The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-29
The Rarnwell Lznching.

The lynching early yesterday morning, OF
eight negroes who were coafned in the
Barnwell e. c. jsil-on the charge Of muir
der is a regrettable affair. Assuming that
they were all murderers. and that they de-
served the punishment they received, would
It not have been far better TO have per-
mitted the law TO take its course?
Violence begets violence, and if
the purpose of the lynching
was to put a stop to murder by terroriz-
ing exhibition of summary justice, it is
doubtful if it was accomplished. The
hanging Of one murderer by legal authority
has a far greater moral effect than the
shooting 70 death of half dozsn murderers
by unauthorized persons. Lynch law is a
very dangerous law, and an appeal to it is
never excusable in well-orga 2ized COM
munity.
From a statement which was prepared
by committee of Barnwelrs citizens, and
which we publish this morning in our dis
patches, it is apparent that the people of
that town and its vicinity were wrought up
to high pitch Of excitement by the muir
der Of several of their prominent fellow
as the murder in each instance was wholly
unprovoked, but if those who did
the lynching are good citizens,
and desire to promote the best interests of
their community, they must know that
their act will likely have a contrary effect
upon the negroes from what they intended.
1t will make those of them sullen and re-
vengeful who are bad, and they will be
much more likely to commit crimes of vio-
lence than If the eight negroes who were
lynched had been hanged, after fair trial,
by order Of the court.
The Barnwell committee calls attention
to the delay of the trial of the negroes
charged with numbering John J. Heffer-
nan in the streets Of Barnwell in October
last as one of the things that perhaps
suggested a resort to lynch law, especially
as that delay was thought to have
emboldened the negroes to commit
other murders If there is any
fault to be found with the courts,
public attention ought to be directed to it,
and there should be public opinion suffi-
GENTLY healthy to correct it. But as far as
we are informed the courts are in competent
hands, and can be relied upon to do their
whole duty. The enforcement of the law
may be little slow, but it can be stated.
without fear of successful contradiction,
that when it is enforced it has far more
healthy effect than lynch law can possibly
have
The Barnwell committee says that when
John J. Heffernan was murdered there were
threats of lynching the murderers, but that
cooler counsels prevailed, thus showing that
the bad effects of lynching were we'll
understood and a resort to it deprecated
The lynching of criminals is u declaration
of lack of confidence in the law and those
who administer it, and may be interpreted
by those who are disposed to be lawless as
meaning that they have nothing to fear as
long as they avoid arousing public indigna-
tion. As general thing there are a great
many crimes of violence committed
wherever lynch law prevails to any great
extent
We can understand that the people of
Barnwell and vicinity were greatly wrought
up by the murders to which attention is
called, but on a second sober thought they
must admit that it is wiser and safer to
uphold the law If those who are supposed
to be law-abiding disregard the law, it can
hardly be expected that those who DO not
respect the law will obey it,