The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-02-07
Harbored Vengeance Keeps Mem in
Prison.

The most prominent agent i'll producing
causes that operate against the premature
release of prisoners sentenced to long con-
finement, may be found in the fact that
the prisoner cherishes feeling of revenge
against some person or persons. who acted
selfShly or maliciOuSly against him; and
thus become, either directly or indirectly,
responsible i'm causing his imprisonment. In
some cases the injury supposed. exists only
i'm the Imagination of the prisoner. but
more frequently there IS substantial grounds
for Just accusation. Yet find these accu-
satiOns as frequently. and as vindctively
made by the professional followers of crime
positively guilty of the charge against
him-as find them made by the injured
innocent; simply because some Subterfuge
has been reSOrted to to catch the crook"
TO some people. or most people. the means
seem to Justify the ends. but to the accused
there comes across the breast the same
sharp pang: experienced by all persons
when they have been deceived, and be-
trayed. For SO vital necessity to
living men is truth. that the vilest traitor
feels amazed and wrOnged when treason re-
coils on himself. Then it is not to be won
dered at. that SO much hate and revenge is
harbored i'm prison cells, when we consider
that the prisoner is undergoing punishment
in many cases which he might have
avo ded, had some person-who appeared
against him for a selfish motve-StoOd up
for the rights of the accused 1t is this
discovery. that creates the demand for
vengeance. and were the accused to sit
down, patient or impatient. under the
wrongs received, or that he feels he has re-
ceived. he would feel indeed. that same
degradation ascribed to the qualification of
revenge. Revenge is commonly called a
hyp0crte. and credited with stealthily and
patiently cOncealing the weapon of the as
saSSin. That is the kind of revenge that is
to be feared by those against whom it is
directed. The prisoners revenge seems to
take different form. and it rarely Injuries
anybody but themselves. The truth is, that
the prisoners revenge rarely lasts longer
than he wears the stripes. | became &C
qua nted here with number of men. who
kept constant fire of fierce revenge burn
ing within their breasts during the whole of
their confinement. and they told me that
they meant to get even here and even
there. and roast this and roast that as soon
as they got out. But, do you know, | be-
lieve the first thing they did. was to sneak
out OF the country; at least, nobody here
has ever heard from them. And as have
stood and watched them change the gar
mentS of disgrace for those of the citizen.
| have at the same time seen their harbOrS
Of revenge swept far out into the sea of joy.
and entirely washed away in the waves of
happiness; so plainly visible to the obser-
want eye. All forgiven. at least forgotten.
and the predominant desire is to bury the
past.
lot {ID ;,,;,, I>;c fol,<
and debasing feeling. so suddenly discarded.
has wrought to the man who so carefully
nursed it all these years: When the prison
doors closed upon him, he had engraved
upon his heart the images. the acts and the
sayings of those who proved false to him.
or prosecuted him setishly. Whenever he
communicates with the outside world he
rails against these enemies. and the charges
the threats and vituperatiOnS he hurS at
them reaches their ears. and if they do not
then fear the release of the one they were
instrumental in placing behind the bars,
they, at least. believe prison to be the
place for man posses sing heart polluted
and weighed down by revengeful feelings.
S from an honest convict on that they are
dong what is right they exert their in
tluence to the utmost to keep the condemned
in prison for the full period pronounced by
law. Anu Uile powerful influence SlngIo enc
my can bring to bear against the premature
release of a prisoner has been too often and
too sadly experienced to require me to cite
here any of the numerous cases of the kind
that have come to my knowledge.
Then let us forgive our enemies. and use
every means to make them our friends. not
only by outward manifestations. but secret
ly in our nmost hearts; for aside from ii e
injury enemies do us, you will find that
there is no nobler bliss than the rapture If
the conscience when released from this
guilty, revengeful passion. Look into your
own heart and tell me whether. since you
have cherished this passion, you have not
felt all sense of right and wrong confused;
have not felt that whatever would before
seemed mean and base. appears now but