National Republican., 1877-01-22
The Relation Of society to Crime.

The Relation OF Society to Crime.
1t has long been tho study Of philosophers to
determine the true relation which society bears
to tho evils which disturb It's peace, and II has
become the settled theory that It is tho same as
that sustained by the body to disease, and hence
that any eruption OF yico or outbreak OF evil is
directly attributable to somo serious derangc'
ment Of the entire social system. Society is tho
body of the state, whose moral sentiment, rc.
fned and elevated by the free interchange Of
general intercourse, constitutes the Vital Gle
ment OF circulation which preserves and purlnes
the life Of the organization, or which stihcd,
stuItihed, or rendered stagnant BY practices in.
consistent with Its character ncsr its sources or
among those whose duty II Is to create and dis
seminate It, leads indubitably, by natural law,
to decay and disiutegraton. This Is In accord
auce with the universal principle, ns shown by
the whole phenomena OF existence, that free
natural action is the secret Of llfc while NIB.
normal rest is the first stage and sure presago Of
death. So 1t Is that the society maintaining a
state OF moral purity by the correct and constant
examples Of the better classes, aifordlng prac.
tical illustration OF tho truth OF the much.
doubted maxim, that to be virtuous is to 10
happy, will find its reward In tho absence or
speedy subsistence Of those crying evils which
afnct a people whose leading classes have yielded
to the temptations OF vice and practice Its mider
iorms, with the general nction, before the eyes
Of those who find In the observation unrestricted
license for indulgence.
Society Is the body, and It's vices are the evi.
dences Of disease; and II It would remain in a
sound and secure condition It must keep Its moral
forces In such active circulation that they will
reach and restrain all It's members The absorb.
ents OF the body Will thus take up and cast into
the channels OF purihcation all tho efiete sub
stances which must be thrown oil to insure per.
mancnt health. When physician is called to
treat an ulcer on the human body he does not
mt tha
chief means of relief, but upon constitutional
| dles-remedies to reach the seat Of the dis
| ease, the body. Nor, indeed, does he attempt to
heal the local difficulty too quickly, lest 1t result
| in the sudden and dangerous appearance OF tho
| disease elsewhere. The same course is tho
proper one in cases Of moral disease, with which
| society 10 constantly contending The haunts OF
vice should receive discipline, but to turn back
| upon society all the practices which make them
| popular, by suddenly closing them against tho
| gross throng which knocks ut their doors, would
be TO expose It to great danger unwlsely, causing
in many instances results more painful than
| those Of the existing evil Nor would II have
better effect upon the inmates Of those places.
| They would but be arraigned and fined, and then
turned loose upon the streets to devise some new
shelter, as we'll for their persons for the prac.
tice Of their proponstics and this result-the In.
| variable one-wotld have nothing to recommend
II either to the moral or to the meroiful.
No; this is not the course to be taken II the oh.
| ject be to effect cure In moral diseases. The
authority dealing with It should b impelled by
Judgment as we'll as by justice. 1t should also
have Healing In Its thoughts, and any course that
docs not promise reform-that does not look to
the good of those to be affected bv it-should bc
repudiated. Society should bo appealed 10 to
give some return for Its security, and to mako
some amends for Its own iaohss leading to tho
general debasement by contributing the means
for the establishment OF reformatory schools and
occupations, to which the orrlng could be sent as
unfortunAtes, IN mercy, with the full conscious
ness Of the thought upon their minds, to remain
until reformed and proper places could bo pro-
cured for them and all prospect Of return to the
infamy Of the past Is out ofview, and not Grim.
inals to serve stated time to satisfy the decree
1.-THE Law, and then to go, doubly branded, back
| to the shame from which they were taken, be-
| cause the hearts and homes Of men are barred
| against them.
This is the way society Is to redeem itself from
vice and shame, II the consummatiOn so devoutly
to be wished is ever arrived at. There is no
other course. Tho erring young man must be
brought back to his forsaken manhood by kind.
ness and confidence, by sympathy and help And
the erring woman, so far as II Is In the power Of
society to restore her, Is to be reformed by per.
manent severance from shame, accompanied with
IN exhibition Of readiness on tho part Of society
10 provide her with respectable employment. SO
shall society, like tho body absorb the disease It
strives with, and gradually ronovate Its morals
and rogenerate Its members.
We have heard with qualification that the
| president Of the new Police Board, Mr.. Gatchel,
has long been q practical philanthropist OF this
sort In endeayors to reform young men, and We
congratulate tho public that the position referred
to is filled by one whose experimental knowledge
In the work Of reform Will be Of such service to
him In tho discharge Of his olclal duties. 1t isa
pleasant assurance of his fitness and prospective
| usciulnes.