The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1884-01-19
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE
Pistols Let Them be Abolished.

EDroRs CLARION: Iavas grstifed to
learn from the recent able message. Of
Governor Lowry, published in your
paper, that Mississippi is improving in
wealth, in educational facilities, and in
many other things which constitute the
greatness and prosperity of State.
Considering the many and great obsta-
cles 10 progress by which she is beset,
she has certainly done wonderfully
we'll
i would especially and heartily en-
dorse the Governors decided recommen.
dations concerning the adoption of some
measure having for its object the sup
preston of the prevalent crimo of carry
ing concealed weapons. "Last week the
London police arrested a man named
Wolf, for having dangerous explosives
concealed on his premises. And why
should not the man who makes, sells.
owns, or carries pistol be arrcsted2
We have laws in most of the States pro-.
hibiting men from carrying concealed
weapons. But how is is to be known
that q man has concealed weapon?
Were not pistols made to be concealed?
Can they be conveniently. or properly
carried in any other way than con:
cealed2 If the apirit and intent Of the
law be inquired into, it will be found
to bear rather against using a weapon
that has been concealed, than against
carrying weapon in concealment. j
submit that the only eifectual way Of
preventing the carrying of concealed
weapons is to prohibit the making, sell
ing or possessing Of any frearp that can
be concealed on ones person. sl%
Let the shortestgun be three feet long,
and let any one having, selling or giving
away any shorter gun be fined heavily
or imprisoned, or both, at che discretion
of the court. II pistoiswereE abolished,
uniustiied homicides would be dimin.,
ished b. at least half their number.
Men kiifeacli other hecauBp IN vgld beat.
of passion Gle stollmakesi ESQ easy to-
take the life of an adversary. Hadthene>
been no such thing as. o. pistol RresideRtl
Garfield and thousands Of other,xofthy
citizens who have filled untimety graves
would liava lived to- Bless their ge1ersiSI
ton. Guiteau, sane or insane, would
rot haze. walked the streetsuf " aShing
ton City with q shotgun to .kifffzfheI
President. Pistols bught Rcttn-uSist.
They need not exist. Men make them
and men buy and sell them. But. ALI
of this may be eiiectually forbidden
Pistols lIaye'scafcelysa plausible excuse
for their exJtehce. As weapons Of de-
tense they are at once sham and a.
snare. Was one pistol ever. known to-
parry The ball of another? Andhas not
a pistol in one mans hand in thousands
of instances provoked or excused the
fatal shot from the pistol in the hands
of another? Itcan scarcely be doubted
that in most cases Of death from pistol
shots, the real or supposed possession Of
a pistol by the person shot is the cause
of his being killed. Few men will shoot
a man known to be unarmed.s When a
man dies by pistol, his own pistoi
causes his death in almost every case.
As to pistols being a defense against
robbers, few. ideas are more dclusiye,
since r6bber must in every instance
be supposed to have such advantage of
his victim that his possession Of a pistol
would only furnish excuse for killing
before robbing him.
The existence of pistols under our
present laws is a eteat injustice to law
abiding citizens; since the liberty and
life Of every man who obeysthe law for
bidding the carrying Of concealed wea-
pons, are at the mercy Of any who choo .
to carry pistols in violation of law.
Under present laws this evil is inevita-
bic. Thus the law as it now is works
injustice to the best citizens. If man
obeys the law he does itat the peril of
his life. since some men always carry
pistols concealed. For this purpose
thew were invented. They are. BASTARD,
" weapons made for cencealment and
murder. Yet no man an ght to be blamed
for havingone 50 long as any other man
NAV have enc. Let them be abolisheds
SO that no man can have one. Let them
be driven from The iaies Of civilization,
Tennessee has abolished them; let Mis-.
sissippi do likewise; and every other
State do the same, til no man in Amer
ica may justly suspect that the man he
meets carries an engine Of death { con,
ceaIed in his basom, Is
w. La HrESirTiT as
Port Gibson. Miss. .z,lsfs =
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