The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1888-03-08
A RINGING DENUNcrAT1oN
Governor Ross Discusses ana De.
nounces Mob Violence

''S ICV'tl 70 OuugC y. ii Long OF
Carthage, Pauol4 county:
ENECUrNE OFtIcvl
Hon. Long, Carthage. Texas.
My dear Judgo: Upon the state
meht OF facts presented, feel hat the
reward has been justly earned. and it
Will be PAID 10 the parties entitled to
1t. AT The same time, without dis
courtesy or any uukiudness, it is with
immesurable regret that cam Vt let
the OCCASION pass without utteriug
my opinion that this instance of mob
violence IN community of people
presenting all the physical evidences
that goto make up peaceful, indus
trluus populations, hitherto observaut
OF law md order, and supplied with
local and convent ut tribunals. was
ali uuwise proceeding; made without
sufficient cause.
lndiil renee on my part would be
endorsem mt and patronage of guilt.
The executive, though obligated to
see the laws faithfully executed, is
nevertheless pOwerle.s to reach by
law the grand jury which refused to
ind ct, or the petit jury refusing to
convict and even The officers who
fail TO DO their duty are beyond his
reach, sul toe probable consequent
ces TO society at largo are too grave
for silence.
Whenever there is refusal to obey
the laws made by the people in due
form and whenever popular opinion
in ally community can override them
or on any excuse, however plAuol-
bic, take the administration OF Justice
frCm the proper tribunal into their
own hands, government i'll proper
sense ceases to exist aud society lApses
INTO state OF barbarlsm.
| am aware that it is som etimes urg-
ed in Justification of lynch law, SO
called, that our laws are imperfect
and not properly executed, and be-
cause of mal-administration in the cX-
ercise of the power belonging To the
state and counties to secure obedience,
bad men, under certain conditions
may be relieved from punishment.
This is uuquestionably true; aud it
would be strange if 1t were not, since
our laws are made by fallible legis-
lators, expounded by fslliblc judges,
and executed by faliible officers. But
this is no excuse for violating them,
such as they are.
The way to gain relief tor the viO-
lators OF law is not by inaugura,iug
law lessne,s. 1T so, we might rs well
tear down our temples of justice.
The very worst law is better than no
law, and those who have au interest
IN the country or the prosperity OF
the state; those who have property to
be preserved; those who have llber-
ties to be protected; those that have
rights that they cherish, are the last
men ID auy community who should
give sanction to acts of violence. Let
every man take the vindication OF
his rights, the redress of his grievau-
ces or the pun shment OF offences III G
his own hands, regardless of the law
of the land, which are at once the
standard to define the limit of his lib.
critics, and the guardian to defend
them, and the result VIII be that each
man Will bl arrayed i'll de idly STRIFE
against the Others, to the possible OK
tent OF determination, it may be.
The first thing TO do in this word
is to be right, and to plant ourselves
III u POSITION on which we can stand
in sunshine and i'll storm, and while
FUrsy was certainly guilty of all act
stamped by Deity with the worst sea
and signet, | cannot see by what
method OF reasoning the good people
of Pamela county, while earn silly pro.
testing oh dience TO law aud order
could pursuade themselves into All at.
tempt to measure out retaliation as 6
g IA &c nri,,a in, no
portion to it's extent. This was not
only futile, but q usurpAtion of the
powers belonging only TO an allwist
and allpoWertll being,
Punishment is not TO be admin =.
tered by way of vengeance. Ii their
action is claimed t. have been i'll tn
interest of just punishment iol
crime which otherwise would
have gone unwhipt of ju'tlc'
here is some measure OF excuse
But ali right-,ninded men, when p s.
sion has calmed, must see that this II
anarchy, pure and simple, and thai
the dearest rights OF their community
and society would be sacrificed by its
prevalence
Having been "sculptured into pre-
cedvut' it is liable also to be renewed
upOA much siighter provoca ION, aud
| ad t. the ,,ossibl detriment of some
Of those WhO could hereafter with
poor grace plead exemption from is
usurpiug force by an au appeal fol
the protection OF that law which they
were willing - see meted OUT to an-
Other however gully. Sucu things
have happened within my own obscr-