The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-12-01

The German army swept over AusCrla
and France within a few months re-
spectively. The battles we're lost and
won by professional soldiers and reg
ular armies. Neither the people OF
Austria nor of France had time to be-
come familiar with the cruelties OF
war. But our war lasted for four long
years. The whole Southern country
was overrun. Armies marched, ad-
vanced and retreated again and again
over the same ground There was
scarcely a house in which there had
not been dead or wounded soldier
frie i'd or foe. The sensibilities Of
men became blunted, and the tender
ness even of women was strained. In
facing death for four years men be-
came accustomed to live in immediate
apprehension, and the constant strain
weakened and deadenened alike the
fear and horror of its infiction.
There can. be no doubt of the lasting
effect of this unfortunate experience.
2. THE MILITARY IMPRESS UPON GOV
ERMENT
It will surprise many of the present
day to be told that the arming of con-
stables and policemen was never known
before the war. Policemen carried
"billies,' y small clubs and rattles to
call assistance, but no pistols. The
arming Of the police and the indis-
criminate use of firearms by them is
altogether foreign to the English
common law under which we live.
The habit has grown out Of the Gus
toms Of war. 1t is relic of camp
life. No one, policeman OF constable,
has the right to take the life Of a per-
son attempting to escape, unless the
person has been arrested as a. -felon.
and even then the taking Of life can
only be justified upon the ground of
necessity. The law upon this subject,
as laid down by Mr.. Bishop, is, in
substance, that an officer having a
prisoner in custody for felony who at
tempts to escape will be excused for
killing him if he cannot otherwise be
retaken, but if he can be otherwise
retaken, in any case, without resort to
such harsh measures, it will be at
least manslaughter to kill him. But
in cases where the person slain is ar
rested or held in custody for misde-
meanor and he fly or attempt to es-
cape it will be murder in the officer to
kill him, although ne cannot be other
wise overtaken. Bishop, Criminal
Law, Sections 64S-649. AS said in
the case Of Reneau VS.. State, 2 Lea,
72O, it is considered better to allow
one guilty of misdemeanor to escape
altogether than to take his life. Yet
how constantly now dc we see police
men and constables shooting down
men charged only with small offences.
This custom is the survival of the
habits of army lifc-constables and
policemen act as if they were guards
on outposts or sentinels in war, with
the duty and authority to shoot and
kill if one refuses to halt when or
dered.
| 3. THE CONTEMPT OF GIVE GOVERN
The war, and the Federal military
government which succeeded it in the
South, habituated the people to the
idea cf the absolutism Of military
rule. The generation which grew up
Immediately after peace was nominal
ly established witnessed the rule of
the sword. They saw the civil Courts,
which opened and attempted to ad-
minister justice, closed by military
satraps. Judges arrested and sheriffs
removed at the mere will Of command
ers of military districts Then fol
lowed the Reconstruction Era, when
they, and the generation following
them, beheld men of the lowest char
acter and grosscst ignorance, strang-
ers, Governors, Judges and law max
ers. They, aliens and negroes, set up
over them, and saw this government,
supported rs it was by military power.
subservient to military rule. They
held it in contempt This injury to
the reverence and regard for civil gov
crnment has been incalculablc. White
men would not bring themselves to ap-
peal for justice to negro Judges and
negro juries. They disdained to speak
even to a Moses or ask pardon OF a
Scott. They learned to take the law
into their own hands, and to protect
tAeir persons and their rights by the
strength of their own right arms.
/. TIE HABIT OF CARRYING WEAPONS