, 1873-03-09
CRIME IN HIGH PLACES.

their intellectual development"
| =N---
CRIME IN HIGH PLACES.
The address which the Hon. Horatio sey
mour, Of New York, recently delivered before
| the National Prison Association, at Baltimore
Oh 1.-THE Causes Of Crime" is published in fnn
in the current number Of the Popular Science
] grounds. He deprecates the prevailing tendency
to regard criminals ns exceptional men, who
run counter to the currents Of society," as
tho1ns in the body polite, which must be
! pluoked out. This, he holds, is an error.
Criminals are the outgrowth OF society,
and in many respects the representative men OF
! country. ''It is q hnrd thing to draw an in
dictment against a criminal" says Mr. Seymour,
(which is not an indictment Of tho community in
which he has lived" His principle is, that
wTong-doing ID the result Of the influences per-
vading tho social system, as pestilcnces are bred
by malaria, and he confesses that he cen
scarcely recall case in the thousands Of prayers
for pardon to which he has listened, where he
might not hare fallen, had he been subject to
the same influences, and pressed by the Same
temptations. Coming from man whose per-
sonal purity has never been questioned in q long
life OF public servica, these uttorances carry
with them considerable weight and yet they. EN-
brace only q half truth. It is undoubtedly
true that the circumstances surrounding human
beings are largely instrumental in determining
their conduct. It is not true, however, that
poverty and obscurity are necessarily moro op-
posed to the forming Of correct principles and
the leading Of yirtuous life, than wealth and
power. # one were asked whether the circum-
stances surrounding tho slave Epictetus, or
those surrounding the Emperor Marcus Aure-
lius, were the more unfavorable for the practice
OF virtue and the exercise Of perfectly upright
life, it would be a hard question to answer. In
the application of his doctrine, Alr. Seymour
does not stop at the way-stations OF crimo,-the
saloons, the low resorts, and thoinHuences which
usually absorb the attention Of preachers aud
reformers. He goes back to the fountain
head,-- high places and tho exalted
classes that establish practices which become
vulgar as they descend, and criminal when they
reach the poor md outcast. It is the greed for
- c--9.@>' VI t11Aua y7nnlcb have 1o3 IN
the breaches at rrh1in &+<7.+ ,-,.=.
Of wealth which incites the speculatioa 'Gu -
disturb the business interosts Of the
country; 1t is the gambling and swindIing of
the higher classes that ultimately descend
to loaded dice and confidence gnmes.
The question asked by society is, how much a
man is worth, and not how he acquired wealth.
Tbs nero question Of intellectual attainments
and information is set above the question for |
what purpose these requirements arc used. !
" ihe most dangerous criminal" says Afr. Sey-
mour, "is the educated, intellectual yiolator OF
The 1a#, for he has all the resources OF
art ut his command, the forces Of me-
shanics, tho subtlety of chemistry, the knowl-
'dge OF mems Ways and PASSIONS" As
N instance Of this, lie makes the statement that
'ur servant-girls resist more temptation than
my other class in society. No illustration could
1oint more clearly to the necessity for looking
mong the higher c]asees, among the rich and
he educated, for the causes of crime, rather
han among the poor, the lowly, and those
HOWL as the dangerous classes.
,Alr- Seymour notices one serious difficulty
't1ich America encounters in dealing with crime,
'hich is, at tho same time, q fruitful source
the extension and variety Of criminal .
cts against which our local governments t
'ust combat. 1t is the heterogeneous increase
our population at the rate Of 800 600 per year,
E 100o per day. There has never been an ad- q
ance Of great army without an accompani- | q
nuous advance altogether unparalleled in his h
r. While this immigration contributes enor- =
ously to the vigor energy industry, and strength
our country, it would be strange if it did not is
SO bring with it new temptations for wrong Fl
ing and new elements of crime. It also bur b
rs and complicates our criminal jurisprudence. q
'rmany makes its laws for German subjects, a,
ence for Frenchmen, England for English n
n, China for Cinnamon, but America in ef
led upon to control and assimilate great c,
tiety OF people, customs, languages, and re- VI
lons- In applying this partial excuse for the st
,fclent control Of the criminal classes in New tb
TX City, however, Mr. Seymour does not neg NJ
t to state that !" the discredit Of that great til
? mainly springs from the sad fact that it's LEI
Il OF wealth, as a body, lack that genuine &c
f-respect which leads to a faithful, high Ut
nded performance Of the duties each citizen or
es to tho public" The very same sentiment. vi
l repetition Of these same words, apply With all
u greater force to tic American Congress of an
day, IN th9 influence it e1erts over the couu- nr
at large. ~
his tracing OF tie causes Of crime tn t1,a a,,
nef examples ind influences does not lead 10
Seymour to advocating any 1eniency in 81.