Richmond planet., 1897-03-27
MOB VIOLENCE.
Its Remedy and It's Cures


blest worm that crawls in the dust as
we'll IS TO the king who rules q people.
So sacred is the human life that no
one should be deprived of 1t without
due process of law.
For q long time il has been q com
mon occurrence for men to form them
selves into mobs. to ignore the dignity
and majesty OF the law and take the
lives OF citizens accused OF certain
crimes. What palliation can there be
for such rank outrages on n boasted
republic? Have we no lsws3 Do we
not have courts? Article 8, section 2,
clause 2, of the United States Uonsti-
tuition reads: The trial of all crimes
except impeachment shall be jury.
Then too. the last part of Article 9th OF
the amendments is.-no person shall
be deprived Of life or liberty without
due process of law.
Article 9Th of the amendments guar
antees to the accused, in all criminal
prosecutions, the right OF 4 public trial
by an impartial jury,-to know Of
what he is charged Ito be confronted
compulsory process for obtaining wit
nesses in his favor and to have the as
sistance of counsel for his defense.
Article l4th is virtually q repetition
OF the 9Th. These laws are plain, so
plain that the way-faring man, though
3 fool, may understand. The law
promises the violest wretch q trial for
his life and does not permit any one to
be punished until he is proven beyond
reasonable doubt to be gull
ty of the crime charged against him.
The law does not provide a fair trial
for some and farce trial for others but
intends TO mete out exact justice to
all, regardless of race or color.
Courts are the adjudicators of the
law and have not failed to punish to
the full extent of their powers persons,
who are accused, of that unfortunate
class, who are the chief victims OF
mob violence. Therefore, mobs can
not truthfully say that their victims
would not be punished by the law.
lt IS cruel enough for men TO be ac-
cused of crime, arrested, tried, con-
victed and punished unjustly. 1t ID
more than cruel for men 10 be accused
bounded down by q mob, driven into
the forests ana swamps like wild
beasts, and when captured, maltreat
ed, shot and hanged like dogs. Worse
still is such a case as accused, arrest
ed, placed in prison with the hops
that trial may exonerate from ths
crime charged, but the mob came q
night, dragged, beat, shot, stabbed o.
hanged those men without the testi
mony of a witness, the verdict of
jury or the decision of q Judge. Ii
short men are robbed of their live
without recourse to the justice of
court.
Men have been taken away from th
courthouse by mobs in the clear noon
day, rope thrown around their neck
and hanged before they were tried. /
10 not necessary to mention the fac
that moDs often take prisoners from
the officers of the law and proceed T.
do deeds of violence.
And yet, state officials do not object
Federal authorities, although the 81
amendment has not been repeaIe
claim no right to interfere.
What one of you does not know tha
behind and under these outrages ar
caste, race prejudice, hatred and ignC
rance. Mobs more often appease tn
wrath or their inherent meannes
than to check or punish crime. w
would not extenuate crime of what
ever sort in any race or nation. w
say that those who commit crime
should be visited with condign puI
ishment We also say emphaticall
that the law should administer I'll
punishment,
II we do not let the law punish
try men we may be setting a precedeI
Dy which we ourselves may be slain.
Already mob violence has opened
furrow in which has been crown no,
ious seeds Of crime. Society mu
now reap the haI vest of crime ar
murder arising from its uncheckt
sway. We have sown the wind and y
must reap the whirl-wind.
Mob Violence has gained such I
ascend ency that soon capital will
unsafe, homes will be in jeopardy, Il
sacredness OF life will be destroyl
and the republic will be in DANCE
Can our government be safe wi. b sue
an antagOnistic element7 Can swe
liberty still remain with such a cor
panion?
Mob violence is not to be compart
with that dread disease cholera, 4
cholera stretches forth the bony hal
OF death and grasps as her own. tho
Of all races, colors and ages. Mob vi
lence knows its victims by their co
dition In life and the color Of the
skin; cholera will cease, but mob vi
lence hurries on carrying with it dea
and dragging behind a train Of deme
alizing evils, which will weaken o
institutions.
Mob violence is worse than bloc,
war, for war arises when laws are su
pended and states disorRanized. NJ
violence does not wait for disorgani
ed states and suspended laws b
oonoo forth with its Pernioious aI