Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-01-22
How 10 PREyENT CRIrTE.

murderer, anu MS sentence Oh ueatD, 10
express the opinion that WHEN criminals
and law breakers are more rigidly dealt
with crime win be less frequent. This is
doubtless the experience of every Judge
in the country. Let the laws for the
punishment of criminals be strictly en-
forced, and that moral sentiment of the
public which is open in its denunciation
of crime and bold in Its demands for its
certain punishment viii sustain the civil
officers in the highest, most imperative
duty they owe to society. The senti-
ment Of the great public requires crime
In all its various phases to be severely
punished, and viii frown down and drive
its perpetrators from high as well as low
places, and is more determined for the
punishment of high, intelligent than
low, illiterste offenders. To permit
crime to pass unpublished is to license Its
commission. The safety of society re-
quires that it be punished according to
law, It matters not the character of the
offense. The experience of mankind is
that if the violator of the law be
surely and certainly punished, crime will
be less frequent. The law Is the govern
ing and controlling power in this country,
and must be respected and obeyed, and
in order to secure respect and obedience
| 1t must be enforced without fear or favor.
Its majesty must bescknowiedged. As in
England, so In this country, no influence
should be allowed 10 obstruct its certain
| enforcement, and bad men must be made
to know and to feel that punishment is
the sure consequence of IFS violation. In
the language of Mr.. Burke, we may bite
our chains, if We will, but we shall be
made to know ourselves, and be taught
that man Is born TO be governed By law;
and he that will substitute win in the
place of it an enemy to God" 1t may
perhaps be well to remove as far as
lies in the law-making power, many of
the causes which sometimes induce crime
and incite to violation of the law; one
of the most fruitful of which Ia
the carrying of concealed weapons.
1t must have arrested the attention
of every careful reader of the journals of
the day how frequently life is taken and
men plunged into eternity for the most
trivial affronts, simply because deadly
weapon happens to be convenient when
passion Is excited. The pistol too often
does its deadly work when there is not the
slightest occasion for its use. The Viz.
ginia papers report painful instance
which illustrates this fact. A personal
rencontre occurred in Liberty, Va, few
days ago, between Mr.. William w. John
son, aged about nineteen years, son of
Hon. james F. johnson, and DR.. w. H.
Roberts, in which the latter was shot and
| instantly killed. The causes which led to
this distressing and terrible affair are re-
ported to be substantially as follows:
"a valuable dog belonging to young
johnson was besmeared with turpentine
and then set on fire, and cruelty burned.
The outrage was reported TO have been
committed in the Office of DR.. Roberts,
and ON yesterday, whilst Roberts was
walking in front of the Bedford House,
he was approached by johnson, and 9
conversation took place between them
on the subject of the outrage, durin G
which, ii Is stated, Roberts acknowledged
that 1t was done in his Office, but dis
claimed Of having participated in it him.
self. johnson then demanded the names
of the responsible parties, which Roberts
declined to give, unless by their consent.
johnson then informed Roberts that be
would hold him responsible, and at the
same time displayed small riding whip.
Roberts Immediately drew his pistol and
the firing commenced, Roberts, il is
stated, firing the first shot. Five shots
were fired in all, two by Roberts, and
three by johnson. Johnson's second
shot penetrated Roberts side, and the
third passed through his heart, when he
fell on the street and died almost in.
stsntly."
The cruel burning of young Johnson's
dog was an act for which the perpetratori
should have been severely punished, but
not such as should have been atoned for
by the life of fellow-msn at the hand
of the owner of the dog. If these men
had not been armed with concealed deadly
weapons, as is the custom With lsrge
portion of the community, not only in
Virginia but in every State in the COM
munity, DR.. Roberts would not have been
killed and youth just budding into man.
hood, would not have the blood of fel-
bowman upon his hands and his heart.
Here was young man taking the law in
his own hand, constituting himself judge
and jury and exeeutioner, and fearfully
has he avenged the cruelty inflicted upon
his dog. This csse is q most solemn pro-
| test against the practice of carrying con-
cesled weapons, and it appeals with an
eloquence TO which words can
add no force 10 the officers
of the law to rigidly enforce
the statutes against carrying concealed
weapons. This prohibition is to be found
upon the statute books of every State in
the Union, and its rigid enforcement
should he regarded by civil officers of
whatever grade as among the highest and
most imperative duties required of them,
and with the faithful performance of this
duty many of the murders which shock
the community would be prevented. The
resort to the pistol and the knife On every
occasion, however trivial the sffront, must
be stopped, and the surest preventive is
the rigid enforcement everywhere of the