The weekly Arizona miner., 1872-12-21
Crime---Criminals---Law.

the savage Apaches. We have begged Gov
 ernment to punish them for so doing, and.
 wholesale murderer as they are, their pun
 ishment has been light
 Here, then, Is ''the best Government the
 world ever saw," setting a very bad example
 to its citizens; an example which, one way and another, has made murderers of several of said citizens; aye, unpunished murderers at that, for owing to variety of causes it Is rarely that man forfsits his life for having wilfully, deliberately, and mallciously taken the life of his fellow creature.
 Throughout the West and South wherever there is danger from Indians and Mcxicans,
 Americans generally go armed to the teeth. in order to be ready at any moment to de- fend their lives and property against attacks from the enemies we have named.
 But, and We grieve to say it, the weapons carried by our countrymen are frequently used for the slaughter of one another. For instance, difference arises between two cit izens, warm words pass from one to another, pistols are drawn, and down goes one of the unfortuuates.
 Now, for the survivor in combat like the foregoing, we have great sympathy, pity, or whatever feeling you call it.; for his rash act was done in the heat of passion, with death staring him in the face, and. perhaps would never have been done had his Government relieved him of the necessity of carrying weapons to protect himself from his natural enemies.
 But, for the black hearted, cowardly fierd, who, after nursing his hatred of fellow being, and taunting him until he gets the
 drop" on him; then shoots or stabs him to death, we never have had and never can have any sympathy.
 Of this latter kind of murder-if there be different kinds-our poor Territory has to answer for several, while the real authors are as free as before they committed their hellish acts, s,-unless, indeed, they have consciences and are troubled with remorsc,-all of which we very much doubt.
 For the escape of the latter class of rufli- ans, the law of the Territory is slightly to blame; the good citizens thereof great deal more; for seldom is it that good men can be procured for jury duty, and in this way, criminals of the worst sort have gone unhung.
 Now. no rope has been used; yet we are told that criminals are approaching the end of their rope. How2 Why2 We'll, says one of the three newspapers of the Terri tory
 'Fellow-citizens of Yuma county, the hour | has come for action. The courts have failed ! us; juries have failed us, and crime of the l most rcvolting character holds high caruiv.J . all around us. Men are peering anNieusly ]. ton lr5or- iir,-iirrtU 3s ''' "Who neXt2' Ordinarily, We arc in favor of letting the law take care of the offenders against it, but when the offenders take care of the law, or ruthleSsly trampe 1t under their feet, we are in favor of appealing to the inherent power of the people to protect Let punishment be swift and terrible. The persuasive argument of few feet of rope will do more to stop thiS law less conduct that all the slow moving bodies of courts in Christendom. Let an organiza- ton for protection be formed at once"
 This means Lynch Law. "code" the . very name of which is abhorred by all en- frightened people.
 Another of our contempornries despaiFs of ! justice being done by courts and juries, and, l no doubt, would not object to seeing little of Judge Lynch.
 Now, to be candid, the MINER once favored | this unbridled license of the people the oc- casion when it did so was pregnant with the blood of two harmless women, who were murdered by two scoundrelly villains in this town, one of whom, we see, has just been turned loose by the proper authorities, in Arizona City. 1
 But, the past is past. The records of all new States and Territories are stained with blood; the clots are no thicker here than they are elsewhere, if we leave out the pools made by Indians.
 So far, not case of lynch law is cbarga- | ble to our Territory. We have courts in full operation good men must be procured to try criminals the landmarks of the law | must be kept steadily in view: its penalties must be enforced, and to this end should | Press, Pulpit, School and Public Opinion 1 labor to regenerate the Territory, rather than by appeals to an enforcement of mob law. |