The Russellville Democrat., 1881-08-04

Little Rock Democrat,--a paper which is always sound on questions which concern the welfare of the reo- people:
 The way to stop lynehipg is to execute the law with prompt and unsparing hand. It is about time that we, in Arkansas, should rise as one man against the crime of lynch law which now disgraces us. The thing which disgraces us just now is not lynch law; but the CRIME THAT IS BEING PENETRATED, AND THE FAILURE OF OUR COURTS TO PUNISH THE CRIMINALS IS disgracing us, and is FORGING us to resort to lynch law: for, you must remember, SELF REPRESENTATION is the first i'm pulse of our nature, and when we find that we cannot rely upon the courts to protect us from assassins and murderers what else are we to do but to use the inherent right, which God has given us, to protect ourselves. It is desperate remedy, but it seems we shall have to choose between it and the wholesale destruc- tlon oi human life by the outlaw. As for myself think that it infn- itely better for society, and far less disgraceful to the State, for the bet ter element in any community to take such criminals as the murdercrs of James, or the assassin who at tempted to take the life of Garfield. and swing them to the nearest limb, than to trifie with Justice under ths pretence of sustaining the majesty of the law, as has been done in the former case, and as will in all proba- bility be done in the latter.
 Rev. Fred D. Power preached g sermon the other Sabbath in Wash. ington City in which he made refer ence to the shooting of the President, and said:
 First of all l would mention a failure to meet the ends of justice by prompt and rigid execution of the law. Let man feel that his forced entrance into the house of another is to be met with speedy punishment, with imprisonment for life, and we will have fewer burglarios than are now recorded. Let aman feel that the mere act pointing a pistol or a gun, or any any other weapon, whether it be loaded or unloaded, at the heart or person of anyone in fun or in earnest, will bo met with heavy fine and imprisonment, and VIC will have fewer men and children shot down through alleged ignorance than at present. Let men feel that human life is sacred thing-sacred above property, above position. above any other influence; for the destruction of which no plea of in sanity. no plea of drunkenness, no plea of wounded honor can justify man. Let men feel that human life is so sacred that the attempt to take it is crime, punishable by impris onment for life, and that the taking of tt will lead to speedy and certain stretching of hemp.
 From thls VIC may see why lynch law is being resorted to. Men of murderous inclinations MUST be made to know that human life is sacred, and that sure and swift pun ishment will follow the taking of it, and if the law as administered by our courts won't impress this fact, there is nothing left but for the peo- pie to do it themselves in self de- fense.
 "The majesty of the law" is good phrase, but it does not amount to much If it affords us no protection from the bullet or the knife of the assassin. "The majesty of the law" would command more respect from the people, if the Judges on the bench, the attorneys who form a portion of the courts, and the exec. utive officers would cease making it it synonym for subterfuge by which criminals escape the just pun ishment for their crimes. How can people put any hope of protection in the law, when they see it's ADMINS TRATloN BY THE COURTS engineered in such a way ONLY as to inure to the pecuniary benefit of the court officers and lawyers and so as to delay and baffle in every possible way the punishment of criminals, and, finally, when they see Judge, jury and attorneys, join in and sign petitions for pardon and respite, in the few cases where convictions are made?
 Pubic sentiment, Messrs. Editors is not inert or dormant on this sub