Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-01-27
PREVENTION OF CRIME.
Il sch Law-Ths Dagger Of the Hsur-Ths
Remsdy.

Editors AppeaL-There are 80 many
courts, each Invested with the power To
grant the writ of hGbeas corpus, and hay
ing the right TO release prisoners on bail,
that it Is said by many to be quite impos-
sible to punish crime. No sOOner Is a pris-
oDer released than be goes about the bust
ness of removing dangerous witnesses.
There are some that may be paid to leave,
| others are frightened away and many
more are threatened with bodily harm IL
they dare testify TO the truth. II Is said
that, for self protectiOn, habituai viola
tors OF law are banded together. They
are supposed to have their agents in Of
fee, and now and then manage to
have one or two Of their number
impanneled on juries. 1t results
from these stories, which have strongly
pie have lost a share Of confidence in the
courts and very slight p~rOvOcstiOn would
possibly induce those who are p%eCuniar-
lily and otherwise Interested il the main
tenance Of law and order, to assume the
province Of courts, juries and hsngmen.
The evils suggested, if they exist, should
be speedily remedied. Known facts
should be suffered to appear in criminal
trials; witnesses known to be corrupt
should be discredited or prosecuted for
perjury; those known to belong to COM
binatiOns of villa,.a1 should be watched
by the honest officers Of the courts and
excluded from the inrY box; and swift
punishment should be melted out to
swift witnesses. The civil courts
sbould refrain, If It be possible,
from interfering with the proper func-
tons Of the criminal judge who is con
verssnt with the history, character and
deeds Of most Of those who violated the
law.
OTHER CRYING EVIL3s
We have had enough Of Outrages. The
best citizens fear the worst, and the best
may be often punished because OF rea-
sOnable apprehension Of danger, while
those whose souls are stepped in crime
and care naught for the w~ell-being of so
ciety or for the cOnntry's laws, 20 bur
dened with Implements Of death and are
never suspectedl2) by the police. These
are subjects, thus d-iscOursed, sVery day,
by merchants on Change, by families at
their hresides, by those who never were
within the precincts OF q court of justice.
Reform, thorough radical reform, there
must be, or a terrible reckoning will be
had with Indicators, and an ounce Of
prevention Is worth q pound OF cure.
LAWYERS sHYsTEEs.
1t is hardly necessary to speak Of sbys-
tsrs who are mainly devoted to the bust
ness of doing the dirty work OF others,
who instruct them in all their shameful
movements. A lawyers duty does not
require more than that he should acquit
client by fair means. The pr0stitu-
ton of intellect to purposes OF dspraved
cunning; the resort TO kusves in the Gre
alton of juries; the Winkiug sU bribery
practiced by the hired tools Of villains;
the open degradation of the trial
by jury, which results from the unblush-
perjury of wretchss whom the courts
forced to accept; the participation in
that criminality involved in the execu-
ton OF straw bail; this tampering with
corrupt officers, whose fees are paid in
ten dollar notes and no change asked for;
these are practices which should render q
infamous. If there be such advo-
Gates, they are soon recognized by the
and Whatever their success in win
ming causes, there is no doubt as to their
success in winning an infamous notO-
They are deemed the worst
Jf malefactOrs, and 81 criminal as the 4
0lOOdiest criminals. They not only de-
feat the purpose Of the best avs By the
worst means, but ~cOrrUpting the fountain
IF Justice, find their foul hands stained At
with the crimes Of those they have
exempted from proper punishment. An
eloquent, earnest, honest, successful ad-
deserves the highest hOnOTs the
state may bestOw, but he who prostitutes
earning and ability to disgraceful tasks,
md is resolved to acquit by fair means or
he bassst practices, deserves and must
meet, OOner or later, public eEeerstiOn.
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