The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-06-30
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
"a Terrible Picture of Crime,

"a Terrible Picture Of Crime,
To The Editor Of The STATE Journal
Your article, "a Terrible Picture Of
Crime" paints with too much faithfulness
the startling condition ofsociety, especially
in some of our large cities, where notorious
criminals are "unwhipt Of Justice" until
the enormity Of their crimes is forgotten
in the excitement of some later horror. and
they escape through the intricacies of legal
pleading or practice.
But is the entire remedy for such a de.
plorable condition of society to be found in
your prescription-''to save men from
crime we must educate all the children p,
or is it q fact, as You suggest so sweepingly
IN connection with the remark above
quoted, shaving educated them. thew be-
come valuable citizens ?o&c.
1t IS unquestionably fact that educa-
ton tends to make men. more able to
choose between good and evil, and there
fore better prepared for the duties of cit-
7shjp, but the effectiveness Of education
u the legitimate end sought, depends
upon whether the head and heart are both
cultivated, or whether the head only is cu,-
tiyated and the heart neglected.
Look at some of the prominent criminals
whose deeds have given them recent noto-
riety-Mrs. Fair, Mrs. Sherman. Foster.
Stokes, Walworth, Mcdonnell ali of these
were educated, in the ordinary acceptation
of that term, and yet that education only
sharpened their weapons of offense against
society.
Is. it not characteristic of the age. that
fashion must be followed at any and all
costs - and is there not a tendency to
decry as old fashioned, and therefore not
adapted to our time, the old, sound Chris
tan precept, which half century ago
formed the foundation of all educational
superstructure. s.r e.
Are not children more praised for smart
ness than obedience? Are not Young men
more complimented for business shreWdness
than business honesty? Are not vouno
ladies more sought who are stylish and self.
possessed than those who are neat and mod
est? go to any gathering of young people.
and You will find what is most attractive
there is least adapted for the trying wear OF
home; and children, who are more strong
ly impressed by example than by precept.
are taught to prefer the meretricious to The
genuine.
But 1t will be said, grant all this, where
is the remedy? The remedy is not to be
found in education, public or private. per
sc, but in purified and elevated public
opinion; demanding gandy display of all
grades, honest or dishonest, to its proper
position OF neglect, instead Of interviewing
and advertising 1t on all occasions. The
press is potent in this respect for good,
as 1t has OF late been too often forevl, of
sensation journalism and public taste for
it, it may most truly be said: "L'appeti!
yient en- mangeant," and the consumption
Of sensationalism has been fostered by
unlimited supplies of the vicious article.
The constant endeavor to decry religious
instruction in schools, has been too success
full, and it is apparently considered that
the oit-repeated injunctions to be found in
the Bible, to train up children in the way
they should go, and the statutes, which it
was made imperative should be taught.
have been revoked and repealed by the
superior power ofmodern progressive ideas.
THE JOURNAL has not lent itself to sensa-
ton and covert irreligion, as many papers
have, but is it not time to become aggressive
instead Of neutral, and strike at the grow
ing evil j.
letter from Northumberland County.
june %, 1873.
To the Editor Of The State Journal.
ln the coming election for county and
state officers every one feels the importance
and necessity for having suitable candidates
in the field. Numbers of gentlemen of
ability and worth have been
spoken of by both parties as their respec-
tive acknowledgements, and the conventions,
which will soon meet will settle all prelmi-
nary contests. Both parties will unques.
tionably put forth their utmost efforts
the one to retain the hold upon " the flesh
pots of Egypt" the other to free the
state from the heavy incubus with
which it has been afflicted since the
war. All kinds of irrelevant issues
will be brought in to divert the public
mind from the real ills Virginia has so
long been heir to, and it is very necessary
that suitable men should be nominated. For
the place of attorney-general Colonel
Richard A. Claybrook, Of Westmoreland,
would be most suitable nominee of the
Republican convention. He is gentle
man of extensive legal requirements his
of the law is accurate and tho
rough, few men, if any in the state,
being his superior as advocate and counsel
or. His nomination would give strength
to the party in the approaching contest,
and be most acceptable to
MANY VOTERs