The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-01-06

Insecurity Of Life and Property.
Editors Journal:
Good government, local or general,
consists of wise laws vigorously ad-
ministered. The wisdom of our laws
cannot be impeached, but their ad-
ministration is beyond doubt very lax
and defective. In cases where lenity
ought to be exercised, severity is
almost invariably the rule, as in cases
of larceny; while in cases which call
for rigor, as for instance murder,
manslaughter, burglary, and highway
robbery, in which the parties have
means to employ assistance, the ends
of justice are too frequently defeated
The aim the writer of this commu-
ncation has In view, is not to make
reflections on any one. His purpose
| is simply to allude to that of which
we are all cognizant. We see our cit
| liens filed with exultation at the
punishment of small offender, and
we see them giving without stint all
their sympathies TO the gross male
The legitimate consequences of this
inverted commiseration, are apparent
| to every one, willing to use his eyes
and his understanding. There are
laws against carrying concealed weap-
ons, and they are carried by hundreds
IN spite of those laws. Now, were
the laws In the case severely executed,
the custom or fashion would cease,
and the very frequent murderous as
saults reported III our daily paper s,
would diminish In number, ferocity
and enormity.
/ A person visiting this country from
Europe, and more particularly from
| heather countries, which we SO ar
IDENTIFY long to Christianize, must be
Mortified at the contempt manifested
for human life by the constant occur
renee of shooting and stabbing af-
trays; and they must give preference
to the government and civilization of
their own nations in which these
atrocities, in proportion to their pop
ulation aud advantages of education.
are of exceedingly less frequency.
Why is it that apparently we are so
barbarous? Is this disposition to
take human life ingrafted on our ma
lures by our education? Is it given
to US at our nativity and nouris he'd
within us with our mothers milk? or
is it engendered by the encouragement
afforded by the lax execution of our
laws. aud the admiration of which
fools and prohigates bestow on him
whom conscience is powerless to re-
strain from imbruing his hands In the
blood of his fellow creatures? These
are questions | am not qualified to
answer, and shall. therefore, leave the
solution to your readers.
These shooting and stabbing occur.
rences are almost always one sided
affairs. A harsh word or passionate
blow; and the coward who receives il
draws a knife or pistol, secreted about
his person for such a contingency
and murderously assaults his antago.
mist. 1t is my opinion that, did the
would-be murderer anticipate that
the person cut or shot at would re.
spond Immediately in like sanguinary
fashion, he (the shooter or stabber,
would graye!y hesitate before he drew
his weapon and attempted to take hi:
enemy's life; or did he really imagine
that a jury would punish him with
the gallows or the penitentiary, as the
case might warrant, he would likewise
be not so hasty Ia the method of his
revenge. My opinion of the person:
} who now every day perambulate the
streets in the manner of ambulatory
arsenals, is extremely low. I con.