Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-05-05
MAINTAINING THE LAW.

THANK GoD After four long years
of waiting we again have a Cover
nor of this state who regards an
oath, and regardless of his personal
feeling In the matter will do his
sworn duty.
LAWRENCE SPLLER, a colored man
stands charged with the heinous
crime of rape and murder. A white
girl was the victim.
If he is guilty, he is fiend who de-
serves no consideration st the hands
of the law, and the sooner the earth
Is rid of him the better.
If innocent, he should be immedi-
ately set free.
Our position with reference to such
matters is too well known to need
comment here.
Any man, be he black or white,
guilty of rape should be hanged, but
it must be done by due process of
law.
We do not unduly sympathlse with
the wrong-coers OF our race but we
insist that the guarantees In the Bill
of Rights and the Constitution OF
Virginia shall be rigidly enforced.
II any one thinks that Governor
O'FERRALL has other than the bit
terest feeling towards the perpetra-
tor of such heinous crime because
he ordered troops to Staunton he
is mistaken. He was left no alter
native. His vow was registered In
heaven and he realized that In the
Great Beyond he must render an ac-
count of his stewardship.
The law can be trusted to mete
mersted punishment, and men, fren-
Eied with passion are held back by
the mighty exercise of military pow
er In order that the people of the
world may see all the beauty of the
workings OF our system of govern
ment In that deserved punishment
can be speedily administered.
Had the Chief Executive then occu
Ipying the gubernatorial chair been
equally as prompt In the display oil
a sufficient military force numbers oil
precious lives would have been spar
ed and a conscientious Mayor would
not now be ostracised and an order
loving Captain made an exile from
, the city of his adoption.
Heinous crimts have and will con
tinue to occur. The laws have beer
SO drawn as to award the proper
punishment and there can be no ex-
cuse for barbarous practices or ar
i. appeal to lynch-law.
If LAWRENCE SPmLER is guilty
there is not right-thinking colorec
man but what will say "Amen," al
the drop" is sprung which lands
him into the other world.
1t should not be forgotten thai
there never has been a crime COM
mitted by a colored man, but what
some other offence equally as helm
GUS has been committed by whit'
man.
The color of the accused, nor that
of the victim should form basis O
action In this case. A crime haI
been committed against which tn,
better nature of every man revolt.
!, and were the girl as black as ebon,
and the man as white as the drip
ping snow; the one should be the OBJ
Iiect of sympathy and COMMUNICATION
the other the object of contempt anC
: loathing. Sublime In it's conception
, grand In It's operation ia the law O
this land, and no more magnificent
tribute can be paid to the presen
occupant of the gubernatorial chail
than the announcement, that CHAs
IT. O'FERRALL wears graciously tn
honors bestowed upon him and tele
. graphs in this momentary crisis
when GOODNESS would have been pre-
y sumed to have forsaken him: "Ac
with caution; but uphold the law a
> all hazards"
Il Virginia has boosted of her son
u and thousands had bewaiIed the fac
that the chivalry OF the past ha
gone never 60 return and that tru
greatness would never again res
d upon the officials who were to folio,
a but with the coming of the years, til
n budding of the trees, the blossomin
"a of the flowers. the reddening glow q
O the sunset filing with golden sple1
dor the mountains, valleys and low
o. lands Ct the commonwealth come
= the glad tidIngs: Virginia's interest
n are protected, the majesty of the la
respected and the glory OF the pas
q, revived In all of It's transcender
g. splendor. Lynch-law must gol
"a ---@----