns Of the
Telegraph would not be sufficient to reg
lister the sickeuing record. that from day
to day makes up the police and criminal
reports Of the city papers. -, ,aT {
We have, in great measure, RETAINED
from reproduction Of these scenes, from
a conviction that constant exhibition Of
scenes Of outrage. has a necessary ten
dency to deaden the moral sensbilities of
the community and especially of the youth
of the county. on whose virtue the hopes
of humanity depend. TO 1859 Has .t7"'ti .
During the Reign Of Terror in France,
the public became go familiarized, with
public executions, tha!, instead of striking
fear into the minds Of bad men, which is
the professed object, it seemed to loose all
its terrors, and even boys enacted mimic
executions in their childish amusements.
The most exciting and universal; play of
the children, was the 6eheadin9 of cats
and other animals in imitation of the exc
cution Of human victims by the officers of
Government and to such u length did This
mania extend, that in numerous instances,
companies of boy s and gls-nere chill
drsn-would seize one Of, their conpan-
ions and in imitation Of the public. execn-
tiopsof .he day, chop of its head, with
all the science Of experts. and enjoy the
scene with the most intense demonstra-
tions Of delight. M. .r.si
~ There are not wanting in our country,
numerous instances of a similar effect be-
ing produced upon the minds of children.
who have gore from the scene Of the
hanging of man by those in power, TO
e-enact, on their own account, second
edition OF the tragedy by hanging one OF
their companions. e. III ..'7f -.'''
What, then, is the philosophy Of this
fearful increase of crime in our country !?
Take mankind generally, and they will
usually, with many honorable exceptions
Of course, feel justified in taking every ad-
vantage of their neighbors which the ex-
isiing law will permit them to do, and out
side Of tile laws permit, will follow the
example and practice Of those in power, so
far as they can promise themselves safety
in 80 doing. The motives and acts OF
those in high station, being thus practically
the standard for the multitude, when these
lepudate the stern and immutable princi-
pies of right, and act on the theory of a
mere expediency, making that expedient
which will best and soonest subserve their
own selfish ends, and crafty their own
personal interests and passions, they vir-
tuslly open the floodgates, and the over
flowing of crime, and the sweeping away
of all social security and order is the in
evitable result.
Can any fair-minded, honest man, whose
Judgment is not warped by prejudice or
interest, review the policy of our rulers
for the last few years, and not see the
fountain head that sends out these bitter
waters? Our public men, forgetting that
they were the servants of the people, as
sumed TO be their absolute masters, and
making their own personal Advancement
and the qualification of their selfish ambi-
ton the supreme objects of their pursuit
admitted ss expedient. whatever means
tended to the accomplishment of their
purposes The populations Of public funds
the open bribery of the representatives
of the people with high Offices. if not with
the, gold itself abstracted from the, public
treasures--the reeking corruption that
testers in the very hsart'of the Admins
tratlon Of public affairs-the prescription
and fendish persecution of honest men,
and the open countenance and promotion
bestowed upon Fnaves and rufians as the
reward of their viiliny--ths unblushing
utterance of the most transparent untruths
in the most solemn State paPers-the reck-
less perversion of history. law and justice
by partisan judges for the accomplishment
Of partisan ends-the disregard of right.
and the Qeiicatire Of power, are a few of
the examples that have been st before the
populace by those TO whom that populace
look for standard. Seeing honesty thus
discarded in the conduct ofpubhc officers,