Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-02-06

HoRArIo SEYMOUR ON CRIME.-In
his able address on Prison Reform at
Baltimore Ex-Governor Seymour says:
GAS rule wrong-doing is the
growth of influences pervading the
social system, as pestilences are bred
by malaria Our study into this sub
ject soon teaches us that prisons are
moral hospitals where moral diseases
ale not only cared for, but science
learns the moral laws of life-where it
learns what endangers the general
welfare of the community, what in
sidious pestilential vapors permeate
society, carrying moral disease and
death into it's homes. Prisoners are
men like ourselves, and if we would
learn dangers which Turk in our path
ways we must learn how they stumbl-
ed and fell. | do not doubt that some
men are more prole to vice than 9TH
ers, but after listening to thousands of
prayers for pardon | can hardly recall
a case where / do not feell that l
might have fallen as my fellow-men
have done if l had been subject to the
same demoralizing influences and
pressed by the same temptations.
There is pervading idea in our coun-
try that the spread of knowledge will
check crime. No one values learning
more than do, but it is no specific
for morality and vice. Without NOR
al and religious training it frequently
becomes an aid to crime. Science,
mechanical skill, knowledge of bust
ness affairs-even the refinements and
accomplishments of life-are used by
offenders against law. knowledge
fights on both sides in the battle be-
tween right and wrong. AT this age
it lays siege to banks. 1t forces open
vaults stronger than old castles. 1t
FORCES and counterfeits. The most
dangerous criminal is the educated,
intellectual violator of the law, for he
has all the resources of art at his COM
mand--the forces of mechanics, the
subtlety of chemistry, the knowledge
ofmen's ways and passions. Learn
ing by itself only changes the aspect
Of immortality. Virtue is frequently
found with the simple and uneducated
and vice with the educated. Surround
ed by glittering objects within their
reach our servant girls resist more
temptations than any other class in
society We must look beyond the
accidents OF knowledge or ignorance
if we wish to learn the springs of &C
ton. TO check vice there must be
high moral stan(a DIS in the public
mind The American mind must
move upon higher plan. To reform
convicts their hopes must be aroused
and their better instincts worked upon.
| never yet found a man so untamable
that there was not something Of good |
upon which to build a hope. | never
yet found man so good that he need
not fear a fall. Through the warp
and wool of the worst mans character
there run some threads of gold. In
the best there are base materials. 1t
is this web of entwined good and evil
in mems character which makes the
problems and perplexities ofthe Legis-
lature and Judge, while there is no
honest dealing with this subject unless
the American people are charged with
their share of guilt, and while Chris
tan charity leads us to take the kind
est view we can of every man it does
not follow that crime should be dealt
with in feeble way. Let the laacs be
s,oift, stern and certain IN their action.
What they say let them do, for GER
rA1NTY more than severity carries a
dread Of punishment. Let the way of
offenders to justice be direct,
clear and untrammeled.