The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-06-23

insane; and while they are deservedIy held
responsible for the act committed, and
rlghtfnlly incur the penalties prescribed
therefor by the statute book. due allowance
should be made for the causes which led to
the act. and the penalty awarded should be
modified or enhanced according to the at
tendant circumstances. The want of inn
partial investigation and judicious discrimi-
nation on the part of both Judge and jury.
and consequent excessive punishment has
transformed thousands of accidental offend
ers into habltual criminals.
4th. Heredity or transmission of appetite.
criminal tendencies. etc.. from parents and
ancestors. A great deal too much las been
said and written about criminal heredity,
and it has frequently been put forN ard as
plea for immunity from punishment, or an
excuse for the crime committed. Crime
holds the same relation to the moral law as
disease does TO the physical functions.
There are doubtless some few instances
where criminal tendencies and depraved
appetite are strongly developed as family
features-in the same way as epilepsy, cere-
bral weakness and other constitutional NAL
aides are transmitted from one generation
to another; but in more than 60 per cent. of
those cases which have come to public no.
tice. it has been satisfactorily proved that
tIC Vi cIdulCdtlOu VI tIllS LtItu-
itary tendency is solely dependent upon the
immediate influences surrounding the per.
son so affected-in other words that the
child of drunken or criminal parents will.
if surrounded by good moral influences and
example during his infancy and childhood,
and removed from all sight or knowledge
of the demOraliZing influences which caused
his parents ruin. not only entirely overcome
the said tendency. but have an innate hor-
rOr of those things which caused the par.
ents' downfall.
5th. The influence of excessive severity
of discipline by parents and others. 1t is
common but exceedingly truthful saying
that 'MOlasses catches more flies than vim
egar." The parent or school teacher who
infOrces his maXims or instructions by the
exercise of the birch. hard words. and coer-
cion. will make but little headway with his
children or his scholar. Persuasion. kind
ness and personal example will reconcile
the boy or girl to the accomplishment of
even an unpleasant task, where tyranical
command or cOrpOreal punishment will
prompt him to resist and refuse reason.
able request. Thus we find that. amongst
our youthful law. w.breakers, we find large
proportion of them are sons and daughters
of possibly we'll meaning but mistaken par
ents who have ruled their children with
rOu OF iron, VINO nave governed Dy rear IN
stead of love, who have converted the four
walls of their home into gloomy prison
and themselves into Ogre-like warders never
allowing smile, laugh or joke to illumine
their cOuntenances or warm the chilly at
mOsphere of the domestic circle. The same
mOnOtOnOus routine of duty from week to
week and month to month, without an
hours relief of outside cOmpaniOnship. re-
creation, or healthful exercise has so
cribbed and confined their physical and
mental capacities. and impoverished their
moral functions that they are unable to re-
aliZe the responsibilities and duties as reas.
Oning beings. and consequently look upon
themselves as irresponsible autOmata, with
out aim or object in life The natural re-
suit is that when they arrive at the age of
manhood and wOmanhOod. and the restric-
tOns which have bound them are removed.
they are like wild cattle just released from
the cOrral-they rush recklessly and ignor-
antly into any excitement or wild project
which may come in their way, and become
an easy and willing prey to any crafty, vi
ciOus. or reckless schemer that may present
himself to their notice. More than fifty per
cent. of the firSt-term offenders who inhabit
our houses of corrections and penal institu.
tiOns received their first impetus to vicious
and criminal practices in the too tightly
drawn lines of the family circle. Our Pa
per.