The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-12-30
The Causes Of Crime.

Nollcinf several frlghtful crimes in three
E0f our principal cities, the Louisville jour.
nal remarks that oil these deeds Of horror
| are sad evidences Of the improper training Of
our young men. It might have added "and
OF our young women ALSO"
We believe that our cotemporary has cor
rectly Indicated the source Of these terrible
outrages. The truth 10 that pernicious and
radical error peTvsdes the entire system Of
youthful training In America. The two pro.
minent and glarinR defects OF that system
are, first, the lack Of moral teaching, and
next over.indulgence. There Is scar cely one
ina hundredfamilles whichpaysregulara and
strict attention to the inculcaiion Of moral
and religious precepts in, the mindsp of its
youthful members. Boys end girls are alike
reared with the dimmest and most obscure
perceptions Of their obligations towards 90.
ciety and their Maker, They are instructed
TO some extent In various branches of mere.
y human knowledge, and In the course OF
their education they obtain some passing and
eyanescent glimpses of holier and more i'm
portant truths but rarely, indeed, is o sedu-
lous and persevering effort made to create
10 their understanding and their will, those
fundamental convictions Of right and wrong
by the rigid observance OF which they can
alone expect peace Of mind and happiness
here and hereafter. Their intellects, in.
deed, are enlarged, but their hearts are aban.
doned to all the vicious and impure passions
Of our fallen and grovelling nature. Hence
American children too frequently grow up
with few and faint ideas Of duty and virtue,
aud are left in their conduct through life to
the guidance Of uhchustened desires rather
than to the suggestions Of an ever.wakeful
and enlightened conscience. Is il at oil sur.
Prising that so faulty q system, of training
should eventuate in folly, dissipation, and
frivolous pursuits, or darken into horrid vice
and revolving crime 1! 2'4 aio To.I
'Over.indulgence is a potent auxiliary to
imperfect training. Our boys and girls are
scarcely out Of their swaddliDg. clothes ere
they are treated as young gentlemen and in.
ciPient ladies'. While yet under the disci.
pline OF the teachers ferule they conceive
themselves competent to take their places in
society. Boys Of sixteen talk politics, fre.
quent public amusements, smoke cigars, and
Imbibe intoxicating fluids. Girls Of fourteen
Or hiteen, chatter scandal, are fastldous and
elegant In their toilet, play the woman,
prote OF marriage and converse among them
selves about their beaux. Long ere the wears
of discretion have arrived both sexes know
100 much. Beardless youths are converted
nto rakish men of the world, and simperinp
misses, who ought still to weer pantalettes,
IRE thoroughly grounded in the arts of fir. |
alton and coquetry. To anticipate modesty,
'roPriety, moral rectitude, and sense Of re.
igious responsibility from such materials
would be about as reasonable as to expect
o find humanity in a tiger, courage in q
lare, or genius in an idiot, ,. ....-.,..-..
Seven eights Of the crimes which the press
s constantly compelled to record proceed
rom these two fruitful sources OF misery and
ice. As long as parents and guardians
brink from the performance OF their duty so
ong will the evil continue unchecked. 1t
} impossible to plant brambles and glth.r
Dses. No one can habtually swallow poi.
on with impunity. Children, If surrendered
, the onarchical government Of their own
ad passions. will necessarily become vici.
Us in youth and depraved in manhood. II ,
htaught the essential restraints of morality
nd religion they must inevitably lnpse into f
le worst OF habits, and any appqrent confor !,
ity to the accepted canons oflife will arise =
SO from settled convictions than from the
ar Of the law. If a boy abstains from 1
'enging fancied wrong by the bowie.knife t.
the pistol, because he dreads the prison, =
the scatfoid, IL is evident that il that ter. n
n were removed he would rush headIong a
to murder; but il he refrain' from the in. s
llgence Of furious animal wrath because ii
} knows it 10 be an infringement Of divine
I'd moral law, he is protected from crime
! n panopty million times more impreg g
lbIe than any which tie laws can furnish. >. "
q young lady who induIge in gossip, scan.
II, and back-biting is simply told that the
actice is unbecoming and vulgar, she may
'lndop the habit for fear of censure, but If
e is we'll indoctrinsted in the belief that Fl
aader and evil speaking are violations OF
vine precepts, her reform will be assuredly
sting, because grounded in conscience
nd thus we might illustrate at any length,
e efficacy of moral training and the certain
ID miserable consequence ensuing upon lis
tai neglect. ".'' '.. ....7 ~. p =" =,
Until parents take to heart these primary u.
lths and apply them diligently in The cul.. nt
re OF their children's minds and hearts we ii,
n see no prospect OF marked Improvement. in
:e Jail and the penitentiary are institutions =" %
human weakness and wickedness.' Let 10
IN learn to amend their lives and these hid. To-
US emblems of an imperfect civilization |,
II disappear. Moral reform must proceed ar
m within outwardy. Make men better, taI
d the prisons will fall to ruins from dila. PgGG
ation and disuse. Teach the rising gene. vi
ion to fear God and obey bis command. Sc e
nts, and crime will progressively dimin- IL, IL,
.-NeW Orleans Bee. un
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