The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-04
PETIT NAL" IN ABBEVILLE.
THE PRESS OF THE STATE IS
ABLY DEFENDED FROM AN
UNJUST ATTACK.
The ssNews and Courier'' Points Out
Instances Where the Average Law
yer May Abuse His Priyilege-The
Press May Err, but it is Always
Honest-It has no Opinions Which
are for Sale.
NeaUs and Courier.

The mental condition Of the lawyers who defended
the uan-slayer Ferguson ut Abb Vile must cause s
suffering from aggravated attack of petit NAL and
unless they are watch, aSsiduously, may nfict ir
reparable injury upon their professional selves 1he
deusons and illusions Of the learned lawyers ore nec
essary incidents OF the malady.
Tie main deluson Of the Abbeville lawyers who
are lately, In action Is that the South Caro-
linn press and moro particularly THE NEWS AND
COURIER, treated Fergus unfairly in assuming that
he was guilty Of murder In their cumer moments
these must understand that there is grounc
for this criticism, inasmuch they acknowledged the
whole of the facts Of the killing and rested the de-
fence entirely upon the surprised presence OF dis
ease which to relieve the accused of all RESPONSE
bty fur his actt0ns, There hus not been anywhere
In the State press 80 far have seen disposition
to be harsh vndintve and what was said Of the u.
~ at the first trial ca,ne from Abbevlle ITSELF There
It had Its origin; The newspapers merely published
the statements rs they were received and gave the
public the benefit OF the rnors which were In crcu-
aton Evidently the explanation of the peculiar
at rc pranks Of the lawyers r The dcencr Is found
In petit NAL and the terrible weakness Of their case.
They resented the efforts OF the representatives OF
the peace und dignity Of the State to convict the &C.
tused We suppose that nothing less would satisfy
than refusal On the part Of the State 10 make any
argument whatever, or offer any evidence.
There Ia not shadow of reason for supposing that
the .ies or the Courts In these days. Influenced
hy what newspapers say. We wish sometimes that
they were The defendant IN capital cases hos twen'
ty peremptory challenges, and brsdes can object to
any Juror who has formed an opinion That would pre-
vent him from rendering true verdict according to
the evidence. 1t Is the common practice to object t0
jurors who have read the newspaper accounts OF the
crime fur which the accused is to be tried, although
II s the Intelligent men who the chief readers Of
newspapers and intelligent men ara least likely to be
influenced BY incomplete or one-sidrd statements.
The best juries those which are takcn from the
newspaper-reading cIass for they are accustomed to
weigh the statements which come before them from
Ia, Tod Sut N r. IL.
mails prefer ignorant jurors, who are not readers Of
newspapers ns such jurors can be expected IT, be Of
fected by vehement declarations that publication Is
persecution and that newspapers interested in OBJ
tahing verdics which contrary to the facts The
endeavor is to put the wspaers trial to divert
attention from the criminal at the bar p ~.
But the public see through 1t, and recognize without
difficulty tile marks and signs OF professional petit
NAL They remember too the striking difference be-
tween the newspaper press and the ordinary lawyer.
There is nothing In mankind more honorable than the
career uf the able conscientious, scholarly lawyer
who mbued with the eternal principles Of justice Of
which law should he the expression, pleads for the lite
and liberty Of bis Client md Is always careful to be
scrlpu0usy Just because he seeks jusiice But the
average lawyer s not necessarily Of this kind 1t rs
assumed that, when he takes retainer he expects to
live his client his learning, his logic his rhetoric an
if need be. the benefit of his social position. What
ever he has that Is valuable and impressive he hires to
his client for price. THrre Is nothing Of this sort in
journalism in South Carolina at all events Ncwspa.
pers are not infalble. They are conducted by mon.
not angels 1t is possible llkowlse that they pref
udccd at times. Their indignation may appear to go
too fnr. But 1t Is honest Indignation 1t Is not pur-
cbasabe. IL is not for SALE There is no petit NAL in
journalism. Wisely or unwisely but always eonsci-
entiousy and to the best of their ability and knowl-
edge the newspapers tell the truth, and proclaim the
truth, without h"pe expectation Of fee reward
There is enough in the world, no doubt for both
newspapers and lawyers. II the other must be
dispensed with there will not be much difficulty In
determining which shall 60.
Criminals however hrinons their Offense must have
the benefit Of counsel 1t is their right The ethics
of the profession justify lawyers in seeking the
Quttal of persons whom they know to be guilty.
There is no improperly in accepting payment for the
pleading and for the snd tear Of the moral sense.
But lawyers abuse their privileges when they strive
to advance the interests Of their clients by abusing
dsinterested observers and critics Of current events
These In their assertions and comments under no
obligation to accept and could not bo indnc.d to re-
csive any other standard han the truth as they can
learn ,tand know 1t.
All this ia no news to the lawyers. They know
that their defamation and Indignation are part Of
the play. They understand that they are understood
and when accused Of truth killing IN defence Of
killing deity enter pl,a Of iustaable verbicde on
the of petit NAL some other ailment equally
handy and eyantscent a-