Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-01-07
WHAT SHALL MY ANSWER
BE?
Meac Orleans. Dee. Is. 1883.

Neac Orleans, Dec. %, 1883.
To the Editor Of the Monitor: Ac-
eustomed as | am to recitals of horri-
BILE crimes, / have seldom been more
shocked than when l read the ac-
count of the cowardly assault CON-
mitted in the town of Derby, as de-
detailed in the MONITOR of Dec. II.
Shocked to know that five boys
could be found in one Vermont town
and that one which has always
boosted of the superior intelligence
and culture of its inhabltants-so
depraved as to commit such a crime
and Mortified to learn that, so far as
the administration of justice is con-
cerned, the defenseless poor are no
surer of protection in Vermont than
in Mississippi, if this is a specimen
case. The stories of outrages COM
mitted in the south are read at the
north with feelings of indignation,
and righteous scorn for the people
permitting them, and the failure to
adequately punish the criminals is
condemned in strong terms. No
doubt many man feels that he
would like to sit in judgment upon
them. If such crimes as that perpe-
trated at Derby are to go practically
unpublished, the sympathy which
goes out to the oppressed blacks in
the south had better be kept for home
consumption. Heaven, and only
heaven, knows how much the negro
needs practical, helpful sympathy,
but if in an educated COM
munity, such crop of heather can
be found, missionary labor is as
much needed there as down south.
1t is no worse to persecute the weak
In the south than in the north. A
cowardly, fiendish deed like that has
more excuse in the country here than
there, for ignorance prevails here,
and the oppressors are men who
welded the lash over the backs of
the negro so long they have little
trouble sitting their consciences for
continuing to do it. Their brutal in
stincts had generous training, their
morals none.
When Vermont's good name has
been assailed by the southern press
my pen has given swift denial to the
charges of looseness of morals, fire.
quentness of crime and laxity in pun
ishment of CRIMINALS. Loving the
dear old mountain state, proud of
the integrity of her people. l have
fought for her with ali my might.
What answer can / make when
this shame to civilization is publish
ed in the south? you think it will
not be? you mistake. The distance
from north to south is no greater
than from south to north, and the
press here is watching you as hun
CRY wolves watch for prey. You
publish the outrages in the south !;
they pay you back as opportunity Of
fers. Not a month will elapse be-
| fore some one will ask me if that is
the kind of young men growing up
in Vermont? If that is the treat
ment usually accorded to orphans
left to the tender mercies of a chris
tian people? If that sort of conduct
is product of free schools? If we
secure such admirable administration
of justice by our boosted free ballot
and fair count?
1t will be like having a dozen
snakes cast upon me while am pow
erless to throw them off. Could l
prove that speedy and deserved pun
ishment was given the criminals, l
should be able to show that the SEN
timent of the community would not
tolerate such lawlessness. AS it is,
whatever the feeling of the people
they create the officers and their fail
ure to punish crime reflects upon
those who placed them in power.
If the citizens of the state feel the
humiliation brought upon them by
these UNPUBLISHED outrage half as
much as L do, and as Vermonters
everywhere will, they will take meas
ures to prevent its repetition.
TRUFAX.