Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-07-23
Are We Growing Better 2

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i fhis d pertinent inquiry put BY one of ou
szbhasgse which it would DO well for US, as patri
OTIS and men; a. christians, -nomiually nj least
and citizens of q country whOse government il
based upon that love of law and order, of relig ion
and virtue which are supposed to lie at the FUN
dation Of all true and rational liberty con
slider.
A few days since, there arrived in New York
an individual styling himself "the champo OF
the world" because, being endowed by nature with
great powers of ph ysical endurance and possessing
uncommon muscular development. no had stood
up In the presence Of thousands. to give and re.
ceive blows. and to show how that strength which
the had given for better purposes could
beexerted to main and deform his fellow man. This
was properly called the musclemans carnival IA
carnival Of crime, truly. And yet this man, upon
returning Ia his native shores, WAS received with
distinguished honors feted and caresscd bv u
considerable portion Of the population Of New
York;
Later STILL public execution WINS had on lit.
tie island near that city,--and il was made the
occasion of festive enjoyment. Pleasure excur-
sions we're gotten up, and steamboats, were adyer-
tised to take oil who might wish to witness the
execution. Thousands ayailed themselves OF the
opportunity, reminding one Of the times of iona
than Wild, as forcibly illustrated in Fieldins's es-
say on the Increase Of Robbers" wherein it il
said that
Tho day appointed by the law for the thcfs
shame, is the day OF glory in his own opinion.
His procession to Tyburn and his last moments
there are all triumphant attended " it'll tho com.
passion Of tho meek and tendcr-b sarted, ind with
the applause, admiration and envy of all the bold
and hardened. His behavior in his present con
dition--not tho crimes how atrocious soeyer
which brought him TO i-arc the subject Of con.
temptation. And If he hath sense enough to
temper his boldness with any degree of decency.
his death is spoken OF by many with horror by
most with pity and by all with appreciation.
This was q hundred years ago but great
change has since come the British public
il We may credit Thackeray, who speaking of the
scenes which used to transpre at Tyburn Hin,
says:
We're q man brought to die there now, tho win.
dows would be closed and the inhabitants keen
their houses in sickening horror. A hundred
years back, people crowded to the last act Of
highwayman's life and made jokes on it, Swift
laughed at him. grimly advising him IT, proyide
"A
crimson or black ribbon for his exit to mount the
cart cheerfully shake hands with tho hangman.
ard so-larewc. Gay wrote the most delightful
ballads aud made merry over the same hero Con.
trast these with the writings of our present hu
morstsi Compare those morals and ours-hose
manners and ours.
But the circumstances attending tho late exc
cuton on Bedoe's Island proves that wc havo not
kept pace with REINFORCEMENT of our trans allan
tic ncgabors in this respect amy more au in their
regard for law which il eynced in the greatly
reduced calendar of crime in England IA compared
with tie United States. We doubt whether. under
any circumstances tho execution of criminals
should be public; but as it is SO raro n thing now
in this country, to visit capital punishment upon
any person who has influential friends the practice
may he tolerated n while longer. Akin to this
subject Of capital punishment, is tina, of the pre-
valence of crime, which has seemed to rend,r il
necessary; due alike to outraged law and to the
peace OF society, and it becomes us to inquire
whether the fearful increase of crime il not ntiri-
butable to the lnxity with which the laws arc al.
minis'ered. and the immunity 81 often secured to
tho offender by peryerson or complete ignoring
Of the law? Are we growing better?