The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-05-03

knowledge of Greek and Latin be helpful
to him who must Go this mcnial work.
On the contrary would it not unfit him for
his work-would it not render him discon-
tented and sour? l tell you that colleges
have spoiled many good toiler to make
poor preacher or second-rate lawyer.
We occupy singular position in history
two races with intense race prejudice try
ing to live together. There are two ways
this can be accomplished: By the obliter-
alton of race distinction, or by each race
filling essentially different spheres OF lie,
so as not to be brought into constant COM
God deliver us and keep US from the com:
mission of so awful sin againt reason and
revelation. The latter is our only course,
the only hope of lasting peace between the
races; it's the solution indicated by God him
self in the very laws of his creation. What
ever conflict occurs between the races does
not tcome from the laboring black man hels
q man of peace. It comes from the college
bred brother of ebony hue. There has been
unfortunately in both races an improper
estimate of labor. The unfortunate tenden-
cy of this age is to look down upon labor
and to regard it rs something to be avoided
if possible, and smooth hands and bleached
faces are preferred, unfortunately, to the
hardened palms and sun-browned cheeks
of toll. Hence there has grown up an
unfortunate class of vagrants-perhaps l
should say gentlemen of leisure, who live
upon-the wind suppose, for they toll
not, neither do they spin. and yet tell you
they are elegantly arrayed. Seriously, there
is about every town considerable class OF
zboth colors who seem to live well and yet
who have no calling. had been told that
there were but three ways of making living
Ito work for ito beg for it-or to steal for
it. They never work-they are too proud
to beg. This is the most demoralizing
form of vagrancy. The dirty tramp who
walks your streets is not half so inju-
rious as they. No wonder then that at
night the stcalthy step of the thief glides
before closed doors and the fash of the in
cendiary torch should disturb the sleep OF
honest men. Flow do these men get their
living? a part of their money is made at
night when some simple man is shared IN
the gamblers trick aud robbed of bis earn
ings. But another part of it is made also
at night. Oh, night, how many, terrible
sins and crimes are covered by thy dark
ness Oh, had night thousand tongues
to tell her awful secrets! Another part.
say, is made at night when honest men do
sleep, as tile thief glides from place to place
to fatten on the labors of others. All hon.
or to the men of toll who go forth in the
morning with bucket on their arm and re-
turn at evening to enjoy the sweet sleep
that only toll can give. Ashamed OF laborI
No. not till virtue becomes fault and hon.
esty crime. Ashamed of labor? No, not
till the devils in hell shall tear from Gods
word the records of his labor, and the evil
dence of heavens first law, "by the sweat
of thy brow shalt thou earn thy bread"
Again, false sentiment as to punishment
is also prolific cause of crime. Our land
is full of o sickly public sentiment rs to the
punishment of offenders. We need reform
in public sentiment, for this, after all, is the
great tribunal before Which every man must
stand or fall. In the presence of public
sentiment judges and juries are powerless.
We need healthy public sentiment upon
the subject of punishment of criminals.
After the commission of some fearful crime
the first outburst of public passion calls for
blood with difficulty the offender is kept
from the angry hands of the self-appointed
avengers, Before year has passed the
whole tide of feeling has changed, and cur
rents of sympathy for the guilty bear men
the same MEN who cried for blood-to the
opposite extreme of feeling, and if needs be
thew are ready to Join band of rescuers to
prevent the punishment of the guilty.
From my heart pity those who, haring
violated the Just laws of their country, are
compelled to suffer the penalty of their
crime, and yet believe in the supremacy
of the law. Evil doers must be punished.
"Makc q chain," says the prophet, that is
prepare the means of punishment and re-
straint, the law must be vindicated, make
a chain, for the land is full OF bloody crimes
and the city is full of violence"
It was really disgusting to me few years
ago as I sat in the prison-retOrrn congress,
a convention of, 1 hope, well-meaning, but
certainly misguided philanthropists, to hear
expressed by men of intelligence such sickly
sentiment of sympathy with criminals.
Among other conveniences and lu1urles,.
which it was insisted should be part of
prison life, were reading rooms in which
should be we'll selected Libraries and papers,
and we'll appointed bath rooms with water
hot and cold. to which should be added
we'll arranged gymnasium for the exercise
of the inmates of the prison. In other
words, that State penitentiaries ought to be
like the Fifth Avenue hotel, with every
modern convenience conducive to comfort,
while honest men of toll at home live upon
brown bread aud exercise in well directed
labor. Make palaces out of your prisons
and half your population will prefer the
comfort and ease Of prison life to the hard
ships of honest toll. Yes, public sentiment
needs toning up when the pictures and
autographs of murderers are sold at a pre-
MUM; public sentiment needs toning up
when young woman gets so full Of tender
ness for murderer as, even when he is
under sentence, to link in the marital rela-
ton her life with his. The strange action
of Miss Van Zandt in marrying the con-
den1ned Chicago Socialist is only one OF
many manifestations of the unhealthy state
OF public opinion in regard to the punish
ment of crime. So long as this continues
our land will be full of bloody crimes and
the city will be full of violence:
Unfortunately most nen estimate crime
in the inverse proportion to its magnitude
the greater the crime the less the guilt.
He who wrongfully takes from another
loaf of bread, even though 1t be to feed
hungry family, becomes thief and is sent
to prison to pay the penalty of his villainy,
while he who steals million becomes
titled citizen, and as Colonel or Major So
and.so moves in the most fashionable
society and is esteemed shrewd man. TO
steal o trife makes villain, q thief, while
he who carries off thousands becomes only
an embezzer, kleptomaniac, defaulter.
The enormity of his crime is covered in the
dignity Of its name.
Oh for public sentiment framed upon
the Bible, aud that lionors its teachings; a
sentiment that restrains men from wrong,
and demands the punishment of evil doers,
that makes men submit themselves to the
powers that be, whether it be to the king,
as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them
that are sent by him for the punishment of
evil doers, and for the praise of them that
do we'll" "For the powers that be are or
dained of God" There are but two things
known in the economy of the world for the
suppression of crime One is punishment
of the offender; hence the prophet says,
make chain, prepare the means of punish
ment, for the land is full of bloody crimes
and the city is full of violence. The other
is the gospel of Christ, the great harmonizer,
the great pacifer, the sure preventive of
wilful crime. We often soy that this or
that is the bulwark of our freedom but,
brethren, the only guarantee of good gov
ernment, the only pledge for the perma.
nence of our civilization, is the gospel of
~ .:.t ri,o k,,,t1, o1,o11 1ra 1yay,