The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-05-19
The PROGRESS of Crime.

Ifthe newspapers of this country faithfully
daguerreotype the character condition and
of the people, then, indeed, the world grows
no better. Never in the history of the nation
has there been more individual crime, as we'll as
organized corruption and viciousness than at pres
ent Nor is this only true of any particular Sec
tion North, South, East and West.-every-
where. and perhaps in every locality is
rampant 1t is possible, indeed highly probable,
if the newspapers are correct, that crime is more
common at the North wherethe population is more
dense, than even at the South, where We might
expect more Generalization.
We have been impressed with the evidences
of decentralization and of the loss of virtue more
from the frequency of that foul blot upon society,
rape, which predomlnutes in all Sections than from
almost any other circumstance.
1t is possible that the Press is not as careful
in the investigation of particular instances of
crime, to ascertain the truth it should be- 1t is
bad enough, and sufficiently prejudicial to society,
when ,n!y the truth is made public in regard
to those heinous offences, but we fear that the
desire for news, for sensational paragraphs,
prompts those who would cater to the morbid
aud putrd appetite of the public to hear bad
news, to go beyond the truth in these matters.
We have been struck with the avidty with
which the Press gulped up most horrid and de-
grading account of the seduction, by negro, of
young and interesting daughter OF Gen Mower,
lately second In command to Gen. Sheridan,
at New Orleans, and of the feeling and ex-
ASPIRATION excited, and Of the subsequent killing
of the negro. We did not publish it, because
We doubted its truth, and, moreover, because we
are not disposed to contribute, in any way to
tue increase of crime, by making the public ear
ana heart so familiar with its disgusting details.
The account has since been denied by relative
of Gen. Mower, but not with sufficient emphasis
to correct the impression made by the first pub
lication.-Raleigh Sentinel
We, too have refrained from publishing many
accounts of disgusting outrages, because we
doubted the truth Of some stories of the sort,
and, if true, did not think it proper to horrify
our readers with such revelations
MISSIONARY BOARD OF THE METHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SoUrH.-Louisville May
S.-The Missionary Board of the Methodist
Episcopal church, South, met here yesterday
Bishop Pierce presiding. DR.. McFerrin made
a brief exhibit of the finances, showing that the
collections and disbursements in the destitute
regions of the South during the year reached
$50. 900. He spoke in high terms of the liber-
ality Of the Church. and said that the prospects
for the future are full of promise The religious
interests of the colored people were under con-
sideration. A conference of colored people con-
neeted with the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, had been formed with a view to the final
organisation of general conference Of the coiered
preachers of the Church i'm the South, everything
being On the basis of the discipline of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, South, yet distinct from
the whites in all their associations and operations