, 1872-11-22

It sounds strangely enough to hear of the Ney
York Erening Post, Of all Journals, suggesting
tn few doses OF lamp-post justice" as the only
adequate means for checking the riot Of murde
in that city. Such suggestion, coming from
such source, is q striking indication of tht
I recklessness Of human life which has followed
| the failure to enforce the legal punishment.
is stated that the murderers' cells in the Tombi
are oTercrowded with criminals, whose trials have
been delayed by technicalities or postponed b5
favoritism. New inmates present themselves
! every few days, It is not now considered worth
while to attempt an escape from arrest. Scan.
Ian, who murdered Donahue two or three weeks
ago. and King, who has just murdered O'Neil
gave themselves up without struggle.
Their murdcrous acts we're committed in
complete Indifference to the law Of capital pun
ishment. They evidently believed, with Chi
cago murderer Of some years back, that 'shang-
ing is played out" When Foster, the brutal
street-car assasBin can drag out the slow process
of justice until public Indignation has subsidized,
and the murderer Of Fisk can live on champagne
andfred oysters in the confidence of acquittal, it
seems to be pretty we'll established that murders
OF high and low degree are to be equally treated
with immunity from Justice. Recent exercise Of
the Executive c1emency, in New York and else
where, has also increased the murderers conf
dence in escape. In New York, murderers and
abo1tionists have received Executive clemency
or new trials after clear conviction in Pennsyl-
vania, scoundre1 named Mara, twice guilty
Of murder, has been twice pardoned; in Illinois,
new trials we're granted to two convicted mur-
derers, while another man convicted Of two
murders and sentenced to be hanged, was
allowed to go unbanged. These are some Of the
facts which make up the chain OF circumstances
that has led the New York Post to suggest the
application Of Lynch Law, and the New York
Tribune, which has been opposed to capital pun
ishment, to say that, while hanging is the pun
ishment prescribed, it is necessary for the good
Of society TINT murderers should be hanged.
It is not difficult to comprehend that the neg
1ect to enforce the laws, resulting in the wanton
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land, should tempt such moderate men and mod
crate journals to think Of taking the execution
of the law into their own hands. a caamer con-
Eideration OF the results; however, quickly
shows the unwisdom Of such protecting.
It is not necessary to argue the matter on moral
or legal grounds. Even those who have taken
part in 1ynching have never claimed any such
justification. The mob law ia but little removed
from the mob, and the mob still less removed
from the individual murderer. It is more to the
point, however, to consider the matter in the
Light Of experience. It is not long since Chicago
has had what was called "a Popular Movement
for the Suppression Of Crime" The history Of
That movement, if it have any worth recounting,
simply teaches that such movement is q failure
unless it is organized into a Vigilance Commit
tee. The Chicago movement, which has not
been heard of since election. drifted away into
al sorts Of vagaries. There was an outgrowth
of religious enthusiasm, which reduced the
BROAD question Of suppressing crime to the !
narrower one Of temperance, and found e1pres-
lion in denouncing the saloon-keepers. The re-
'u1t WIS dwelling disintegration, tho pieces |
icing 80 widely scattered 80 to be now entirely |
ost to sight, and not even clear to memory.
Such results cannot but leave the impression of |
popular weakness, which must give more en-
than alarm to. the dangerous |
lasses. The result Of the people taking the |
aW into their own hands is 3 more practical |
7ay; aVailing themselves Of the accessories Of
Temp and lamp-posta is even more dangerous
0 the cause Of justice, and the lives of innocent /
nen. There may have been cases in pioneer
lfe and primitive times, when outlaws have been
onquered in this way when there Vas no law to
each them; but the serious and deliberate con-
emplation Of 1ynching in city like New York,
'hile it suggests some dire emergency, is dan
erous and reprahensib1e.
Meanwhile, people inquire anxiously, "What
) to be done? Are We to look on coolly and
ubnait to reign Of terror? Shall We do
othing to save ourselves, nothing to guard
ur lives from the murderers?" The rem
dy rests with the people themselves, but
fter different fashion. It is not in the
rganization Of mass meetings for the glori6-
alton OF individual patriots; it is not by the
ppointment Of committees, nor the discussion
t Temperance, nor the agitation Of the Sunday
III, nor the partisan interests in politica, that
elief from increasing crime is to be found,
he means is Of q deeper and more serious