The Nevada Democrat., 1857-12-30
4 rerrlbls In.trament or Death.

The Commissioner of Patents has rejected the
application of John McLarty for letters patent
for an improved "policeman's club" The
round. and about an inch and quarter in di-
auneter. 1t has smooth and polished surface,
and resembles the batons generally borne by
police and other officers. Its exterior gives no
Indication of its real character and Capabili-
ties. It's barrel is followed, and within IL is en-
ingenious mechanism connected with four lon.
gitudinal "spurs or lancets" which lie conceal
ed in the tube. On touching spring, these
lancets leap from their hiding places, and
through them, by single wrench Of the wea-
Don, most fearful mutiation is inflicted on the
hand Of any adversary who may have grasped
1t. In the technics of street rencontres, it may
be clubbed, and its lancets made to bury them
selves at will in the head and body Of the
victim.
The Commissioner says that justice to the
inventor demands the admission that the me-
chansm of this miniature Internal machine, !"
displays sufficient novelty to support patent.
The law, however, in its wisdom, has declared
that something beyond mere novelty must be
established before patent can issue. The in
yenton must not only be new, but it must be
important and useful Conoedng the assump-
ton that this club would be eminently useful
to policemen, it is still obvious that this is too
limited measure Of utility to satisfy the re-
quirement of the law. An invention, to be
patented, must not only be useful to the few
with chance Of being pernicious to the many
bat II must clearly appear that in view OF the
interests Of the whole community, the good re
sulting from It wOuld decidedly prepopderatt tt
over the evil. If the officers Of public justice
and those law-abiding citizens who love peace
and pursue it. could be induced to defile them
selves with this instrument, and could its use
be restricted TO such, it might be comparatively
harmless: but when it passes from the workshop
of the mechanic who has fashioned it, it is man.
ifestly beyond the control Of government, and
will find its way into the service OF the brawl-
ing pronigate as certainly as the stiletto seeks
the belt OF the bravo. Its manufacture and dis
tribution through society, under the expecta-
ton that good would result therefrom, would
be an act Of folly equalled only by that of strew
ing our pathway with thorns, in the delasive
trust that they wonld bud aud blossom into
flowers at our approach. 1t is bsrbarous in its
very characteristic, and is es repugnant to the
genius Of our institutions, and TO the morality
OF that faith in whose shining footpaths ouI
legislation strives to follow, as is the scalpinl
knife Of the border savage.
After other arguments against granting 6
patent for this club, the Commissioner concludes
by saying Whether viewed as o weapon o
offence or defence, it is adapted to the hands
of the most dissolute and the most dastardly
and evidently belongs to the same class as the
slung shot of the burglar. and the brazer
knuckle Of the political ruffian. The national
honor would not be more tarnished by grant.
ing patent for one than the ether.