The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-07-29
A Needed Law.

Some time ago w suggested that we nave
AZ close season. say from the first OF March
to the first Of October. during which time IL
should DC unlawful to kill negroes. It really
rooms that the negroes nrc entitled TO rs
much protection rs Is accorded TO the diticr-
kinds Of wild game. This protection Is
needed not so much on account OF the negro
himself, ms on accounS<of the evil effects re-
suiting In tho reduction Of the crop products.
The killing OF negroes between the first OF
March and tho first OF October to any great
extent, Ia, In our opinion, highly reprcNcnsi-
bic, and will interfere with tho muk'ng Of all
kinds OF crops, and hence seriously retard the
material development OF tho country. In
our humble judgment a penalty should be al
hxed for the crime Of killing q negro, Just
rs there IS for killing q deer, ore Wild turkcry.
II such a law existed aud was enforced We
illnk this sudden murderous outbreaks in tho
killing OF negroes In July, before the crops are
gathered, might be avcrtcd.
another matter, which we think deserves
attention, is the fixing OF bail BY our Supreme
nnd Circuit Judges. Tho idea Of a Supreme
Judge fixing the bond Of tho slayer OF n negro
IN July, ana In the midst of the crops, at
twenty-five hundred doliors Is opposed to the
public policy Of the country. In tact, il
ICONS to us that 1t would be moro In accord
with the dignity Of the office Of q Supreme
Judge II that officer should refuse, until the
crops were gathered, 20 admit 10 his presence
nuy- ma who had yet the smell OF negro
blood on his hands. There seems TO be no
earthly use in Killing q negro in July. Those
persons who may be interested In the dis
trlbItion OF the crops usually have some pre-
icxt for killing in tho Fail tho negro who
made his crops. Tho negro, as q rule, wants
some portion Of the crop which he has made
md. when lie insists OH any part OF II, then IL
is perfectly right, and tho wEitc man Is per-
1cctly Jus:!tiablc In killing him. He may feel
entirely safe from punishment by law, If lie
secures the services OF his beers at the
trial. and tho history Of the past furnishes an
evidence o! tho promp.ncsS with which q
jury OF his peers will cxon"ratc him from
all blame IN killing an inipHlcnt negro for
claiming part of the crop which had been
made b. his u lat or.
II our Supreme and Circuit Judges would
refuse bail TO men who Kill negroes during
the crop time, they would certainly do much
TO postpone their killing until the "opcu sea-
fun." AS We believe nine out Of ten killings
Ft NpSTOcb Is ucIlUclutC, NlliIui, uilu nav
rlous murder, these people could very well az
ford to put of the killing until after the crops
we're gathered.
AS rule gentlemen seldom find any inciiTG.
ton or necessity for the killing OF Il neigh
bor, and when q man kills another, it may
be safely set down, that he belongs to n class
Of citizens TO whom neither the Supreme
Court, nor the Circuit Judges, nor the peace
loving citizens OF a community are under any
special obligation. AS these people voluntGr-
tly kill their nelghbOr. they should q. least be
compelled to lie In TAIL until Court, or else
walt until the sitting Of the Court, to do
their killing, so that they may have an I'm.
mediate trial
We see 1t stated that some hanging Is need
oil In our ncighboriug county OF Laurens. We
fulIy believe that there is absolutely no pro-
icc:ion 70 lie In that county, and If the law
IA never TO be enforced, we should have good
reason to fear the same condition OF affairs in
This county. Abbevillc county needs some
wholesome enforcement Of the law, If
INV country on the face OF the earth
over needed IT.. and II remains to be
seen whether our jurors will pcrjurc
themselves and turn this country, soul
md O over over to tie rule OF d~espera'ocs
and pistoi-carrying gentry. who do continual
" set law and dcccncy aud order ut defiance.
II our memoir serves us correctly 10 man
has ever suffered for the killing of any negro
In this county or in this Judicial pist'ic!, ard
,ye prcsumc scores Of negroes and white men
100. now sleep in their bloody graves because
our Jurors disregard the peace al! good order
.t society and wash tic gore from rcd
handed murdercrs - sending them free 10
,,nut another victim, and to further Insult
,bc respcctabllity Of our people, and with
more delIbcra,ion, and, II possible, with more
dcviIish a~trocity, set aside the law ol Tue
h,nd, and tran'plc under 1901 inc sh'elo
which the law in It's cowardicc' ana III us
shame refuses to extend to the hunAoicS' oi iIS
citizens.