and support it, than would be requisite to keep a regular, pacifick free-school, for every ten families on the face of the earth, and to preserve peace throughout the world.

If the rulers of nations, instead of bestowing their praises on this desolating spirit, and sacrificing the lives and property of their subjects in its support, would employ their influence and means in cultivating the arts, the principles, and the spirit of peace and good will among men, the inhabitants of the world would soon exclaim, "behold how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

What mean these showy and these noisy signs
Of publick joy, my senses that salute,

That bid my cares disperse, my brows be smooth,
And all my soul be holiday? What means
The cannon's roar, that tears the shatter'd sky?
The jolly peal, the merry steeples pour?

At dead of night along the splendid street,
This dazzling luxury of festive light

From every window flung-wherefore thus laughs,
This hour of gloom?

Say, hath the African his freedom found?
Spite of his shade, at length confess'd a man,
Nor longer crushed because he is not white ?
This were a jubilee for heaven to share.

But, ah! 'tis not,

For this ambitious night affects the day.
Sing Iopean, Iopean sing-

A multitude of eyes at which the heart
Look'd laughing out upon the day are clos'd-
They never more shall look! illume, illume
The glowing streets! nor let one window rob
The general rapture of one beam it owes !

This is the event,

The fair event, to polish'd bosoms dear,
In polish'd life that lights this blaze of joy.
For this, the cannon's roaring thumps the ear,
For this their merry peal the steeples pour,
For this dun night, her raven hue resigns,
And with this galaxy of tapers starr'd
Rivals the pomp of noon! Hence flows the joy
That calls the city swarms from out their cells,
Laughs in each eye, and dances in each heart.
All to the feast, the feast of blood repair,

The high, the low, old men and prattling babes,
Young men and maidens, all to grace the feast,
Light footed trip,-the feast, the feast of blood!
Yes-glory, glory, glory, is the word-
See how it glitters all along the street!

Mankind, wild race! say, are your moons to blame
That this demoniack, worse than dogstar madness!
'Mong all your nations in each age hath foam'd?

FAWCETT.

INCREASE OF CRIMES AND CONVICTS, ACCOUNted for, AND A REMEDY PROPOSED.

"THE New-York State Prison, is overflowing with convicts. The present number is 722, although the prison was calculated for 500. The inspectors of the prison, in an address to the legislature of New-York, after stating that the number of prisoners was so great as to render frequent pardons indispensable, request the legislature to recommend to the general government, the establishment of a colony on the north-west coast of America, at or near Columbia River, or at Madison Island, to which convicts may be transported. If the general government should

object to this plan, they recommend, that the New-York legislature establish such a colony, on the frontiers of the state."-Recorder. No. 48. Nov. 26, 1816.

In view of this extraordinary paragraph, religion and humanity unite in asking the following questions:

-

First. How may we rationally account for this increase of crimes, and of convicts?

Second. What opinion should we entertain of the project for settling a colony, by the transportation of criminals?

Third. What course can be adopted better than the one proposed?

The complaint of an increase of crimes, and of convicts, is not confined to New-York; it is so general in our coun try, that it is time to investigate the causes, and, if possible, to apply some remedy.

The natural increase of population may, perhaps, account for some portion of the evil. The influx of foreigners who had been inured to crime, during the wars of Europe, may account for a still greater portion. But may we stop here? No, verily. What other cause, then, may be assigned? the enormous increase of crimes and convicts, complained of, has principally occurred within four years.— Now let it be observed, that within five years, our country has expended one hundred, perhaps one hundred and fifty millions of dollars, in supporting "a school of vice." Is it not probable that this expense, considering the opportunity which the scholars had to learn, would produce some effects? can such a number of scholars, as were educated in the business of pillage and piracy, robbery and murder, under the sanction of publick authority, be let loose upon the community without some display of the proficiency they had made? what better is to be expected

of them, when deprived of the pay they had been accus tomed to receive for such business, than that they should follow their trade for private advantage? by such an education, the habits of men are easily formed; but, perhaps not so easily relinquished. Many of them on entering the school, might be struck with horrour at the deeds they witnessed; but, by continuing in the school, those deeds became familiar and congenial to their feelings and habits. Having formed habits of idleness and vice, on returning home, many of them would feel an aversion to labour, and would prefer their more recent employment for obtaining a subsistence.

Many of the scholars had, probably, made considerable advances in vice, before they entered the publick school; and such of these, as survived the war, may be supposed to have become adepts in the arts of mischief. After having been disbanded, they would be very likely to show the community, that money had not been expended on them, for schooling, without effect. Others were young when they entered the school, and destitute of fixed habits of virtue; they would readily yield to the instructions to be obtained in such a situation; and soon learn to practice the vices, which they were taught by precept and example. Some, who had formed good habits before they entered the school, might be slow to adopt the vices of the camp; and a few might hold fast their integrity, and return to their friends uncontaminated. But examples of this class, are

very rare.

Had there, then, been no other way to account for the increase of crimes and convicts, but that of the "school of vice," we might have rationally accounted for the whole. Had all the scholars lived till the school was generally dismissed, and had all these been turned out of employment at once, the number of crimes and convicts would, probably, have filled the country with dismay, from Mississippi

to Maine. But a large number of the scholars died, while obtaining their education, and many are still retained in the school, and will probably end their days in that situation. It is, however, to be observed, that, although crimes may be more frequent in our cities, than they were during the war, it does not follow, that they are more frequent in the United States, nor that there is now a greater number of men who deserve to be confined in state prisons. To many, perhaps, the "school of vice," was a substitute for a state prison; and in this school, they could commit felonious deeds of the deepest dye, with impunity. Pillage, piracy, robbery and murder, were the arts which they were taught, the employments which were assigned them, and the deeds for which they were paid and praised.* It will,

* Erasmus, in his letter on war, to the Abbot of St. Bertin says," do consider a moment, by what sort of persons it is actually carried into execution;-by a herd of cut-throats, debauchees, gamesters, profligate wretches from the stews, the meanest and most sordid of mankind, hireling man-killers, to whom a little pay is dearer than life. These are your fine fellows in war, who commit the same villanies with reward and with glory in the field of battle, which in society, they formerly perpetrated at the peril of the gallows.

"Besides all this, consider what crimes are committed under the pretence of war, while the voice of salutary law is compelled to be silent amidst the din of arms: what plunder, what sacrilege, what ravages, what other indecent transactions, which cannot for shame be enumerated. Such a taint of mens' morals cannot but continue its influence after a war is terminated." "What do you suppose the Turks think, when they hear of Christian kings raging against each other with all the madness of so many devils let loose?"

It is presumed that it was not the intention of Erasmus to apply his description of "fine-fellows in war" to all who followed that dreadful occupation; but that armies in general, have been in a considerable measure composed of such men as he described,