Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-12-21
Lynch Law.

The tragedy at New Albany, which is
giver to the readers of the Courier-Jeur-
nal in the very complete and graphic
narrative of our reporters, was not
rebel outrage as we are thankful to know.
Unfortunately for the Radical newspa-
pers, it did not even occur in Kentucky,
but on the other side of the river. in
"God's country" where the Ku-Klux
Klan exists only in mild form as yet.
Perhaps it will be admissible for the
Radicals to look to this; for, in order to
sustain the purpose and unity Of their
crusade against the Democratic party, it
will be necessary to have lodge of Ku'
Klux conveniently situated in all of the
Northern States Otherwise, as mobs
are occasional and murders common,
people will presently distruat their ex-
clusiye belonging and begin to ascribe
them to other influences than those OF
treason, which appears to have had little
to do with the hanging of the Seymour
outlaws. They were certainly desperate
men. They had endangered the peace of
society. Perhaps they deserved to hang.
But how about the mode of procedure 7
This is the question; and we do not hesi-
tate to condemn it rs we should do if it
had occurred elsewhere. We are dis.
posed to speak of it with degree of
moderation, because it occurred in the
North, and not in the South. 1t is our
desire to practice what we preach, and to
be just in all things.
A few days ago we published an article
from the New Albany Commercial in
III hot haN Oall laA
the Barbarism of Kentucky" 1t was
q most calumnious article, as our readers
remember. Suppose, taking this present
affair as our text, we should descant upon
the "barbarism Of Indiana" for nothing
quite so bad has occurred in Kentucky,
what would be said of our good sense
and good feeling? In its reply to our
structures the Commercial fell into a rage
of petulent personality. 1t lost sight of
the Courier Journdl-which speaks for
itself and for its class, and is confined in
it's expressions to no private feeling or
iuterest-to assail its individual writer's,
exsoriating one article at the expense of
another, which it extolled. We are not
in the habit of referring to such triviali-
ties, but the case in point illustrates the
unfairness of Radical criticism in gene
raj; for the article which aroused the
Commercials anger happened to be
written by one who was born and reared
in New England, while the article which
it copied and praised SO highly was writ
ten by the party whom it went out of its
way to assail-ss rebel. So it goes;
and all the bad blood and all the intoler
ance is laid at the door of Southern men.
To-day there is more liberaiity in the
South than is to be found at the North.
The object of Radical partisans is to de-
stroy this; for they live off the passions
of the North. Hence the perth aeious
and indiscriminate abuse Of rebels and |
traitors"
Will fair-ninded and candid people |
who vote the Republican ticket never be
able to see, if not in reason and human |
nature, at least in the play of current
events, the injustice they are doing the |
people of the South Will they never
learn that there is as much violence in |
one part of the country as in the other, |
and of the same descriptien2 Suppose |
this Indiana business had occurred in |
Kentucky, would it not be heralded far |
and wide BY the Rodical press as the |
work of the Ku-Klux Klau? Would we |
not have an outcry for special acts Of
Congress and more troops, and bitter de- |
nunciations of rebels? Had Hester
Vaughan been convicted in Alabama it |
would be called the prescription of an
unfortunate loyal woman. Had Andrews
been acquitted in Mississippi it would be
called the release Of a murderer by the |
rebels. But here troop of men, armed
and masked, visit Northern Jail, shoot
the sheriff, overpower the guard, seize |
four of the prisoners, hang them and dis
appear; and we shall hear of it as little
as possible, so far as the Radical press is
Is this just or reasonable
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