The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-09-08
S. G.
Tuesday Morning. September 8. 1874.
Tho RIgh. to Bear Arms.

Some time in this Month there is to
take place. at Oreedmoor, on Long
Island, great international rifle
match, to be contested on one side by
an American team and on the other by
an Irish team. Daily practice for posi-
tion on the American team takes place
at Creedmoor on the part of the mem
bers OF regiments. The scores are re-
ported in the journals, daily, and
excite great interest. The distances
are 800, 900 and 1000 yards, and each
member is allowed fifteen shots at
each. It will be an interesting ocoa-
sion when the teams meet. It gives
na no pleasant feelings when we wit
ness the ardor which enters into this
contest. to read in some of our Jour
malls in this State that one of the Cir
cult Judges of South Carolina and
one OF its Senators in the United
States Congress. should so far forget
the rights OF American oitizens, as to
advise that the rifle clubs Which are
in process of formation in this State
shall disarm themselves, or be dis
armed by the national authority. It
shows whittier we have drifted under
the sway OF the party which rules the
State. The common heritage Of Ame-
ricsD freemen-the right to bear arms
is sailed in question as to the people
OF South Carolina by persons occupy
ing high and responsible positions.
The next step in logical order is to try
to deprive them of this right. These
persons seem to forget that it is se-
cured to the people under both the
Constitution OF the United States and
the Constitution of South Carolina;
that the disabilities in this respect,
which the late civil war brought, ended
nine years ago, and that South Caro-
lima is nominally. at least. free. sove.
reign and independent State. There
is. under the law. no privilege denied
to her citizens which is allowed to the
citizens of New York. II those who
object to rifle companies. sabre clubs
or any other forms of manly associa.
tion entered into in order to acquire
experiences in the use of arms and for
manly exercise, should pretend to say
that they tend to increase the dangers
OF collision between classes of the
population, they oonld be easily
1efuted. AS an objoctinn it comes
too late. They never discovered
that the costly militia, with it's ex-
pensive and fraudulent contracts for
the supply OF arms-oontraots which
made dozens of them rich-was in
any way dangerous to the peace of
society, or an exorbitant tax on the
resources OF those who pay the taxes.
The best arms which American manu-
iactnrers could make were distributed
broadcast all over this State, where
they remain to this day, aud placed in
hands certainly not more discreet or
humane than are those of the educated
and seif-controlling citizens who
are forming rifle clubs. With associa-
tion OF men in any way, provided. of
course, they be men of average intelli-
gence and average discretion and hu-
manity, comes increased sense Of re-
sponsibility. Que hundred men in q
company. having its rules and regula-
tions, under discreet control, moving
only as they receive orders, and only
in grave emergencies. which orders
are weighed before issued. aud the
subject of consultation and reflection
by intelligent and conscientious men.
are hundred.foid less dangerous to
the public peace than il they were not
80 organized, and each man of them
should be left to obey his own i'm
pulses, and avenge what he may re-
gard as his own wrongs in his own
way. The privilege Of bearing arms,
Of drilling in companies, of practical
ly studying the military art, would do
more to do away with the wretched
habit of carrying concealed weapons,
than all the dead letter laws which
have encumbered the statute books