Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-11-19


wrong or was pity, and then, with
cold indifference, passed on to the
next tragedy.
But scores of men during all these
years, too cowardly to go unarmed
in broad daylight, have in defiance of
law walked our streets armed to the
teeth, ready to draw the knife or pts
toll on the slightest provocation. We
have laws against carrying concealed
weapons, but who regards them =?
The peaceable citizen who deems it
cowardly to desire a deadly weapon
to protect his person in the public
street obeys the law--the bully and
assassin, for whom the law was made,
habitua ly disregards it. Occasion
ally some insignificant wretch gets
into the courts and is let off perhaps
with costs, but did any one ever hear
of any man prominent in wealth or
political influence, or feared for his
dangerous character, being punished,
even with costs
In the face of such things the idea
of the supremacy of law has become
an idle fiction, and men have taken
the law into their own hands and be-
come their own avengers; leprosy and
paralysis have struck the moral senti-
ment of the community, and the
law and it's officers are dumb
and helpless before the forces of
evil. 1t is easy to complain at
our police officers, who must
know of persons violating the laws
by carrying concealed weapons, and
of the courts for not enforcing tue
laws. There is just ground for com
plant. But the seat of the disease
is with society itself. If there were
a healthy public sentiment on such
matters, the officers would enforce
the law.
Now in view of recent events,
when three of our most prominent
citizens have just been consigned to
their bloody graves, and the light
has gone out in their darkened
homes, and when we have marked
the signs of battle on our highways,
will we simply lament the tragedy,
and then go to our homes and sleep
the sleep of those whose consciences
are clear of offence, and will we for
get these sad occurrences, and will
things be as they were?
Clear of offense! Who slew
all these? Citizens of Knoxville,
are you blameless Have we not
in all these years been content in
sloth and cowardice to submit with-
out protest to disregard and def
ance of law; to see public sentiment
deDauched; to see politics made a
trade and high places sold to the
unworthy; to see courts made a
farce and juries corrupted by preju.
dice or gold7 Have we not encour>
aged state of society which has
compelled the citizen to protect him
self because the law and the courts
would give him no redress, and a
barharous public opinion poured
scorn upon him if he did otherwise ?
Our people cannot attribute blame
to the man who in defiance of law
goes forth to defend his person or
his fair fame behind the blaze OF
firearms. It is a diseased public
sentiment that has sent him on his
deadly errand, and on our heads be
tie blood. When man, leaving the
savage state, formed society and en-
acted laws, and surrendered his right
of private war, it was be-
cause society had undertaken
that its laws should be enforced ane
,his person and it's rights be pro
tected. IF society fails to keep this
pledge, and deliberately permits It'll
laws to be violated and disgraced--
permits insult and violence to rule
and wrongs to go UNI edressed, thei
1t RENTS every man to his origina
rights of the savage state, ant
licenses him to disregard the law ant
redress his own wrongs by force ant
violence Do you say this is re
lapse into barbarism OF course
is a relapse into barbarism. TIL
outside world knows it as such an,
taunts us with it, and we gro,
wrathful with the imputation, be
cause we know it as too nearly true
The essential difference between
savage race and civilized race il
that one is governed by law and tn
other is not; and disguise our con
dition as we will, and use high
sounding phrases about honor an
courage and chivalry, we know and
grinning world knows, ths
the phrases are all empt
sound, and that so far as the
indicate disregard of law, the
reduce our boosted civilization
that of Dahomey and the Modocs.
We boast of our resources an
4 our wealth, and we send out our ad
| yertiSements and Our AGENTS TO hi