Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-01-12
Crime and Concealed Weapons.

violence anu DloOuSneu III every seCllOn
the State. We presume no one will den
that this is proper subject Of Legislative &C
ton The protection of life and of societ.
is certainly one Of the first objects Of govern
ment.
Notwithstanding the boasted progress of The
age in which we live Notwithstanding the
the laws enacted heretofore and amended from
time to time, having for their object the pre-
yenton of crime and the punishment of crimi-
nails Notwithstanding the greatly increased
influx of women to our shores, with all their
acknowledged kindly influence upon society ;
notwithstanding these things, and other fa-
yorable indications that might be enumerated,
still, (and it is with feelings closely allied to
despair that we chronicle that which we be-
leve is an acknowledged fact) more of crime
and bloodshed was enacted in California dur
ing eighteen hundred and ffty-five, than any
preceding year Something is radically wrong
the times are terribly out Of joint
Laws after laws have been passed gambling
perhaps the first great besettng sin in Cali
fornia, has been prohibited, or at least driven
from the light of day, or the brilliantly illu-
minated saloon to the secret chamber or the
darkened hovel cyprians no longer throw
open wide their doors on public streets, inyi-
ting the unwary to sin and destruction and
at least quasobseryance of the christian
sabbath has been ordained by Legislative en-
actment Still the greatest Of evils has not
been checked-crime and bloodshed are on
the increase.
We repeat, then, that something, is yet
radically wrong that there is an important
screw loose in the machinery Of society and
Of government; and we verify believe that it
is the general practice, (not prohibited by
a salutary enactment) of carrying concealed
,ceapOns A very large proportion of the
murders and homicideS on the bloody calen-
der of our criminal records, may be traced
directly to this unnecessary and even disgust
ing practice An alteration takes place be-
tween two or three persons perhaps only
slight or trivial matter of difference arises
maybe few high words, placed upon the
tongue by the rosy god, . pass between the
parties, when suddenly pistols and knives are
drawn and human life is sacrificed at the
shrine of the pernicious practice of carrying
concealed weapons. The Bowie-knife and the
revolver are resorted to to settle disputes of
such trifling moment that they would not be
treasured in the memory for a weeks time
these murderous weapons being at hand, they
are seized and used in the heat Of passion, for
causes giving rise to no reasonable provoca-
ton. A case in point, (and it is only one
among hnndreds) is the melancholy and fatal
tragedy which occurred in this town on the
night of the Sth inst, an account of which we
publish elsewhere. Two men were seated
around bar-room stove, among number of
other persons and so slight was the Difficult.
ty between the parties that no other person
in the room even observed it, until they wit
messed momentary struggle when almost in
an instant their ears were greeted with pier
cling shrek, moan, death-gurgle, and all
was oyer-a human being was thus suddenly
and violently launched into eternity His
soul had gone to meet its reward for good or
for evil, and his body lay bleeding corpse
upon the floor Does any man suppose this
murder would have occurred but for the prac-
tice of carrying concealed weapons No
sane man, surely; and we repeat that it is
but one case among hundreds.
Let the Legislature pass the most stringent
laws on the subject. Let them make the
carrying of concealed weapons punishable by
indictment by grand juries and after-prosecu-
ton in the proper courts. Let them arrest
at once the reign of terror" that now exists
in California. Let them pass the most strin-
gent laws consistent with the constitution, and
make it the sworn duty of the officers to en-
force and execute them. Let the law-givers
who have been chosen to legislate for the
people, :" come up to the work at this i'm
portant crisis let them strike well directed
blow at the murderous and dsgracefu prac-
tice of concealing on the person the weapons
Of death, and they will be sustained by con
stituencics who are tired, heartily tired of the
reign Of terror that now prevails.
There may I've 'hose -vho o-ill contend h