The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-18
sHERIFFs, MAYORS, POLICE
AND SOLDIERS.

AND SOLDIERS.
The Express dePlores the possibility /
O: the expiration OF the term of enlist /
ment of McNelIy's command. II the /
people and grand juIies and courts
would compel sheritIs to do their duty
there would be no need for military
force even in frontier counties. But
there is a loOsenegs Of construction and
disgraceful inefiic.ency il the execu-
ton of the laws of which Judge Elem
ming tells in each char &C to Western
grand jurics which bcget all pablo
evils of which the Express justly and
bitterly complains. Men charged
with murder, if they have money,
hire their own guardsmen and
ara not consigned to felons' cells.
SLer.Ts thus recognise an aristocracy
among bloOIy-handed desperadoes, and
Of course when the law threatens TO
wreak proper vengeance for bloodshed
the gcntlemunly, professional siaugh-
tercr Of our race coolly bids adicu to
his captors and goes unwh!pt Of jus
tice. On the other hand, as Judge
Flemming states in his admirable in
struCtious frem the bench, whom muir
/ dcrcTs and thieves are not protected
! by prison walls their lives arc at the
mercy Of outraged communities, and
! violent measures are instituted by
the people whose property has been
stolen or made vaiueless by prev
alent despe.adoIsm. 1t is an old
fable founded on philosophical fact
that corn will not grow where hu
man blood has been spilled. The aph
orism is thus announced that propcrty
is made valuelcss by the presence OF
crime, and hence in districts in which
sherifTs arc either timid or the associ
atcs Of murdcrcrs there can be no Sc
curity for life or property. The pres
must cooperate with the courts, anC
when a sheriff is derchct in the dis
charge of iuty, the grand jury mus
present and petit juries punish thes'
worst of all criminals. The law define:
plain remedy, and it is only un
fortunate that the courts arc no
vested with the power not only to suS
pend, but designate a permanent sub
stitute for an inefficient or inca pablt
sheriff. The law declares, we believe
that when criminal has been con
signed to nil and is not incarcerated
the sheriff is guilty of etfecting ,
technical escape, and may be deprived
of his commission. Ii this be til,
law of Texas, as in most States, /
should be rigidly enforced. The frs
proper measure of pull lie and persona
security consists in making wise seleC
ton of judges and shCritTs, and thci
the latter must be forced to execut
| and obey the law. Ia towns and cite
public peace and security and the valu
of home depends upon the ability an,
personal worth and force of CharaCtC
of the mayor. His subordinates are o
his selection. Even a board of alder
men, constituted Of men devoted who
ly to private pursuits, are incapable O
good unless the government have
head hat thinks and suggests. Be-
cause of these facts towns simply veg
ctate. Most of them would die of il
anition, but GCd and Nature forbid
Municipal government, it is believed
was instituted only to collect taxes an
: not that the town might be made t
prosper and grow rich and powerful
It's masters trust to the sublimity {
= luck, and their personal character ar
= worth are visible in the moral and il
: tellcctual beauties of the brass-bu
r toned, club. merchandising pC
= licemen that do the 'heavy standin
around" guarding herOically the eli
trance to each dram-shop.
The courts and the people of IL
West must learn to substitute sherif
; for costly military organizations, an
towns of the West must protect then
selves by investing decency, Intelligent
and honesty with municipal otfic;
/ Military organizations are too cost.
n and We cannot have them always.