Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-10-28

We start back with amazement and sorrow
that in the County of Worcester, a locality re
gaTded, wherever known, as one of the most in
telligent and moral spots upon the earth, that so
much crime exists. And when we consider that
this is not by any means the sum of it, we are
still more astonished We cannot contemplate
this sad spectacle without inquring of ourselves
the cause and the remedy for this mighty evil.
First, the cause. In nine cases out of ten. the
dtfect cause is Intoxicating Liquors." This
has been so often said we almost blush to repeat
1t. We do not doubt, that, so long as we live
drunkenness will continue, to some extent The
extent 1t shall exist, is, in our opinion left with
the people to determine. No other evil of like
magnitude would be tolerated for scarcely an
hour 1t strikes at the foundation of all our
hopes and aspirations, and will if suffered to 90
unchecked, as it now does in some Of our cities
and large towns, destroy all our hopes and expec.
tations, as we look upon our sons and daughters
who are soon to come upon the stage of action
now occupied by ourselves
We now inquire for the remedy. First good
wholesome public sentiment, that shall discard it
as a beverage from what is denominated fashion,
able and respectable society
Next in order, we come to that instrumentality
with which we have been familiar during the past
year-the Ldp. We believe the law upon our
statute book for the suppression of the illegal
sale of Intoxicating liquors. wise and benefcent
law, and one, II enforced are the laws against
larceny, burglary, and other similar Offences the
evils of which are not half so injurious to socie-
ty lin fact, as VS. have said, il is the originator
of nearly every other crime we have), we are con-
fdent that any person, in the least familiar with
crime in this community, will not for a moment
controvert our position.
The inquiry then comes up before us, why is
not the law enforced are other laws Among
other reasons, we believe the manner of its en-
forcement in our cities and large towns is caIcu-
lated to bring it into disfavor. Who are the sub.
Jects of the rigors of the statue We answer
without hesitation, the poor the enfeebled, the
cast OFT members of society, those from whom
there is nothing to hope or fear. to those who ex
ecute our laws. Who can respect law thus
enforced and how unjust thus to enforce any
law
We trust it is part Of our nature or our
principles TO bring to the altar of Justice the fee
BILE, neglected, aud despised, and allow those VINO
occupy places of apparent respectability to pass
as though they were not amenable to the laws
but at their pleasure trample them under their
feet
While men thus permitted to do this with
impunity, and officers of the law and others pass
them by, we see nothing but crime before us
1t is no part of our desires that any one statute
should be singled out for neglect, or made the
special object of enforcement, but that all laws
while they remain our statute book should
have equal respect, unless they are in conflict
with laws higher than human.
While we take pleasure in saying that the
OltJ VI WOAC0ohSl 10 OuE pIlue anu Joy, as the
head Of the county, we regret to be obliged to
say that but for 1t much less crime would be found
in the towns of the county, from the fact that in
| the frequent communications between city and
| towns, much of the abominable LIQUOR is pur-
chased from the former and distributed to the
| country towns.
The expenses in the crimina! courts in this
county for the year not less than forty tn GU.
sand dollars, not including the expenses of our
| jails and House Of Correction, &c. Five.sixths
| of tina sum is produced by intemperanee Tax
payers think Of 1t; yet how meagre is all that ex
| pense compared with the sorrows, restitution,
| and crime, connected Herewith
| We have given much consideration to the evil
| of intemperance, and, it may seem to some, to
| the neglect of other great wrongs which exist in
our community we have only to say to such iii
any there are) seat at this board for one year
would lead you to the conclusion that we are not
unreasonable when we say that ntemperance is
the mother of all denominations.
In conclusion, we beg to say, that, unless the
Jail at Fitchburg is speedily mpleted, our High
! Sheriff will be greatly embarrassed for the want
OF room to accommodate those who have yioIat.
ed the laws Of the Commonwealth. He is now
obliged in some instances to put two in one cell
| which is undesirable for good prison discipline
One other species of crime seems to call loudly
for our notice. We allude to the crime Of PERU
~:
We are perfectly satisfied that men who have
| appeared before us to give in their testimony
have been guilty Of the crime alluded to, to an
alarming extent-men, too, who occupy a re
spectacle position in society We are happy &c
know that our District Attorney is determined L
prosecute all such Hansgressors, when the evi
dence is sufficient.
GEO M. RICE, Foreman
CHARLES S. KNIGHT, Clerk.
Grand Jury Room, Oct %.