"Folks ain't about to like it. That's just human nature, Matt. They'll say we ain't got the right, but they're wrong, of course. We have not just the right, but the responsibility." Pike said
"We are more than aware of Steelgrave, both of them and the men they have, and we know how they will take this. But after that business in the street with some of their men, we expect the worst now, regardless of when we publish the ordinance."
"Other part to alla this, we got us a couple dead bodies an' no suspects, nothin'. So folks'll want to be able to defend themselves." Pike added. "You can bet yer bottom dollar that Steelgrave ain't gonna take losin' four 'a his men what he ain't gonna want some payback!
"There are exceptions to this ordinance. The boys watching over Miss Steelgrave, we may need them. That new fella, Morgan? William Morgan? And Addy. She comes and goes with freighting and the stage, so we don't need her coming to get her shotgun every time she needs to go or gets back." Speed stated.
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
Matt frowned, "I have a feeling that there will be a lot of exceptions to this ordinance. Most of the business owners in town will want to have a gun handy just in case. All in all you have a enormous task ahead of you and very little time to do it. The next meeting will be on the twenty second."
As mayor there wasn't much he could do or say about this officially until the town council met. Since he had a deciding vote, he didn't want to say anything that could sway the other council members on how they should vote. So for now, all he could do was to offer some support. "I know a lot of towns have attempted this in way or another. In some places it has worked and others it hasn't and honestly I think we are going to have some very unhappy people no matter which way the vote goes."
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"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"Well Matt, here's the problem, we had an innocent man killed, Hector Wigfall wounded and what? Four dead?" Speed asked. And what is the likely result of these dead outlaws? Pike and I have tried to devise a way to curtail, if not prevent, shootings on the street, let alone in the Stardust, which we have seen.
And you are right, Matt, the three of us can't be expected to stop these killings. All we can do is try to use the law to slow them down, or hopefully stop the bloodshed altogether. No easy chore, but it's all we have. Unless we use Marshal Law."
"Down south in Virginia City, and the other mining camps in the territory, why they got no law to speak of, they got men with badges, but enforcing the law when everyone in these towns are armed is nigh to impossible, without getting killed in the process. But, either Kalispell wants some sort of law about guns on the street, or it doesn't. Simple as that."
It's not a question of who's right. It's a question of what's right.
"I understand what you are trying to achieve. Kurt and I had a hard time trying to keep some young fellows who were staying at the hotel from joining in on what was happening that day. I don't envy the task you have ahead of yourselves but I know it's necessary."
That was about all Matt was going to say on which way he would go if he ended up with the deciding vote. The people of Kalispell would have to accept whatever the council ended up doing and it was the lawmen's job to convince the other council members and anybody who had influence with them that this ordinance was needed.
"Since time is of an essence, may I suggest that you both start off letting the rest of the town council what you plan to do. I will leave it to your discretion when and how you plan to do this. Hopefully, you will get the responses that you are looking for."
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"We'll do that. best it came from us first, rather than you since we'll be the ones presenting it at the meeting." Speed agreed. "And let's see there's Mister Pettigrew, Miss Steelgrave," Guyer paused, "We'll get with them and the others, and let them know what we're planning. I don't think that their initial responses will be what happens at the meeting. Folks just need a bit of time to digest the information, and you picked good solid folks, so we'll see at the meeting how it goes."
"Mayor, thanks for your time, and really, it will either pass or fail, but if that's how it goes it won't be long before there's more gun trouble in town, and then maybe the ordinance will be seen in a different light," Pike added in.
The two lawmen shook hands with the mayor and walked out of his office content with the fact that it was presented and, that they would be talking with the others on the council about it. So back downstairs to their office, and on with the day's tasks.
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What they could not have known then was that the conversation and the out loud reading of the ordinance were overheard. It would seem that a certain publisher had his ears everywhere in town, and that secrets were hard to keep from him and the Kalispell Union.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Returning to their office the pair realized that there were things that needed to be done before this next Town Council meeting. People needed to be seen and talked to about this before the meeting.
"So Barnabas, what do you think, I mean who's going to be the toughest?" Speed asked, mulling over the members and who he would consider to be tough to convince about the need for the ordinance.
"Two maybe three, but Leah Steegrave has armed men, we know that, and she won't like any ord'nance that prohibits the carrying of firearms in town. Then Maybe Harriet Mercer if she's in town. Pettigrew? Can't say one way or other. Christof Alders? Again, couldn't say one way or the other about him."
"Well then maybe we talk with Worchester Pettigrew first, then Alders, Leah, and then, Harriet Mercer. How's that sound?" Speed wanted to know, "We don't have to get to all of them in one day, maybe spread it out over a couple of days, especially if it's not well received, which it might not be."
"Got yerself a point there, Speed. You surely do." Pike replied, knowing the subject was touchy even if it was about the safety of the community.