The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-08-18
Poor Parker,

OOA L uIhbfs
We loarn that great deal of
eympathy for Parker is being mani.
fost todFip Columbia since his recap
ture and Imprisonment. - : \
Tonder hearted persons arc oon-
'trasting his.past luxury aud present
discomfort and exclaiming elbow
ARE the mighty fallen" Poor Par.
ker returned to Columbia in a pitiful
plight, His poor hands, which for
years had seen no harder wo,k than
tho deft manipulation of bonds and
skiiltul soissoring Of fraudulent cou-
pons, were all torn and bleeding
from contact with tho ragged edge
of tho lightning rod down which he
climbed when escaping from prison.
His wrists wero fettered with mama
clcs, those wrists that for six years
were employed only in fettoring the
State of South Carolina with the
monaoles of bankruptcy and disgrace.
His once fine raimcnt, purchased from
Skilful tailors with the public money,
vas torn and mud .bespattcrcd.
Ills Internal organization, pampcred
and made tender by lifc of luxury,
was injured by his fall. Ho is
wreck. And seeing this wreck, pco.
pic grievc.
They forget that Parker is the
architect Of his own ruin-that his
present prodicamcnt is fitting con-
sequence Of his whole carcer. Had
no committed no crime, he would bo
now receiving no punishment. He
is not the proper object of pity. If
thore be any grief at all manifested,
lot it 'bo that Parker is tho only
criminal upon whom tho tardy
Nemesis Of the law has visited re-
tribution. And let our sympathy be
extended to Parker's victims.
There arc thousands of men in the
State to o-day, puro and noble, whose
hands are SCARED and torn by hon.
est la borious work, rendered necessary
for the support of life, because, be-.
lug too noble to bow the knco to
l}aal, they have seen their patrimony
stripped from them by o gang of
plund ercrs, invested with supreme
Powor and l"d on hy ring of which
this selfsame Parker was tho moving
spirit.
Thousands thcro are, reared il
luxury aud once knowing no wants,
who to-day are compelled to wear
thrcadbare garments or apparel of
the coarcst fabric because their every
effort to regain what was lost by tho
hard fortune of war has been para.
lyzed by miserable swindling govern.
mcnt, Of which Parker hold the purse
strings.
Thousands of women, tho purest
and best of thoir sex, are secn daily
borne to premature graves In conse.
quencc Of overwork rendered neoessa-
ry by poverty and the demoralza-
tion of labor, and because they had
not tho means requisite to enjoy tho
advantages Of skilful medical treat
ment and tl'o course Of lifo and
diet necessary to restore them to
health. " |,
When this panorama of ruin
passes slowly before tho eye, it
shuts out from view Parker's bleed
ing hands and manacled wristsj and
shattered health; and the vast field for
sympathy thus opened, prccludes the
diversion of any Of it to the individual
who has been chiefly ( instrumental
in effocting such u condition, Of af.'
fairs. <E',. ''''
fnDllc opinion 10 becoming entire
ly too mawkish and sentimental. So
soon as n criminal2 begins to reap
tho reward Of his misdccd he is
canoni&ed as martyr. In this
condition Of thiags, how can the fear
Of punishment dotcr misorcants from
SHINING ! 1t seems to US that the
people Of South Carolina can find
enough in their own condition to
lament without showing sympathy
for the chief cause Of their misfor.
tunes.
uas.ssu.s.as.cssssn,aosaas,z
COMMUNICATED.
Mr.. Editor: