National Republican., 1883-05-10
The Universal Leveler.

1t is perhaps true that tho shotgun is a
universal leveler, as the the Courier-Jomnat
proclaims in justifying the killing Of Davis
by Congressman Phil. Thompson; though lot
us hope that it will not be permitted to run
at large on its universal leveling expeditions
in this country, where we boast Of civiliSa-
ton and laws adequate to sustain civilization.
The trial Of Thompson is on in the
court Of his county, and IL is gratifying
to see that it is not to be q farce.
Starting in with the concession that Thompson
thought he was avenging great wrong; al
lowing that men will kill when other mon
invade their homes and seduce wives or
daughters, and having human sympathy
for the human anger and acknowledging tho
just visitation of vengeance upon such out
rageous invaders of homes, it is at the same
timo not only fair to all concerned, but de-
manded by the we'll being of every member
of every community, that the practice Of
such killing bo condemned, and that tho
spirit of justification be discouraged rather
than fostered. 1t seems brave, and is
always very sentimental to talk about
unwritten laws" They may have
done some good in mining camps and on
lawless frontiers; but let us have done
with the upholdng Of unwrit.en laws in the
confines of civilization. Kentuckians fly up
IN; onger OF tbe asnorsion IN az ttnon th heir IN
by the frequent headline" The Regular
kentucky Murder" They show how fire.
qucnt murders are in other states, and by the
comparison claim to be abreast the best and
Oldest of them in civilization; but when an
affair of this kind occurs they rise and say
"Oh tho northern people do not under
stand our social institutions" and they
proceed to do by public expression what
no other citizens of other states ever do
justify violent and unlawful acts. One
would think to read the Kentucky papers that
we were looking upon acts of Californans in 10
rather than the acts of Kentucky congress-
man in 's3. Let us deal with the act and not
with the man. 1t is not a matter of wonder
that kentucky is full of Phil. Thompson's
friends; it is not a surprising thing that Sen
ator Voorhees, and Congressman Blackburn
hasten to defend him. Here in
Washington the man has friends by
hundreds, and wherever he is known he has
friends, but that has nothing to do with tho
case. Imagine if possible, state of society
in which We were all solemnly agreed to
stand by each other in clans instead Of agree
ing to wholesome laws for all alike.
1t would be a nice time for our wives and
cradles" mentioned so pathetically by the
Couricr-Jour1dl. The wives would be fre-
quent widows and the cradles would be
rocked in blood.
This pending trial is not only to be earn
estly conducted by the prosecution, but it is
to open up the morals of a Kentucky COM
munity in a way to make it memorable, and
the trial will begin in the old Harrodsburg
court house, where a few years ago tho
Thompsons killed the Davises. 1t will afford
opportunity to test the question of progress,
to see whether or not there has been any
advancement in the law and order senti-.
ment or whether the COurier-Jou,rapS "uni-
versal lcveler," its "shotgun mightier than
the courts" is making headway.
Among the lawyers secured for the prosecu-
tion is George Denny, of Lancaster, fearless
youno man CARRYING scars dua to tha nra
valenco of the "leyeler," and most fearless
as we'll as capable lawyer. There will be
clashings and attempts to overawe; there
will be such handling Of witnesses as
is seen nowhere else, and who can toll
what there will not be. For one thing it is
reasonable to assume that there will be not
knives in the court room on every day of the
trial, though mono of them are visible. Like
community like courts.
A report from Harrodsburg indicates that
tie wife, in her attempts to establish her own
innocence of the infdelity charged, will in
troduce evidence that she was taken out and
made drunk by Davis in the interests of a
church member who went to Cincinnati to
compass an ardent desire he felt in contem-
plating the charms Of the Miss Buckner who
figures in the affair. 1t will open up nice
mess of social rottenness. and perhaps it will
again open the batteries of the universal
le ;eler." Let us hope not.