The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-12-11
Mauki.h HananiiAaanisn.


Msvkish HamanitAnAnisu.
Mr.. Henry Bergh, Of New York, By his
efforts TO prevent cruelty to man and beast,
has made himself known throughout the /
length and breadth Of .his cOuniry as :
He has even been deemed
oiEieious, 10 his real in that directions, bu, /
10 his remarks before the Gilbert Prison
era Aid Society at the Cooper Institute,
last week, he astOnished and electrified his /
audience by giving utteranee to sentiments |
asiagonistic to the objects Of the SOcisty |
and in seeming opposition to bis own pre- |
riOus position. The objects Of the sOeie
IL are the education aud refornslion Of
prisoners-to give them Libraries, to have
schools 10 the prisons to educate them, and
70 aid them when released Ia Otker
words, to rob prisons Of all their gloomy
and penal aspects, and TO make them con-
Portable and desirable quarters. Speakers
expected we're not present. Afier some
remarks By M. Mlckie, Mr. Bergh vas
called upon. He responded BY expressing
himself 10 favor Of banging those "who
could not exist without committing mar
der" aBd Of erecting whipping posts for
the punishment of offenders, as the test
moral suasion. He uttered bis detes;aiiOn
Of 4 certain class, moved BY a Dawkish
humanitarianisD, who ramPered erimi-
nals, made their cells bowers of roses and
surrounded them xigh al the Injuries, Is
! is often witnessed. Said he's What did
we recently sec in the tombs A man
who vas imprisoned for most atrocious
murder, whose heart wa Is black "a his
skia--Was fairly besiegei by beautiful
women who begged the fayer Of bis auto
graph, fed him gu lazariss, made bis cell
bower Of flowers and frais. aud did all
! la their power to make him imagine that
he vas saint aud hero. This maadlin
nonsense should stop. Why, kiad- hearted,
honest poor men we're starring wbile this
vile miscrsaat was bsiag paapeFed IN lux
uy.
DIR. Bergh struck the right key, and
many who have heretofore regarded him
as mere ofFeious sentimentslist, will be
disposed to view him 10 another light.
There Is too much interference with the
course Of justice, aud few bold speeches,
ike that Of Mr. Bergh, If delivered 10
prisoners aid societies everywhere, might
do much 10 correct the uBnecded inter
ference. {, is very rare occurrence that
an innocent man IL convicted Of crime.
When a culprit is detected, it Is ofien in
possible 10 get sufficient evidence to mete
out to him punishment severe as bis case
demands Thsn, ifPis9as are 70 be stripped
| OF al that makes them detsstabie aad alb
horreni; if they sFa to be htted up with
libraries, e)mfsrtabls bads, and tables are
to be set with fine fare, they become de-
s:rablc aboda If prisoners are to be fed
upon sympathy whilst ineareeraied, aud tax
en- by the hard By the community and aided
after their dismissal, to be criminal i to
become respectable, and the prison becomes
sure road to reeegaiiieu by respectable
people.
4 Prisons should haye GO attractions, and
criminals. generally, should be treated as
suspicious characters. II ibey have any
dcterminalion 10 Feform aud DO better,
they feel their shame and will 20 to CON
munities where they are unknown and
commence life new. Their reformation
and rise as good citizens must be slow
where they formerly lived, II the disgrace
Of crime sRd Imprisonment are properly
yieBed.
i This oficiousness, Toe, often comes FROM
people who know uothing, except from the
lying tongue Of the criminal, ABBOTT the
circumstances Of their conviction. Every
Que charged with crime has the benefit Of
| good cosnss, and can elect before whom
to sabmit bis case. 4ll advantages are
on bis side, and Ill doubts must be Geeid-
ed ia his favor Besides, Il Is rot often
sn offender is caught for his first offence.
Eaeoaraged by this be goes from bad to
worse and makes for himself , reputation
az bad character. When crime Is CON
mitted the officers Of the law do not shad
ow respectable people and make their in
vcstigaiions among them. They know, by
yessop Of their occupation, those likely to
cOmiuit vyosg. sre sRong those they dill
gently search.
The whipping post, advocated BY Nr.
Bergh, Is one Of the best penal Institutions
ever devised One INTRODUCTION TO it is
generally sufficient for lifetime, and i Is
exceedingly rare that second intrOdue-
lion s. required u j. nonsense, as Dir
Bergh observes, to say that s. dsgfndss q
nah, foe pan that commits Grippe can
not have much respess fer himself
Meeting Of Congress.
The 10Th Eengrcs met On Monday 10