Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-04-03
WHAT Is LIKELY TO BE THE hE-
SITITf

/ n y
In view OF what is taking place M every
part ar the United States-the political agita-
hons the sectional heart burnings ndexasper-
atiops, the rapid increase Of crime, the daring
audacity of those who set the laws at defiance,
| the insecurity of life and property, the utter
ineficiency of courts, the indispositon of jnries
to convict even where guilt is apparent apd the
too frequent letting off Of hardened villains by
prosecuting attorneys for confederation
all this, we say, is calculated 70 suggest the
question in the minds Of uprightimen, chris
tians and statesmen, What is likely 10 be the
result of this experimental self-government we
are trying, and which we have for fifty years
past been boastfully declaring we had success
fully tried ~
| There is scarcely city in the Union that is
not more or less under mob rule not one where
the murderer and assassin do not Turk about,
housing up in dens Of drunkenness during the
day, and coming out at night, like beasts of
prey, to seek and attack their unwary victims
under cover Of darkness. And they do this
from day to day, from night. to night from
month to month, with perfect impunity. Those
1who are placed in Office as guardians OF the
community, whose duty it is to protect society
and enforce the laws, where are theys Do
they afford us any protection ?-do they watch
over our safety Pare they on the track Of the
burglar, the incendiary, and the midnight as
sassn? Does the cry Of murder bring to
the spot ,"the guardians Of the night"
watchmen2 Not in this Metropolis Of the
/ Union. Here men walking peaceably along
the streets are shot down, and the discharge
ola dozen pistols, and the groans and out
cries Of the wounded alarm no watchmen, and
awake no drowsy policeman. 51. ' y ls
The whole country seems to be falling into
anarchy, and the laws into disuetude. Where
lies the fault? What is the cause? Is it that
our liberty has become Righteousness Is it
that there is little parental government and
that most of our children are educated in
gangs at the corners Of our streets? Is it that
the people are incapable Of selfgovernnent,
and FESTIVE under the restraint of any Is it
that we have lost all respect for the law, the
courts and the officers Of the that we have
none for age, station, character, and respecta-.
bnity2 Is it any one Of, or all these and other
causes combined? Certainly it becomes the
statesman to inquire into this portentous sub
ject, and ascertain and remove the cause or
causes if possible; and we would earnestly
call the attention of " the assembled wisdom of
the nation" now here in its great halls, to this
matter, as one worthy their deep, calm, and
earnest consideration. 4.,-#
1t is within the recollection of many now
here, that HAVANA was once infested at night
| with murderers and assassins; that to be out
after night fall, was but too certain to be found
a fatal experiment; andthat instead of people
rushing to the assistance of victim upon the
cry of murder, every one ran as fast as posi-
BILE from the place, and those within their
houses double-barred their doors and closed
their shuttersfast Such was the state of that
city when the Chayalier Tacon was appointed
Governor General Of Cuba But he proved to
be sort of General jackson, fearless, deter
mined energetic. Under his administration
the police was recognized and required to do
their duty; assassns were promptly arrested
and despatched Wealth, station, influence
which could before set the laws at defiance,
were no longer protection to criminals; the
higher and more wealthy the individual charged
with crime, the more certain and swift was the
J punishment Thus promptly and impartially
executed, the law became terror to eyil-doers,
and not many weeks passed ere the streets were
as safe at any hour of the night, as ones own
house 1t was said that purse Of gold might
) be hung up within the reach of any one, and
: that it would be found unmolested in the morn
ing where it was hung the evening before
Such was the effect Of prompt energetic, i'm
partial execution and enforcement of the law
and the same experiment, tried by the Vigi-
lance Committee of San Francisco, two years
ago, was attended by like favorable result
Shall we continue to submit to this horrible
state Of things, or shall a remedy be sought
and if sought what shall il be Selfpreser-
walton is the first law of nature. Jao. tpa,E