The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1897-12-01
4 THANKSGIVING ADDRESS.
Continued from arss pasel

did better than that. The
town clerk at Ephesus quieted the
mob by saying to them, The
law is open and there are deputies; let
them implead one another"
/ know that the provocations are
great, but mobs are not jus
titled.
Ii is said that the courts will not
punish, and so the outraged commu-
nifty must take the law into its own
hands, But a moments reflection will
show that this Is not the case. Who
are the victims of mobs and lynchings!
They are not those whom the law will
not punish, but those whom the law
will most surely punish IL it has the
chance. II is the wretched negro,
criminal, no doubt, and deserving of
his fate, upon whom the condign pun
ishment of the law would fall without
ruth and pity, and it is not the white
man guilty like the negro. Mobs are
not actuated by desire to see the law
executed, but by spirit OF lawlessness.
Mobs are not composed of good cltl-
zens urged to desperation by the laxity
of the law that may be so sometimes;
but they are composed generally OF the
bad elements of society suffered to
wreak their bloody will. Power has
been dropped by the good and picked
up by the bad. The very order Of So
ciety is threatened, for If mobs are
permitted i'm one instance, they go on
to take cogniZance of other offences
and soon the whole administration of
affairs is in their hands with all Of an
archy and shame and blood. Let us
make no maudlin or lying excuses for
the mob. 1t is evil and only evil.
.. Homicides should be visited with
punishment. OF these there are too
many and the law has not been en-
forced in such way as to be terror
to these evil doors. Human life is too
cheap. If a man were wantonly and
cruelty to kill fine horse, he would
be punished as he would deserve If he
were to burn up property worth a mil
lion dollars he would be executed, but
if he were to take the life of his fellow
man we know too much to confidently
expect him to be punished. lfhe com
mits the most atrocious murder and 1t
is fully proven, there is deep seated
listrust of the administration OF the
law. Every honest man is afraid that
fear is justified by the criminal admin
!StTdIIUIl III Iut pdob III WINS A''ooN'
Many murders have been committed
by white men in Kinds county, but not
one has been hanged in As years. Many
cruel murders have been committed by
white men in Madison county, and it
is said that there never was one hanged
in the county. White men have com
mitted many murders in Lincoln
county, cruel and causeless, but does
anybody know of one who has been
hanged for his crime? And Copiah
county lies just on the Northern Dor
Ter of Lincoln. Our record for crimes
of this character is worse than that OF
my people on earth who have any
claims to civilization. 1t will rank US
among savage people. To take human
life is the very depth and horror OF
crime. Gods image is defaced. holy
writ is violated, the law of the land is
broken, the very life of the State Is at
tempted Murders are committed with
terrible frequency, and the murderers
60 unwhipped of justice. Rather the
criminal comes out as hero. Some
times, and / have witnessed it, the YER
dict that acguits the criminal who
has been severely punished, is received
with applause which the judge cannot
suppress sometimes he Is carried
home in triumph in a carriage drawn
by admiring friends, with brass band
accompanying. Heis awarded a chrome
for what he has done, and it seems
that the community feels that it is its
duty to vindicate him. This acquittal
of the criminal is not to be charged to
the lawyer who defends him. He must
do all that he can honorably for his
client. The judges and prosecuting at
torneys are not to be blamed, for they
for the most part endeavor to perform
their duty. 1t is not often, if ever, that
we have had in Mississippi judge who
has favored the criminal classes.
Where then does the fault lie 1t is
with the juries. The good and sensi-
BILE citizen has read of the crime in
the newspapers, he has formed and ex-
pressed an opinion, and so he is ex-
cused. Thus this work falls to the lot
in many cases of the imbecile and cor
rupt men without the intelligence and
the conscience to render righteous
verdict. And so blood cries from the
ground to Heaven for vengeance. This
blood will cry until punishment is rem
dered, for be ye sure that the earth
shall disclose her blood, and shall no
more cover her slain.
DuJ We tuIi away liohi Wis ''Ae
spectacle. / am sure that you do not
wish it to be thus, and that you lament
it. | am glad to make mention that
the two high-toned and excellent jour
nails published in this place always
condemn crime and uphold law and
order.
Finally, the lesson that should be
impressed upon us today is that OF
hope in God. The same hand leads
us that has ever led us, and it will lead
us to the end. The God of Abraham.
the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the
God of our fathers, is still our God
There is the same old faith, the same
hope.