The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1889-11-23
THE LEXINGTON TRAGEDY.
IConrierLonrnal.l

lS11AA~A - - - AeAAHI
The death of William CassIus Good
loe closes one Of the bloodiest tragedies
in the history of Kentucky. Consider
ing the position of the Two men in
volved, the slight cause Of the difficulty
and the time during which the quarrel
was protracted, the wonder Is deepen
ed that such an encounter should blot
the history of the State In this age.
The sorrowful features of the deadly
encounter are SO overwhelming as to
cloud ones view of the act itself. Both
of these men were under peculiar obli-
cations to their party and to the State
to give no cause for offense one to the
other; both were by their family con-
nections and social duties under bonds
to keep the peace; each knowing the
others character was thus taught for
bearance and long suffering, and each,
because of his surroundings, because of
his example, because of his position
was bound to obey the very letter of
the law, and instead of appealing to
force. was impeIled to appeal to the
law itself for protection.
Yet these two men for the past
twelve months felt that any meeting
might be fatal. They have been pre-
pared and have prepared their friends
for such an encounter. Devoid of
mere physical fear, they feared to edu-
cate or to defy public sentiment; each
feared that his friends might misinter-
pret his forbearance and that the very
virtues of civilization would impair his
power of leadership in his own party.
And thus they came together and thus
they died, each by the hand of the other.
Each has atoned for his shortcomings
by his death and nothing remains for
the law TO do.
But the people of Kentucky may
well ask themselves TO what extent
public sentiment is debauched, and
how far blood outlines attaches TO
each and all of us. An encounter such
as that of Friday would not be posi-
bio In any thoroughly civilized COM
munlty. There Is something wrong
with our moral code, something wrong
In our social organizations, something
defective in the operations of public
opinion when a double murder like
this Is possible.
1t has been suggested that II the law
against carrying concealed weapons
were enforced or made more stringent
1t would not have happened. This is
a very superficial view of the matter.
The law against murder Is far more
stringent than we can possibly make
the law against carrying concealed and
deadly weapons. The consequence of
a murder for the survivor, who stands
In the community as either of these
men stood, are far more serious than
the consequences imposed by the law
Itself. And yet under every obliga-
tion Of manhood, and restrained by
every family tie, with time for pas
sions to cool and reason to assert itself,
these men trample everything under
foot and fight like wild beasts, each
for the others life.
Why9 Because In Kentucky few OF
us dare to praise the man who surrcn-
derlng to society the right OF ven-
geance appeals to society for protec-
tion for his life. Few men in Kentucky
have yet shown themselves strong To
defy this opinion. Judge Reid tried
II, but the burden that he had assumed
was too great for him. OF the men who
should have sustained him many turn,
cd aside; Others advised him to take
a shot gun aud avonge his wrongs
others still questioned his persona
courage and bis Christian character
and he was driven TO suicide.
What remedy is there for it2 Time
education and the benign Influences o
q Christian civilization. Laws will b,
better when public sentiment Is cleare
and truer. Whom the laws protect th
man 1t will not be necessary to ferbi,
him carrying weapons to protect him
self Until then all moralizing Is use
less, oil lessons of the past unheedet
Bloolshed will not cease until the falls
public sentiment that prevails anon
us has changed. II will not cease III
I'll we get truer idea Of what qualitie
entitle men TO our confidence, our at
miration and our support. 1t will nc
change until mere physical courage
which, after all, Ia common enough
Is recognized, admirable though II ma
be, as inferior to moral restraint, I
self denial, to self control.