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But, let us not do the courts of justice and
the officers of the law the injustice of charging all
the blame upon them. The people themselves have
been remiss. They have not given sufficient atten-
-tion to public affairs. They have been too much
absorbed in private & personal matters affairs. ~ They have
been too willing to let the State & public concerns
go to an Evil Person into the hands of idlers, drunkards, pimps, gamblers & those who consort with them; – while they were making money,
for these to lust after. Criminals have been brought up for trial – and
neither accusers nor witnesses have appeared; & if, they did, the juries was were right – for the prisoners; – &
so they have been turned loose again, to prey upon
the community – even made bolder in transgression,
than before their arrest.

And then, many men deeming themselves
respectable, & passing for such gentlemen, have led lives of
such shameless debauchery – consorting with gam-
-blers & harlots – as to keep in countenance all and
encourage all such as were disposed to villainy
and outrage. They These degraded classes have still too much of that sort
of aid & comfort. While you are severe upon the
openly criminal, – see that ye be not yourselves guilty
of shameful vices. Think you this state of things could
have come about, – had you all been in character & conduct what you ought to be? should have been?