New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-05
TOWN AND COUNTRY CHIME.

illustration of the folly of the whole business.
TOWN AND COUNTRY CHIME.
1t is an unfortunate but undeniable fact that
the aggregate Of crime multplies with popula-
ton, not proportonately, but in fatal and fast
increasing ratio. Therefore, while we are not
disposed unduly to extenuate the lawlessness OF
New.York, or to claim for ourselves govern
ment altogether what it should be, We must re-
mind those who would not BIO uncharitable in
their judgment that the congregation OF nearly
million of human beings anywhere is certain
to be followed by many ofenses against society
Ifall the crimes here committed were spread over
State of population equal to that of this city,
the number would hardly BIO considered enor-
nous. 1t must be remembered, also, that Oh
lenses against property are naturally and most
frequently committed where the largest amount
of property is concentrated; and that personal
violence of riotous character appertans only
to crowd. When newspapers in other parts OF
the country expatiate upon the wickedness oil
New-York, We think they do not always well
enough consider that New-York is not o pleasant
hamlet quietly sleeping in a fowery vale, with
one shop, one tavern, one church, and one school.
house. musical with birds and bees, and drowsy
with rural contentment and plenty; but that
here are carried on vast mercantile and manu-
featuring operations-that here are swarming
streets in every one Of which resides popula-
ton as great as that of three or four New
England towns-that activity is here contagious,
and that here human passions are forever
stimulated by the jostle, the competition, the
hot attrtion Of hundreds Of thousands OF men.
If New.York naturally attracts so much OF the
honorable enterprise Of the country, it neces-
sarily absorbs, too much that is dishonorable;
and if the rural districts are Invested, by the
temptations and facilities Of metropolis, of
large numbers Of dangerous persons, they should
in common fairness recollect that they gain this
great advantage at the expense OF the city, ana
that tho Same cause which makes their own
municipal labors light, makes those Of New-York
all the heavier. For this disproportion Of moral
influences We can propose no perfect remedy.
II is the inevitable result Of highly artificial life,
and is the penalty We must pay for whatever Is
to be gained by the concentration OF human
energies. 1t has been the fixed policy OF this
journal repeatedly and earnestly to urge upon
all who could live in the country the wisdom Of
staying there; but no advice can arrest or con-
troll the gregarious tendencies of human nature.
People ,cM come here-and too often they come
only to fail and to fall.
A Boston paper, in some remarks, general
ly well considered, upon tho great increase Of
crime recently to be observed, seems to forget,
in its eagerness to censure New.York, that it is
in the rural districts that many Of the most
hideous of such crimes have been committed.
The horrible murder Of two children in West
Roxbury took place almost within sight Of the
dome of the Boston State House. The best of
the Boston police have been investigating this
case for weeks, and we believe are entirely at
fault. Concord, in the State Of New-Hamp'
shire, enjoySa reputation for peace and good
order worthy of its name, yet last week it was
the scene Of q serious riot, requiring
the iuterpostion of a military force. The
case of Greene the murderer in Maiden, Mass,
is exciting much notice. He is clearly guilty;
he has been found guilty; he has been captally
condemned; and yet, for some reason, it seems
to BIO impossible to hang him. If this difficulty
had occurred in this city, it would have been
at once referred, by some Of our outside censorS
oyJudical or Executive corruption. Has any
thing ever occurred in New.York more horrible
than the outrage upon young lady of Middle
field, Ct.l Here in this pleasant rural locality,
she could not walk mile through the woods
without being ravshed, stripped, left naked and
almost dead. Yet We should not think OF
reckoning rape among the "steady habits" OF
Connecticut But We will not continue the
catalogue If any man is disposed to charge
all the crime and iniquity of the day upon the
City Of New.York, We might put him in the way
of more charitable conclusion by submitting
to his inspection small bundle of our exchange
newspapers. He would find few Cams even
in the country, and the smell OF Abers Diood
sometimes mngling with the scent OF the new
mown hay.
New.York is bad enough. nor have we any