The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-02-28
of a mob or that of husband or brother.
That mob vengeance has had a de-
terrent effect in regard to this crime is

That mob vengeance has had de-
terrent effect in regard to this crime is
unquestioned. Every man who is
guilty, aud who is discovered, knows
he will die at the end of a rope, or the
muzzle Of pistol If the punishment
Of this crime was left to the slow pro-
cess and uncertain penalties Of consti-
tuted law, the crime would be far more
prevalent, how much more so, it is ap-
palliog to contemplate Of course, this
is oot offered in justification of mob
law.
These are facts, and the present
enormous proportions Of the evil. Can
it be prevented !? For twenty-seven
years the friends of law and order have
etriveu to combat evil by appeals and
deuunciations through the newspapers
secular and religious-tbe magazine,
the platform aud the pulpit. Yet the
end is no nearer in sight. l have no
hesitation in saying that this will not
eradicate the evil. Not one in
thousand Of those for whom these
articles are intended see them. Hence
they have been as futile as battering
stone wall with paper pellets. A
quarter of a century has demonstrated
this.
This has been realized, and recently
another plan has been proposed. The
appointment of a special court, to con-
vene Immediately on the scene, in
case of an outrage, and hold speedy
trial. The practicability of such plan
may we'll be questioned; but it is liable
to another objection which is insuper-
able in law. The constitution guaran.
tees to every man a fair and impartial
trial by jury. The trial CT one, charged
with such crime by court conyening
within swenty-four hours after the
deed, would be farce hardly second to
the mock trial held by a mob, and
would be promptly pronounced uucon-
stitioDal BY any competent court of
appeal.
4 study of this question from every
available standpoint has only strength
ened me in the belief that the remedy
must (and will eventually come from
the side of che colored people them
selves. One may dam up stream and
make the banks and dikes thick and
high !; but if the stream continues to
flow, somewhere and somehow the pent
up waters will eat through and leave
an ugly rent. Dry up the springs of
that stream and you will need no bar
riers. Unit! the torrent of lust is in
some way dried up, these terrible out
breaks of mob fury will not cease any,
where in the near future.
How can the remedy come on the
side Of the Negro2 1t can come
through the efforts Of those who are the
leaders and teachers Of the colored
people The Solution Of this problem
lies iu the hands Of the Christian
ministry Of the Negro race, for they
are not the preachers only. but to large
extent the teachers in their sehorls.
They are the leaders Of their people in
every particular-in church, State aud
school. No one has a sitbe Of the
influence they WELD. They can, if they
will, impress on the leaders Of their peo-
pie in every community the heinousness
of the crime Of outrage. and these
leaders in turn can reach every indivi-
dual in the community. If, in their
expressive lanuage, "the word" should
Ego OUT from these leaders that these
crimes must cease, and impress this on
them year after year. it would avail
more than all other agencies.
And there are not wanting cheering
indications that the colored ministers
Of the South are beginning to realize
that this is true. and putting forth their
power and ioAuence to compass this
end. If this view be correct, what an
argument for the education of the
colored ministry.