The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1882-01-31
Reply to Bishop Morris
ASTORIA. Or. Jan. 2s. 1sSs.

EDITOR ASToBIAN:
The recent murder at Seattle, and
more especially the lynching which
followed, has caused much comment
in the newspapers, and brought out
many articles from the pens of men
Of note. Among others l notice that
OF Bishop Morris, and it is this and
these of a similar nature which this
article is intended to answer. shall
endeavor to couch my reply in terms
of mildness and reason rather than Of
hardness and epithet. First, then, 1
ask notice of the fact that the law was
made for man and not man for the
law. Do we not remember Christ's
words to the Pharisees when they
asked why his disciples did that which
was not lawful Did he not. tell that
the needs of men are above the lawf
Who will attempt to deny the need or
right of protection by our sober, hon.
est, industrious citizens from robbers
and murderers2 As to. the necessity
for immediate protection. as to their
needs and rights, think the people of
Seattle could as well judge as those
who, living in more secure state of
society, SO freely and fiercely criticise
their action. Had one Of these
critics lived next door to the young
man who was so foully murdered sim
ply because he did not choose to yield
upon demand of highwaymen, the
fruits of his honest toll, he might have
felt the need of some immediate ac-
ton. He might have considered the
action of the law as administered now
a-days, too slow. He might have rea-
soned: with the town swarming with
rogues and villains, others encouraged
by the example of unpunished crime,
would commit deeds OF like nature.
He might have carried the thought
still farther and said: what security
have l that /, my son or my brother
will not be the next vEtimi And this
is not fanciful. 1t is no more than the
then existing facts in Seattle would
warrant any reasonable man in think
ing. Again, is not the penalty Of the
Law against murder, deathl There had
been murder committed: the mur.
derers had been caught; the people in
flicted the penalty of the law, omitine
only some of its prescribed forms
They speak again of the disrespect oi
law and order which this sort of action
/ begets. The tendency OF the age ir
this country is disrespect of Law borr
of another cause. That cause is the
tedious course by which it Is admins
tered; the failure to inflict its penal
ties; and the--certainty had slmos
said. of speedy pardon of the criHi
nal if convicted and sentenced. Th'
foundation of all just law is the great
est good to the greatest number. WIZ
will say that even if wrong was com
mitted toward these two criminals tina
an infinitely greater number of hon
est, quiet people were not benefited il
the greater security to their property
/ persons and homes arising from tn
: fear inspired by this lynching in tn
, minds of the remaining rogues. Their
| is yet another class on whom thi
: quick and thorough action on the par
of the people of Seattle will have a
5 influence for good, and that is thos
young men who, inspired by the dim
|, novel literature of the day, and th
0 example of successful or unpunishe
0 crime have meditated on following
criminal course. On them this actio
: must exert restraining inauenc,
But would not have this article al
:, derstood as an encouragement to lyme
n law under any ordinary circumstance
l would not recommend marti
/. law in time of peace. I would not 81
s wise the quarantine and other restri
tive measures which are impused on
l. town afflicted with epidemic disease
be continued when the disease has di
appeared, or that the medicine
necessary to be administered in ca
of a desperate malady become Il
daily food. of our lives. But AS the
:" is a time when martial law. wh,
. quarantine, when medicine is nece
' sary, so there are times when Il
: security of honest people requires tn
. the guilty meet with quick, thoroug
and dreadful punishment.
n CARLOS A. MANN.
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