Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-02-02
The Prevalence Of Crime.


Of crime throughout the country, The crimes
against property are Of constant occurrence,
and Of almost incredible audacity and pro-
portion The robbery Of the Northampton
Bank Of nearly a million dollars worth
Of the securities Of the depositors, the for
geries Of Pond and Winslow the defalca-
tons of treasurers cashiers, trustees and
employees Of every description, the depreds-
tons Of mayors and congressman, and Off
cials Of all kinds, upon public funds, the
frauds on the revenue, involving combina-
tons and conspiracies of men reaching from
the highest government officer TO the hum
hlest gauger, the great gambling specula-
tions of Wall street and the more modest
burglaries and larcenics Ivy which less dis
tinguished offenders transfer to their hands
the property Of other people--thesc all show
not merely an increase Of crime, but the
prevalence Of low moral ideas as to the rights
of property throughout the social system.
The financial system Of the government is a
direct fraud on the people. The circulation
conversion into specie is a robbery of the
people to the entire amount of the difference
in value between them and gold. And when
an inconvertible and variable currency is
forced on the country, the government itself
becomes the teacher Of the people in
lax morality on the subject of the rights Of
property
It seems that when Winslow was commit
ting his forgeries, they became known to
several individuals, bank officers and others,
whose silence was secured by the payment
to them of the full amounts Of which he had
defrauded them. Thus his felony was com
pounded by some of his creditors, and he
was given currency in his course of commit
ting on others still greater frauds. 1t is Of
ten the case that banks and parties who are
robbed secure a redemption of portion Of
their funds, by paying the robbers heavy
premium in stolen goods for their restora-
ton. Thus the means taken TO secure their
property puts the property Of all others in
greater jeopardy, and makes robbery mere
game in which the smartest are the winners.
When property compromises offenses against
itself, instead of furnishing them it does
what il can TO overthrow its own security.
Outrages on women are another class Of
offenses that are fearfully common. These
crimes are so detestable and so devilish, that
it is difficult to speak of them as they de-
10 nts1
they deserve. Wife-beating, wife-kiling, are
becoming common amusements in certain
social grades. And barbarous, brutal out
RACES that makerhe homes of civilized soci-
ETY. shudder with pain and fear, are of fire.
quent occurrence. Men dare not trust their
wives and daughters out of sight by them
selves, even in quiet country towns and vii
lagos, lest the hand Of the beastly despoiler
should be lifted against them. II is posi-
BILE the revelations of the secret things in
"high life, the wide disclosures of scandal.
Gus affairs in the history of public and well
known individuals, have stirred up TO action
the sensuous demon in the hearts which are
less instructed and less controlled, and which
are eager to plead high examples for base
crimes, and have added to the volume of
those offenses against the rights Of person,
which is full of such humiiating and awful
records. 1t is possible that the demoralizing
exhibitions in theatre and opera, and in the
still lower resorts in our large cities, have
first stimulated prurient curiosity, and
then nurtured sensuous and vile passions,
until the foul blood has been forced into the
circulation of the entire social system, and
breaks out here and there in pestient erup-
tions, and horrible, ulcerous crimes.
With such fatal drift in high and low
society, among the upper and the lower
classes, to offenses against property, person
and life, and to compromise such offenses
also, and so debase still lower the moral
tone of popular sentiment, what possible
remedy is there What will invigorate the
social moral sentiment What will dimin-
ish the force of crime and increase the CON
demnation and hatred in which it is held
Certainly, when Congress spends its time in
utter disregard of the public welfare, and in
shaping the course of public affairs to the
exigencies of presidential election when
no personal vileness disqualifes our politi-
clans from leading position in the manage
ment of national questions; when our legis-
latures are accumulating statutes under
whose manifold and conflicting provisions
vice and crime may find escape or shelter ;
when the great mass of men are pushing
their way, intent on the acquisition of mate
rial advantage, and wish to let alone and be
let alone in their impetuous movement, it be-
comes religion to take up the PROSTATE form
of virtue which has fallen in the streets, and
seek to re-animate her wounded life II be-
comes the friends of Truth--of the Truth Of
Gods Word--to purify their own ministry
and lives, and then to lift the standard
against the immoral powers that are leagued
for the overthrow of morality and right
eousness. There should go out from
the ministry and churches, at least, voices
OF protest and words of warning, against
all these social crimes, and against the
profound, pervasive selfshness and ma.
terialism in which they are entrenched.
And more than that, there should be mani
fest in the ministers and churches of the
land, who profess to represent the highest
principles OF righteousness, a sincere deyo-
ton to all the claims Of personal integrity
and morality. II they, the pretended lead.
ers and teachers of the people, are false to
their professions; il they lie and steal, and
compromise with dishonesty, and connive
at fraud and robbery, and depreciate Divine
institutions, and lower the standards and
authority of the Sabbath, and turn the wor
ship of God into human entertainment ;
il men who are not religious know and feel
that religious men are not whit better than
they are; no honester no purer no truer, no
less selfish in trade, and no more generous
in action then there is little hope that
crimes against property person and life will
be any less frequent or any more severely
condemned. The easiest and quickest way
In which human society can be disinteg-
rated, and the principles and habits of mo
raliS and purity and righteousness be de-
preciated and cast off, is TO separate il from
the strict and honorable regard Of the Divine
WarI and 10 l.....l... "a. 81