The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-04 00:00:00

"SHOOTING ON SIGHT."

The late American papers give accounts of two
remarkable murders. The actors in each held high
official posts in the United States, and the victims
in both instances were gentlemen. The Albany
tradegy appears to have been more an act of homi-
cide, perpetrated by a man labouring under the
mental derangement caused by a great alleged
wrong to his honour. With respect tc this case we
give in our columns an article as able as it is sensible,
though perhaps premature, from the Nation. We
say premature, because such an article appearing in
so influential a paper cannot but have a preju-
dicial effect on the prisoner. It is true that the
facts are as clear as noon-day, so far as the murder
is concerned. General COLE has to justify his con-
duct, and it is against this justification that the
Nation writes. But let us turn from the Albany
affair, which has excited such universal horror
throughout the North, to the little occurrence at
Natchitoches, and we find the difference between
the civilisation of the North and the civilisation of
the South made manifest. Mr. WELLS, the Go-
vernor of Louisiana, had three nephews named
JONES. Mr. WELLS' first care in life was to take
care of himself. That object accomplished as General
SIIERIDAN declares, " by any underhand means," his
next object was to take care of those allied to him.
Anything in the way of a snug berth he could control
he bestowed not to meet the necessity of the State,
bat of the individual. One of these nephews he
appointed to a judgeship of the Supreme Court of
the State, and the happy nature of the selection
Judge R. B. JONES took the opportunity of showing,
when his accommodating uncle was in the grasp of
that determined soldier, SHERIDAN, by an act which
will go far to justify with the nation, the high-
handed proceedings of the military dictator. Of
the other JONESES, one was a doctor and the third
a lawyer, who entered into partnership with a Mr.
C. W. STAUFFER. A quarrel appears to have arisen
between the partners, which was intensified by Mr.
STAUFFER becoming the popular candidate for the
State Convention. It is clear that Southern prin-
ciples ruled at Natchitoches, as was natural in
Louisiana. A popular election was all very well,
so long as it went the right way, but it was a thing
to be resisted and suppressed by the force of arms
if the people presumed to elect a candidate hostile
to the ruling class. The JONESES were the ruling
class at Natchitoches, and STAUFFER had the auda-
city to set himself in opposition to this principle of
Southern action. The course to be pursued by the
JONESES under such circumstances was too clear to
need much reflection. Precedents in hundreds
were before them, together with the great prece-
dent of all, the Southern Rebellion. STAUFFER
was informed that he should leave the place,
or be shot on sight. On the 3d of June,
after receiving this intimation, Mr. STAUFFER
hurried to a justice,. intending to have the
JONE.SES bound over to keep the peace. He was not,
however, fated to elude the vigilance of the Go-
vernor's nephews. The highest functionary of the
law in Natchitoches, with his brother, the doctor,
were on the war-path, and they attacked the unfor-
tunate man in the terms of the notification, shoot-
ing at him on sight. Two to one were long odds,
but even that did not satisfy the chivalry of the
JONESES. While the unequal conflict was proceed-
ing, the partner, JOHN JONES, came up with a
double-barrelled shot gun, and killed STAUFFER
on the spot. Having accomplished this feat the
murderer rode round to the wife of his victim,
called her to the door, and coolly informed her he
had killed her husband. But the end of the story
had not yet come, for the sheriff attempted to arrest
the gang, when he was resisted, and wounded in the
head, his assistant receiving au injury in the arm.
The murderer made good his way out of the town,
And the JONE4ES for the time were triumphant in

Natchitoches. What SHERIDAN'S action in this
matter will be, remains to be seen ; but, however
vigorously he may suppress this return to the good
old days, he cannot but be thankful to Judge
JONES and the other relatives of the ejected
Governor, for furnishing him with an incident
that shows the necessity of a strong and firm
ruling arm to suppress the barbarism of the region
he has been placed, to govern. Such cases of
open, audacious wickedness—such utter defiance
of law on the part of a high legal functionary--so
glaring an outrage on public opinion, will now or
never be suppressed. The North rules ; and on
the North will, therefore, rest the responsi-
bility of "stamping out" this contempt of human
life—this total disregard of the means adopted even
to attain the most paltry ends. If the three
nephews are hanged on one gallows a salutary
check will be administered to " Shooting on
sight." Give a bully the certainty of being
executed for the first crime of this nature of which
he is found guilty, and the soothing influence on
his irritable nature will become apparent. With
the prospect of the gallows in view violent men
learn to control their passions. Quiet, inoffensive,
and industrious citizens will then enjoy the fruits
of their labour freed from the weight of this inse-
curity—the worst style of despotism. If STAUFFER
is buried out of sight, and R. B. JONES takes his
place on the judgment-seat, then farewell to civili-
sation in the far South. The North will have
fought in vain, and the last state of Louisiana will
be worse than the first.—Anglo-American Times.