Smyrna times., 1859-09-01

| II tIIHe honest folkS were at home," is q
trlte phrase, but contains much more than we
sometimes are willing to admit. The simple
idea intended to be conveyed by it is tha every
body should be at home and in bed at seasona-
BILE hours, and if any one is found, unless there
is necessity for it, violating the injunction, it
is conclusive they are not " honest" This lat.
ter term is not intended to imply, unquaifedIy,
that the man is thief and would steal. but
generally, that something more than is strictly
just and honorable may be attributed to his re.
mlssness in being out late from his home. We
remember to have heard, few wears ago.
gentleman in this city, says the Baltimore Pa.
triot, whose profession was that of discoun,er
OF paper, say, that no man knew what was 90.
ing on who went to bed before two in the morn.
ing. He learned more of the real character
and standing of persons by ascertaining how
they spent their nights than he could possibly
by all other means combined. This same gen.
tleman owned large amount of stock in one Of
our banks, and in his usual patrols, frequently
met with one of the clerks, whose night-revel-
llngs convinced him that it required much more
than his salary to foot the bills, and he informed
one of the officers of the institution of his sus
picions. The information was NOT only moi
needed but received with Indignation and re.
sentiment. He soon after sold his stock, and it
was not long before heavy defacation was
traced to this same clerk. 1t may be safely as
serted, therefore, that honest people should be
81 nj home ~ at seosonahla bonrS
The Patriot goes on to say Let US see, by
following up this theory, ifft will not hold good
IN regard to the murders, robberes, and other
crimes, with which our good city has been so
frequently visited and disgraced. The case be-
fore us-that of young Sullivan, shot by Hoff:
man, after midnight, in a street last week in
Baltimore-will suffice for the present. The |
testimony ELECTED before the jury of inquest
went to show that he, in company with other
young men, had been visiting certain localities
on the Point during the night-had been drink.
ing freely of liquor-and after midnight they |
were vending their way probably homewards, |
but must pass through another section of the |
city notorious for its denominations and prostitu
ton. Arriving at the residence of one of those
50 whose feet take hold on DEATH" he was met
by the assassin, who, in cold blood-cold no
heated with strong drink-shot him dead -
Terrible death, indeed To comment on it, or
morallze about it, is unnecessary. If these
young men had spent their evenings with their
sisters, their families, or in the company of yir-
tuous females, and had retired when " honest"
people should, this awful deed would not have
occurred. Young Hoffman would not have
dozed himself sober in prison to wake up
murderer. nor the youthful Sullivan have been
sent to the bar of judgment unprepared.
Men do not usually reach the drunkard's
grave-the libertine's rottenness, or the mur.
derer's end by one stride. The work of de-
scent is progressive-but accelerating and in
evitable if not checked at once and early
reader is convinced of this sad truth without
the illustrations in proof.
Now wha. is the remedy! The evil is fear
fully upon US. How can it be arrested! Bya
change in the municipal government I've
think not. BY newspaper harangues and dis.
QUESTIONS !-no. BY imprisonment and the
gallows !-this is not the cure, as the past will |
testify. What then is to be done /! We think
the only certain preventive and cure is TO get |
hold of this class of youth who frequent the
grogshops-hOuses of ll-fame-gambling hells,
&c., and give them employment-Prevai upon
them TO remember the Sabbath-attend some |
place of religious worship, and to be in bed at
bedtime. If this could be done the newspap
reporters might hang their harps upon the will
lows.
But can this reform be accomplished II
can, if the proper measures are adopted. If
moral suason fail, let laws be passed to break