Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1868-01-01
INCREASE OF CRlMk.

accident with which our columns have ior
DAYS past been overburdened. The tele-
graph wires bend under their weight oil
woe; the old earth quivers with throbs oil
agony from the center to the pole; cities
ara shaken down, countries are enguifed'
fair domains are oyeraowed with red.h
lava !. wife is arrayed against husband
mother against child, son against father ;
hecatomb is sacrificed on one railway
half as many on another and on still an
other the width of a hair stands between
thousand and sudden death. In social
life, our newspapers are smutohed al over
with reports of divorce and separation
trials, of ipfidelity and disgrace, of glgan-
tic crimes undertaken, half accomplished
or completed. What shall be the end OF
these thiugs?' ., r
Now we can but think that much OF
this truly frightful increase OF crime IN
our country-crime of the most revolving
and bloodthirsty nature--is the legitl-
mate result Of such treatment Of convict
ed criminals as is advocated by the N. y.
Tribune. The prevalence of this slckly
scntimentalism, is fast making the crimi-
nal administration Of justice in this coun-
tsy farce; and the most goddess culprits
have come to stalk our streets with as
much composure land sometimes more) as
Greedy, or any servant Of the Prince of
Peace. Greedy undoubtedly edits bet
ter Newspaper than the Prophet Elijah
could have done in his day. The differ
enco between the stylus and Morton's
best-between papyrus and paper-are
immense, and all in the favor Of Greedy,
as are also telegraphic facilities. But
when it comes to the matter OF the treat
ment Of traitors, ,ebets and other great
malefactors. our voice Is still for "good
old Elijah! His little exploit at the
brook Kishon, with the eight hundred
and fifty prophets Of Baal and A'Ataroth
has had our hearty approval ever since
we first read the grspic account Of II, (see
lst Kings. 18th ehaptcr) not the lG7s we
suppose that it seemed to have the Divine
appreciation. Yet we doubt If the SER
wants Of Jezebel were more worthy of re-
ing slain, than many for whom Mr.. Gree
Icy would plead.
This humanity which turns all to the
side Of the criminal is worse in its effects
upon society than the old 'er talionis.
No doubt the code OF Draco was something
TOO severe |; and much Of the legislation
of the, last century modifying and mitisa.
ting our penal codes has been demanded
by the precepts of an advancing civiliza-
ton, What we want-and in the main
we have tits code Of criminal Law ex-
actiy proportioning the penalty to the
wickedness Of the offence; and then an
administration Of the law which shall. at
lsast, inspire the criminally minded with
some just spprehensions Of suffering that
penalty if he violates it. We almost like
to have said there should be no pardonine
power short Of Heaven! We will not
quite say that yet; but all must confess
that the pardoning power is one peculiar.
ly liable to abuse. Yet this abuse is not
to be compared to the evil accomplished
by the sentiment Of perverted humanity
above mentioned. r. I,i.rI ysl
"A savage Teuton cuts off the heads Of
swhole family, to obtain few hundred
dollars he supposes them to possess. ooh,
poor creature y these philanthrcpists say,
be. must have been wretchedly poor, he
must have suffered terribly from the
pangs of poverty, to have done such q
Aor,,d deed!" And so they will recon-
mend that he spend few weeks in Q
house Of correction, where he may enjoy
occasional good society and read or have
read to him some tracts, and then that he
be given a small farm and cottage, where
be can till the land and earn an honest
living, without further necessity or temp
tation to commit such horrid acts ! ,s
No doubt there should be pity in the
human heart for such. We, however,
have more consideration for the nine hun.
bred and ninety.nine we'll disposed and
orderly persons than for the thoussndtb
who happens to be psrverse villain. and
jeopards the peace and safety Of all th,
others. Such mawhish weakness il posi-
lively criminal. We pity these people
to be sure. We pity our dog that take'
to the unpleasant diversion Of killing oul
neighbours sheep, or our cat that irdu gel
the playful fancy Of killing our o~r chick
ems, and we kill them with legreS bd
we kill them or have it done, even tlo 4
the babies al bawl Justify. In all ass
until the present, persons who have prov
m themselves dangerous TO the lives o
property Of others, have been deemed just
lyto have fortified the further protection