The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-20


writer and will vary in kind aud in
number with several writer's of diff
ferent temperaments, and furnishes
no criterion for a correct judgment
The press should denounce Iynch
ing in the home county as vigorously
as it denounces like acts in other
counties and in other States 1t
should not excuse by saying, "1f
lynching be ever justifable, this one
was" It should declare emphatically
that lyrching, without regard to the
particular features of any case, is
never justifable. 1t should not at
tempt to excuse what it knows to be
unlawful. 1t should not editorialIy
denounce lynching as a crime. and
then weaken it's denuuciation by flip
pant headlines to news items of like
occurrences in other places For the
good of the state and the good of our
people. the press must be influenced
more by the desire to educate public
sentiment than by the fear of losing
subscribers or offending friends
AS much, perhaps more. can be
done by that noble band of self sacrl
fciog men who fill the pulpits Of the
churches in South Carolina Many
of them would yield their life, ifneed
be, on. heathen altars for their love of
Jesus Christ. Surely they ore will
ling to risk less on the affairs which
the public opinion of their congre-
CATION has erected, by boldly preach
ing the gospel of their Saviour,
which radically opposea lynching
Obedience to constituted government
is part of that Savicur's teaching
No church aad no mir.:ster will dare
to say that the law of God does not
condemn lynching aud it is clearly
their duty to proclaim that law,
whether agreeable to their hearers
or not Their preceding is against
the sins which encompass their peo
pie. Is not this deed sin? Is it
not of far too frequent occurrence
How many ministers of the Gospel
have declared from their pulpits in
South Carolina within The last 10
years that lynching was sin and
crime? We trust mapy-let there
be many more
With public opinion so educated
by individuals, press and pulpit,
manly governor Of high character.
impressed with the responsibilities of
his Office, and more desirous of an
approving conscience than of votes,
would be supported in his efforts to
suppress this crime. Sherifs would
then be found to swear out peace
warrants against leaders of mobs. as
they Aow swear them out against an
individual who threatens violence to
another. Coroner's juries would then.
in their verdicts. give the names OF
those who had committed homicide
without authority of law, and present
them for trial. Individuals would
feel it to be their duty to swear out
warrants and give the names of wit
nesses. Solicitors and grand juries
would then discharge their juty, and
at last save the good people of their
community from the reputation of
giving sanction to acts Of lawless
ness. And at length petit juries will
apply the facts to the law as charged,
and rendered verdicts of guilty
question the propriety of sing
ling out any crime as so preeminenl
that one taking Office should swear
to refrain from it during lif,-but,
such an oath has been applied 10
duelling, and has eradicated it Is
lynching less criminal or less inju
rious to the welfare of the State?
If We cannot reach the end Of this
evil, let Us at least try to reach it and
so minimize it. And what | have
counselId others to do have done
myself, by writing this letter and
signing my name thereto.
Robert W Shapd
January L., 1897