Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-24
THE CAUSE AND EVIL OF LYNCH

The spread that is clearly taking place in
the barbar0us custom of ynching is a symp-
tom that should arouse the attention Of every
thinking person. We have laws and we
have governments TO execute them, and if
murders occur, OF which court takes cog
nizauce, for the commission of which no
jury convicts and no judge condemns, 1t is
very grave thing, a thing degrading TO our
character as a christian and a civilized peo-
pie, and one derogatory to the country for
whose fair fame we all express anxiety.
TIE reason why there is administration of
lynch law by the wild justice of the mob,
we all know. 1t ia owing to the tardiness Of
the law in all cases, and its failure to do
justice in most capital cases. Men, indignant
against crime, having no confidence what
ever that Justice will be done under the
forms of law, take INFO their own hands the
administration of justice where law faters.
They make themselves criminals that
crime may be punished; they add one more
murder and a score to a hundred MUIR
derers to the murders and mnrderers already
existing, in order that murder may meet
with its due reward. The fact that lynchinz
is adding new crime to the list of crimes
that already challenge the final award of the
judge Of all the earth, is conclusive to its
inexcusable wickedness. Where there are
neither courts nor judges, society must itself
undertake the case of criminals; but where
there are legislative and executive powers,
in case of failure in the Standardization of
justice, public opinion should hold the pub
lie AUTHORITIES to just responsibility, not
ma Ike itself guilty by sanctioning or permit
ing lynch law. Here we reach the origin of
the wrong; public sentiment where lynch
law exists is not sound; the love of justice is
not sufficiently keen. There is a bastard
compassion for the criminal; a shrinking
awards; n failure of moral courage TO
prompt, inhsxible obedience to the i'm perious
commands Of duty. To season justice with
mercy is God-like; TO violate justice in
the name of mercy is wicked. 1t is !
a terrible task to take a poor, agonized |
wretch, whose hands are red with blood, and |
whose soul is black with crime, and spite of |
the uplifted hands and appealing voices of |
those whose name his guilt has disgraced, 10 |
deprive him OF life; 10 cast him struggling |
in agony, and by our deed, dangling from
the gallows. Hard as is the path duty pre-
scribes in this instance, its high behests must
be performed. To deny to do what Is just
toward the guilty, is 10 deliver the innocent
over to the blood thirsty and reveugeful
How many good citizen would now BIZ
walking the earth who lies sleeping in he
dust if public opinion alwsysd emanded that
guilt should have it's punishment. To save
the lives of few brig snds, few lawless,
desperate, heartless, heaven -defyiug villains,
how many an honest man has been sent to
an untimely grave; how many widows and
orphans have had to suffer and 10 weepl Ii
is not mercy to save the gully, and the COM
passion that frees the criminal-of course
we speak of the rule, not of exceptional
spurious compassion, and
is itself criminal. That wondrous book
that has its word for everything,
does not fail here. It says "the
tender mercies of the wicked are cruelr
Cruel indeed, because to save the life OF a
here and there, many crimes of
The same character are brought into being.
The more certain the punishment the less
frequent he crime; murder is frequent be-
cause the likelihood of escaping punishment
is SO great. Let the jury conscientiously
convict the murderer, and let the authorities
duly put the convicted to death, and how
many, many lives will be saved When a
rhine is committed the public indignation is
intense, and there being no trust that the
aw will do justice, il circumstances make it
easy the mob seizes the criminal and each in
llviduaI makes himself a criminal also, by
hanging the wretch. Let little time pass,
and the indignation passes off, and that hate
al sympathy that takes its place is mani
ested for him who ought to suffer for his
rhine that society may be safe. Not only
his refusal TO do justice, but delay to do it,
$ vicious. Who does not feel that such
,rea,ure as Guiteau should have received the
loom he merited very soon after justice
neted it out to him? By delay the example
II punishment when administered loses half
ts force; the blow should be struck while
public feeling still responds TO all that occurs
With rel alton TO the crime.
@...-........-.......