Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-14

The sense of justice, not to say humani-
ty of the country, is undoubtedly crystal
izing in opposition to lynch law. While
lynchings are still exceedingly frequent,
the recent Investigations of grand juries
and the prosecutions OF persons accused
OF being concerned in summary and
illegal executions, show the tendency of
the times, and indicate that in the not
very remote future lynching will not be
tolerated except perhaps, in the most eX-
treme cases, where from some cause the
law cannot be relied on to take its due
course.
1t would be wrong to say that the fire.
quency with which lynch law has been
resOrted to in this country during the past
few years indicates disregard OF the laws
of the land, and disposition to lightly es-
innate the sacredness OF human life. In
nine lynchings out of every ten, probably,
the lynchers are ordinarily law respect
ing and peaceable citizens whose indigna-
ton Is excited beyond bounds by some Pc
culiarlv outrageous crimes, but who dis
trust the instruments of the law, and thus
enter tragical protest against its delays
and the abuses too often attendant upon
its administration. 1t is true, however,
that the people themselves are
to blame principally for what
ever inefficiency there may be
in the courts in the matter Of Furnishing
and thereby preventing crime. If the
people would at all times faithfully per-
form the duties required of them by law
as jurors and conservators of peace and
morality, and insist on the faithful per-
Torrance of such duties as are required
of public officials, there would soon be no
necessity or excuse for the illegal and
summary execution of supposed crimi-
nals, thus depriving them of a fair trial
as guaranteed to them by the constitution.
OF the hundreds of instances of lynch
ing that occur in the country every year,
there is strong presumption that many
of the victims are innocent. 1t Is very
seldom the case, probably, that sufficient
precautions are taken to prevent the exc
cution of possibly innocent persons. In
fact, men whose minds are infiamed by
the sight of the consequences of some ter
rible outrage cannot be considered the
proper persons to perform the offices of
both courts and eXecutiOners.
While there is no doubt that the better
sentiment of the country is opposed to
lynch law, it has not yet become strong
enough to secure the conviction OF any of
the persons accused of being lynchers.
Whether in Wyoming, or Washington
Territory, or New Jersey, or South Caro-
lima or Tennessee, the condemnation Of
lynching is tempered by kind of rude
sense of justice that protects the parties
who resort to it. Actions so radically
wrong, however, cannot much longer be
excused on account of the motives
and impulses which lead to them.
Sooner or later it Will doubtless
be frequently the case that lynchers will
not only be indicted, but found guilty
and punished. Perhaps even the death
penalty of murder will in some pecu-
liarly unjustifable cases be administered.
The pulpits and common schools, as well
as the courts, must teach respect for and
submission to the law, and then lynch
law must soon follow the code duello into
Oblivion