Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-08
SOUTHERN HOMICIDES.
EX-SECRETARY SCHURz VENTS
HIS VIEWS.

VI Nne OueSIlOn-
Remedies Suggested-Public Opinion
HIS Chief Reliance-The Laws Must
be Enforced-CO-operation in the Work
of Reform Inyited.
NEW YORK, January SO.-Ed,tor RorriaO
Ee'os: On the 18th of this month you did me
the honor of addressing to me personally an
eultorlal article in your journal on the subject
OF homicide in the Southern States. You do
not deny, as 1 understand you, that the dis
cusslon OF that subject in the EUeaing Post and
the Nation may have been prompted by mo-
tves friendly to the Southern people. You
can scarcely think otherwise when YOU re-
memDer-as certainly many Southern men re-
member-that l was one of the first among
Republicans IN Missouri that championed. at
the expense of their party standing, the re-
ehiranchlsement Of those disfranchised on ac-
count OF their participation in the rebellion;
one OF the first among Republicans in the
senate who advocated a general amnes-
ty, who never ceased to denounce the
abuses of the sO-called carpet bag
governments, and who zealously opposed
every policy or measure calculated to with
hold from the Southern people their rights and
privileges as citizens. And what did in the
senate those who are associated with ME in
the Eceain0 Post did with equal zeal in the
press. We therefore may say that we be-
frlended the Southern people when they most
needed friends, and that the same spirit ami
mates us now and gives us a right to speak.
Neither can you, as an intelligent and well
informed man, give your cOuntenance to the
silly lnslnuations which you mention in YOUR
article, that this discussion has On-our part
been conducted with desire to divert immi-
grafton from the South and to direct il to some
otner % part OF the country. For you must be
wen aware that for many years before the
beginning of this discussion the South has
attracted but very few immigrants, and that
there are at present no signs of migration
turning that way. What you have not can
not be taken from you, and if there is any
body who does not desire You to have il, he
will naturally find il the best policy TO leave
things just as they are. But what we wish is
not to leave things just as they are.
am somewhat surprised at your suggestion
that the EeeRiRg Post would show more friend
snip for the South if, instead of drawing YOUR
attention to certain disturbing influences by
sWay or criticism, it spoke of the ''great re-
sources" of the South, of its 'twOnderful recu-
peratlOn from the waste of war;" etc. That is
what the E0enfag Post has lost no proper oc-
caslon Tor doing: No man can more sincerely
reJSlce at the return of prosperity to the South
than do, and it is for that very reason that
deplore the circumstances which prevent your
recovery and progress from being more rapid
and general. Heartily wishing that Won
should have that immigration of men and
means, which for the development of your re-
sources is so eminently desirable, we ask for
the prlvllege-and 1t may be claimed as a pri-
vilege of friendship-to inuuire into the
reasons why those advantages are turned away
IN SO great measure from your fertile soil
and your great opportunities. 1t is not for our
Denent, but Tor yours that this inquiry is made,
Tor Its results may be much more
valuable to the Southern people than to
anybody else. | know that friendly services
OF this character are not always graciously
received; but this consideration should not
deter those who mean well and whose duty it
Is to discuss matters of public interest.
NO observing and candid man will deny that
one OF the reasons why immigration shuns the
SOUTH In spite of its genial climate, its fertile
acres ana Its variety of tempting advantages,
consists In a social distemper which finds its
expression in the frequency of certain kinds
OF homicide; l say certain kinds of hOmi-
eide" for do not deny that there are classes
of crime which occur much more frequently
In other parts OF the country. You point to
the cities of New York and Chicago as exam
pies OF the insecurity of human life at the
North. admit at once that robbery, and
murder for the sake of robbery, are more rare
in the South than among the crowded pOpula-
tlons Of our great centres, and that in this re-
spect mans life may be safer almost any
where in Georgia than on certain streets of
New York or Chicago after dark. The
same may be said comparatively
of all great capitals IN the world.
But the hOmicides in the South which attract
so much attention and produce so baneful
an effect, ,are not murders perpetrated by pro-
fessional thieves who kill men to rifle their
wallets; they are homicidcs occurring among
persons whom, in a multitude of cases, your
own journals are in the habit of designating
as gentlemen, as citizens of respected stand-
ing, of good families, belonging to the better
classes of society. And these hOmicides are
the result of commonplace troubles disa-
greements about business matters, impOrtuni-
ties of creditors, social disputes, family feuds
quarrels about dog or horse, accidental
insults, heated words at a ball or card table
or church meeting.
The question may be asked whether homi-
cides of that kind are more infamous in
character than murders committed for the
purpose of robbery, and | answer at once
that they are not, But when / am further
asked why such hOmicides should do more
harm to your community in the estimation of
the world than murders for the pur-
pose of robbery do to ours, the answer is
that here the murderer is, as general thing
condemned by public opinion and hunted
down as an Infamous criminal and hung, if
caught, while the kind of manslaying in the
South l speak of is, as general thing, indeed
greatly "deplorod," but at the same time very
excused, and almost universally
protected against due punishment by NOR
bid public sentiment. In the one case, the
law abiding citizen finds public opinion,
which condemns thanksgiving as an infamous
crime, as well as the organs of the law, which
punish it as such, strongly on his side, while
IN the other case he finds himself confronted
by certain traditional notions of society which
are apt to protect the willful manslayer against
social infamy as well as against the punish
ihtnI pIONlutu ny lut law. anu Sucn Ifaul-
tional notions, and the practices which grow
up under them, create social atmosphere
which most people, when they deliberate upon
the choice of a new horse or field of enter
prise, prefer to avoid.
1t has been suggested that this view of the
case Is practically controverted by the thous-
ands of people of means who go into the min
ing regions of the far West to invest their capi-
tai there, although the homical use of the re-
volver and bowie knife is comparatively as
frequent there as in the South, if not more So
But tins fact does not impugn my argument
in the least, for this simple reason: The law
abiding citizen who goes to the far West knows
to an absolute certainty that the ruffianly
state of society there is thing of only short
duration; that, as immigration pours in it
Will very soon establish those habits of social
order which It's good elements bring with
them, and that in introducing those habits
there will only be q few lawless ruffians to put
down, but no settled adverse public opinion or
morbid social notions Of any strength to over
come. This is a universal experience with
which the law abiding citizen going there Is
well acquainted, and, therefore, he is not de-
TERED TERED from going. But as to going to the
those social notions which furnish
excuse and exemption from punishment
TO the manslayer as the principal obstacle to
that good order which he considers essential
to his well being. This is the difference, and
It is just this difference which in its practical
effect tells so seriously against the South.
Now, as to the facts concerning homicides
III lHc OOubHSTU OldLe5. you say In the editorial
article addressed to me: 'sWe confess that
.he practice complained Of, while it is not SO
prevalent as the editor would make il appear
S none the less TO be deplored, and, we are
IS rapidly going into desuetude"
emphatically disclafm all desire TO make
hat ''pPactice" appear more prevalent than
t really is. What the EUening Post has been
long for two or three months, is not to invent
my cases, nor to eXaggerate them, but simply
% discuss them as they were reported nv
southern newspapers. Their number I re-
sret to say, was quite large, too large indeed
o be accepted as representing the decline of
he practice. And 1t was the Southern press that
classified them and drew attention to them nv
elaborate descriptions. In multitude of in.
tances we were told the deed was done nv a
nan greatly respected by his neighbors, y of
lence," or "a member Of good sOcietY;" and
hat the occurrence was generally deulored.,i !
IT that it had :.cast gloom over the Commune |
y;.. ana, IN not 2 few cases, that further |
lificultles were apprehended." But we did |
lot once hear that the perpetrator was tried !
ound guilty and hung, or even that s. Ta5 |
generally hoped he would be. THUS it was the |
southern press which made these bomicidae J,ae |
OnspicuOus and gave them their necnliar si,T
What we did was simply Ia noi9t |
ut to the Southern people that for tho sal-a |
4 thelr good name as wetl as their prosperity. |
ucil , outrageous practices should not only be |
eploIed, Dut stopped. And as you Yourself |
confess that the practice is to be depiored 81 |
nay fairly assume that you earnestly desire To
ee IL stOpped we are thus engaged In a com
non cause, and you will, therefore. surely take
IN good part if venture to make some sngo
estlons concerning the means to be used 10 |
hat end, W
II Is necessary to set those forces in motion |
Vhlch are apt to exercise healthy Influence /
pon public opinion: There are several promi- |
ent Journals IN the south which substantially |
gree with US; And judging from the letters /
eceiVed IN this Office from persons of high |
haraeter and respected standing in the |
outh, there are manv men in that mart Of tbe |
Ountry who are deeply grieved at the nrac-
ices we lament, and whose voices would Ger |
alnly be listened to if speaking aut openIv. |
'oldly and In concert. II in every Southern |