New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-02-03
REMEDIES OUTSIDE OF THE LAW.

A Mississippi item informs us that the
people in Vicksburg are beginning to talk
about citizen patrol for the protection of
their property. Vicksburgisa Democratic
city, entirely under the controllof officials
selected by 'the people" Yet there is
dissatisfaction. Murder, burglary, lar
ceny, assault and battery, and all the
other crimes incident to much greater
town prevail to such an extent that impa-
thence is manifested at the slow operations
Of law, and they are about to seek rem
edy in that great bane of the South-pop-
| ular violence.
The REPUBLICAN has before explained
that good community will always have
good officers, and that it requires cor
rect and healthy public sentiment to en-
force criminal laws. Policemen, criminal
magistrates and prosecuting attorneys are
powerless unless they are seconded by
witnesses and juries. These are supplied
by the people themselves. We have seen
the difficulties encountered by the officers
of the law in this city. Witnesses are
frequently bought of, OF restrained by
public sentiment from coming forward.
1t is impossible to find jury of twelve
men who can agree upon verdict against
man charged with capital crime in
case where politics can by any possibility
be introduced by ingenious counsel, or
where the accused is rich. The long list
of acquittals in cases where the prisoners
have richly deserved the halter or the
penitentiary for life is well calculated to
discourage the most faithful policeman,
the most Jealous district attorney, and the
most infexible judge. One or two jury
men saved Wicklife from conviction; and
one alone was sufficient to battle Colonel
Fields most earnest efforts in q subse'
auent great State trial, while his clever
colleagues thought the evidence perfectly
convincing. Perjured witnesses and
Jurors are held to no sort of moral re
sponsibility by the public unless they
give testimony against the popular favor
ties or bring in verdicts against populai
crimes.
Instead of calling out citizen patrol
the good people of Vicksburg had mucl
better organize public opinion on {
healthy basis. If they will turn their at
tention to seeing to it that the penaltie
of the law are rigidly enforced against I
very few persons who are generally con
sidered privileged offenders, they vii
soon have quiet time. Witnesses VIII
tell the truth should be protected an
honored. Juries who find verdicts strictl
a according to the facts, and judges VIII
see only the law and are blind to th
: standing of the prisoner, should be bel
b in high repute. Under such eonditio
e of affairs policemen will be encourage
i and rogues disheartened. The citizen
! patrol can stay at home at night and a
tend to their business in the day tim
!. thus saving themselves much personal il
convenience and pecuniary loss. The
j. never was vigilance committee that e,
listed long without being finally capture
and controlled by the very class Of men
Q was organized to exterminate. On Il
D other hand, the enforcement of the law |
Il the consent of the governed, and
q means Of their personal assistance,
g necessary, assures the permanency Of Il
: State.