The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-01-25

that one crime, and in O few instance:
only for aggravated crimes has it been
pursued by the whites in other cases.
On the other hand cases of criminal as
saplt on negro women by whites have
been OF rare occurrence, in fact, the case
OF this half-witted man at Central is the
only one We can call to mind In this
respect this case Of lynching differs from
others by whites, in its eXcusatory char
acter. The security Of white women,
travelling or dwelling unprotected, was
in constant jeopardy and demanded
prompt if not extra-judicial acts of pro-
lection. The security Of the negro wo-
man has never in the same way been in
jeopardy.
Again, this case assumes Importance
in view Of the characteristics of the two
races as to citizenship and property.
The white race, as rule, is intelligent,
moral anu habituated py training and
interest to obey law. Even in exception
al cases Of violations of Law, by taking
the law into their own hands for the
protection of virtue from iendish and
brutal outrage, the whites have moved
quietly as an organized citizenship, bent
rather on the prevention of similar
crimes than on revenge. Owning the
property of the country, their interest in
its preservation, having families, their
respect for them and their safety, oper-
ated to check any spirit of general law
lessness, tending to anarchy. Handling
fire, they moved c,,.lously, checking its
spread to other than the object in view.
On the other hand, the black race, as
a rule, is ignorant, immoral and often
dishonest. They are besides an impul-
sive people, who, under excitement, are
not subject to the control and direction
of reason. Owning little property, no
motive Of pecuniary interest operates to
check excesses, but rather to stimulate
them. There are some striking excep-
tionS to the rule and we hope these may
increase.
From these facts, lynch law, always
dangerous and never defensiblein morals
or strict law, is in the hands of the
negro race widely different thing from
lynch law in the hands of the whites.
The latter have always used it as cor
rective and preventive of the highest aud
most revolving crimes, and even then IN
decent or orderly way. The latter,
once adopting it with impunity, from
their nature and training are likely to
use it for revenge or spirit Of reckless
lawlessness. While each race is entitled
to equal and impartial protection under
the law, still all cases of lynching, as
violations of law, should be viewed in
connection with the persons concerned
and surrounding circumstances.
As the Central victim of outrage died
from her injuries, the perpetrator would
have been found guilty of murder and
executed, if mentally and morally re-
party, assuming him doll capax, he
suffered only the fate the lew would have
allotted him, though in a cruel way. 1t
is not the guilt or innocence of Waldrop
or the lynchers that so much concerns
society, as this new advance of lynch
law, both in the actors and the surround
ing circumstances. There is far more in
it than the simple fact that A. was
lynched scr . Iameless crime on B.
It is an exception to past acts. Lynch
ing by whites for this crime has not been
confined to negro perpetrators, but has
been inflicted on whites and blacks pro-
With the whites it has been
and is based on the vindication of virtue
from brutal violence It IS q principle
of preservation. On the other hand we
do not call to mind case where blacks
have lynchea q black for such crime on
their own race, though our court calen-
6ars contain numbers Of charges for such
crimes. This departure by the blacks
from past precedent, ana that, too, on
white man of known doubtful sanity,
suggests other motives than those here
tofore actuating white men. What was
the real motive, and what was the
prompting incentive in this view, be-
comes material and demands full inves-
tigation, apart from the act in itself, as
all other like acts, being very high
violation Of law. The investigation and
trial of the parties charged may result in
the partial, if not entire suppression OF
lynch law, to which end all citizens
anxiously look.