Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1856-05-08
Jack Long;
OR, LYNcH-LAw AND VENGEANCE.

OR, LYNcH-IAw AND VENGEANCE.
II the following relation Of real occurrences
there are several incidental matters it would be
well 70 have understood So much of exagCe-
rated romance is to be observed peryadng the
narrative spirit of the times, that, with due
respect for the good nature Of our readers it has
become Indispensable that the story-teers honld
be very sure Of his grcund-that is, sufficiently
30 to feel that he can establish a sympathetic
confidence between his readers and hms. IT, that
he is not attempting to impose upon their credu-
lily by sheer and egregious Publications. of his
own, when he undertakes to tel what is called
hard story" To define in words what the
process OF establishing this sympathy consists in,
is difficult mater The most that can be
said of it is, that it forms itself Mere Isser-
tioas will not always answer. Where it is re-
qnired that they alone should be taken, they
must be accompanied by ranclcss and mex
prcssible air. not of candor only, but Of minute
and piquant detail sach as personal familiarity
with the incidents narrated can only give. 1t
is easy enough to romance upon tie ground
work Of a general knowledge Of charac tcrstcs
but to the cool search Of an accurate eye, there
is want Of filling in. All absence of these finer
touches which are better felt ttan described
~ 'CtSihsal.SiaCto'l III pfcs6otl vi tOubt 10 tie
consequence, and the writer who establishes
himself on " unfortunate terms with the read.
er must altogether full of producing tire effect
he aims at Neither the careless esc ot round
assertions nor rehcralions OF ones own claims
to imtnacalacy in trath-teliing will bring about
that pleasant state of tnt,hhlncss 30 desirable in
the mind OF the hcarer There is another extreme
that Of too much prcteiision to bIua, straight
forward um moi ceoqaen; ss Bru,rs is -
kind Of manner But the world is getting too
old for this game There is yet u medium
which strikes trc MS the Only true one Make
no protcstations at AK one way ~ tho other
II there is story to tell, tell it. Be carefully
minute and ask no favors--the hard eyed puo-
lie will rate what is said prupery. y sensitive
irritabiity at the idea OF disgust is not u whit
more persuasive than II hafra,ive iaAlyism
men like neither to BIZ whincd nor blutTld out
Of their Judgments.
Before irmc'ding, IL would not be an,ss to
give more definite idea, than has generally
obtained OF the social condition of the peculiar
region in whirh these strange sccues were enuct-
cd. Every body knows that Texas has been
the peculiar aid favur,te rrSor, If restless adj
venturous mcu, and not those Of this stamp sim
ply, but Us well the vicious and unprnciplcd, of
nearly all nations A knowledge of this fact
alone would naturally lead one To expect, that
the colnmincling Of so many passionate aud op-
posite extremes would lead 10 maly ex,rav-
agances in the actioa Of their antagonists that
excuses of all kinds the uphestating expression
Of unbridled impulses, would be ordinary incl
dents Of life hcrc-~that the quick wrath and
bloody hand should be often Simultaneous
where the most formidable weapons were openly
worn, law and its restraints little regarded ard
general sentiment favored resort to them on
trivial occasions. Though this much of vague
knowledge Of the state OF things there, might
prepare the anticipation for good deal-even
though visit to the principal cities of the coun-
try should still farther prepare ii for u rcaliza
tion Of what may properly come within the
scope Of such forces, still it would be difficult IL
understand how the monStrous exhibitions oil
frontier life, with which those who have lived
amidst it are familiar, can possibly be credible
Que must sec with his own eyes and hear with
bis own ears before he can readily conceive
that many things occurring there could be look.
cd upon as matters of course. Yet outrages
the most terrible succeed each other rapidly --
men are lynched and stabbed and shot with as
little conjunction Us you would feel in shifting
goose The law Of bloody force is alone re.
cognized there is no medium between the ns
suit and the desperate retaliation There is nc
interpositiou, of either general sentiment or civil
organization between the savagery Of unre
clainded blood wreaking its worst and the strick
en- victim. Personal proves, iron nerve and
skill in the use of weapons, are the traits most
calculated for insuring respect, and command
ing power How recklessly these are displayed
may be appreciated by remembering the lat'
notoriety Of the Regulator wars, that ragged ST
extcrminatingly in this very county of Shelby
which Is the scene Of our story and the au
swer given BY President Houston to the frs
application which was made for his interposi
ton with the civil forces under his command Il
put stop to them, is entirely characteristic o
the man and the country Fight it GU
amongst yourselves The sooner you Kill eacl
other of the better"
il was the period of the first organization o
the Regulators to which Cur story refers