The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1881-01-27
BEHIND THE BARS.
A Convict Philosophizes.

The following letter was sent from the
Marietta Jail. The author is c. G. Beresford,
a man arrested by Sheriff Stephens some
months ago in this place, and sent to Atlanta
where be WAS tried and convicted of forgery
in raising all order from $l5 to $25. He has
been sent out to the chain gang on the Maretts
and North Georgia Railroad He ia we'll edu
Gated, having recently wrote the Lords Prayer
in seven languages. He is now suffering from
gun shot wounds, received while attempting to
escape from Jail in Atlanta. His case like
many others, is sad one. Here's the letter:
| EDITORS JOURNAL There is no doubt
that iails are as necessary for the preservation
of society, rs lunalic asyums, but there are
| few people outside of the walls and bars"
( that have any idea of the cosmopolitan charac
tiers OF humanity, that Destiny or the Faes
bring together and that brings me to my topic:
Although it is supposed that there is none but
| vicious characters confined there; if philau<
| thropist and humGnitaI ans were to visit these
| places they would find that there as noble
and fine traits of humanity inside the bars as
there are outside The goddess of Justice, as
she is represented, bndfOded and with the
scales evenly balanced, sometimes errs, and in
one of the cslls of prison, in one OF our largest
cities in this State drawn with erayons on the
ceiling is a remarkable slegorcal picture of
| that great bird the eagle, flying away with the
scales of JUSTICE in her beak and in the distance
stands old Nick, with Outstretched hands ready
! to receive them grinning AS he is, and ready
| to throw them into the fires that burn on the
other side of the river Styx.
That potent power the press, holds within
its grasp, the lite or liberty of the accused, and
of course, the public condemn him or her ss ali
outlaw Of society But here comes the prob
lematicsl question whether it ia not the publics
duty to try and reform such characters, in-
stead of utterly condemning them as rreforma-
bic, 1t is said by scientists. that such men
| Lavater or DIR Fowler. can examine the pny-
sioogy of the face or head, aud prepare chart
accordingly, defining the subjects, good traits
| or bad ones. But think such men az your
own efficient sheriff and ailor, Col. Pink Ste
phens, or others, could, with their great pracl
cal knowledge of humanity, and their constant
dealings with crime, do more than these sci
entists, for they would BE- able to treat each
one according to his or her individual disease,
and of course, not Ouly apply the remedy. but
probably cure the patient. Wen and women in
ali conditions of life, there are none without
faults, none without virtues. and if we only
learned the wisdom Of that prayer which beRs
that we may be delivered from temptation, il
would help US considerably in our journey
of lite.
The world does not remember that a mans
destiny dees not turn upon the fact of his doing
or not doing wrong, for all men will, or do do
| it; but of how he carries himself, and what he
| does, aud what he thinks of bis wrong acts
Although we look upon the Chinese az bar
barrie race, yet it WAS well said by one of their
great philosophers Confucius that name
character il decided, not by the number Of times
lie falls, but bV the number of times he lifts
! himself up D." | am not eg0tistical or learned
enough and it would be impossible for me to
say. why evil il permitted in this world, but to
know that each Que of us has the power to
transmit it into good The Great Architect
of the Universe, has given it to us, and has
pointed out very clearly in His Word, how we
shall use it Let ia think one moment. Does
not the problem meet us in every step9 There
is nothing we 10 which will not make ns bet
ter or worse, and do not think we are Judged
40 much by what we do, by our Creator, but
when we have done things right or wrong, our
destiny mainly turns upon what we do and
think after their occurrence, and 1t IA then we
decide if they shall lift us up.
Take up your papers throughout the width
and breadth Of the land, and you will find that
our acts bad or good mainly spring from i'm
uulses or accidents the sudden temptation, i'm
| pefiScl kHOWifuRb OF tTIiHR luuRulfui II II
the after thought that gives them their hue
The world NAV not see this probably it never
will 1t may frOwn upon the deed and upon
the man who nevertheless by his regrets makes
| it one which shall minister to purity and vlr-
tue in all bis after life. And though we are
unable to recall the errors of the past, yet We
NAV 80 deal with them that they will promote
our virtue, our wisdom and our happiness.
don't think this is theory, no, no. Whoever
4
perience proves This.
In conclusion ofthese remarks regarding our
errors or wrong DOING, wherever and wha
ever we are we can deal with the past. that
we can make it give up to Us virtue and VIA
dom. We can by our regrets do more than the
alchemst aims al when he seeks TO transmit
base metal into gold, for we can make wrong
the seed of right, we can transmit error INTO
wisdom. and we car make errors bloom into
thousand forms like fragrant and beautiful
flowers Then these truths, if they are such.
should not only give Us contentment with. our
| positions but hope for the future, and He who
rules the world with such beneyoence that He
enables weak and erring mortals il they will, 10
| turn their sorrows into sources OF happiness,
| and there il no doubt that mental regret will
convert a material wrong into blessing Aud
| if the offender wills, it will make the same a
hundred fold more huriful if he rejOices ia his
wrong doiDgs, and hardens HE heart against
regret and that sSe can by conforming to the
laws that were given at Mount Sinai which
demand repentance convert evil into good, or
by violating them. make evil thousand fold
more deadly and destructive.
These few remarks are applicable to any one.
yet they are written from the prison cell Of
voGr Jail, and trust will show that the devils
are never 30 black as they are painted. There
are inside the walls Of jails and penitentiaFies
many who will understand these remarks.
! JUsIITN.
Marietta Jait, Jan. 23d, 1851.