Louisiana capitolian., 1880-01-31

Viz uoiu DuISlHr uuueT the cover q
night stcalthily plies his thieving av
ocation to the terror of another; mol
violence follows the dark course o
midnight maraGders in another
to the utter disregard of law ant
safety Of the people.
This is just the situation of on,
grand commOnwealth-crime ever,
wlicre-seemingly committed without
fear of the punishment of God OF
man. No State is exempt, and yer,
few communities. Even our own dear
parish of East Baton Rouge, and
those adjacent are not exempt from
this baleful Incubus. Violations OF
law OF a dark and mysterious nature
have occurred which call for the most
extreme pehalties-murder, arson
and other crimes of a smaller nature
that brings the blush of shame to the
the cheek of our higher civilization.
A thorough investigation of the
cause of this unfortunate state of af-
fairs will erase the popular belief
that the State administration and
their officers are to blame. Our peo
pie, as a rule, display too much sym
pathy for parties under charge of
criminal otfenses, and are entirely too
willing to furnish bonds for them.
Moreover, good, law-abiding citizens
have a natural hesitancy in appear
ing before our courts, and are there.
fore bften recreant to the obligations
which humanity holds upon them. For
instance, we have known of parties
whose evidence would convict an out
law but from this delicate motive.
allowed him to escape until the COM
mis- sion of some greater crime brought
him within the clutches of the law.
Thhs one crime leads to another
VIII lch the proper punishment might
|'a1e prevented.
We hold that it is a moral duty |
every good citizen owes his country
TO point out every violator of the law
which accident forces upon his knowl
edge. A citizen who sccretcs posi-
1--WE evidence by refusal or failure to
make affidavit against guilty persons,
sol that the sheriff or other executing
'ffl Ger may be served with the custo-
md ary warrants, is morally responsible
or the commission of any criminal
Iced that such parties may be guilty
If in the future.
The social net work of the great
Ani ierican family should be SO con-
trpctep as not only to frown upon
'ut to prosecute with the utmost rig
II any effort that may be made to
tain its, native purity by the slight
st tole iation Of illegality. Begin
ing in lthe highly -colored delusion
t sympathy, which is but a depraved
nd distorted pervcrsion of individ-
al justice, it invariably ends in
'rohg, that presumes with bold-faced
ssurance and blighting arrogance to ,
'rr',pt and pollute with each guilty
ride the sacred environs of the social /;
'brit. This accomplished where's ,
'c force Of human law9
Are we not justified in command 7
g a halt:e No one can deny that q
ere is u necessity for virtuous in i
gnat ton, calling for action on the a
'rt Of the virtuous only! The time v
IS arrived when prompt and eff
ent action must be taken. Evcry Il
od citizen throughout the country y
viii tc and black-both North and
'uthi are in duty bouud to rise in G
cir majesty and stop this lawless- e
IS. When a mob surges with n
Dody hand over terrified comma v
ty the danger hangs alike over all, n
me can feel secure. Then it be- a,
owes every good citizen, in the pro- ri
'tlop of home as we'll as the general
'ltare, to. call halt v,
Let affidavlts be made against all in
'lators Of law in bold and reyo- I'll
ionary manner, and we will guar XII
tee chat the officers of this parish al
Il do their duty to the utmost. Let &C
officers s.of other parishes in this T
'te and the counties in other States 10
perform their duty as well, and aG
Orm wave will sweep over this ca
'ntry to its length and breadth, M
'cking crime and destroying the as
,nghold of evil-doers. th
IN the night of December eth a de
road bridge over the river Tay, Ia,
gland, gave way while passenger frc
freight train were on it, precipi- tir
ne the entire train, with nearly th.