The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-06-14
NEGRO LYNCHINGs.


The dispatches the other day represented
Governor TILLMAN of South Carolina, as
saying under the grove Of trees where
two years ago eight negroes were brought
from the county jail and lynched aud rid
died with bullets -'tThere is only one
crime that should bring on lynching. l, as
governor, would head party to lynch any
negro that would assault white woman"
The remark, as might well be expected,
has created varied but widespread COM
ment, and not little sensation; more es-
pecially, perhaps, in consequence of the re-
cent resolutions passed by the general
Presby terrain assembly and the general
Methodist conference condemning the
lynching of negroes. We think it very
unwise thing for a governor of state to
make such a remark, however indignant
he may feel at that most horrid of all
crimes, the assault of negro upon white
woman. Officers Of the law should sus-
tain the law and the dignity thereof, es-
pecially in states where the fiery impetu-
osity Of the people naturally makes them
impatient of the tedious process by which
tardy justice overtskes the culprit. Yet,
notwithstanding the laws delay, and all in
sufficient as its poor vengeance seems to be
to mete out punishment worthy of the
awful crime, yet it is better that this in
sufficient vengeance should be admins
tered by due process OF law than by the
violent passion Of q mob acting ontrary TO
the statutes. We say this not because we
have any sympathy with the vile, black
brute that would assault defenseless
white woman. No punishment inflicted
upon such wretch could be too severe.
We say it because we believe that punish
ment according to law, sure, immediate,
quiet, stern, relentless, pitiless, would be
mora efficient in restraining these brutes
than the sudden outburst of righteous in
dignstion which lynches them without
form of trial There Is something territy-
ing in all prevailing law, sternlS and GER
tainly executed. The passion of mob is
but momentary, and it hath but moment
airy terror upon the evil-doer. But il law
be promptly and sternly executed-as it
usually is and may always be in such
cases-it begets in the minds of men, and
especially those standing in the danger of
it, the idea that it is omnipresent Its
awful eye is ever upon them, its strong
right hand is always armed with the in
strument of vengeance to destroy them,
and this idea is q powerful restraint
upon even these brutes that attack white
women. Besides, it saves the community
from the brutalizing effects of mob law,
aud begsts a dependence upon the laws for
the administration of justice, thing most
desirable and necessary to the peace and
good order of society.
Hence we say Governor TILLMAN is
wrong in making such a remark as he is
credited with. Not that the negro who
assaults q white woman is too hardly dealt
by who is hung up, shot to pieces or burned
at the stake; but because this summary
vengeance. however gratifying it may be to
the administrators OF it, is not so efficient
in restraining those brutes as the stern,
sure punishment inflicted according to law.
and because the vengeance method
demoralizes the people of the state and
leads them to have less and less respect for
law, until, if unchecked, the law would be
displaced by mob rule, a most disastrous
The south has had ample experience in
this matter The people of that section
better than any others should know ard
doubtless do know that mob vengeance is
not always directed against crime
alone The history Of the Ku Klux clans
teaches them that. When horde of slaves
were turned free upon them; negroes who
i,ra.z not what freedom meant hut cranar
ally conceived it to mean license, and in
this view were encouraged by carpet bag
politicians and white blacklegs preying
upon the misfortunes of the defeated south,
there seemed nothing left the south but to
organize the above named society for self
protection against their liberated slaves.
In those societies were to be found some of
the best men of the south, until the local
government was given back into the hands
of the people of the respective states. But
in the meantime bad men crept into the
organizations, and the secret societies and
their raidiDgs continued long after any real
cause for their continuance had ceased.
Those clans have continued in the south
and have brought untold reprosch upon it
by reason Of their cruelty, and their oppres
sion of the innocent until the people have
had ample experience in such things to
cause their officers of the state forever to
arrange themselves on the side of the law
and its sure and prompt administration.
1t is easy enough for US who are far re-
moved from the terrible dangers which