National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-04-16
Lynch Law Judiolally Expounded.

At the close OF the trial of Scott ITopkins re-
Gently at Charleston, S. c., Judge Mackey de-
livered the following forcible views on the
subject of lynch law and in the face Of an
armed banditti who had collected to rescue tho
prisoner from the clutches Of the law aud exc
cute their own will under the code of mob
rule. He addressed the banditti MS follows
have recently received several communca.
tons In which It is stated that number Of per.
SONS have organized IN this county for the purpose
OF "lynching' scott Hopkins, the prisoner at tho
bar, charged with murder. am unwilling to be-
lieye these statements. This community has al
ways evinced profound regard for law aud order
even under The greatest proyoentlon, during n
por!Od when, owing to the prostitution OF the par.
doning power, the courts could furnish no redress
for grave public and private wrongs. must there
lore repo the charge that any considera bic portion
OF our citizens have entered Into n criminal cou-
federacy for the purpose Of violating the laws Of
their country, "LynchnE' is organized murder
Those who engage in II seeS by numerical strength
"a give snnCtty 10 crime. II is the crime of many
To punish the assumed gullt OF one. II tramples
the majesty Of the law under the feet of the mob,
and substitutes the hot breath of revenge aud the
clamor Of an unreOs0ning throng for the calm ut.
mosphere Of the civil courts. The citizen who en-
gagcS In II thereby imreaches thc-Judicial TIL
buuUls of his country, and pTOClnims to
the world tho utter iuGapacity Of the com
monwealth Of South Carolina 10 furnish adc-
quote protection TO the persons and property of It's
citizenship. lie announces by his acts that organ
lied government moving through legal forms is u
failure and that society here has resolved itself
Into It's original barbafic clements in which all
wrongs, real or assumed, are redressed By brute
force and might makes right. Every person nc.
cused of crime ~, in law, presumed TO be innocent
until his guilt Is proven under established rules
evidence beyond reasonable doubt lie is enti-
lied as II sacred and inViolablo right, TO public
trial by an impartial jury, and 10 meet the wit
ncsscs against him face 70 tace and 10 be heard by
counsel In his defense.
In asserting that defense he has the right to
exhaust all The resources of the law and TO invoke
The Judgment Of the court Of last resort ON final
appeal against any verdict which he may deem
assailablc upon legal grounds, The legal plesump.
tiOu of Innocence sNnCtnCS tho grave OF every
man who dies by the hands OF mob. His pre-
tended confession cannot overthrow that prosump'
ton for the horror Of his situation and the terror
exercised TO enforce such confession render II alb
sOlutoly void, AZ such ghnstly spectacle clyiiza,
ton shuddeis Throughout It's entire frame, ana all
good citizens mourn the existence In The brenst of
Il civilized community of latent s0Nagery that
may be aroused 10 the commission OF such nm APP
prlmg crime, Ii cannot be committed In this
circuit. The conservatism Of organized So
clety here condemns II. Any attempt TO do
violence 10 thO prisoner Will rccOll disasrOusly
muu!ty who would thus da!c 90 violate the laws
Tho ShuriN will place proper guard in the jail
rather b insure the safe custody Of the prisoner
than as protection against pr2lned,Gtcd violence
to his person.. Assured Of The aid Of all good Cti-
2Gns Throughout this entire judicial circuit guar
auteo that the safeguard which the law throws
around the prisoner shall not be violated. lie VIII
be fully projected both against injury aud insult.
Tho prisoner at tho close of these remarks
WIS rctulntd TO prison unmolested.