The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-08-02

hymn-sioging and prayers. celebra
ting decorous worship in easy pews
and let great wrong surge and roa
through the nation unrestrained by
even protest from us? Shall we sac
rifice Justice at our very altars, ant
then attempt to atone for the saeri
lege By louder anthem to God?
fancy God wants no sncb wor-
ship. He wants His people to be a
righteous as they are devoat, and to
have as much conscience as they
have rapture. More than once has
God told His people that He was
tired of their new moons and Sab
baths, and has commanded them to
offer less worship aud practice more
goodness; TO put away the evil OF
their doings, and to relieve the op-
pressed For the church to be silent
about such wrongs as these would
expose her to the taunts of her enc
mics, that "she has less justice than
truth, and less goodness thai piety. y
| am glad to believe that the spirit
of outrage is not universal even iu
the south. While | suppose there is
general discomfort at the results OF
the revolution which has swept over
them, the discomfort is not every
where passionate hate. | am as
sured that, in feeble way, many 10
The South protest against these in
famies.
Neither is there any political party
which. as whole, indorses them.
None would dare TO do it, as | sup.
pose none desires to do it, and if any
party is in such a relation to them as
to feel called upon 10 apologize for
them, or even to silence the clamor oi
an outraged conscience concerning
them, it is a misfortune for that par
ty.
1t is also to be conceded that pas
sion aud brutality in the South are
not unnatural Slavery brutalizes
owners as well as slaves, and if either
can rise above this result it is be-
cause he is superior to the logic of
bis situation. 1t is fearful thing to
the master to put him in absolute
possession OF the bodies aud souls of
men and wGmel, and so hedge him
about that their testimony cannot be
taken against him even ia a case of
murder. Human nature 10 its aver
age instances is not strong enough to
resist temptations to violence and
brutality under such conditions.
Besides this, revolution has swept
ever them, and it must be CALLING to
men who have learned to be domi-
neeriDg. arrogant, and brutal, to End
their former chattels now free and
practically masters of the situation in
some localities. | can understand, to
some extent, the fierce fire of mingled
chagriD, hate, and vengeance which
burns in the bosoms of some of these
men. Others are continually taunted
by the fact that, though once afiluent,
they are now almost in want, and it
is not easy for them to feel kindly
toward anything that contributed to
their financial ruin.
But after ali that can be said by
way of extenuation, the awful aud
fact remains that politi-
cal assassination is common in manv
sections of TIE South At the mid
night hour men are aroused from
their sleep and hurried, without
notice, into eternity. In
armed and unprotected men are shot
down like dogs in open daylight.
Some have been deluded by prom
ises of protection and then led away
TO the slaughter, as Judas betrayed
bis Master With kiss.
General Candy and DIR. Thomas
went of their own accord into the
Modoc camp, and then were slain.
But they had no promise Of protec-
lion from the red men; they were
not lured to destr uction as ships are
BY the false lights of the wrecker.
And vet how our outraged con-
sciences demanded vengeance upon
The treacherous murderers. No pur-
suit of them was swift enough to
please our vengeful feeling; no cost
1f war was deemed extravagant.
But Homer Twltehell and bis broth
were promised protection.
It was said also. that unless they
yielded to the suggestion there would
be massacre Of negroes:
heir humanity was appealed to; they
would save themselves and hundreds
IF others by yielding to the friendly
of their Deighbors. Thus ap-
)ealed to they consented, and then
we're betrayed and killed
Official reports show that these
murders amount to thousands No
Genie effects are needed. We NAV
lot try to make the case appalling
~ drawing upon our Imagination
or tragic drapery 1t is a ST.
Bartholomew in detail; stream of
Hood which makes up in continuity
# flow what it lacks in volume.
Some affect to disbelieve, and
would that for the honor ofbumanity,
md especially for the fair fame ofI
'ur own land, there were some room
or doubt. The fact that We are
mericans would lead Us to desire to
Ioubt. But there is no more doubt
bat thousands have been murdered
n the South since the war than there
$ TO DOUBT whether the war occurred
Ihe reign OF terror IS no more 4 fact
D the history of France than is the |
eign Of terror fact 10 large sections
{ ,he South to-dsy And there is
) little room to doubt that the vast
,sjori,y Of them are political assas-
nations. They are not the result
I sudden passion, but Of settled hate ::
rev are not the issue of individual
but are deliberately planned
" the accomplishment of Interior
1ds.
Sometimes in the North a mob
reaks into a jail and hasiens what
calls an execution of Justice against