Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-02

Vagrancy and Our Vagrant Laws.
Every year, about this time, it becomes |
incumbent upon us to call attention to our /
vagrant laws and the necessity for their |
rigid enforcement. The cause of this |
necessity is the influx of Northern tramps |
who annually invade the South at this |
season. These gentry toll not, neither do |
they spin, yet Solomon in all the glory of |
his palmiest days never enjoyed so CON- |
plete sense Of security and happy ease as
does one of these. When the hot suns of
summer burn and blast, the hard working,
industrious man of the South who de- |
ponds upon his daily labor for hm daily
bread, has TO put up with all
the inconvenience and discOmforts of
the heated term, and groan and sweat, as
best he may, under weary life. Not so |
the tramp. He, having no cares nor wor- |
riments to disturb his placid soul, HES
him of, with the wealthy and fashionable,
to seaside resorts, where, even though he
may have to sleep in barn, he can enjoy
the cool, refreshing breezes, and indulge
in pleasant siestas, to while away the long
and sultry hours Of nOontide. So, also, in
winter. When the cold winds, bleak
frosts and chilly SHOWS prevail in the ice
bound regions of the North, he serenely
takes his foot in his hand and seeks refuge
in our own beautiful sunny Southland
from the shivering blasts of his native
heath. No creature in the world is half
so happy, none so careless, and none so
absolutely worthless as he.
1t must not be supposed, however, that
life is altogether without pains or troubles
even to these peregrinating happy-gO-
lucky gentry. They suffer some of the
troubles of living in common with Ordi-
nary mOrtals, for at times when they can
neither beg nor borrow, they are sOrely
put to it to obtain a square meal. Then it
is they become dangerous, for then they
steal. Although the rest of the world see
no necessity for their living, they them
selves feel that they must live,
and so they resort to various
practices, not recognized as legiti-
mate by the law-abiding, wOrk-a-day
world, to obtain a livelihood and these
practices lead them into all sorts of ex-
cesses. Hence it is that within the last
three days we have been called upon to
chronicle three Outrages committed by
these destitute Northern tourists in our
midst. An evening or two since one of
our most respected citizens was assaulted
by party of them, but, fortunately,
being a strong, sturdy man, and as brave
as strong, he returned the assaults upon
him with interest, and put his assailants
to incOntinent fight. On Thursday, Mr..
Moline Ill
was, while almost at his doorstep,
knocked down, beaten and robbed
by several of these miscreants, who, in
the absence of the police, succeeded in
making their escape. On Thursday night
again, one of them seized a stone and ma
liciOusly broke in one of our fire alarm
boxes, and after turning on the alarm and
calling out the department succeeded in
making off with impunity. Thus it seems
that We are already entering upon our
winter season of Northern outrages,"
and unless our ''visitOrs" are restrained
by strong arm, it bids fair to become I'M
usually lively.
They can and should be restrained,
however, even if it becomes necessary to
double our police force for that purpose.
The Code of Georgia, in part ", title l.,
division ", section 1850, page 1,190, dis
tinctly declares as follows: ''All persons
wandering or strOlIing about in idIeness
who are able to work, and have no pro-
perty to support them; all persons lead
ing an idle, immoral, or profigate life,
who have no property to support them,
and who are able to work and do not
work; all persons able to work, having no
property to support them and who have
not some visible and known
means of fair, honest and reputable
livelihood; all persons having no fixed
abode, who have no visible property to
support them, and who live by stealing,
or by trading in, bartering for or buying
stolen property, and all professional gam
blers living in idleness, shall be deemed
and considered Migrants, and shall be in
dicted as SUCH" The statute then goes
on to define the punishment TO be inflicted
upon all such Migrants, and to provide
that they may be put at work for the bene-
fit Of the community for a year.
All that is necessary, therefore, to break
up yagrancy and prevent our citizens
from being assaulted, knocked down and
robbed by these Northern birds of passage
is for our laws to be rigidly enforced. AS
we have said, this should be done, if the
police force has to be doubled or trebled,
and when caught they should be subjected
to the uttermost penalties. This might
unduly restrain the liberties of our
Northern visitors, even at the ex-
pense of traditional Southern warm
hearted hospitality. Still, the well
fare of society demands, and the
public security requires it. We trust,
therefore, our vagrant laws Will be prac-
tically carried into effect, and that the
spirit of outrage and lawlessness, which |
has already begun to manifest itself in our
midst, may be speedily and effectually |
stamped out. Let the Northern tramp
understand that we propose to cOnfide him |
with hospitable hands to the tender mer-
cies Of the chain gang, and in his journey
ings Southwark for the winter season he |
will be very apt to give our beautiful |
Forest City very wide berth.