Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-16
ThE MURDER OF SAUNDERS.
How IL is yiewed-A Partisan Court.
INV telegraph 10 the Dispatch.l


JACKSONVILLE. Fla, February 15.-The
Times Union says editorially this morning
"Thepeople Of Florida, without regard TO
party. are unanimously deploring and de-
nouncing the brutal end cowardly sssassi-
nation of Deputy-Marshal Saunders at
Quincy. For such vile murder 10 right
thinking man can offer the least excuse or
palliation. There is nothing to be sug
qested in mitigation of the crime. The
cold. cruel, premeditated manner OF ITS
execution takes its porpetration beyond
the pale OF public sympathy. and they
must suffer the consequences OF the deed,
so foul that its very strocity relieves Gads-
den county and the people OF Florida and
the South of any suspicion OF sympathy
or completely. What motive for such q
yillainous purpose could any mind one de-
gree removed from idiocy or insanity sug-
Sest? Organized resistance To wrong
would be thousand-fold more honorable.
The sudden banding together OF men who
felt the sting of persecution, the killing OF
an officer in a fair, open resistance and in
defiance Of legalized wrong might excite
measure of public respect, but to entlce
an unsuspectnG man into some secluded
SPOT and there coldly and cruelty assassi-
nate him divests the act OF every element
of heroism. We know the people of Middle
~.
BILE. They maintain their rights IN an open,
honorable manner. The public will not
visit upon them the consequences Of an act
uhich no honorable community can
countenance. This killing was hedged
about by q mere personal motive, and no
honorable man will seek TO infict upon
anv community the responsibility for such
an outrage in the vengeance OF personal
wrong.
ONE MANS SIGNIFICANCE.
"What could be expected Of numbering
ona man IN sixty millions? What princi-
nle is established? What public wrong IS
richted? One man is but drop in the
ocean OF human affairs. Vital as his being
nav be to family and friends in this criti-
cal iuncture we. should do nothing to
second the call for United States troops.
nothing to justify judicial proceedings
which have been condemned everywhere
throughout the country. This murder is
a wound which no patriotic, honorable,
nublic-spirited citizen would lnfiict upon
his people. We still maintain that this
United States Court was organized TO pro-
mote partisan purposes, partisan persecu'
t,on. and law-abiding men everywhere
worid keep il on the defensive. Passive
resistance to wrong is more potent than
iIl-adyised spasmodic resistance OF physi..
cal character which inficts deeper wound
upon the State than could be inflicted on
any individual. NcFarland's conspirator
Mitchell was promptly arrested by the
local authorities and lodged IN jail. Gads-
den county should exhaust all its re-
sourcee for the arrest of the guilty parties,
The murder was no doubt instigated by
personal enmity, and the ossassins must
not be permitted to throw any OF the re.
sponsiblity for crime upon people to whom
they have done such grieyous wrong"
Republicans Ffrst to Feel the Halter.
fBy telegraph 70 the Dispatch-l
WAmrsoroy, February 15.--The journal
of Yesterdays proceedings OF the House Of
Representatives was approved-yeas, l2s
nays, 1.