The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1870-02-12
Murder.

try he might have written another
upon "Murder Considered as a
Modern Accomplishment" The
suggestions in either case, and
the illustrations by which they
might be adorned, are obvious to
the most casual reader of the
newspapers, to say nothing OF
those who study what Mr.. Lecky
calls "the ethics of thanksgiving"
We have just now III every part
of the country an epidemic of muir
der. We do not mean the ordina- |
ry sort of murder done by profes-
sional murderers, but murder ''of
the first degree" aristocratic muir
der, fashionable murder, high
spirited and gentlemanly murder,
committed in the open street and
at midday by people who claim to
be respectable and who justify
their proceeding chiefly on ac
count of its shameleSsneSS. OF
this species of murder we have
daily accounts, and, lightly as the
murderers themselves seem 10
consider it and plausibly as the
friends OF the murderers pretend
to explain it, there can be no
doubt that it is the most danger
Gus of all kinds and conditions of
murder which disgrace the record
OF our civilization. Murder of the
common sort, perpetrated by ruff
fans, is not only rare by cOmpari-
son because it is promptly and
surely punished), bur it cannot
involve, from its very nature, such
consequences as the murder we
speak of, which is done almost
with ilnpunity because the likeli-
hood of punishment is less appall-
ing, and the perpetrators, having
plenty OF friends are putting for
ward what they claimas pretext,
think they will have at least an
even chance ofescape. And such
is the fact. Human life amongus
is valued at such low account; the
laws which are made to protect
the law-abiding and to punish the
viOlators of the law are so care.
lessly enforced where money and
influence are concerned; and pub
lie opinion is so governed by
whimsical prejudices and local
and personal feelings instead OF
fixed principles Of justice and law,
that the conviction Of any body
but poor creature who has nei
ther friends nor means is al
anomaly to our courts. Yet the
most brutal, the most cowardly
and the most useless murders art
done every day by men holding
good places in society. We reaC
the details, we shudder at the
crime, and the next thing We hear
is verdict of 'Justifable homi
eide" or plain piece of judicia
perjury, done by twelve men a
the instance of the same sort O
mistaken feeling which caused thu
murder, and expressed by tht
simple words 'not guilty"
We spoke the other day of duel
aud dueling, which belong to tn,
class of fashionable and aristo
cratical murder of which we ar,
speaking now. If a burglar en-
tiers your house to rob you 0
your silver plate, and, being press
ed by you, fires shot as he re
treats which causes your death
he hangs. That is as it shoult
he. lie ought to hang. If yol
are pursuing your way PEACEFUL,
along the street and aruffian fall
upon you and kills you, he hangs
That is as it should be. He ough
to hang. But, you and your frien,
misunderstood one another; angr
words ensue; a challenge passes
SecOndsand surgeons are engaged
y a cool and deliberate scheme c
murder is planned, hatred an
malice instigating it,. and the il
tent to kill being ostentatiousl
paraded; you go to the designate
spot, fire at each other and one {
the parties is a dead man. VIVA
is thats Is that not murder? |
it not -blooded, wiIlful, dell
crate murder, done in defiance {
the laws of man, of civilizatio
and of God? Undoubtedly it i,
not because he ought not to hans
but because of a public opiiio
which has its origin in a rockies
disregard OF life and in miserabl
vanity which should be a diSgrac
to genuine manhood and tru
courage.
Again, two gentlemen meet &
random, dispute arises, Gears
epithets are used, weapons al
drawn. and one of the nartiaS