True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-06-16

concentrated IN one lOul OHehce' Nor 10
this rendered the less sad by the knowl-
edge that scarcely any Of these, and but
few of the many, who have received the
Of the law during the entire
term Of my duties, have been the native
children Of the commonwealth, They I
are men and women, and come from
where they may, they teach US the fatal
heritage Of our common nature. /
Young men have been prosecuted who
might have been Industrious and useful
members of society. But they had not
been taught the noblest lesson Of our lives,
that "the post Of honor is a private STA:
tion," when lis charities are recognized
and all its duties are fulfilled. But our
young men are brougbtup in the indul'
gence Of every RIGHTEOUSNESS Of thinking |
and acting, until the coarse lusts Of habit.
ude weaken the moral susceptbilities, and
strengthen the tendencies and the deter
mination to will and the human will
becomes only the forcefu engine OF crude
sentiments, unbridled passions, and depra.
we'd appetites. The vulgar literature oil
the pamphlet press, the obnoxious reports
and exhibitions of criminal justice, the
false PHILOSOPHERS. in various forms, now
so prevalent, which teach the indulgence
Of animal appetites, and throw seeming
sancity around the exercise and the graf
ification of human passions, whether
exhibited in the pandemoniums OF Free
Love, or manifested in the disSoluteness
and debaucheries Of Polygamy, or made
apparent in their monstrous consequences,
threatening the disruption Of STATES. and
the disintegra,ion of social systems by
the prurience Of their false pbianthropies
these all alike tend 10 one common end,
Individual degradation and indiscriminate
ruin, or into a social division and per-
petual conflict between the intelligent,
virtuous and orderly members Of society,
and those great, disorganizing and incress.
ing elements of brute force, misguided
prejudice, sentimental pruriences and
degraded ignorance, while all coalesce so
readily and act uhitedy, and mutually.
strengthen and infame each other; and
which are already, with dangerous cur
rent, setting in and undermining the
foundations of the republic.
This is not The time 10 show that the
J actual fruits which are exhibited in the
, criminal calenders Of courts Of justice
in the desolatiun of households, in the
} relaxing discipline Of society and in the
weakening bonds which bind US all TO-
, gelher as people and nation, re'the
! logical and practical results of those dis
7 tempered fancies, and they end in union
with all natural proclivities to viciousness
, That philosophy which claims the same
i freedom for the ignorant and the vicious
a which is necessary and proper for th'
wise and the virtuous man, who exercise
e a moral tyranny over his own passions
IS and appetites. subduing them 10 law 0
Il holiness, that philanthrophy whicl
G claims indulgence and ease and licentious
g ness (for there are no middle terms 70
such) for the ignorantand the improviden'
Il in society where toll and intelligenc
l. are necessary to its preservation and sue
If cess, or to be the Development or periet
l. ton of any system or idea of human
y progress; any such baseless PHILOSOPHERS
D. any such crude and unlicensed philar
n thropies, but foster that dssoluteness I
IN manners and morals, which make childre
contemn their parents, which unloose tt
7e necessary restraints Of society, brea
le down the barriers Of order erected b
lie virtue and intelligence, and shall, in
he general dissolueness render propert,
Id reputation aud life worthless and insecul
Up by degrading their estimate in the con
Of mon corruption.
lie The plague-spot has made its appea
- ance. The ranking poison manifests
ed orgies, 10 which | am painfully compell'
OF to allude; it is brought forth to publ
er observation in courts of justice, it inlec
'e, literature and corrupts legislation. IT
er facts of its Existence which surround
nd every where, are the evidence Of o
weakness and wantonness. and VIII
ng those who are connected with The ADM
ge stration Of criminal justice must not {
is, in an hour which may, be the turning
it the tide, all good citizens must see in I
he signs Of the times, and in our unbound
,ht freedom great moral necessity for stel
nd er restraints on vice and inhexibility
ry, their execution, and they will at the sal
he time aid, as they can, in turning the CT
ner rent Of public feeling from unhealthy a
hat destructive directions, into that cham
ofpurity and loving faith which has be
ms SO evidently diffusing itself through
head of the nation and bringing mu
tudes to worship at the throne ofour G
mas Better, far better, is it TO see crowds ga
my ering through our temple doors Il
lnq ma taking part in scenes of folly and Of crir
q or TO be compelled 10 enforce the per
oie ties of violated law. and remove the gu
!he from the warm and cheerful light Of fl
aon dom and activity TO the solitude Of
'ith prison-house and the ignomy and dr.
ollc penalty Of the gallows. Such, in
'us' unprecedented manner. have, been
a'e, melancholy duties at this time.
l0le The term Of this court opened with
OF trial of causes exhibiting in the part
and but the ordinary moral delinquencie'
bui society, and which Of themselves WI
wed have attracted no particular attention
iere But as the calendar progressed, the dis
Ind, and adherence increased until the W
n or features of all the worst cases were c
Tor bined in one horrible exhibition Of hui
ure' depravity-the murder Of Mary
has Mon,ony in the midst Of orgies W
urns disgust and appal US.
One case tried at this term shows