The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-02-19
Forbearanee Needed.

.H IN skSSStOtSS Ucy w beASi
of its motives in ~bespeaking a restora.
tion of good feeling and good fellowship
between the people Of South Carolina,
will continue to use it's best endeavors
to reach that blessed contamination
when all the people of the State with
one consent will agree todwell togeth-
er harmoniously. Political differences,
however warm and earnest, need not
invoke a feeling of bitter personal
hostility which refuses to see anything
good or honest or patriotic in an oppo-
nent. We do not deny the fact that
in the heat Of debate party leaders
Twill sometimes be betrayed into hot
and bitter speech: We do not deny
the fact that it may be right and
proper at times to call public me
sharply to account in difference to the
high interests of human society. Yet
it must be admitted by all thoughtful
people that bitterness of speech: is a
two-edged sword that cuts both ways
It must be confessed by all men Of.
good reason that human society connot
live by violence ~and that sooner or.
later some basis Of mutual respect and
confidence must be reached in order
that society itself should continue to
perform its supreme functions. We
pray the good Lord every Sabbath
morning to deliver US "From all
blindness of heart from pride, vain
| glory, and hypocrisy; from envy,
hatred and malice, and all uncharita-
bleness."m Is this solemn petition to
the Almighty God mere form or an
earnest, honest petition for Divine
help to sustain and subdue that human
weakness which we all feel to be lurk-
ing in human hearts to the DETACHMENT
of poor human nature? We think
this is no less the becoming prayer of
the true Christian than Of the true
gentleman and the good citizen. HUI
man society, and. especially free So
ciety, has solemnly important and
supremely necessary functions to per-
form which it cannot rightfully nor
wisely abdicate to the mere lawmakers.
Making the law and fulfilling the law
are two distinct things The code of
a civilized State, however wisely con-
ceived and judiciously appointed, with
all its surrounding provisions for the
administration and execution thereof,
would be hopelessly impotent in a bar
barous country. 1t would be a lever
without a fulcrum, a body without the
breath of life. Hence it is that a
peaceful society with a sense of right
and justice at its heart is absolutely
necessary for the ful6llment of the
best and wisest Of laws. A bitter,
d%issonaut society, with hatred, malice
and all uncharitableness at its heart,
can neither perform it's functions in
its appointed sphere of usefulness,
where humanity directs and controls
itself %outside'of the statute books, but
it cannot even enforce or maintain the
law which is enacted and recorded for
it's security and w~ell-being. Let our
Legislature, for instance, pass aver so
strenuous and righteous a law to punish
and;suppress the barbarous and vicious
system of lynching, which has grown
up in our day into an utterly unjus-
tifable enormity, and society at large
refuses to frown down the crime, or to
lend the law a helping hand, what
good will the law have achieved? A
society at war with itself, where
neighbors hate each other as though
actual war had been declared between
them, is no better han the most con-
fessed barbarism. Nothing can atone
for this. nothing can condone it. It
is the devils own work and is moth
ing else but wanton wickedness and
worthlessness, it matters not what
excuse may be made for it, nor how
Fever the blame for it may be banded
about from one side to the ether Of
antagonists. We hope and believe
the people of this State begin to see
for themselves the supreme necessity
of suppressing this social dissonance.
It matters not who falls or who rises,
they must see for themselves that in
their own supreme interests, as civil
lied people, they should require all
who seek their support and confidence
to possess themselves with patience
and demean themselves with that for.
bearance which is alone becoming an
enlightened Christian people. Either
this or we are a barbarous aggregation
of worthless, self-seeking, degenerate
men, who have no sense Of the true
requirements of civilized society or
common Christianity Columbia Reg-
aster.