Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-02-26
THE CAUSES OF CRIME.
ECHB ny
Ex-Governor HOrati0 Seymour.
Crime the Disease of Society.


Especial Despatch to the world.l
BALTIMORE, Md, January 2l.-The
second session of tho National Prison
Association of the United States began
this evening in Masonic Temple Mr.
Horatio Seymour, OK Governor of New
York, President of the Association,
called the meeting 10 order at eight
o'clock. Delegates were present from
Massachusetts,, Rhode Island, Now
York, New Jersey, Michigan, Tcnnes-
see, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Miss
ouri, Indiana, West Virginia, Connect
icut and other States, from several
Territories, and from the District OF
Columbia.
PresidentSeymour made an eloquent
address, occupying halt an hour in de-
livery. lie said
The name of this Association fails
to give full idea of its scope and
aims. In terms they seem TO be limi-
ted to that class OF men who have
brought themselves under the penal
ties Of the law, but the moment we
begin to study tho character of crimi.
nails and the causes of crime we find
that we are forced back to scrutiny
of our social system, and of the weak
ness as well as the wickedness of our
fellew-mcn. 1t is because the subjects
of pauperism and crime thus lead TO
an analysis Of human nature and to
the consideration of social aspects that
they have been made the matters OF
profound thought by able publicists
and large. minded statesmen. AT first
thought IL seems that tho condition OF
n small body Of men who have offend
cd local laws should be left to the
thoughtful control Of local authorities,
but it is soon found that the consider.
ations involved are as broad us the
spead of the human race. For these
reasons leading men of different ma
tions were drawn together at the lato
International Convention ut London,
and for these reasons this Association
was formed.
Crime knows no geographical limits,
no boundreies of States. 1t ia lis ma
ture to war with the welfare OF the
human family. 1t must be opposed
by the united wisdom and virtue of all
nationalities and Of all forms of civil.
ization. While local laws must frame
penal codes, and local societies do the
work Of lifting up fallen men, still
much is gained by widespread sym
pathy and cooperation. ine,o 49,
many things which arc beyond tho
reach of State action, in y moral poin'
of viow-things which do not come
under the cognizancc of the laws, but
which deeply affect the welfare of tho
whole country. Az tho first view our
efforts seem TO be limited to tho jus
tice which Furnishes crime, and 10 the
charity which tries to reform the erin
inal, but we are soon led into widcl
field Of duty. We are apt TO lool
upon the inmates of prisons as exccp
tional men, unlike the mass Of oul
people. We feel that they are thorn'
in the side Of the body polite wbicl
should be drawn out and put whcr'
thcy will do no harm. We rogar(
them Us men who run counter TO th'
currents OF society, thus making dis
order and mischief These are errors
In truth they are men who run viii
the currents Of society and who ou
run them. They are men who in
great degree are moved and dircctc'
by the impulses around them. The
characters are formed by tho civiliza
ton in which they move. They ar
in many respects tho representative
mon of a country. II is hard thin
to draw an indictment against Grim
inal which is not in some respects al
indictment of the community. in whic'
he has lived. An intelligent strange