The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-03-04
ClINTKAIIXATlOS.

The editor Of tho press 0Hd Banner,
in the last issue Of that paper. asks
among other things, this question. "Can
there be any doubt that there never, MAS
a time in this State when life was so lit
tie regarded or when blood was s"
cheap ?" We cannot answer the qucs-
ton as he would like. for with some ex-
captions we think the Law is fairly adj
ministercd. But it is with the remedy
that he suggests, that VIC take issue. He
openly advocates the intcrposition of
the arm Of the general government ut
Washington in the administration Of the
laws Of our State. Now if the condi-
tor Of anairs in South Carolina is as bad
our neighhor concrivcS it to be, VIC
should nevertheless rmphatically dis
sent from his suggestion Of u remedy
that is worse than the disease. We
know that it has |""omc fashionable
South to say that by the event of
tho war the States ADMITTED the
The Cailacy Of States rights and scccs-
sion. With the latter question this al
.ticle has nothing to 10. The arhitra-
ment Of arms may have settled for the
South the practicability OF secession.
II did not settle the abstract question.
J:ut State sovereignty, the right to man
q &C our internal affairs in our own way,
the right Of local self-governmcnt is
to-day rs burning and living question
bonn and IIayne. The constitution, the
organic law Of the land. contains no
,.orc clearly defined condition than
, rs when it evoked the clolucnce Of Cal
this.
1t. passes our comprehension that any
man, who lived in South Carolina dur
j.. ing the period from 1875 to 1876, and
saw the evil and danger Of Federal in
reference, and lived daily in the shadow
Of the Federal bayonet, can now advo-
cate and urge the interference of that
Government in the Judicial administers
ton Of this State. Can our friend have
forgotten that already the Federal
Courts have snatched from the grasp OF
State law, persons charged with crime,
y md let them 60 scot-frcc? When the
l.lood Of the youthful Ladd was spat-
tered upon the door step Of his mothers
home by a Deputy U. S. Marshal, the
officers Of the State Court promptly ar
rested the murderer and hcla him for
trial. Whereupon the L. s. Courts,
whose aid the editor OF the Press and
Banner invokcs, took the prisoner from,
the State officers and tried him in the
Federal Courts. And with what result?
y cold-bloodcd murder went unavcng-
Cd, aud the murderer went 'scot-frcc.''
Surely our friend did not realize the
import of these words:
1.-The Congress of tho United States
,nust enact such laws as will remove the
trial Of murdcrers from our own State
Courts where the rclon's ncishbors and
relatives may be allowed the privilege
nf sitting on his case that the assassin
may hs turned loose on society"
Why. this were to consent to. that Cen
tralization of power<in the general gov
%"rnlnent, that usurpation Of power which
the wisestmen Of the country have feared
nj! fought against from the foundation
of the Union. Pray, what powers docs
lie propose to leave to the States? Shall
We abrogatc all our rights of local gov
~"rnrnent? Does he propose to centre
I'LL power in the. general government
T'he course he proposes is but
n step in that direction, and jealousy
and pickering between the two authori-
ties would inevitably follow such unwisc,
r',ch undemocratic action.
As we have had occasion to to say be-
fore; we will not be behind any one in
the condemnation Of crime. We will
heaS prompt TO expose the abuse o!
Hirts and the allure to administer the
law. IF all that the Press and Banner
charges be true, 1t does not need that
~" )" outside our own Courts and ou,
state to remedy the evil. 1t would be-
in unjust reflection on us, our Courts,
nnr officers of tho law to create the i'm
preston that they could not be brought
s" the proper discharge of their duties. A
i"'nlthy public sentiment will demand
that jurieS do their duty.
i"t US rather bear the ills VIC have
':,an seek relief in remedies fraught
with danger far greater than any that
threaten us from within.