New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-05
TEMPER AND TRESPASS.

The murdcrOus and riotous affair mt Paterson
~ j., illustrates several important points
One Of the most important Judge Dixon en-
forced upon the Grand Jury yesterday by urging
the indictment of all persons who are known to
have joined in tho riot and Of those who in their
zeal to punish murder committed arson. But
after all, the old man DalZcll must remain the
central figure. The sadly important lesson to him
is the dangerous character Of q hot and hOni-
cdal temper. Under circumstances Of even slight
proyocation, ,Dalzcll must have been man to be
feared. Anybody who seizcs Il loaded gum and
rlIshcs ont to demonstrate with people who are
doing no moro than pcacoalhy walking over his
land must he a person, for the safety Of society
best kept under lock and key. That those vh0
knew Dalzclrs temper, which seems to have been
notorious, should have exposed Themselves to tho
chance of being murdered, only proves how careless
people are Of their lives. The fact that he had re-
pcatcdy been before The courts for attempts to kill
ought TO have been sufficient warming No prll-
dent man would have provoked his wrath; but
crowds are always imprudcnt. He now says that
his gun wasaccidcntay discharged what he says,
under the circumstances, is hardly worth consider
ing But for the persistent aud well managed roper
ations Of the police he would have been yuchrd,
and the fact that he escaped this fate is the only
pleasant part of the affair. Now, will not those
who are In the habit Of carrying firearms upon the
per on. who resort to them upon the slightest
prOvOcatiUn, take warning from tho fate of Dal-
zell, who will perhaps be h ngcd. and who In no
case can escape n long Imprisonment For man
of his cOmbustbo character TO keep gun WAS in
Itself misdcmeanOr. For anybody who knows
that hc has n hot and heavy temper to buy rey0l-
yer is not only imprudcnt but even mildly fcloni-
GUS The general culture of human nature has not
altogether cradicated in too many bosOms IL touch
of the Bengal tiger. In fact there were only two
places for Dalzcll-thc pcnitcntary or n mcnagcro
One of the advantages Of not few convictions for
murder Is that they teach the necessity of sclf-c0n
troll. At present the average temper Of our popua-
ton seems to be about as easily in1amcd as tho
Italian Let the Paterson affair at least supply
lesson of restraint
But tho tragedy should teach also n lesson Of the
true character of the law. There is general I'M
preston among ignorant people: that, mans house
being his castle, and his parcel Of land his strong
hold, he may, IN finding in the one or on the other
q trespasscr, proceed Mt once to any extremity Of
violence The law will undoubtedly permit him
to use sufficient force to secure the removal of a
person unlawfully presents but because the lntru-
der will not go away, and refuses to heed remOn-
STRANGE, II does not follow that he may DO lawfully
shot especially If he be not found in the act of COM
uniting any aggravating offence. The party upon
whose premises the intrusion is made may have his
action sounding in damages but this docs not en-
title him to kill the intruder. In this Paterson
case, provided there was an invasion of Dalzell's
Close 1t was made by q large numbyr of persons
Whatever remedy he might legally have, 1t is ciO.