The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-24


set in them TO do evil.n
When crime breaks loose, said he, the natural
impulse OF every one s 10 blame the ponce and the
laws. Every one cries out for severer legislation
to intensity punishment. This matter OF punish
ment cannot he settled in moment; the subject
Is not easy; 1t taxes the most thoughtful men the
Vorld over.
What society can do with its criminal members
involves so much ana runs so deep that security
against criminalty is the greatest study that can
be given to any one. The grand END OF punishment
IN human society s either the protection OF society
or the
REFcRMATroN OF THE CULPRTr.
These, after all, are one Human society has no
right OF rEnshment for the sake OF revenge. II IL
usually said that punishment for the sake OF pro-
lection. Society never protects itself 30 wen AZ
when 1t reforms. How, in what degree and with
what severity is matter which experience must
decide According to the condition in which 80
ciety finds Itself it has o right to punish. II the
society 10 barbarous then the punishments may be
barbarOus, but when society is carried up and ele-
waited il has no longer right to such punIshments.
well as punishment at the other me duty is cor.
relative. No society has right to punish when II
does not prevent. In Alternating to prevent crime
experience determines that IL is not severity but
CERrAiNPY AND GEL ERFrY,
which prevents II ia the certainty Of suffcrIng In
COnnectfOu WIFI wrong al Ouce WHICH uctcTS, an
those laws which lie in the future are neglected;
the hope Of escape m0liifes. II the wrong and the
penalty were not q hands breadth apart then
there would be prevention That crime Is lncreas-
ing there can be no doubt. What is the cause
Emigration ~ one cause We have to deal not
only with our own criminals but with those OF
other countries the prevalence OF crime in such
place as New York city Is not To be taken as
showing the average. AS place increases the
temptations to wrong Increase The increase OF
property is great one; men see truth less re-
garded, honesty lees regarded, until the graduation
from right to wrong seems small; ana
DRINK, INSANITY
is another. The use of liquor has been much
abated IN the regulated classes but in the unregu-
lated cues II has increased, and crimlnality springs
largely from the unregulated classes. But, above
ali, is the almost universal convection of IMMUNITY.
The bulk OF criminals are young, in whom hope
predOminates over reelection. There are many
things which give this lmpunity-frSt, the coward
ice OF househOlders, who will not protect their
premises. II men lie as white as their sheets when
they hear thief IN the house, instead OF protect
ing it, it gives imppnity. No man Is tit to keep
founded cOwardice that makes IL easy for thieves
to enter houses. Now, while you curse the thief
save a little for yourself Justice IL represented
with
BANDAGED EYES,
and so the officers of justice think IL their duty to
have their eyes bandaged and when men are
rested there are so many chances OF escape by
compromising with the ponce or property holders,
by POLITICAL influence, by pecuniary influence.
barDarsm as the election o.. judges by the people.
Judges know that political influence keeps Them IN
tneiI pidCcS, anu tHCy are oiTdIu vi OhcHutuE
voters. There Ia vast pecuniary influence
brought to bear on our courts. A man without
friends is sent up without delay, because it tells
well to do IL once In = while; but II o man has
friends money reigns. II Is held that every man
has right to defence. This is correct in general
sense, but the extent to which 1t has been carried
has almost ruined our courts. II there be such lat
itude II genius can pervert justice, then 1t ID the
patron OF crime
What is the remedy TOR this education and re-
ligion and increase OF legislation in the direction
OF cleanliness health, distribution OF population
BRUTAL puNIsnMENTs,
such as hanging. do not say the death penalty
ought never to be used 1t Is right in low stages Of
society, when they have no means OF Keeping pris-
Oners, but in the higher grades hold it Is wrong
The existence of renders conviction reluc and
uncertain. IL does not produce the effect IL once did,
think execution does not deter, but incies crime
man who has to spend forty years OF hts life In
penitentiary Is better example to society than
back towards barbarism. As long as men are exc
cuted think Jurors will stretch low to let crimi-
and Christian way OF regarding criminals not az
brutes, not az having forfeited all rights II a
man had slain hundred men he would have his
rights, not his right Of liberty but no man can be
Invested OF the right that he Is the child o. God it
does not follow that we are not to punish. only
but as q man. When therefore our punlshnents
are ameliorated our convictions will multiply.
the pard9nng power IN the community has been
that 1t gives impunity to crime. hold that the
pardoning power Of the Governor is q safety valve.
in check without hope But 1t does not seem wise
that the pardoning power should reside in the Ex-
ecutive. 1t ought to be in council, and there
ought to be q certainty OF punishment, milder but
sure Justice must not be represented by bear
or a lion but by an angel. When punishment is
lessened then criminality will lessen. We are
ceasng to dignity crime by Its introduction into
literature. We are
What was there in Foster that we have been fed
on him for two years past? Under pretence OF
giving news the newspapers have given column
after column to him. To this man has been given
q OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES desirable, to be sure-that
has been denied to savans. do not believe young
people can read the daily record OF crime and not
be injured. The publication OF criminal news in
such vast quantities is morally injurious to the
community, and tends to produce that state out of
which crime comes.
There are one or two questions, said Mr..
Beecher, which should like to ask you. What
have you done to prevent crime or to reform
criminals? When 1t Is known that alcoholic
drinks the cause Of ninety per cent of the
criminaity, have you ever tried to stop the sale of
1t? Do you feel that you have right to ride in the
state as travellers ride in railroad carr II that
which our Master said is true, there is many and
many man who goes OUT Of life whose chances in
the next world are better than those Of the ones
who are left God said to the Pharisees 1.-The pubi-
can and the harlot shall enter the kingdom OF
heaven before YOU" nfrI