The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-06-21
The Prevalence md Punishment
of Crime.

From the Baltimore Gazette
The public ears are filled with the story of
crime. Each day has its marvel. No commune
ty escapes the prevalent lawlessness. Every form
of human destruction, conceived in the frenzy of
passion, is attempted. Hatchets, axes razors,
knives, guns, revolvers, poison, suffocation, are
the instruments. The hellish purpose finds its
victims in all the relations of life. father is
summoned by his unhedged offspring 10 make
humiating confession and summary promises Of
amendment of life and manners. His promises
are vain. The tyranny of passion, overcome by
opportunity meanly and unmagnanimously OBJ
tanned, exacts life instead of the demanded re-
form. The cool william talks of virtue, and pro-
teCts mothers happiness by Kidding fathers
body with bullets. Forthwith the country re-
sounds with EXPLANATIONS of WONDER which
scarcely die away when some interruptions pen
attempts to vindicate the atrocious sin, and to
blot out the damned spot Mothers forges tnelr
love, and murder household. Fatherssplit the
skulls of offending families. To crown all, we
have Websterian examples of cutting up and
burning the victim, and in one instance the muir
dered man was skinned. Are we retreating into
lawlessness and savagery Is murder epidemic
Shall we have no let up-in the fearful course ?
There must be some causes in our treatment OF
moral questions in our modes of life, and in the
conditions and decisions of the courts OF the
country for these very prevalent crimes.
The excusableness of crime, il accompanied
with certain conditions, has been frequent theme
OF public discussion. With US, and in communi-
ties having similar freedom of discussion and
opinion, each feels himself authorized to have an
opinion, and compelled to sustain it by argu-
ments We are argumentative. Our debating
clubs discuss the gravest themes, and are never
discouraged by the task. Boys give the reasons
for dissent from we'll established truths and
catching the controversial impulse from newspa-
pers lawyers, and doctors of divinity, bravely
defy the opinions of older and wiser persons A
free fight has been enjoyed on moral questions.
Many grave issues, met by history itself, and de-
cided by its memorable decrees have been re-
opened with hasty lips and hippant talk. To the
uniformed, and the large class of licentously
disposed a possible retreat from authority and
usage is afforded. Exemption from restraint and
looseness of thought are very pleasant substitutes
for freedom morally fastened to tested and long,
sustained first truths. If we must try every cur
rent because it is running, our experiments will
strand US before the voyage is made Some rev.
erent Difference is due the thought OF other gen
erations. Recent thinkers are not always logical
and accurately informed. Superficial thinking
is unavoidable to hasty thinkers. Because we
can talk much it must not be inferred we think
much 1t is wonderful how many words can be
put together dramatically without convey ing
any distinct and ineligible thought The volu-
| BILE tongue does not always carry heavy load.
Public opinion needs to be wary of new teaching
| on morals and religion. The principles OF moral
| ity never change. Their basis is the relation oil
men to each other. Circumstances only modify
| slightly permanent obligations, as to the time
and mode of dscharging them. The American
mind would do well to accord as settled the prin-
| ciples of morality, and to hold sacred the moral
| institutions which have come down the ages and
proved their efficiency by the tests of all sorts OF
| times and men. Perhaps we would do well to
consider it settled that reverence is due to religion,
| obedience to law, and honor to father and mother
We shall not be injured by believing, and teach
| ing others to believe that defiance Of law, and
restveness under legal authority, damage moral
character, alloy social happiness and undermine
the security of civil rights. 1t is well to have
something settled, beyond the cavl of the mere
| obiector. Right and wrong are not imaginary
| They are real distinctions Broad lines of separa.
ton bound them, if not always in human con-
cepton and expression, certainly in the approval:
| and COMBINATIONS of conscience.
| Our modern modes of life are not favorable &c
virtue so greedy of gain and hasting to be rich
are we become. Men must hare money
| Wealth is the greatest power of the community
1t is an object of universal desire. Whoever
thinks he would use it virtuously, feels justified
in its sharp pursuit. Whoever wants it to com
| pete Win OtuerSj uOtS not letl ululSelI MERELY
selfish in wishing to be as rich as other people
We are driving trade, and stretching out ou
hands for the advantages OF money. And W.
grow INSCRIPTIONS. Let others then get out o
the way. Avarice and pride soon call in the ex
ecutive force of revenge. Murder entrusts it'll
money and a mighty secret to its guilty perpetra
tor. 1t will out. Money and secret will be tn
betrayers.
The submission of guilt to the judgment 0
law, when frmness grasps the sword of justice
is worthy of our attention. Before conviction
how brave, when found guilty how uusuSta!net
are bad men. Spread this impression that police
and courts, and executive, are bent on arrestin
and Furnishing the guilty; that society aust pro
tect itself or be destroyed that no hiding plac
can be found for horrid crime; that every face
an accuser, and every home is pleading foa safe
and protection that money cannot b"g escap
frorSg% sa1 penalty; that we are at 7 wake
rrifc danger of unpuns GRIM
criminals, paiifation Of guilt, and inei::ciel tjudi
Charles. 1t will be learned that we have 70 tim
to weep over felons.