New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-02-05
CAUSE AND PREVENTION OF CRIME.

CAUSh AND fhbFbN 11OH VI Oh1Mh'
The Hon. Horatio Seymour has made
an address before the National Prison AS
ISOLATION at Baltimore which is worthy Of
consideration by all who value the pros
perity and liberties Of society. lie thinks
that crime is the moral disease Of society.
and that the duty of the statesman is. like
that Of the physician. to make the dag
nosis Of the disease and anaiyZe all the
causes Of its existence. This is true.
Liberty is the reward Of virtue. It is the
highest premium Of order. Order is the
first point Of elf-~government. Nothing
is more common. yet nothing can be more
absurd. than to expect the reform Of man
hood by punishment. We agree with Mr..
Seymour that punishment should be swift
and certain. but has society performed its
duty when its provides the prisonhouSe
and the gibbet: Society pursues its plea
sure and its business. 1t takes no con-
Germ of the idle and the needy. The poor
boy without food OF clothes yields to ne
cessity and relieves the opportunities Of
nature. The poor woman, working often
through cold and rain at q pittance which
will not maintain food, fire and clothing,
Is driven by desperation to vice and from
vice to crime. Vanity passes her each
day, it notes her pale cheeks, thin figure
and scanty dress; by and by society sees
her at the bar for an evil act, and is next
invited TO the private rehearsal Of her exc
cution for infanticide. Very well, society
instantly vindicates itself by exclaining,
Vicious and abandoned creature! Let her
be put to death, TO ayenge the violated law,
and as an example to others" But this
death vindicates no law. The poor ceature
at first wisLel only to sustain life, not 10
violate law. She thought only Of food,
warmth, raiment; they made an imperious
demand for satisfaction. She Obeyed ma
ture. she did not think to violate law. So
society goes on its wickedand thoughtless
way, absolutely justified to itself that it has
slain one whom it has seduced. It has COM
mitted crime. it has no: yindicated law.
EIr. Seymour explains the duty Of edu-
eating the poor. But he well adds, edu-
cation may also improve the powers Of
evil. He will pardon US. The first duty
Of the country is TO employ the people. You
can 10. educate a child without sufficient
food or comfortable clothing. The body
demands its necessities to be supplied
first. then the mind viii &C: willingly and
inquiringly. Let It be admitted that the
two duties can be combined; that the child
may cat and read a: the same time. Very
Well. Bat merely intellectual pabulum
is no: attractive. Indeed, it might almost
BE afflm.d tina: the large majority Of those
who learn 70 read do 50 20 improve their
physical condition. Few love learning in
the abstract. Ii society has then en-
rioyed and INSTRUCTED is members, those
who violate the law ere worthy and
properly punished. They can not turn
, upon society. as Paul Clifford. the convict.
and say: u was your ignorant pauper:
You passed me daily in the streets without
regarding my need ormy ignorance: when
I yielded to that which you had never
troubled yourself to teach me was wrong,
or &c the necessity of the hour. you COM
mit!ed a crime-what ! have done was the
consequence Of your criminal neglect of
duty" It was then be, Bulwer, uttered
that great truth which might have
enanated from a statesman: 1.-The very
worst use you can make Of y man is to
hang him." The capital punishment Of a
man (and we believe in capital punishment
is the atonement o: society for its own
criminal neglect OF duty. 4 parent rears
q child in Ignorance and bad associations.
What does society say: That the parent
is responsible for the offense committed
by the child. Very we'll. How has society
treated its children: They axe the poor
and ignorant.
Ny. Seymour traces all the crimes Of
Tweed and Ames and Stokes. though lie
does no: name them. 20 the same laws.
and commends 70 statesmen the study 81
social condition Us the best means Of
criminal cure. We commend Lis soa:i-
meats heartily.
SECTIONAL ESTRINGEMENT.