Mississippi leader., 1892-07-21
Fixing the Responsibility for
Lawlessness i'm the South
Where 1t Belongs.
A Wrong Public Sentiment and
FaithIess Jurors to Blame.
Life and Reputation Not Pro-
tected as They Should BE.
Reformation Must Begin I'm the
People Themselves.

at tile Third Annual Reunion OF the COnfeder
ate Veterans at jackson July II. ls92
We need two great changes for the
good of the country-one industrial,
the other social. We must introduce
the wage system, and we must subor-
dinate individualism, and exalt socie-
ty. | am opposed to socialism in all
its forms, and communism, and all
other such isms, but it is conducive to
the growth, happiness and prosperity
of our country that we put down the
too prevalent habit of redress ofwrongs
by individuals, and introduce in
practice, as we maintain in theory, re-
dress of private and public wrongs by
society. We need great Improvement
III this respect, five would benefit our
country. Government exists for the
protection of society. 1t belongs to
the State to punish crime, to enforce
right, to redress wrong. An individ
ual has no right to undertake this.
He usurps the function of govern
ment, when he does. We must up
hold the claims of sOciety-respect it
require individuals to submit to
the arbitrament of the organization to
which they belong. Society must he
permitted, through its duly constitut-
ed tribunals, to redress wrongs, in
stead of itsb being done orattempted by
individuals. We can never enjoy all
the advantages of our country, cx-
cept 10y repressing the habit of indi-
vidual redress of injuries. The high
est duty of government is to execute
justice. Every wrong should be
promptly redressed by the State;
every crime and misdemeanor be APP
propriately punished. No doubt the
prevalence of the evil habit of indi-
vidual redress of wrong arises from
lax administration of law. This is u
great evil. 1t promotes wrong in va
rious ways. 1t encourages those who
would commit wrong, and it leads in :
dividuals to do for themselves what
the State, they apprehend, will fail to
do for them.
Suppose law was duly regarded !,
right properly respected by the peo-
pie generally, and that for every
wrong the State was looked to for the
proper remedy, and not looked to in
vain, the consequence would be fewer
wrongs; and, when one did occur, its
redress would be confidently left to
the tribunals of justice, and the result
there would be accepted as right.
This is the condition of well regulat-
ed society. We exist in society, and
must have government, aud to have
what we should, everyone must re-
pounce the right to redress his real or
fancied wrongs, and accept, instead of
his own determination, that of the
State. In no other way can the So
cial principle have its proper sway.
In no other way can rights be secure,
and happiness and prosperity prevail.
Every ones consciousness attests
this, and all experience proves it.
The only need OF government is, not
for ornament, but for use. 1t is not a
luxury, but necessity. 1t must pro-
tect us in the enjoyment of life and
limb, liberty, reputation, family,
property and the pursuit of happiness,
or it fails in its object, and is not
worth its cost.
There is too much laxity in the ex-
ecutioD of justice by the State. Life
and reputation are not protected by
the State as it should be. There is
too much killing and beating and
wounding, and too much SANDER and
libel. There is a heavy charge OF
blood guiltiness against our land
Alas, it is too well founded And
let the truth be told; public sentiment
is, in a large measure, responsible fol
this undesirable, this deplorable con-
dition of things.
Many homicide, many mob has
arisen from the conviction that JUS
tice by the law would not be applied
The cause of this is not the law. Thai
is good. 1t is not the judges, or the
courts. They are faithful and fearless
and impartial in enforcing law. The
fault is in the people, and in the jury
box, composed of representatives o
the people. They often fail of duty
They wink at crimes, and condone it.
They disregard the law and the eyi.
dence. and go by their wicked i'm,
pulses often. The result is, the Law
is scandalized, its administration ira.
vested; its ministers brought int
disrepute. The bonds of society are
loosened, the claims of law are weak
|ened. The deprayed are encouraged
lin crime, from hope of impunity; anf
they who feel wronged are prompted
to avenge themselves, and redress th,
wrongs which they dare not hope vii
be suitably redressed by society.
This is true picture. IL grlevel
me to draw ii, bat the way to correc
an evil is to learn just what it is
This oughe not to be SO, and thu
sooner this evil is corrected the bettel
for all.
As things have been, In the de-
PRAYED public sentiment which pre-
walls, men are driven 70 eommi
crime.
Behold the terrible praefieaI eonso