The Russellville Democrat., 1880-02-05
THE FESTIVE PISTOL.

Something must be done to sup press the festive pistol. A few weeks ago, as we learned from a Fort Smith paper, lot of young men going home late at night from party in the country concluded to frighten one of their number by firing a pistol. Well, the pistol was fired, and a horse becoming fright ened, dashed with it's rider right in the way of a stray ball, and in a moment young man lay on the ground bleeding from dangerous and ghastly wound. And now comes another case. Two men re- turning to their homes from Noun tain Home the other night, passed an humble cabin on the road side, and seeing light gleaming through n small opening in the door, they con cluded It would be "fun" for them to fire at it with an ever convenient pis- tol. So they blazed away and nor. tally mounded poor woman who was peacefully sleeping on the floor. It is said that they were intoxicated. So much the worse. The festive pistol is bad enough of itself Ia ken, in. connection with whiskey it becomes the head devil of the coun- try. The strong arm of the law ought to eiutch the throat of every man not an officer of the law who de lights in carrying the offensive DIS tol. The white heat of an enraged public opinion ought to burn and blast every man from State officer down to humblest negro in the land who mokes out himself a walking arsenal. We mnst come to it men and brethren. The Colts, Reming- tons, Smith x Weston's, the old "pepper .boxes" and all the tribe must go." If it be true that our laws permit the carrying of certain varieties, then legislation must be had which will make the privilege so expensive that few will care to in- dulge in it. Make it so that when ever a man is caught carrying the festive pistol in his hIp pocket he will be compelled to draw hundred dollars out of his other pocket with which to pay a fine and the barbar- ous custom, which really belongs to the sixteenth century, will soon be- come obsolete.-Little Rock Demo crat.
 Yes, but what are we going to do about it? Unfortunately for Arkan- sas we have supreme court who says that this "barbarous custom, which really belongs to the "six- teenth century" must not and can not be interfered with. It is, they say, one of the glorious and inesti mable privileges of an American freeman which is too sacred to be touched or tempered with by our lawmakers. The people must stand with folded hands and see good, use ful and peaceable men shot down by these pistol carrying bullies, but they must not enact laws to prevent this barbarous habit. They must wat until some worthless scoundrel has killed some good man with his mur- derous old shooter and then they must spend hundreds of dollars in prosecuting him. The deed is then atoned for, the william has got his dues, and what does it matter if a good citizen has been !ost--the glo. rious privilege of carrying a six shooter has been vindicated, and that is the all important thing. It would not do to enact law to deprive the villains from carrying the murder ous weapon and thus prevent the deed, and-force him to respect the rights of others. Oh no, that would be infringing upon the grand and glorious principles and customs of the SlNJeenJu century.
 So what are we going to do about it, Bro. Mitchell9 The press of the State did its duty in demanding the strict enforcement of the pistol law until our supreme court stepped in and said the law is unconstitution- al. We denounce the men who in- dulge in the dangerous and heather custom Of going about armed to the teeth and defying law and order. But now our supreme court says they have a right to carry these murder ous tools and we see nothing further for us to do only to look well to it that in the future no man who is known to hold such peculiar views