The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-08-12

Dooly's estimate whom he said "Gen.
tlemen OF the jury, | charge you that
the ninety-nine guilty ones have al
ready escaped" One learned lawyer
says that Ryder would certainly have
been tried and convicted in September,
and doubtless boon speedily executed.
Another says he would have been SEN
to the asylum as lunatic. Judge
Bleckley says the law needs no reform
ing-that 1t Is right now. The Bar as
ISOLATION have resolved that it does
need reforming. One preacher quotes
scripture that says Tho land must not
oe dehled with BLOOD" but does not
give the context that says "innocent
blood, y and the further context that
says Deliver him unto the hand OF the
avenger OF blood that he NAV die, and
thlne eye shalt not pity him." Life for
liIe, hand Tor hand, etc. Let them
stone him with stones," etc. It seems
ike q burlesque for any preacher to on
to the old Mosaic law for q text aeainst
summary unishment of heinous
grimes. trn The avenger Of blood was on
the warpath all the time and even tho
man who unwittingly killed his na,~h.
6or. not batting him beforehand, had Il,
lily for his life to the city of refuge lest
the avenger OF blood overtake him. and
being hot shall slay him. Yes, beino
hot shall slay him. Those avengers nf
blood must have been blood thirsty fel-
lows indeed. 1t was an awful code of
law, but the children Of Israel were an
awful race to deal with. Iwondor what
the boys OF this generation would say
10 law IKE this; "If q man have q
stubborn and rebelliOus son who will
not obey the voice Of his father or his
mother, then shall his father Law hold
on him and bring him to the elders and
say this, our son, will not obey our
voice. And all the mon of the citv
shall stone him with stones that he die,
And israel shall hear and fear - What
horrible death was that And yet it
was common and u FIRE equent punish
mont. Ii L was preacher wouldn't
go TO the Old Testament for " text
aGainst lyuchlng. wouldn't oven
quote Cain, whom tho Lord marked
Tor 1T toems worry certain that IL tho
Lord had not intorforcd tho people
would have lynchod him. Josophus
says that the Lord protected him be-
cause OF his Offering and because he
cntreated and said "Is nv sin too
great to DO forgivon?"
10 my mind the sum Of the whole
matter Is that neither tho laws delay
nor It's uncertainty has anything to do
with the impulses and emotions that
cohIlot men Wnen they pursue and
overtako and identify and execute a
negro for his crime against helpless in
nocence. Every parent and husband
and brother in the eighborhood imme-
dlatcly becomes an avenger OF blood
IL the brute has already been caught
by the officers Of the law aud securely
placed in prison, then let him stay
there and meet his doom accord.
ing to law. | would not take any pris-
oner away from an honest aud faithful
sheriif-uniesS perhaps the victim was
one OF my family, nor even then unless
1T could be done without shedding the
blood OF officers or fricnds
For all other crimes the laws We have
are good enough for all gooG. citizens,
and feel no great concern for the bad
| suppose that at least half the lawyers
carry concealed weapons, but they
cont carry them for me. Certain it is
| want no advice on this subject from
press or pulpit, from judges or law
yers, and especially from young un-
married meD or those who 1.-Two in rock
built cities. | had rather bear and
heed the voice OF tho women OF this
Southern land, the mothers and daugh-
ters who alone are the victims when
peril comes. II It comes at at. What
40 thcy sa y BILL ARP.