Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1871-02-11

0 though enrolled, ~ not YET organ
, ICED into companies and regiments
. | have been delayed in the organ
= izstioh and armament ofihese corp
BY failure Of tho appropriation
called for at the last session, 4
, number OF arms and equipments o
J the latest pattern are required. Tit
State has recently received from
the United Ststes Government AZ
Springfield riao mnskets, also bat
T terry Of four pieces has been ordsrec
to be turned over by tho United
States, rs part Of tho quota af arms
due tho State, and thorO was already
on hand here, one hundred old mus
kets, / have partly distributed
these arms, and also loaned some
OF tho carbines q, ,6O7 in number)
purchased for frontier defence, 10
companies ofmilitia OF State Guard,
detailed 10 protect the civil author
tiles, where the necessity was ur'
gont.
10 complete tho organization o.
the Militia and State Guard, l re-
commend that an appropriation bo
made sufficient TO cover the cXpcnce
Of enrolment and tho purchase or
say about ten thousand stand OF
small arms. These arms can DO
issued under such restrictions rs
will secure the State against loss.
Provision ought also TO bc made for
the establishment Of q State Arse
nal. Tho necessity for this is OBJ.
vious ia connection with q perma.
ncnt military organization.
SThc organization Of the State Po-
lice commenced in July last, but
the full number authorized by law
has not yet been filed, Many of
those appointed, have boon found
incompetent or otherwise objection
able, and removed; it being the pur-
pose to bring this forco up TO tho
highest standard Of efficiency. 1t
has been found, however, that the
pay provided by the present law is
inadequate to compensate tho best
GLASS of men, especially in view OF
the fact that they are required to DO
we'll mounted, armed and equipped
at all times. ] accordingly rocom-
mend that an addition be made to
their pay, sufficient to secure and
retain the services Of good men.
The State Polico is expensive,
but not moro so than. is absolutely
necessary to efficiency. Good gov
ernmcnt and law and order cannot
be maintained without IN efficient
military or police force to sustain
the civil authority, and this we can
not have without paying literally
for it. l do not think tho money
expended in this way has been or
will be used unproftably. On the
.VntIaiy, ti'aS "hivh has uuIiuS
thi. short time been accomplished
by the Police and Militia in suppress
sing lawlessness and arresting offen-
ders, and thereby inspiring feel
ing of safety and of confidence both
at home and abroad, in the future
stability of affairs in Texas, has
already, in the increased value OF
property and the swelling tide OF
immigration to this State, vastly
more than set off tho present or
probable future cost of these forces.
From the first of July to tho thir-
ty first of December, 1870, nine
hundred and seventy-cight arrests
have been reported by the State
Police, though the strength of that
forco during the time indicated has
not averaged more than half that
allowed by law, owing to the causes
above referred TO. Among these
arrests wore one hundred and nine
of persons charged with murder Gin
some instances several distinct Of
fences of this character boing charg-
; ed against single individually; one
hundred and thirty charged with
assault with intent to kill, and three
hundred and ninty -four charged
with other felonies. Official reports
of criminals eyading justice, re
ceiyed from one hundred and eight
counties, show total Of two thou
sand seven hundred and ninty per
sons, charged with crime in those
counties and evading arrests
Twenty-nino counties have not re
y ported. Among these persons charg
ed with crime, seven hundred and
two were charged with murder, in
some cases two or more even sevor
murders being charged to q single
individual; four hundred and thir
teen charged with assaults will
intent to kill, and ono thousant
one bundled and thirty seven charg
, ed with other felonies. The grea'
majority Of these offences are OF re
cent occurrence--within three OF
, four years past-and the Polic'
, have been put in active pursuit o
the parties charged. Many Of th'
, arrests made by tho Police hav
+ been Of this class of persons, AM
, many Of the offenders, aware tha
; arrangements were progressing 10
their arrest, have fed the State, an
, by Kidding US in this way of reck
! less and. vicious class, tho Polio
, system has been useful. The Pc
/. lice has also, since organization
commenced, returned to the legi
{ innate owners near thirty thousan
|. dollars of stolen property captured
A great preventive of violenc
n and bloodshed q class Of crime
D which, you will notice, occupies
t large space on our criminal caler
l. darl would be found in an eDac
ment to restrain and regulate tn
r carrying of deadly weapons. In
!. law passed at your last session, for
a bidding such weapons in publ
a places, is Q very partial remedy
r Instances Of personal violence oecu
I, almost daily, where a general an
q stringent law against the pfaetiC
- wouId avoid loss of life or blooc
n shed. Occurrences of that natur
,. are within the experience Of ever,
4 body. A we'll considered law c
a this subject is essential to the con
1F IL