The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-04-02
COUNTING UP THE COST.

what was Saved and what was Lost
by the Cincinnati RiOts-A severe
ArraIgnment OF the Authorities
ana the Administration of Criminai
Law.
Tho Cincinnati Commercials gazette says In
an editorial, which has attracted much atten-
tlon "1ho time has come for taking an &c
count for salvage for three days destruction
and terror. Flrs', we have saved our Iailful
Of murderors. We have killed forty.lve limo
cent men and wounded and MANNED one hun
hundred and forty-ive more, all 10 save our
jailful OF mnrderors wo have burned our
fine courthouse, with records Of three.1uarters
OF century, creating confusion which
whole generation will not sunlce to SETTLE
But what is that by the sido OF q lallful OF
murderors saved from popular excitement
We have converted just, popular Impulse
against the prostration OF law before crime
Into war between an unorganized people,
inceneed TO acts OF blind vengeance against
the authorities who killed them TO protect tho
mufdercrs. We have planted Ia tho poo;
ple'a minds n cause OF Innocent blood
crying from tho ground, but we havo
saved our, iailful OF murderers. We
ere, not having saved even our honor. The
reign Of law aud order Is restored In Olncln-
nati-that law and order which makes mur.
der tho safest trade, and which has made
impotent the administration OF law against
crimes of atroclty. We have indicated ali
practical forms and rules and traps and tricks
which make tho trial OF murderer q farce,
and degrade tho judiciary TO tho solo end OF
having known and proved murderers saved
from conviction, aud OF promoting the trade
OF criminal lawyer. Is any citizen OF Cincln.
natl content with tho salvage except the Jail.
full OF murderers and criminal class and the
trade OF the criminal lawyers Is there n
decent citizen who feels that these slain citi.
zens should be UNANIMOUSLY buried as malefac-
tors, while the Iailful OF murderers are 10 BIO
held innocent TIL after an exhaustion OF all
and to nx juries and Of every trick
OF law they shall have been convlcted2
However unfortunate their action, the
mass OF men that moved from the
meeting at Music Hall to tho Jail and began
an attack upon It were moved by an Impulse
on tho side OF Justice and law against the
reign OF crime before which the law had be-
such popular impulse as n crime, forgetting
that the right to protect Itself against crime
Is right OF society, and 10 conferred by II on
lis agents, and that society does not lose It's
right because Its agents have become I'M
potent. Tho movement was terrible mis-
take because II was made by sudden i'm
pulse, but without organization or plan or ma
terial. Let the sober judgment OF tho public
keep Just discrimination between tho first
impulse Of the people and the subsequent
acts OF blind vengeance OF crowd maddenod
by bloodshed This affair Is wholly different
from any such conflict between rioters and
authorities In this country, and must not DO
n
men against workmen and against tho prop
erty Of corporations which were trying TO get
along without them. Nor was II like the riots
against the draft. Those riots were against
law, Justice, public sentiment and property.
Butthis began In an uprising OF the people
ON the side OF Justice and law and order where
the administration OF the law had failed to
serve the public safety. Tho feeling which
suddenly took an impulse or movement was
felt by oil OF the law-abiding citizens. Ill
judged as II was, In acting without organlza-
ffOn a collaboration In CITY where the means
OF supporting the regular authority can so
quickly DO summoned, the feeling which
moved II was n true representative OF healthy
public sentiment. Neither experience, OBJ.
servation nor public discussion has taught the
people OF Cincinnati that the administration
Of criminal law is on tho side OF Justice, law
is 10 give immunity TO murdeprs. The Berner
verdict is but an accident In this failure OF
Justice, The odious verdict In the Berner
trial is not so bad rs that imbeclle quibbling
OF the Supreme Court, which twice set aside
the verdict OF murder In the McHugh case
There were exceptions in the BernoI
preme Court sot aside two verdlcts fol
McHugh. The feeling OF the mass that stood
before the jail Friday night was that which
mistaken, but Its feeling was no crime, for 4
was the public sentiment. Not before IL
| America has there been such an array OF peo
| pie and Justice on one eide and OF police force
| and military support on the other. Such NJ
array was most deplorable. To IRE Into suc
people for tho protection OF murderer
| against justice was n fearful thing to con
mand. Against n popular mass having N
worse impulse than Justice against murderer'
there was no call to take desperate hazards q
| troops, or OF the public safety, or OF property
| Who does not now wish that tho militia ha
not been called into the jail? Who would no
gladly exchange tho present situation for on
in which the men who first attacked the Jai
| had taken ont and hanged every manslayer
| The rational probability is tina: they woul'
have stopped with tho execution OF fow o
L tim rnnaf nnfnrlnua murlererH.n