Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-22

fury BY Judge Isaac G. Parker not long
since mt Fort Smith. Ark, ne announcer
that the statistics showed an increase IN
discovered murders OF from sts5 IN isss 10
8,79i in 1892 and that the wnoie numoer
during those four years amounted 10 "
s,7. and that for the three years OF 1870.
1891. and ls9s the number OF murders DIS
covered was 1901. For this last number
of murders 800 persons we're executed ana
Is. s07 escaped, but OF the 800 executed only
az, were executed under process OF law.
while the remaining -55s were lyncned.
The statistician OF the chicago tribune
states that In the ten years ending De
cember II, 1884, there were ois iesa. enssu
tons and i2s lynchngs In the northern
states. and rs legal executions ana l,ioV
lynchIngs In the Southern States. Ihese
statements can at best be but approxima-
tions. and they include none OF tne at
tennis at murder and none OF those LOT
which grand juries from one reason ana
another have found no indictments:
But II Is a most startling fact tnat less
than 2 per cent. of the muruerers curing
those three years were executeu ny Pio
cess of law. while new crimes had 10 pe
committed In order to bring nearly per
cent. OF the murderers to the punishment
they deserved. Equally as starting IL .he
fact that only about per cent. OF tne
discovered murderers are executeu AZ All
LyNcHINGs IN THE SOUTH.
"Anotber startling fact which comes
home most forcibly to us. Is found IN
the large disproportion OF lynchings at
trjbuted 10 the southern states. Ihere
is I'm the forced co-dweiiing OF tne TWO
racea in the South, and In the strained
relations which result therefrom; IN the
differences OF temperament-the tempta-
ton and the horrible crime. the very
conscious possibility Of which puts reason
10 flight and scatters self-controi 10 ,he
winds-a Just reason for this great oiier-
ence os the laws are and as they are
administered. To those who ignoran,iy
rail against us, all this Is an unreaiizabie
theory. while to US II In a horrible con-
ditlon. But Justify ourselves as we may
after all. lynching Is murder In some
1egree and every tolerated Instance
OF IL in any community is lapse TO that
extent into barbarism. IL must be
stopped at all hazards, II we VIII preserve
The reign of law in this country. do not
believe II can be stopped by the strong
arm, for the irresistible impulses which
move men, often good men, TO sucn
deed. would break the strong arm. ne
however. who thinks that nothihg can
be done by the law has no confluence
I'm the existence OF an enlightened anu
undemagogued public opinion ana mas
lost faith in the power Of the people 10
rule themselves. i have an apluins eoiIi
dence I'm the ultimate conservatism ana
,aw.ahiding spirit OF the American people,
and all they need are guides to point and
lead tho way. An able speaker, ana wise
man. n year ago In an address 10 inns
association. pointed out the reasons LOT
those frequent failures OF justice. lie
found them In inordinate delays not es-
sential TO Justice; in continuances on IN
sufficient excuses; frequently In dishonest
Jurors and In slight and insufficient YER
diets caused by personal mawkish senti-
nent: and to these | add new trials 100
lightly granted: reversals on technical ana
strained grounds. and in the too often
unrestrained demagogy Of counsel.
THE FREE WRIT OF ERROR.
"Now LOT me add one more TO this list
which deem a most important additlon-
moan the substantially free right OF
writ of error to the convicted and Its
absolute denial to the people. what otten
rcsults2 Our Constitution requires the
Of at least three Of the menu
bers OF our highest court TO declare an
act of the General Assembly unconstitu-
tional. and yet. in favor OF the accused
the hest considered act of the peoples
may he wholly annulled
by the fat Of one county or corporation
Judge and the people have absolutely no
appeaI. This is a travesty upon the cau-
ton of the Constitution and favor TO the
criminal classes which Is denied to the
to the law-abidng. and the
innocent
PETTED CRIMINALS.
'Tnstead Of furnishing our criminals. wa
often pet and cajole them. II we hang
them we make heroes OF them and watt
them to Heaven with the tear and tri-
umph of the martyr. We let foolish
women visit them in prison and weep
over them and garland them with fowers
and sentimental men crowd the Hobbies
of the Governor TO pray his pardon for
the guilty. II there be n shade less I'm his
guilt than was true OF some atrocious
predecessor. Thus we turn the blade OF
the law when II Is drawn for punishment.
and the salutary work of the prosecutor
goes for nothing. IL is In our power 10
furnish n remedy for all Of this. Punish
ment for crime should not be too severe,
but II should be swift, certain, inexorable.
and unrelenting. and for certain offences
the time which shall elapse between tho
commission of the offence and its expia-
ton on the scaffold should be so short
that the lyncher will find his occupa-
ton gone. and all men will learn to look
always TO the law as the sure and just
punisher of the guilty, as they should
ever find 1t in the certain protector OF
the innocent"
AS TO LEGISLATION.
Further than what is intimated In the
extract thus furnished to you | cannot
lust now answer your enquiry - to
whether "in your my opinion legislation
on this subject Is necessary, and II so,
what" for l have not given the subject
that consideration In detail that would
enable me TO express a well-formed opin-
ion upon II.
Very truly yours, &c,
r. T. BARTON.
GENERAL GEORGE 4. AIlNQI EY