Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-05-12
APECULIAR POSITION.

To our surprise the Charlottesville
Va. Progress gives It's readers q
"cross-eyed" editorial upon the re-
cent Staunton occurrence. While
protesting to dIscountenance lynch
ing, 1t would by it's method encour-
age it. 1t says:
1t seems to us very clear
that a resort to the military in cases OF
this character should not be made until
every civil expedient has been tried 1t
is the worse possible policy because it
tends to weaken popular confidence IN |
the majesty and sufiiciency OF the law |
when upheld by fearless civil officers. No |
greater injury to claw and order" can
be done than to educate the public 10
the belief that lynchings and other vio-
lent demonstrations cannot be restrain
ed except by bullets from muskets, when
the fact is that in a community as old
as Staunton, and of the same character,
the civil authority is quite sufficient IN
nearly every possible case"
No education of the public is need
ed on this score. They already know
it. Experience is the best OF teach
ers. Your idea was carried out In
nc Ike and the, loss OF ten lives
was the result. The authorities at
Staunton were more anxious to pre-
vent bloodshed, and to save the
reputation of the community.
It was not simply question oil
the protection of the prisoner, but
the maintenance of the laws. Staun-
: ton would not only have had to re-
. strain the lawless minority In itt
I midst, but the lawless majority from
: other sections. CLIFTON FORCE, Va
= was ready to send two hundred mel
to do the work of death. Your Owl
= charlottesville maintained the
: majesty of the law by the aid of thu
military.
, Prompt action along these line
'e will soon render this course unnecet
70 sary. and lynch-law as a remedy wi
re hardly be thought OF. The Proc
IN REss is indeed cat sea" when 1t say
NJ at may be, as the Staunton "Post
ss AYERS, that an attempt on the life of Il
on prisoner would have been made, b'
he with such a Jail as Staunton's wit
,r- steel cells and every modern applian
for the increase of security-which ma
. it more impreguable than the stronge
n sskeep" of feudal castles-determIned p
licemen and deputies backed by tn
large element Of the citizens of Stau
| ton who, under all circumstances, w0u
a. enlist. at moments notice. for {
. maintenance of order, could have d
comfited a mob such az we hear deeir
to take into it's own hands the admin
= tration of condign punishment
ie- 1t might have been done, but n
without loss of life. Modern apr
ances for the Increase of securit
nut form no permanent safe-gus
OF against a body of determined n
many OF whom work In the VI
metal of which the cells are co
it posed. All they wantsis suffici'
In time. Steel and iron safes for M
ey and papers are not impregna
and we do not see that an ordin'
less jail should be. 1t remarks
"The South Is under the charge
lawlessness-a charge made by +
northern witnesses and slanderers,
Ill, which every manifestation of a VIC
wan character gives color. 1t is, theref
pect unfortunate when the civil officers
he clare to the world their inability to
vent lawlessness unless the State sc
her volunteer soldiers to throw q
don of muskets around Jail in WI
A. is confined a man charged with even
10 most heinous crimes"
ON
,+;at We do not see where the falsit
tba the charge comes In when this
cd ton has been for the last tn
years proving the truth of 1t. 7
statement is that it is unfortuI
to declare a fact and thus prey
an act which would be even more
fortunate. Lynch-law must go