Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-01-06
RICHMOND WING.
SATURDAY MORNING........JAN. 6, lS6s.
How to Repress Crime and Vice in this

How to Repress Crime and Vice IN thu
City
After a suspension of civil Government tui
many months. during which this city was man
aged bv the military and, in many respects
most admirably governed, we have been per
mitted TO resume municipal sway, through oti
GERS elected by ourselves. \ large polio,
torc.. believed to have been selected wit.
grea. care and Judgment, has been organized
armed and partially uniformed, and is now o.
duty. Thus far, the experiment Of sclt-s'v
eminent has succeeded well. The Common
Council is, in the main, composed of sensible
practical, wcll-informed and public spirited
citizens. who appear 10 appreciate their reNpou
sibilitic>. and who manifest lIudablc dc>ir,
topl1ce all the affairs Of the city on the he>'
possible footing, consistent with uccdtu
economy. Their chief difficulty is in raising an
adequate revenue. An Impoverished peorl,
cannot bear heavy taxation. The great wan.
of the CITY. upon the Withdrawal of the mill
tarv police, WAS an adequate and reliable m'-
picipal police. This was promptly organized,
and must be maintained, no matter at wha,
cost. or at what inconvenience to N-plycr>.-
If upon trial, it shall prove To be too small !,
Will have 10 be increased. Money cannot be
l,etter expended than in the protection of life
and property.
This city is in an unsettled and trausitory
state. Ii is passing from the last stages OF Wal
into the first stages Of peace, from military into
civil hands. Its population is pie-bald and
Heterogeneous. 1t is altogether different from
what il was before the war. An old resident
does not recognize one person out of twenty
that he meets on the streets. To a greater eN-
tent than ia any city in the South 1t has be
come the depository OF the sediment OF boil.
armies. This is owing to the fact that the
chief armies of both sections were long located
"a and about Richmond, and that when the
Southern cause broke down, the worst elements
in its army remained behind in Richmond, OF
afterwards returned here. The same is true o..
the discharged Northern troops. Besides these
dangerous elements, hundreds Of garroter>,
burglars, pick pockets and thieves have come
Litbrr from the Northern cities. Superadde0
10 these is large number of demoralized, m-
employed and lazy blacks, from all parts OF the
adjacent country, who live by then. This
great array OF lawless men and women, white
and black, is daily recruited from the mass %.
INDECENT and unemployed persons who must
steal or Starye Add to all these the vast
aumber in this, as in all communities in this
couRtrv, who have been demoralizcd 10y long
war, and 4 correct estimate may be formed o
the necessity for strong, courageous, yigilaut
active and honest police force, as also OF the
formidable difficulties this branch of the muui-
cipal government has 10 deal with.
Thus tar they have acted admirably. They
Aave exhibited vigilance, courage and fidelity.
To keep them up to the mark, two things are
absolutely necessary. They must be eucour-
aged by the citizens aud sustained by the
courts. When, as peace officers, they need
the assistance OF citizens and call upon the IA
for aid, they must not be backward in render
ing it. The Mayor has already found it neccS-
s4ry to inAict punishment uPoa one citizen
who refused To aid in the arrest OF an offender,
when called upon by policeman. The mos
important essential to the continued efficiency
ola police organization, is the sustaining action
II the courts. 4 loose, timjd, tardy, and Tee
hlc administration OF justice will soon crWl,
the most efficient police. Ii is in vain Tor then
to arrest murdcrers, garroterS, burglars and
other offenders, at the risk of their own lives
as Is frequently the case, II the courts halt
hesitate, higs}e and finally acquit or, where
IT, ia the cud after needless hcSitationS and dc
Laws, they iudict punishment, IL is altogether
inadequate. Ii is the business OF the lawyer,
90 ralsc all the points they cau to procure dc
laws bv all manner OF prcteNtS, 10 pCrplcN
Judges and magistrates with bubbles, auu
20 coutound and bc,og iuricS. Adroit auo
skilful advocates, il they should chance &.
he INSCRIPTIONS, become the greatest ob
stlclc, to the efficient administration OF JUS
tice. One Of the most important duJic,
or courts is To protect themselves and their iu
ries from the arts as from the brow-bcating %
counsel, and to maintain their dignity and ina
dependence. \ Judge OF magistrate who per
.sIts himself TO bc imposed upon, miSlcd or uu
duly influenced 10y counsel will soon lind him
,elfas object OF contempt, both in their eye
and in the eyes OF the community. The hon
orablc profession of the law, which has bee,
graced by some OF the finest mtellectN au,
purcst characters that have adorned amy pro
te,Sou, and has given 10 the cause of civil Hb
crty and constitutional government some ct ia,
proudest names ON the lists of fame, should b,
accorded all their proper privileges. They Tt
present parties litigaut or parties accused. au'
fhe theory of the law is that they shall be pri
-7ilcged % say and do for their clients wha
those clients would be privileged To say and dc
for themselves ii capable OF managing thci
own causes Beyond this advocates have Ii.
right to 90, and, when they attempt it, should
be held in check.
We have an excellent Mayor, a capital Chic
of Police, and, As Tar as We can judge, an eff
s.ient police corps. If the courts and iuric
all do their duty promptly, iutclligcutly au'
ted1lessly; ifthe citizens will give all ueediu
assistance and encouragement To the officers O.
the law, and if the lawyers will coniue them
selves TO their legitimate sphere, we hope soor
10 see the formidable army of murdcrcrS, gar
rioters, burglars, inceudiaries and thieves, bro
ken up aud punished and the city restored e
its former condition aud character.
Northern Dependence upon Southern Trade
The fable illustrating the dependence of al
the members of the body upon each other