Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-11-25

who "clothe themselves in purple and fine
linen, and fare sumptuously every day." and
yet pay nobody-not even the honest trades
man or laborer whose little ones may be suffer
ing near his door. There are such, and,w are
afraid, a goodmany such, in every community.
wv Q wish oven that the law was sterner upon
them than il is 9
|, We look upon it as a self-evident propositions,
that If man has the means to pay his debt,
he ought to be made to pay them The Code
does nothing more than this The imprison-
ment of man who cannot pay his debts, is
utterly abhorrent to us There is nothing in
the Code which allows this. So far from it, it is
exceedingly liberal, nay, almost generous. For
proof of this, we refer such of our readers as
have copy Of the Code to pages 269 and 270
for the personal property exemption, and to
pages 267 and 26s for tho real estate exemp-
ton. These exemptions are, perhaps, as lib
eral as those of any State or Territory in this
Union. The property, real and personal, in
cluded in these exemptions, cannot be taken
under execution in any possible or conceivable
cases. Itg goes even beyond our present law,
for that does not exempt any real estate from
execution.
We have been thus full in our comments
upon this matter, because we have no taste
for the manner in which certain opponents
Of the Code are combating it. We like
fair, open, manly criticism. We do not
mean to say that every minor provision in
the Code is such as 1t ought to be. 1t would
be miraculous almost if every provision in it
would meet the approval of any ono man. Per-
haps no Code that was ever issued was 80 for
tunate. The matter is to be viewed in prac-
teal sense. Is not this Code imme asurably in
advance Of the system of laws we now have !,
Of that we have no doubt, and We believe the
great mass Of our people so think.
CRINE.--.An epidemic of crime is sweeping
over the cities of the Atlantic coast, affecting
them all, from Boston to Washington God
knows we have had enough of it here. We
really see little hope for change for the better
in this section, so long as men claiming to be
respectable citizens in our midst, think of
rowdy rufians as partizans--as Democrats and
American party men. So long they pay pre-
MUM on just such conduct as disgraced the
Federal Metropolis on Saturday last. All
should set their faces against such murderous
villains, on both sides, as broke the peace Of
our city on that day and night, joining to aid
in bringing them to condign punishment, with
out the slightest regard to their political pre-
tensions. To cay that this community chafes
beyond description under the existence of such
ruffians among u.s. does not properly explain
the condition Of public opinion here with refer
cnce to their presence in the Federal Metropo-
lis. We are no believer in the impossbility OF
promptly Kidding Washington of them, or
placing them, if remaining here, where they
can only lay violent hands on themselves.
With reference to the particular riots and
murder of Saturday afternoon and night last,
we have to express the Washington public 3
thanks to the Auxiliary Guard and Police
from the Magistrates down, for the efficient
and effective manner in which they have so far
discharged their duty of ferrsting out the dis
tarbers of the peace and holding them to just
responsibility, as far as our deficient laws will
permit at this time.
The idea of the police magistrates being
fearful of infringing on the rights of innocent
parties in securing persons suspected of identi-
fcation with the rioters, if INDUCED in, is one
which will make them practically aiders aud
abettors in the crimes, after their commission.
By way Of showing that We of Washington
are not the only sufferers under the intiict ton
Of the presence of such murderous rels,
we quote as follows from the New York En-
press Of Saturday last:
ALARMING fScKEAsK.oP CRIME =" Horrors on
horrors head accumulate Murders and a.sas-
xinatfOpx. Of m chaI
crowd upon US day after day now, that we begin
to fear that nobody Is safe. We grieve to say it
because II will be trumpeted 10 all quarters OF the
country, but IL Is true nevertheiess-th3t human
life was never held at SO cheap rate as II is at
this moment in the city Of New York. We are
getting to be as bad as Venice in the days OF the
The most appalling feature Of the case is--that
the assassins appear to- be organized in gangs,
and lay their plans so WELL that they manage
to make good their escape, before our handful Of
inexperienced police can get on their track.
This was the case as regards the murder OF
Vincent, In William street. There were arrests
the day after the crime, to he sure-but only on
suspicion" Though four wretches were nm
doubleday implicated, not one Of the four was
captured until time enough had been given him
to destroy whatever evidences Of guilt may have
been clinging to his person and thus for the
want Of any positive against them, the door is
ished.Ig.at
Then,-as regards the cruel and wanton muir
rafIians were there in ''gang,' and yet though
much noise WAS made in The butchering Of one
person and the stabbing of two others (who will
probably die Of their wounds) we do not hear Of
solitary policeman coming to the rescue at all
Indeed, though that part Of Water street is noto-
riously one Of the worst districts in the whole
city, there would seem to have been OH this occa.
sion, no patrol at all Ia the neig orhood OF the
den where the tragedy took place. The murder
ers Of course. got of, and, at this writing are
still OF large. among us, reeking with the blood
Of their unoGending victims.
This is dreadful to think Of But 'rhinking',
only will do 10 good Let us have action Gem
tlemen of the Police Commission we implore
you TO pfoc~ed at once to MI up the vacancies In
the Department Place able bodied, picked men
in Office, and let them 20 to work and rid the
city OF these desperadoes. At present il is unsafe
to be out, after dark anywhere in such districts
as the Fourth Ward No man or woman is safe
until the streets and avenues are guarded by
something more than eight or nine hundred
policemen. t
Another marked feature Of the more recent as
sassinations William aud w alter streets) Ii the
certainty, almost, that the murderers are Span
iards or Italians Italian sailors, there 10 reason
to believe, perpetrated the Water street butchery