Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-06-25
. CARRYING CONCEALED WEAPONS.

We see every day striking proof of the
fact that the administration of our cririli-
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
gresstue 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 dangerous prac-
tice, to kill men on too slight provocation,
and it has become too fashionable for pub
lie sentiment, either to endorse such crimes
or to fail tocensures them. There are doubt
lessssome CIRCUMSTANCES under which the
taking of life is justifable, but the line
ought to. be rigidly marked and strictly
pursued. Provocations that frequently
ought only to mitigate the offenseh are al
lowed to excuse it entirely. The danger
from such practice is that what is consid-
sufficient provocation is continually en- =
largedl4nlade less aggravating until pre-
eedent finally gives us a dangerous law.
The habit of carrying concealed weapons
is undoubtedly the causes 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
i Is Ikelyito 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 ofenses
known to the law and to civilization, and
serves to reconcile him to thoughts and
acts unnatural andunmanly. This practice
beside being dangerous is absolutely cow
ardly. It is nc mark of manhood or cour-
age to GO about ready to take the life of a
fellow mortal and bring misery and dis
tress upon his family or friends, who alone
are 70 suffer, and who are in no way re-
sponsible for the supposed provocation for
the killing. The wrong the murderer does
Is uUO diUiIS 10 llS NACtltu ,Dub Al IIOS1 CsicSS
to the widow, orphans and others depend
dent upon him. 49, -. IKE. q ia M
2 To infiict misery upon such helpless per-
sons lis not evidence of courage. it is on the
other hand proof of absolute brutality and
cowardice. Public opinion, fit wants to
strike at the root of these frequent murders,
must condemn and ostracise these walking
arsenals who go about ready at any time
and upon even slight provocation to take
alife and entail upon others miseries,
- worse, ten times worse, than death itself.
But our courts, judges and jurors can do
> |. something, too.s They must, ifthey would
put stop tothese crimes, make an ex-
ample of such criminals. They ought MOTTO
begin on some poor unfortunate offender
but ought to makean example of men who
j know the law and who realize and can APP
preciate the wrong they have done. There
must be d limitto such offences for theil
a frequent occurrence suggests the necessity
fake DIP an exchange and see how many
murders are every day ieporteds The dan
ger is not imaginary but real.
-&GR%-------- h+t