Chapter 210:
The citizens were dissatisfied with the mayor, and the capitalists in the city were equally unhappy with him. They were the group most averse to social unrest, as it would spell disaster for their businesses.
The gathering organized by the wealthy merchant was ostensibly to protect property and combat illegal activities, but it clearly had other "intentions."
Lynch did not express any opinions; he merely stood quietly on the side. Although people paid attention to him, it was evident that the central figure of this gathering was not him, but rather the wealthy merchant.
The merchant's statements were not entirely accurate. According to federal law, "breaking and entering" generally referred to intruding into non-commercial private property, such as a residence, where defensive action was legally protected.
Nonetheless, whether commercial premises fell under the concept of "breaking and entering" and whether it was permissible to kill intruders involved technical and moral issues. Not to mention, when the merchant mentioned it in the gathering, this explanation no longer held any water.
If they arranged for armed guards in stores to eliminate those robbing them, the jury would not look favorably upon such actions. They would see it as premeditated murder.
It was possible that the shooters might be acquitted, but the instigator could be convicted of murder. Therefore, no one responded enthusiastically to the merchant's words; there were no fools among them.
After speaking for a while and seeing that the atmosphere was quite good, the merchant moved on to the main topic of the gathering. "Speaking of the recent problems in our city, there is someone with a unique perspective. Do any of you know Legislator Edward?"
Some people nodded. Legislator Edward was one of the state assembly members who had proposed some urban reform initiatives and often engaged with the public.