Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-02-05
TIE iNcnEAsH or tRImE.

not find in some of our exchanges
the sickening detail Of some crime
sufficiently horrible in its nature to
appall the stoutest heart. Even the
superficial observer fcap- not avoid
tile unpleasant conclusion that the
carnival Of crime is fright fully on
the increase. There seems to be, at
the present day,Aa perfect mania for
blood. Husbands murder their wives,
and mistresses shoot their lovers
Inoifensive men are felled down re-
morselesslyby those whom they have
never injured, even in thought
Women who have no faults, save
beauty of person and purity of mind,
are violated On the highways by ruf1i-
ans for whom fiends would be a mild
name. Children who are too young
and feeble to defend themselves are
whipped TO death by brutal parents
and guardians who reduce the tor
lures of the inquisition to refined
science. h
Higher in the soci scale, false
hood, dishonor, bribery, lust and inf
deity take the place of these baser
and more direct crimes. Honesty in
all the relations of life is not so much
the rule rs the exception. And we
are no less astonished at the reason
assigned for this state of things, than
Mortified at the disgusting accounts
Of violence, brutality and bloodshed
daily thrust under our nose.
We have heard it said repeatedly,
in the past few years, that the war
made rascals of a great many honest
men. To this we cannot fully assent.
While all must readily admit that
the war was very demoralizing in its
Influences, we as stoutly contend that
1t made no honest man dishonest,
and converted no law-abiding citizen
into II iObber and murderer. Neither
md the war, of itself, rob any one
al innocence and purity, virtues
which make bright and beautiful the
life of the humblest individual. The
war only developed character. The
latent principles of crime, hatred and
wrong were merely slumbering in
the breasts Of those who yielded to
temptation and took advantage of
the temporary exemption from pun
tshment which q suspension of civil
law offered.
And on the other hand, the war af-
iorded thousands of opportunities for
II display OF all the high and holy at
tributes with which man or woman
il endowed. There was sacrifices to
be made, burdens to bear, hardships
10 endure and trials TO undergo, be-
meath the weight of which many
ialtered and many fell. It afforded
some of the brightest examples of
seif-sacriitcing devotion and heroism
that have ever graced the pages of
history, and there are thousands
among the surviving followers of the
lost cause who can to-day revert with
rs much pride and pleasure to their
tr!umphs Of principle rs to their tri.
umphs Of arms.
Yet the war did not make good
men bad nor bad men good. Its in
ilnences upon them for good or evil
simply demonstrated what they re-
ally were before an opportunity pre-
scented itself for the exhibition of
their good or bad qualities,
We are honest in the belief that
the press Of the country is to a great
extent responsible for this lamentablo
decay of morality and virtue. Ia
miliari,Y with crime is what dcmor-
"Ii1cs tho weak and hayward. We
frequently ind in paper aiming to
he urst-class journals the shocking
details of crimes and iniqulties too
horrible and loathsomo for reality.
Ica murder is committed, the most
minute particulars mnst be paraded
in the public prints; and IL the muir
dlrer is brought to justice, the scene
OF The execution is pictured as wildly
rs words can paint It, and every sem
tcnce uttered by the miserable cul-
pgit Is cartadly noted down 10y re-
porters and servedup By enterprizing
journals for the DEDICATION of their
readers.
II iomale chastity is brutally VIC
lated, The shr,eES of the victim must
lac ruug in The ears Of the public, her
character discussed, her beauty com.
mcn,cd upon, and every law of de-
cincy and humanity disiogardod in
ondar To- satisiy this dopraved appetite
which "a certain class OF writers have
50 long and assi,nausly labored to
create.
Hts thus that the rising generation
hao3mcs iamilianzci with crime, -
They learn, b. degrees, 10 read and
not shuldrr. The details az rapine
and murder w, ares q while, be
sought at'r With nv.dlty ana they
are brought to calmly contemplate
atroo.,!es the ample mention of
which would, NJ first, freeze the blood
IN their young veins
lriS not necessary, IA p matter ~
neRA, 10 enter Into all the aickeuing
"details OF An 1ccUneLco IN which the
public may feel intere tod 4 simple