Delaware tribune, and the Delaware state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1877-18??, 1877-07-12

PHILADELPHIA, July 6.-However it
may be in other places, 4th OF July is
with us growing to be such an intolerable
nuisance that, if it were matter that
could be put to vote, doubt not major
ity would be found to veto the observance.
The sentiment may be called unPatrioticc
by some, but we are pretty well agreed
here that patriotism has precious little to
do with the day in Philadelphia as it is
mainly kept. 1t is simply day Of licence
and law. breaking, the outrages being not
| merely winked at, but encouraged by the
authorities, and the effect cannot but be
| denoralizlng There was no pretence of
police interference with gun and pistol
| practice in the streets on Wednesday,
notwithstanding the fact that strict order
prohibiting such doings had been issued
only few hours before. The order was
shown to be mere mummery, and the
officers, to whom citizens looked for pro-
lection were seen to have nothing better
| to do than to look to it that the law should
be broken. Naturally, there were great
number of resulting casualties, two instan-
taneous deaths from pistol shots, and
several scores of hurts OF more Or less
seriousness treated at the hospitals, besides
the larger number of accidents which
Stunned the public eye. The cases of
illness and relapse to delicate persons and
invalids, caused by the senseless hub
bub, there are no means of computing
1t is as certain as anything can be that
such period of recklessness as that Of
Wednesday does more to encourage the
practice Of carrying concealed deadly
w1apcns than can be-. .countaracted by all
the courts OF this city in years time.
When hobble-de-hoy realizes that he
may, upon occason, fire his revolver under
the very nose of policeman, without
rebuke, q very easy self-argument assures
him that he may carry that weapon and
use it as he pleases, and the chances are
he viii not be hardly dealt with. 1t
stands 10 reason it should be SO, and the
J Msyor and the police force are thus
directly responsible for one of the most
! serious, and most steadily growing of
! social evils.
The day was throughout so abused by
l the consent and apparent connivance Of
. the authorities that little that was done
, can be dwelt upon with pleasure. One
feature of the celebration, however, gave
unalloyed satisfaction, is to say the
banquet to the nswsboys at Belmont,
rendered by Mr.. G. W. Childs. The idea
was a capital one, and it was excellently
l carried out. What a fine thing it must be
to be able to do such things What
comfort and what good too, for few
hundred dollars For we are to remember
y that the newsboys dinner was not a
, mere affair of an hour. To
many of the boys, no doubt, perhaps
! to majority,it was only question of iced
u and fun, but to the weighty minority II
was-or will in the end prove-mucb more
9 than that. That afternoon at Belmont vii
!, be a starting point for many of those little
fellows; it has shown them they art
J. recognized, respected; that they are O
8 account, and that they have place in tht
world. We may be sure the event vii
e never be forgotten by them, nor can w
II calculate the good that may branch out il
!, every way from that one act Rich mel
q have SO many such chances, but how few
9 there are who care to improve them.
- DRUNKENNESS AND cRINE.
8. 1t has been hoped here that the plea o
"a drunkenness in extenuation of crime ha'
il about run its course, but the cause
a reason and Justice has had a reverse
N Judge Briggs, who recently won deserve
q enconiums for his rebuks of bullying Law
" yers, has prominence in this latter matte
M wen, ou' ~. Tn 49,. a' piatt 1cboroed Wit
OF case w.s tna. " s ',:a,, Tsa;n ;ur
ne soe ulasa ,a:, ~ tennS n;',, on;lty ~ murde
~ nau p1Svy ~. s. .S H.. az T,ioa ordere
'ne l:. ., u.s, - o1i >.hs csss Se;no sul
e. new ~ | ~ A 81, ~ as;danc. instead ,
nh.Nu " n snao,d INV +
OF oenns l ~ SSs. ~. 49, ~ in second deyre
ne 1uuno suo o'A .Isoasa. .u.s that plat W,
ca ls t :. ....sa.a s.sSo ;,-ssnons;hla There
er uronA l! ~ .u,a s''t that tb;s hind
er no'nns - a;~lp. n-arn;un, unf
ad reasoning 49, a.eo; ."a;,, and ana;n he,
mn told that intoxication is no excuse Fl
he crime. vet here We have in q leading cas-
lso tn which an upcommon amount of atte
bis ton has been attracted, that sound do
nv tr;ne set eomplstely at one side. Folio
he ing the principle out to its just concl
-. ;c,,x,,,e 1rd <1,et n 10 oplv necassary fol