Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-09-04
TIE BOSTON TRANSCRIPTS ARGU-
MENT.

The Boston, MASS, Evening Tran
script, in commenting on the address
delivered by Mrs. w. ii. FELTON,, of Gar
tersville, Ga, before the Agricultural
Society of that state in which she not
only encouraged .lynchings, but advo-
Gated it. says:
"It is strange that an intelligent |
person should not be able to see in |
what a CHASTITY and ghoulish light this |
confession or defence, whichever 1T
may be called, places the whole Geor-
gia fabric of social order. The lamp
Of civilization has been extinguished
there SO far IS such language repre-
sents public sentiment, and barbarism
has returned. When law ceases to
reign, blind force takes its place. and
certainly in q state in which it is claim
ed the law does not punish with sutfi-
cient certainty and swiftness, it is idle
to assume that the ends OF justice can
be reached by turning over its machin-
cry to the fury of q venReful, ignorant
mob, that grows tigerish with each
new indulgence. As Judge Sykes OF
Corinth, Miss, who knows the condi-
tions at the South as we'll as Mrs. Eel
ton or any body else, aptly put 1t,
/
will cease and the mob will rule In
everything.
And again:
Resolved into its primal elements
and it's logical conclusion, Mrs. Eel
| toms plea means that crime Iustit1es
crime and warrants Enchanting indis-
eriminate vengeance. That is what it
| amounts to, for the license that au-
thorizes the mob to punish and avenge
which she calls tie "unwritten law, !"
has no limitations. There is nothing
but its own passion to regulate Its
on operations.
1t draws a most striking comparison
the following statements.
''The only difference in conditions
, is that the people of Massachusetts
live under q reign Of law and would re
coil in horror from q proposition to do
otherwise, while the people of Georges
seem impatient of the laws restraint
and anxious to throw them of at the
dictates of passion. This State is by
no means free from crimes of the
! worst character. 1t is even possible
! that a case or eases might occur which
would SO infuriate the pOpulace thai
they would for the time being over.
: be the shame and disgrace Of the Com
: nonwealth, as the actual condition o.
!, things now is of Georgia. She nov
calls herself the Empire Stats Of thu
the South" Empire Of what, wheI
she cannot preserve domestic Tranquil
itY and make her laws effective? 1
a force is to take the place of law there
S let it at least be organized and have
! show of authority, that the execution
ers may be known. At least as mucl
as that was done in medieval Europe
q Home made law" as it is called il
y Mrs. Felton's letter, is simply hom
r made murder, with the murderers re
. sponsible to no one."
ri The editor of the Evening Tran
:. script" has made powerful plea
II How strange that it should be necess
: ry in land with its institutions G
o learning, its libraries, It's experience
in the past and promises Of the future
l. And yet there are those who read q
n through q glass darkened. They IA
a to understand that history repeats
q self" and in this becomes a sure guild
10 and instructor as we plod our wa
le through the centuries.
Capital is timid; it has never bee
known to choose lawless section
where law abiding ones would answ'
+ it's purposes half as well. Lynch-la
~ must gol