Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-07-29

Using Eire-AH1s1s. llD
War is an awful remedy for tue c;irfng
of diseases whether civil or foreign in their
character. Nations should shudder from
this .qast resort if It is possible by any
means CONSTANT with national honor and.
astice to mankind, rather than resort to
90 dread an arbitrament. It brings with
It such a train Of Woes, It demoralizes and
dsbauches young men to such an extent,
it leaves SO many widowed and fatherles
women to become the prey of last and ra-
pacity, it lessons so much that sacred rev.
erence in which human life should be held
it gives such large play to the greedy av-
arice of mankind, that nation may well
pray for speedy deliverance from its af-
hictions, and shrink appalled, from the
enornities and horrors that attend it.
Its of one feature Of these evils Of
which we now wish 70 speak.
1t is only in Darbarous countries, IN
provided with laws for the redress of grivv-
snces, that taking the laws into ones own
hands can receive the shadow ofjustihca-
tion. Recognizing the rights of self de-
tense and the duties and privileges that
right involves in case of murderous at
taoks upon ones life or home, we assert
that the use of arms in avenging wronga
OF obtaining redress for individual griev-
ances and insults, is altogether too preva-
lent in the land, and one Of the worst and
most deplorable feature of the times
There is an appalling recklessness| of feel
ing growing up in the community in re-
gard to the use Of weapons of destruction.
Men, who a few years ago, would have
shrunk from the use Of a revolver, now
talk freely about shooting each other in
cases of personal difficulty or alteration,
It must be confessed that this feeling is
chiefly the result Of the war, and that re-
turning soldiers who have been accustom-
ed to scenes Of slaughter, are infected with
the idea that they are to use firearms al
most as freely here at the North, as when
contending with rebels in the South
There are very few soldiers who do not go
armed after their return from the service.
We scarcely take up an exchange in
which some murder is not recorded, in
which, in all probability a returned soldier
has played part Now this is all wrong.
If civilization is ofany value, it is because
Ofthe respect which is paid to liberal and
enlightened laws Soldiers mast therefore
be taaght, as saeH as all other citizens that
the NgjatstitiabIs uss of firearms as ispazishe1
in the se0erest manner
The penalties of the law, hanging or i'm |
prisonment for life should await every |
man who Is guilty of murder If soldier
wickedly shoots another man let him know |
that hanging is the penalty affixed to his
crime If citizen, laboring under the
idea that it is heroic aud manly, to carry
shooting irons to avenge personal Insult,
Kills another, or mains him, let justice be
dealt out.
Weneed not fortify our position by any
reference to recent events although we
have them here In our own midst. If
q man deliberately shoots a woman, he Is
not to 90 free because he is a soldier. The
country honors and loves its brave defend
era, but neither they nor any other men
are to be allowed to go unpunished of
jus ice. There is very clear and en-
phatie distinction between q public en-
emy and a social enemy, and men are not
to deal with each other on the same theory
or plan that rebels in arms are dealt with.
Witness the deliberate murder of Mr..
Ward, of Miles. Forpresuming--t rescue
his son from the brutal abuse of an over
grown bully, and for attempting to free
the town from sinking scandal, heis, in
cold blood, shot dead. His murderer may
have used fire arms freely while in the
army, and hence regarded himself as iusti-
fed in using FIRE arms while in the town
Of Miles, Trumbun county But no apol-
ogy can suffice. Men who use fire arms
upon their fellow men, without any Of the
warrants which are sometimes admitted,
should be arrested, and, if convicted of
crime such as the law Furnishes with death.
be hanged. + !
In view of the growing reckiessness of
society; in view of the tendency of re-
urned soldiers to use arms on the least
revocation; in view of the interests Of
civilization, and the dignity and honor Of
6 laws Of civilized communities, we in
woke all citizens to cultivate healthier
public sentiment and save Us from the
arbarism of dirks and revolvers. If we
are not to degenerate into a blood
thirsty race Of men, with whom life Is of
no consequence, so long as the murderer
has little provocation or some rank or
wealth to shield him, we must put a check
70 the unlicensed use Of fire arms.
The Lake European Trade.
Three years ago q permanent line of