The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-02-24

ouf ieauibB cItIZcUS VIII Degln the work,
80 are satisfied it will prove an easy
matter TO render it a complete SUCCESS
we invite expressions of opinion through
our columns from our business men as to
whether it will pay, and, if so, what il
the best way to accomplish the end in
view.
GOING BACK TO FIRST PRINCIPLES.
| 1t Is refreshing in these latter days,
which some people think are degenerate,
to see an exalted official like Chief Jus.
ticc Comegys, Of Delaware, attack some of
the prevailing evils of the time, like he
did in hisrecent charge to the Grand Jury
at Wilmington in that State. Not only did
he charge the Grand Jury that such
lectures MS Col. Robert IEgersoll IL de-
lircring in support of his infidelity, but
he at the same time referred to evil of q
species with that which many persons
indulge in different parts of the country.
and said:
Lately gang of that great peat &C vel!
| ordered society-spOrting men as they
are called-camo into this State from
some other place, and promoted dog
fight for their amusement, and to decide
questions OF betting with the respect to
the result of it. The reason why they
came here was that they found we had
no special statute against such practices.
This is to our credit, because nobody had
ever thought of dog fights rs n means of
amusement to our own people, and the
Legislature, had, a great while ago, re-
strained by penalties the similar prac-
tlce OF cock fighting, then common
vice. Aside from the cruelty of the so.
called sport in the latter case, there was
the sentiment that our people ought not
to encourage, nor fail to repress, any
cruelty, whatever form it might take.
II there be no enactment of q apeciiic
nature to prevent tho vicious and auda.
cious from defiling and disgracing the
State Mt their pleasure with the practice
OF fighting animals for amusement, one
ought to be passed, or we shall speedily
descend to the level of those who encnur-
nged giadiatoral sports in Rome-s0
brutnlizing and degrading that the digni-
ty and rcspectability of the State finally
disappeared; and she, with all her great
power, degenerated into condition of
mere efieminacy, and lost forever her
pristine vignr. But whe.ae. there ha
statutes or no, VIC have the ancient com
mon law our iorefathera brought here,
which has always proved itself equal to
hny emergency of protecting society.
Intemperancc and other vices were
also reprobated by the Chief Justice, and
the people told that they as we'll Ms tho
police were responsible for their preya-
lence.
The Chief Justice next gave n reproof
to the w.abiding people of the c,mmu-
nifty for not enforcing the laws, which
was just and practical. His remarks IA
to the cause of fhilure to enforce the
law apply to almost every portion of our
Union, and should be duly considered by
all thoughtful readers. He said:
In n community of such Importance
as this Wilmington why is it that men,
and worst of ally women, ayc permitted
u defy the law against their illegal prac.
tices? There can be bu. one answer to
this, aud that touches the obligation of
duty which every one owes to the whole
society Of which he IL part, and which
ne ought not to shrink from performing.
1t will not do for the best among this
people To turn their eyes away from gross
exhibitions of vice that lie before them.
and yet expect policemen to notice them.
Ii the highest appear 10 be Indifferent to
them, can 1t be required that one who, in
his endeavor to repress them, runs the
risk of personal danger and incurs The
certainty OF hostility, shall throw himself
into tho breach in behalf of law and
order? Policemen nre governed, in their
ideas of mere duty, by the exumple of
leaders In tho community about them.
who. IT they show no spirit of hostility
to crime, can hardly expect others no. to
follow their example. When the people
OF this city shall see to 1t that eycry
etse-. made byi lis officers 10 suppress in.
fractions of law shall be duly sustained.
and when they take an active interest in
tne performance of official duty, then
will it be found that the law will be
obeyed here, aud not before.
For his own part he declared:
Obeying the Mosaic law, we shall not
reapect persons in judgment, but shaiI
near the small as we'll AZ the great :" we
shall not be afraid of the face Of man."
And we shall sustain every man who
takes upon himself from the sense Of
public duty, the task of protecting society
from the vices which are continually
multiplying within it.
In all of these things Judge Comegys
has only said what all right.thinking
men approve, but it is not, unfortunately,
every man who approves a sentiment
who has the independence to utter 1t.
Men too often yield to that which is
prevalent, or h.4 popular clamor to sup
port It, wnile they feel that duty dictates
a different conrse. We do not agree
with the Chief Justice in the policy of
an indictment Of those who choose to
deliver infdel lectures, fcz although he
is undoubtedly right in his statement of
the law, yet the sentiment of the age is
against such oppression, and 10 favor OF
free speech. The foundations of the
ak:istian religion eii.gs::ss;i :ssrs TOO strong ever to
,be destseyed BY The in6del. TO be sue
eessfui It must grapple with tho question
: