The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-12
Howard in New York Press.

Many men have expressed wish
that they might die suddenly, and not
be compelled to drift mental wreck
after the faculties Of their head had
ceased to work.
Why?
Obviously, because whatever might
be their hope, their wish, their feelings,
born of early education and contlnu-
ous assertion of a future life, they rec
ognize that, as far as is known, with
the loss of reason ends desirable life.
The hanging on Of the physical struc-
ture for days, or weeks, or years means
no hinge.
So far as man is concerned, the man
is dead when the light of reason is put
. out; and if it be true that when our
mental faculties are blotted from exist
ence the essential part of US is gone,
and all Immortality hinges upon a
hope alone, what must be the infer
ence as to the original intent of the
Creator, derived from contemplation
of the brutality, the infamy, the cruel
ty with which man treats his fellow
man?
The poet who sang Man inhuman-
ity to man makes countless thousands
mourn" didn't begin to touch the core
of the trouble.
He barely placed his foot upon the
lowest step in the fighc which leads to
the vestibule Of the Chamber of Hor-
rors, into which this world has been
resolved by the wickedness, the selfish
ness, the rapacity and the unkindness
of mankind.
There is no need to cross the ocean
for illustrations.
The Gar of Russia, Napoleon !, Irish
landlords are not the only tyrants. We
have them right here at our hand, and
one of them is called public sentiment.
Given the control of, the columns Of an
influential journal, I guarantee the
dethronement of the proudest name Of
our time. All that is needed is to point
with malign continuity the finger Of
scorn or wag with deyilish persistence
the slanderous tongue, and the neblest
man, the purest woman, can be pulled
from the pedestal of fame itself and
made to hide in the very gutter of des-
pair.
Don't think I intend to rehash to-
day the brutality, the infamy, the out.
rage, the cruelty of certain of the news
paper press of this city as against every
man charged with crime. For the mo-
ment let the subject drop.
ARE GUILTLESs PERSONS PUNISHED?
Innocent men are in Sing-Sing to-
day.
Why? It's but short time since an
intelligent jury, bounded by an ignor
ant but powerful press, brought three
men in guilty Of burglary, and two of
them had been lectured first, and SER
fenced next day by an impartial judge
upon the bench, when, all of sudden,
something or another turned up which
led our police authorities, not the court
officials, to investigate little closer,
and they found the guilty parties else
where, with proof irrefragible; where
upon intricate legal formalities were
confronted, and it was absolutely sew
erol days before these innocent men
were released from the bra nd of rascal
which had been placed upon their brow
g. by brutal press and super-service-
able set Of officials.
Innocent men in Sing-Siug?
Yes, scores of them.
Innocent men in Auburn, in Con-
cord, in Weathersfeld, everywhere
where iron bars and walls of stone hold
convicts in close confinement, are men
as guileless of crime as the very child
who cries to-day for his mothers
milk.
In the iron hand of some Of the social
organizations Of to-day is clasped the
baton which controls the orchestra of
ievilment along the line of torture and
interference with the rights Of men
made in the image of their Creator.
"Msn's inhumanity to man makes
countless thousands mourn" reads
very well as a line, bat it is vague and
general.
A CoNvICT's EXPERIENCE.
Some months ago told the story Of
released convict.
showed how he had been driven
from pillar to post; how be came to me
time and again until my patience was
exhausted; until all that l could do for
him had been done, and the end had
literally come when I was forced to
say to him: II can helpyou no more"
Of course did help him once more,
but although that little help procured
for him position and saved him from
suicides grave, it was but for few
weeks, and to-day he is back again, not
only back again in crime, but back,
again in felon's cell.
With tears that rolled with unques-
toned honesty down his worn and pal
lid cheek he confessed to me, as he
stood in my presence in a striped jack
ct, in his convict's garb, that he had
committed the crime with which he
was charged, for which he was tried,
convicted and sentenced, but continu-
ing be said:
"You know how hard I tried. You
know how thoroughly I intended to
be good, you know the bitter experien-
ces I underwent, and you know how