Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-06-28
CARRYING CONCEALED WEAPONS.

We see every day striking proof of the
fact that the administration of our crimi-
nal laws for the past ten years have not in
spired that respect for life that ought to
exist in every community, in every State,
in this advanced stage of civilization. Our
laws may be stringent enough, but public
sentiment on this point has not been az
grcssiCo enough to demand the strict full
fillment of the letter and spirit of the stat
utes. The truth plainly spoken is that
we do not sufficiently value the life of our
fellow men, 1t has become fashionable if
we may speak so of such a dangerous prac-
tice, to kill men on too slight provocaton,
and it has become too fashionable for pub
lie sentiment, either to endorse such crimes
or to fail to censure them. There are doubt
less some circumstances under which the
taking of life is justifiable, but the line
ought to be rigidly marked and strictly
pursued. Provocations that frequently
ought only to mitigate the offense, are al
lowed to excuse it entirely. The danger
from such practice is that what is consd-
cred q sufficient prOvocatiOn is continually
enlarged-made less aggravating until pre-
cedent finally gives us a dangerous law.
The habit of carrying concealed weapons
is undoubtedly the cause of many muir
ders, and it is one of growing and alarm
ing danger. The practice of carrying fire
arms will in time reconcile any one to use
them under provocations that to men not
carrying them would seem very slight and
trivial. The very act of carrying firearms
is likely TO educate men to commit crime.
1t hardens the conscience by naturally
keeping before the minds of the man, the
circumstances under which he would feel
warranted in using them. 1t accustoms
him to think lightly of the gravest offenses
known to the law and TO civilization, and
serves to reconcile him to thoughts and
acts unnatural and unmanly: This practice
beside being dangerous is absolutely cow
ardlys Itis no mark of manhood or cour-
age TO 90 about ready to take the life of
fellow mortal and bring misery and dis
tress upon his family or friends, who alone
are to suffer, and who are in no way re-
sponsible for the supposed prOvocation for
the killing. The wrong the murderer does
Is not alone to his victim but in most cases
to the widow, orphans and others depend
dent upon him.
10 intlict misery upon such helpless per-
sons is not evidence of courage, it is on the
other hand proof of absolute brutality and
cowardice. Public opinion, if il wants to
strike at the root ofthese frequent murders,
must condemn and ostracse these walking
arsenals who go about ready at any time
and upon even slight provocation to take
n life and entail upon others miseries
worse, ten times worse, than death itself
But our courts Judges and jurors can do
something, too. They must, ifthey would
put stop to these crimes, make an eX-
ample of such criminals. They oughtnot to
| begin on some poor unfortunate offender
but ought to makean example of men who
know the law and who realize and can APP
preciate the wrong they have done. There
must be a limit to such offences for their
frequent occurrence su guests the necessity
/ Take up an exchange and see how manV
murders are every day reported. The dan
ger is not imaginary but real.