St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-11-16
Lawlessness in Kentucky.

gree of lawlessness in Kentucky to call
for such continual comment and protest
as we find in the newspapers of that
state; and the significance of items
which we have several times repro
duced from such papers, is emphasized
by what Judge C. D. Mcnamara said in
a recent charge to the grand jury on
opening a special term of the Carroll
criminal court. His words were:
"The blood of the slain cries for jus:
tice everywhere. Human life in Ken
lucky is not worth the snappings of
mans finger. The finger ends of many
men who go unpunished are dripping
with the gore of their victims. Acres
of grass grow on the graves of murdered
men in my district"
That is strong language, and the
source whence it originates precludes
the idea that it is mere hyperbole. In
deed the Louisville Courier Journal
feels compelled to say that the Judge
has not exaggerated the situation in the
least, for there are regions in Kentucky
where literally ''human life is not worth
the snappings of a mans finger" Such
being the case, the paper alluded to
well says that ''it is an accursed condi
ton, and woe be to Kentucky if she
does not make human life as safe as
correct public sentiment can make it,"
The Courier Journal makes haste to
deprecate any inference on the part of
Republican papers in the North that
this state of affairs is due to the fact of
Kentucky being under Democratic rule,
and says, "Syllogistically our enemies
put it: Democracy is lawlessness Ken
tucky is Democratic state therefore
Kentucky is lawless." 1t is very kind
of our contemporary to furnish the syllo-
gism, for it shows that he feels the ex-
istence of some responsibility on the
part of the Kentucky Democracy for
such laxity in the administration of
justice as permits these things to be.
1t cannot, however, make free from
blame, the party controlling public sen
timent in that state, by charging upon
juries the responsibility. 1t says:
"Just so long as juIies, by repeated
acquittals, give the barbarians of this
state carte blanche to shoot and stab and
lynch, just so long will the murderer
stalk with brazen brow through Ken
lucky, and laugh to scorn the parapher-
MALTA of the law. What do our juries
mean by bowling at the feet of Crime
and kissing his bloody finger tips and
cringing when he impudently thrusts
aside the fasces of authority? Are thev
so contemptibly cowardly that they
dare not take the responsibility of con-
viction When men fear to obstruct
the pathway of the murderer, it must
be confessed that the state of Kentucky V
has fallen into very low moral cOndi-
ton. We have certainly arrived at
the point when promiscuous shooting,
| lynching and assassination will rule the
state, or the constituted authorities OF
the state must place the iron heel OF
Justice on the lawless."
There is no question as to the truth
of these sentiments, and il is to be
hoped that the "iron heel of justice''
will be placed in the manner desired
very speedily. But because the Courier
Journal has forced consideration of
this matter in connection with politics,
we must add to this hope by wishing
for one of two things-a reformation OF
the Kentucky Democracy, or its banish-
ment from power. We disclaim any
sympathy with the sentiments embraced
in the syllogism which that paper has
framed for us, for the Republicans OF
the North do not by any means consider
Democracy a synonym of lawlessness.
At the same time, because party
long dominant in any locality must be
held responsible for the state of society
developed under its rule, the Democrats
of Kentucky must be held responsible
for the cheapness of life in their State
and they owe it to civilization to make
a reform or to retire from power. Ju-
ries, being from the people, represent
the people, and represent the popular
sentiment to greater or less degree
1t is not only as a citizen then, but as a
Democrat, that the editor of the Cour-
ier-Journal speaks truth in saying awe
of Kentucky owe it to ourselves and to
posterity to make Kentucky lawless nc
longer"