The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-05-04
LYNCHING-A NATURAL eUTGR0WTH

IL Is q mlSthh6n IdSn IucSt la" ~
Justice. Law is simply law. Its
object is justice. 1t is an admitted
fact that the most perfect law which
5000 years. experience has enabled
the human mind to formulate oper~
ates unequally, and works wrong to
some, though in the main its effects
are for good. When law fails OF
securing proper degree of respect,
il argues at least one of two things
perhaps both-either the useful
ness Of the law is past, or it has
fallen into disrespect from abuse or
prostitution. Men, by proper con-
duct in life, can command the re-
spect Of their fellows, though they
may not be loved personally. A
law may still be made respectable
and respected, though it is Uisliked
by those from whom 1t forces obedi
ence.
Now, it is The cry Of the shallow
pated that the people are becoming
IaWless, because of recent lynchlngs'
The assertion is unworthy respect.
The law, instead of being means
by which to further the end OF JUS
tice, has been prostituted, and by
that prostitution, is made to be
friend assassins, cut.hroats q
thieves. The aim of life should be
Justice. Men may Individually be
opposed to capital punishment; but
the enlightenment Of 1890 years
Christianity has been unable to de-
wise any penalty for homicide more
just in every way than that life
shall be given for life. 1t may be
unlawful to lynch man; but 1t
does not therefore follow that it is
unjust. II justice declare that a
man merits death the best law is
that which executes the mandates
OF justice with the greatest CELEBRITY,
snd which is most consiSs
tent with humane intelligencs.
Every man should have right to
prove himself innocent; and he
should be aided by law to bring to
the surface such happy showing,
for the law should delight in the
discovery and the demonstration of
innocence-though the reverse does
seem to be the rule. Beyond this,
however, all liberation becomes In
Justice and the operation of laws or
technicalities become encumbrsnces
and obstacles that bestrew the path
Of justice.
According to law, pure and slm-
pie, and stripped Of equity, lynch
ing, even in the case of the blacklist
and foulest assassin, has but one
name-though it may have many
synonyms-and that name is muir
der. Now, how 1t is possible tC
make murder out of justice-as
Stunning as above that lynchiDe
may be just-is question Il
would be difficult satisfactorily
to explain. In such case the
law steps in and bands itself with
wrong as q common foe agslnst
Justice. There should be no occa'
sion for lynching, and for two rea
sons: first, men should not merit
death at the hands Of their fellows
second, when justice demands TIT
life of an individual, the worl
should be done promptly by tn
Law. In the former case lynchinl
would never be dreamed of; In tn
latter, it would be unnecessary.
It is the first law of nature AM
the first rule Of law that man shal
protect his own life. Experienc
teaches that this can be done ef
fectively only by people protectln
each other. When a man wilfull
and unjustly takes the life of an
other - when 1t is known by til
people that ouch is the csse-an
the law is perverted into rel
dering him assistance to escape
that moment every membe
of the community in whic
the law operates has been wropge
and his life is placed in jeoI
ardy in proportion as the case
aggravated. 1t 10 to the frequer
recurrence of just such perversion
of law that the increasing lynching
are due. It is the veriest twaddle
talk of the majesty of the law,whe
the law is made a common strumps
for the qualification OF the mos
dangerous and the Vilest types {
humanity. The instinct In ma