The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-02-14
"subsOriber'' On the pi.tolL,r.

CoRsICANA, Feb. ll.-[Editor HER
AID. There has been considerable dis
cussion in the past few months reg I'd
ing the pistol law. The opinion seems
to be prevalent that statute making
the carrying Of pistol felony would
DO much to check this great evil.
Whlle tbs evil IL one that should
% aoated, II possible, and strin-
gent law should be enacted
for the unlawful carrying of deadly
weapons, and should be rigidly en-
forced, and those violating it be made
to feel the force OF the law and pay the
penalty of that violation. While this is
true, yet | submit that the penalty
should be commensurate with the viola
tlon, ana not exceed the bounds of mod
GRAFTON. The carrying OF pistols, not
being felony per Re, il would be rather
AN inhuman law, when we come to ex-
anime 1t, to make it a felony by statute,
one serious objection TO such law is
mat 1t would he trampled under foot
ana entirely ignored in many instances
WINE III others it would be enforced to
the letter. Take, for instance, man
that Is 1aYorably known throughout his
county, as being a quiet, honest, sober
and industrious man, and suppose he ia
caught with pistol. Now, there are
plenty ofsuch men that carry their pis-
IolS as regularly as they do their pen
Hnlie. Let the grand jury bring into
court an Indictment against such a man.
Let him be put upon his trial, charged
win TINS so called teloniOus crime A
jury IL impaneled to try tee cause. The
evidence is PLATA, direct and positive
that he did have and carry a pistol at
the time charged. The arguments of
the counsel are concluded, The defend.
anita lawyer has proved the high moral
standard or his client. He impresses
upon the jury the consequences that
VIII necessarily follow a conviction,
VIZ: IhSt the defendant will have TO
Nil felen's cell; that he will be de-
prived of his rights, which ALWAYS have
been so carefully and closely auSrded
by our constitutions; that his oath will
be impaired; that be will be disfran-
chlsed, and, in short, be deprived of ey.
cry right that actzen OF tins common
wealth enjoys. The jury retirss to con
sidor the verdict, and the result win he
an acquittal or hung Jury. The man
mas Vl9.at5G the Law and has been ac-
quilted, not because he does not de-
serve the punishment that is affixed FOR
tho violation of such law. Jurors are
only human beings, aud as such they
generally weigh everything connected
with verdict OF guilty, aud render a
verdict that they think is lust, ia
accordance with their idea of law and
justice, and scarcely any Jury could
be found that would find man Of good
standing guilty when his puniShment
would be an eternal disgrace to bim
and deprivation Of his rights "a citi-
zen for such meager off'ense. Take the
low class OF ignorant negroes, and some
classes OF whites, that are to be found in
our midst, and place them upon trial
Tor the same Offense, with the same
jury, the same counsel, the same Judge,
the same testimony, and the verdict
would, III all probability, be guilty.
we want laws that viii operate alike
upon the high and the low, the rich and
the poor, the moral and the immoral,
ana To say to maze the carrying OF y
pistol a felony would be law that
would operate upon all classes alike
would be rather an eXtravagaut asser-
tion. 1t would be far different from
having man on trial charged with
some crime that is per SO felony, as
murder and other oilenses that stand
upon our statute books. We all can
tear down, but there are hut few that
can rebuild to a better advantage. Let
us fine and imprison in the county Jail
those who carry pistols unlawful but
let us very carefully consider tho con-
sequences of making such crime a
felony, thereby seeking to infict upon
our citizens AN iuhuman punishment
ior petty oflense. SUBSCRIBER,