The record-union., 1897-06-14
THE SPIRIT OF LAWLESSNESS AND
THE URBANA CASE.

The burden of the expression of the
reputable press at the East upon the
Urbana mob and the shooting, is all
strongly against the mob and COM
mandatory of the National Guardsmen,
except that the better opinion is that
the men should not have been content
with one round, but should have shot
until the mob spirit was completely
broken.
This is not said in a revengeful tone,
or with blood od-mindedeness, but in the
calm of reason and under conviction
that no community can afford to en-
courage lynch law and that it is bet
ter that many lives be sacrificed in
permitted to get the upper hand, as it
did at Urbana.
The New York Tribune" goes so far
as to say that a Gatling gun would
have done the work better; that if we
are going to make laws and then sub
nit them to lawlessness and apologize
for them and give over their execution
to passion, we will be making way rap
idly for the man on horseback. The
Tribune" well says:
1t is not at all to the point to plead
the infamy of the negro's crime, nor to
say that it was better that he should
suffer than that innocent" men whose
feelings were outraged by his villainy
should be shot. The personal fate of
the criminal and the citizens is not of
the slightest Importance. What is of
Importance, is whether in a long-set-
tied and presumably civilized commu-
nifty there dwell that self-control and
respect for law without which a repub-
lie cannot endure. This is not fine
spun theorizing, but simple fact An
alarming growth of the lawless spirit
is TO be observed among people who
commonly pass for good citizens.
Some lessons in obedience are imper-
atively needed in this country, and
Captain Leonard's bullets were argu-
ments in the right direction. The only
pity is that he did not use more of
them. We regret that Governor Bush
nell should feel called upon to concili-
ate the mob by expressions of regret
that blank cartridges We're not used on
the crowd that stormed the jail A
Gatling gun would have been much
more appropriate, as Governor bush
nell would know if he would stop to
think what mob rule means.
Those who apologize for the mob at
Urbana because of the awfulness of the
crime of Mitchell, foreshorten and dis
tort the view of the subject. 1t was
not at all the question whether Mitchell
was or was not to be adequately pun
fshed, because no punishment is suffi-
cient for such as he. 1t was question,
however, whether we are to encourage
the breaking down of the laws until
the application of that spirit is made
manifest by criminals and thugs
against some human right, and the law
being inadequate to protect, men will
then have to take to their own defense.
Then comes anarchy, and after that
slavery and ruin.
We can therefore pity, and in mercy
close our eyes to the presence of the
son of the injured woman at the head
of the mob in Urbana. For him we
have only pity. But not so others
They were not bound by ties of blood
to the victim. They were so-called
good citizens" Latest accounts.
sworn to, show that these people dared
the militia to fire, and that shots We're
fired before the soldiers received orders
TO open fire
The militia stood for the law, the or
der, the tent-hooks and substructure of
society itself. It said to all men "the
law will protect your wives and mothers
and sisters from assault, from insult in
their homes or on the highway; you
need not resort to force to protect your
homes, the law will do that, for the arm
of the law is reinforced by the citizen
soldiery of the land"
It viii not do to say that the law did
not protect the Urbana woman, for, as
a matter of fact, it did. Her assailant
had been convicted and was going to