The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-11-30

!. foreign population which congr egst
9 there, in the South generally, and il
South Carolina particularly, wher
there are no large cities, ro violen
clashings Of interests between labo
and capital, no large importation O
foreigners, with their often peculiar
habits and associations, but instead O
these, all the conditions for an ideal
law-abidiug community it is the rura
districts in which the rnansayer mos
abounds. And this he found 60 bt
especially the case in the upper tier o
counties.
Again he pointed out that while
there had not been as macy politica
fatal encounters in South Caroline
since the reconstruction Government
were overthrow, the number of homi
cides growing out of personal Difficult
ties and street ARRAYS has continued
indeed, has increased. There was
as much or more crime against the
person in South Carolina under Hamp
ton and Simpson rs there had been
under Chamberlain and Scott. IF Mr.
Rediicld were writing to-day he would
add that they have so continued under
Hagood, Thompson, Richardson, Till
man, Evans and Ellerbe. For alas
so far from improving in tho seventeen
years since Mr.. Redtield wrote, in 1880,
in this respect matters have grown
| worse.
This homicidal mania of our people
is due altogether, therefore, to neither
race nor political cause. To what is it
then due ? MIR. Redtield, like most
| Northern writers, attempts to connect
it with the habits engendered by the
| Institution OF slavery. The short and
decisive answer to this, at least as far as
| this State is concerned is that there was
no such homicidal habit during the
| existence of that institution. Our
gentlemen then fought duels: out as
many men are killed in persona, en-
counters in almost any single year
since the war as were killed in duels
in all the previous history OF the State
indeed, so true is this that there are
not wanting those who attribute the
increase OF homicide in the State to
the suppression of the duelllng code.
l cannot myself doubt that all the
manifestations of this crime have their
origin in the one great cause, to.wit
to habits engendered by our late war,
and more especially with as by the
actuGl, If suppressed war of reconstruc-
tion which followed
What are the manifestations OF
this homicidal spirit? Are they not
these:
1. The habitual disregard of the
sacrcdness of human life.
2. The military impress upon civil
government.
3 The contempt of civil govern.
ment.
4. And growing out OF these the
habit OF carrying weapons on the per-
son.
1. HABITUAL DISREGARD OF THE sA-
REDNESS OF HUMAN LIFE
Scarcely less than tho calamity OF
The actual loss OF human life in our late
war was the disregard OF it's sacrcdness
engeudered by our long familiarity
with bloodshed. Just as a ,oune
at the sight of blood, and then become
cal!ous to its shedding, our people
during the long war became indurated
TO the matter of wounds aud sudden
death. Other wars OF modern days
have been short, sharp and decisive.
The result has been obtained on the
one side or the other within year, or
nearly SO. The German army swept
over Austria and France within few
months respectively. The battles
were lost and won by professional
tho people of Austria nor of France
had time,to become familiar with the
cruelties Of war. But our war lasted
for four long years. The whole South
ern country was overrun. Armies
marched, advanced and retreated again
and again over the same ground. There
was scarcely house in which there
had not been dead or wounded soldier
friend 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 deadeEcd alike the fear
and horror OF its inhiction. There can
be no doubt of the lasting effect Of this
unfortunate experience.
2. THE MILITARY IMPRESS UPON Gov
ERNMENT.
1t will surprise many of the present
day to be told that the arming of con-
stables and policemen was never known
billies," 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 COM
mon law under which we live. The
habit has grown out of the customs Of
war. 1t is q relic Of camp life. No
one, policeman or constable, has a
right to take the life of person at
tempting to escape, unless the person
has been arrested as q felon, and even
then the taking OF life can only be
justified upon the ground OF necessity.
The law on this subject, as laid down
by Mr.. Bishop, is, in substance, that
an officer having prisoner in custody
for felony who attempts to escape will
be excused for killing him II he cannot
be otherwise retaken, but II he can be
otherwise retaken, in any case, with
out resort to such harsh measures, 1T
will be at least manslaughter to kill
| him. But In cases where the person
slain Is arrested or held In custody for
q misdemeanor and he fly or attempt
escape 1t will be murder in the officer
to kill him, although he cannot lie
otherwise overtaken. Bishop Crimi-
nal Law, sections 64S6i3. AS said in
the case of Reneau w. State, 2 Lea,
| 720, IL Is considered better to ALLOW one
guilty OF misdemeanor to escape
altogether than to take his life. Yet
how constantly now do we see police
men and constables shooting down men
charged only with small offences. This
custom Is the survival Of the habits OF
army life--constableO and policemen
act as II they were guards on outpcsts
or sontinUls In war, with the duty and