Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-06-08
The Recent Honiciae and the Reflections
- Il SugGents. .... 7sl..rstrt.I

FRIDAY:...,,,.,.i..:..,,,,.,......,,..,.....sOSs
The Recent Homicidc and the Reflections
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The lamentable assassination Of Mr.. Craw-
ley, of Mount Auburn, and the circumstances
under which the crime was committed, afford
us the opportunity to present to the readers
of the PRkss few reflections upon the ten
dency Of certain features In the policy of our
municipal administration to increase the
number Of similar events, through the indi-
rect encouragement which il gives to the
class by which, IN general they are perpe-
trated. In 50 doing we have no desire to cali
in question the motives of any of our public
officers. Their offense-if offense it is-con-
sists in permitting themselves to be led by
precedents and preiudices, rather than listen
to the dictates Of reason and experience.
With the materials Of the necessary wisdom
before them, upon which they have only to
look in order to learn all that is desir-
able to know, they do, as thousands
have done, prefer theories to facts, and, as a
necessary consequence, begct abuses where
they vainly fatter themselves they are pro-
noting reforms. Perhaps, in better times
that are coming, things viii be different, at
least, tits consoling to be permitted to hope
so without greatly offending anybody. There
is reason from the known facts of the case to
believe that the person or persons by whom
the deed was committed mistook the estima-
Bile young ladies who were in company with
the deceased, for people of avery different
character. Most unfortunately they were not
sufficiently near TO him, at the time when
they were accosted, to render il absolutely
certain that they were directly under his pro-
lection. A recent decree of the city govern
ment, intended, doubtless, only to reach a
certain class, in effect outlaws every woman
found in the streets after certain hour in
the evening, renders her technically suspi-
cious, and exposes her to actual insult from
every ruffian, brute or scoundrel whom she
happens to encounter. 1850
Weare not saying this in view of hypo-
thetical cases, or of occurrences that may
possibly happen; but with an eye to things
as they are. There are creatures bearing the
forms of men, who need but the opportunity
and the permission 10 insult and abuse every
female within their reach. There is a base
spirit by which a lower order Of men are in
fected, making them actually glory in being
able to heap unprovoked injury upon the
head Of an unprotected woman. Nor is the
number of such in this city small. It is large;
and under the present executive policy, the
sum of the wrong and crime, and cruelty
which they commit is terrible. These men
stand on high moral platform, beside the
Mayor. The outlawry which the latter has
pronounced, they, as indicators of the public
7, virtue, feel commissioned to execute. Bold
enough at all times, they become especially
insolent at finding themselves in such excel
lent society, and carry on their depredations
with confidence hitherto unknown. 4t-
The effect of this outlawry upon women
destitute of legal protectors is to the last de-
gree disheartening. Whatever they may suf-
fer, they feel as if there is now no place to
which they can go for defense; and there are
hundreds of such in this city-women whose
exterior conduct is, in every respect proper
and exemplary-who, merely because they
are ueIoubcleSs duu Will uOb pcILlb lucll-
selves to associate with the meanest of man.
kind, are daily made to suffer insult and in
jury from those who, covered with the moral
Ggis of the mayoral proclamation, actually
feel themselves empowered to do evil to the
full extent of their ability
There is an old record of crime and cruelty
standing in the history of this city, growing
out OF causes precisely similar to those
that are now at work, which tells OF
moral purgation, carried on at the
hands of rabble, until humanity
wept and turned away its head at the awful
spectacles that were presented. Do we want,
either in whole or in part, recurrence OF
these days Of terror and disgrace? If we do,
the true way to secure it is to outlaw a class
to put either in fact or in feeling beyond
the protection of the legal institutions of the
country--and we shall have bands of rufians
in the streets, midnight assassinations, mobs
of wrstches bent on executing the moral law,
houses pulled down, women drawn through
the streets by the hair-in short, all of those
phenomena that usually, in a greater or less
degree, belong among the consequences OF
hasty, ill-considered and spasmodic reform.