Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-08-29

ings that have been given them of late,
/ which Is kesner and more forcible than
/ anything we could write.
| From the Union and Americana
Let the southern press then, without
criDging, face the facts and tell our
northern brethren the whole truth. In
| every alarm that has been sounded dur
| ing the three weeks since our elections,
striking horrible dismay into scattered
homes, and appalling white fathers,
mothers and children-the negroes have
begun the disturbance. The solitary
murder Of young negro woman in
TrOusdale county offers no exception,
because there was no disturbance there
on either side, and it wa8 an isolated in
stance Of horrible crime, like the Ma
than "mysteryn or the WalwOrth
tragedy" Because the victim was a
eOlOred schOol-teacher the people of
Trousdale will exert themselves the
more, securing bill and wood and dale,
TO bring the fiends to justice. It was a
dastardly, damnahle deed, without pail
liatiOn or redemption. Trousdale is one
Of the most intelligent and law abiding
communities in the State. Even in the
thrOes OF emancipation the two races
got along there better than IN any other
section we know of. The negroes have
always been well-behaved, and the
whites, on whom this outrsge
reflects, will, we feel assured,
spare no pains and leave no stone
unturned to bring to the halter
the hellians who murdered julia Hay
den. The troubles in Gibson county
have been brewing for several days.
The negroes are represented as attempt
ing murder, wholesale incendiarisn and
pillage; so the evaporation Of the whites
was not unnatural. twas no question
of civil rights, but of Life and property.
Yet, when the ringleaders were lodged
in jail, the law should have taken its
course. We utterly condemn and abhor
lynch-law in all such eases. It cannot
possibly be excused when its victims
are already under the Jurisdiction Of the
courts. There can be no denunciation
too strong to characterize the horrible
injustice of inhicting capital punish
ment without judge, jury, witness or
benefit Of clergy. This deed is a foul
blot on the name of Tennessee, and its
perpetrators should be promptly dealt
with in a manner that will vindicats a
law-abiding people. Lynehing is some-
times excused on the plea of the laws
NCldJs Dub ~ hOA4lHS u Aob SLC AGAAChJs
Our laws and our courts are in our own
hands. Our duty, as reasoning beings,
valuing our own lives, is to reform the
courts and make them do their duty,
instead of resorting to the primitive and
hazardous tribunal OF Judge Lynch. 1t
is a maxim that it were better for nine
criminals to escape than one innocent
man be punished. LynehiDg is foul
violation Of this maxim of justice. The
wholesale slaughter in Gibson county
may have punished few of the guilty,
but it has also punished thousands in
the good name of the commu
nifty, in retarding their material pro-
gress, and in unsettling society, which |
cannot be made to stand on any basis
except that of law and order. No pun
can be too severe for the reck- |
less desperadoes who would wrench pris- |
oners from the hands Of justice and shoot |
them by the dozen. Let them also have |
the justice for which they seem to thirst. |