The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-21

LYnchings.N

Editor Morning News: The commu-
nication written by woman and pub
lished in the MORNING News of recent
date on the subject of lynching, also your
editorial in your issue of Sunday replying
to it, have read with much concern.
Your position on the subject is well
known, and, if 1 mistake not, it is about
the same as that occupied by the radical
press Of New England, and assented to by
some other southern and western papers
of more of less note, namely: that the saw
age rapist should not be lynched,
but taken under the protection Of our
civil officers, and fed at the public ex-
penSe until some indefinite time when he
will be taken before a court of justice
and tried by twelve of his fellow citizens
and be given the benefit of the doubt"
and furthermore that this course should
be pursued in order to save the commu
nifty from lawlessness, and the innocent
man from losing his life. My infOrma-
ton may be at fault, but think no other
position has ever been assumed by any
writer at any time on your side of the
subject. Now, is this the correct and only
standpoint from which we should look at
this painful curse that afiicts some of
the bravest, most generous and patriotic
men on earth, the southern born white
man. Did it ever occur 20 you that by
the persistent and continual condemns
ton Of the lynchers the rapist is indi
rectly applauded and in the minds Of the
Ignorant and vicious becomes a hero and
martyr? Think seriously over this, there
may be much in it. Would it not
be well to hunt up, discuss
and remedy the defects in
our law. If a spy under
military law is generally tried by court
martial and shot, why should not the
rapist who is by far the most dangerous
enemy that has ever infested any country
be dealt with in like manner2 This is
severe, indeed, but the law must be
amended so as to remedy speedily the ex-
Sung evil in the prompt execution Of the
miserable rapist who is worse than an
assassin, and more to be dreaded-if we
Judge by the alarming increase in his
Almhcr-than all other evils com bined
oeneve IL is generally conceded that
mo who thus deal summary justice 10
JllS deblsed class of criminals. are, as a
rue, composed of our best citizens, who
are foremost in all works Of public and
private good, and IN this, their only act
Vi JransgressiOn, we must accord to them
d pure purpose to do the right in this
.tue Of their dire extremity, when In
-HelF honest judgment no other certain
curse Is open to them. The south should,
ana must be relieved of the Odium at
gdching to her on account of these lynch
Mss' bat let US strike at the root and
NatSe OF them in order to- get
ttgueI which are the base perpetratOr and
tut detective law. / assume that the law
Is detective, mainly because slow in its
opefauon, and slow mainly because the
a-a6ers OF il never anticipated this de-
Graded class of violators, and the sudden
G-uland of an outraged and righteously
IA Snaut family and public for his imme-
ulate execution.
Let the press Of the country ioin with
t.He people in denouncing and furnishing
i"e guilty, and bring about such a reform
III OIe law as to make it effective, and
Hereby restore It's declining mai
~-y-declining because it is clearly