The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1888-01-25

rnt Aspects.
editorial In the EcowccC ouricr)
Tho opinions of tho press, III different
parts OF the State, on this startling occur.
renee, differ widely. 1t is generally con,
coded that tho act is tho natural result
Of n precedent established by thc whites
in Xix cases Of offence. AS n consc.
qucncc somo condemn the act and ali
acts of lynching in the abstract. Others,
winkiD8 at such summary vengeance,
when prompted by Il pure and high pur-
pose to protect v~irtuous women from
violence worse than death, favor a
thorough investigation in this case as to
whether this act was the outcome Of an
outraged sentiment or tho offspring of
prejudice and imitation. Others take
the bold ground that if deceased was
guilty of the crime with which lie was
accused, he deserved the fate he met
and the perpetrators deserve commonda-
ton rather h consuro. We find others,
who neither Ill terms approving nor con
dcmning the lynchinE, find in the occur
renee a pregnant text for ~discUursing on
tho incilicicncy of the administration of
the criminal law by our courts and
lurics.
No law abiding citizen will deny but
lynch law is wrong III itself and danpoy-
GUS to society. While this is true, there
arc crimes so revolving TO nuns moral
nature, so destructive TO society, so
awful i'll thor consequences TO individu-
ais and by sympathy to communities,
that neither human o divine law ever
has or ever can stay tho hand OF vcngc.
ance in their punishment. OF these
crimes iiendish and brutal violence to
respectable women is the highest, and
wo hardly think, i'll such cases, any
earthly power could stay tho ~avonging
hand Of AZ outraged community. The
certainty of the conviction and punish
mont of the guilty party cannot do this,
and the divine command, thou shalt not
kill, has proved equally poworlosg.
Respect for woman, pride in her clc-
walton and protection IL II striking char
actcristic of Auglo Saxon civilization and
the browning glory Of Christian progress.
Summary punishment Of n brute, black
or white, who assaults n pure woman,
we cannot condemn, and We! we cannot
deny 1t ID q dangerous precedent, not
only tending to abuse for the commits
sion OF the namelcsS crime charged
against deceased, but rs growing and cX-
tending to less horrible crimes, until no
limit being fixed, the written law be-
a dead letter, and for it tho OK
cited and partially informed opinion OF a
mob III substituted. In some cases the
highest good of society, its preservation
and tho protection Of the mothers ana
daughters Of our State, will constitute an
acceptable c in the public mind ior
lynching.
While wo hold this, we think every
pncp IF luIplipy Sln,ll ln tI,r,,.ll,.
Investigated and on the triol OF parties
charged with it, we feel sure our jurics
would convict or acquit On thcir honest
Judgment from tho facts, whether the
lynching was prompted by the single
motive of indicating virtue and pro-
tccting society, or by Il spirit of race re-
vcnge and imitation.
Even i'll tho most Ixcusable form the
enforcement Of lynch Jaw is playing with
fire, II if ever justified rs TO the actors
the justification should bo based on the
honest conviction that it j. the best, the
safest and the highest preventive Of an
~irreparablo wrong n a virtual necessity
to the preservation OF society.
In the abstract, lynch law meets our
and public condemnation, but circum-
stances may exist, such az the character
Of tho assailant and assai!ed, the nature
and extent Of the injury, which may OK
cuso if not justify it. How do they stand
in the Central lynching?
Waldrop is reported rs being n hall
wltted person, by some az II person men
tally irresponsible. This should in his
case have stayed summary punishment.
1T is further stated by some that his
guilt was n matter Of doubt, and that he
denied it to the last. This should have
led to inquiry in any case before the
death penalty was enforced. Aud hero
lies tho great danger in lynch law, that
upon excitement, growing out of an ag-
gravatcd crime, passion usurps reason
and men net without proper inquiry as
TO the crime and the guilt Of tho party
cha, god.
Again, in such eases tho standing of
the assailod should be considered. Has
tho negro race established by their life
II conduct that high moral character,
that reputation for virtue which makes
such n wrong to their race irreparablc,
the life Of the victim a living death? We
maintain they nave not. They marry
and intcrmarry with little regard to past
chastity n neither their education nor
habits lead them to value tho reputation
of their women, as do the whites. We
do not deny but every citizen, male and
female, white and black, arc entitled to
anu bnoulu ICCClEo Cluhl huu lmiNitllhi
protection under tho law, but we deny,
or strongly doubt whether a criminal as
sault on n black woman can or should,
under tho character of the race, arouse
that just feeling of indignation, that firm
and noble resolve. coupled with genuine
excitement, which o like assault on a
white woman by a black or white man
necessarily does from habit and educa-
ton, and which alone, il any excuse be
allowed, stands as an excuse for past acts
of lynch law by white men. Both races
have their recourse for protection to the
law and both here, we think, would get
Justice. Here both should seek it, but
with tho whites there is an innatoa s we'll
as habitunl purpose to vindicate purity
and preserve society at all hazards. They
cannot await tho slow process OF the