New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-16

BY comparing these three tables OF population,
crime and psuperism it will be found that from
1874 to ls45 crime grew faster than population,
while paupersm from 1S49 to 1853 remained al
most stationary, despite the enormous changes
worked during that interval in the state of British
society Three great facts mark the decennal period
of -1e5s-facts which would almost Justify us in
comparing that period to the most ustrious epochs
of IL 10th century. The corn laws had been re-
pealed the gold fields discovered, and an immense
emiRra, ion had taken place. There were, besides,
other circumstance which gave new start to indus
try and commerce From revolutionary c0nvulslOns
Europe had turDed to an Industrial mania. The
conquest of the PuDjaub, and then the Russian war
and the Asistic wars had made accessible mar
kets till then almost unknown. Finally the Unlted
States import of British produce had developed IL
self in dimensions not even suspected ten years be-
fore. The whole market of the world bad ex-
banded and seemed to have doubled or trebled its
powers of absorption. And with ali this, during
this memorable decennal epoch the stationary
million of English paupers Is diminished only oy
26. 233 individuals. If we compare the years 1913
and 1865, it has even increased by lo9,364.
There must be something rotten In the very core
of social system which increases its wealth with
out diminishing its misery, and increases in crimes
even more rapidly than in numbers. 1t Is true
enough that, if We compare the year 1855 with the
preceding years, there seems to have occurred
sensible decrease of crime from 1855 to 1888 The
total number of people committed Tor TRIAL. winch
in 1854 amounted to go, $50, had sunk down to
II, e55 in 1853; ard the number of convicted had
also greatly fallen of, if not quite in the same
ratio. This apparent decrease ef crime, however,
since 1854, is to be exclusively attributed to some
technical changes in British jurisdiction; to the
Juvenile Offenders act in the first instance, aud,
in the second instance to the operation OF the
Criminal Justice act Of 1885, wnich authorizes the
Police Magistrates to pass sentences Tor short
periods, with the consent of the prisoners Viola,
lions of the law are generally the offspring OF
economical sgencies beyond the control of the leg
islator but rs the working OF the Juvenile Offend
srs act testifes, it depends to some degree on
official society to stamp certain violations OF It's
rules az crimes or transgressions only. This
difference of nomenclature, so far from being in-
different decides on the fate of thousands of men,
and the moral tone of society. Law itself may not
only punish crime, but improyise 1t, and the law of
profess lawyers is very apt to work In this
direction. Thus it has been justly remarked by
an eminent historian, that the Catholic clergy OF
the medieval times, with It's dark views OF human
nature, introduced by its influence into criminal
legislation. has created more crimes than forgiven
sins.
Strange to say, the only part of the United King
dom in which crime has seriously decreased, say
by so and even by 10 per cent Is ireland. How
can we harmonic this fact with the public-opiniOn
sang of England, according to which Irish nature,
instead of British misrule is responsible for Irish
shortcomings 1t lie, again, no act on the part Of
the British ruler, but simply the consequence of a
famine an exodus, and general combination Of cir
cumstances favorable to the demand for lrsh labor
that has worked this happy change in Irish nature.
However that may be, the significance of the FOL
lowing tabular statements cannot be misunder-
stood: