The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-05-04
INSANITY WOULD BE THE ONLY
EXCUSE.
News and Observer April 28th.

it was 'the work of insane people, b
: the writer added that the Southe1
y white men "w1ll become insane as ofte
as negro brutes outrage white women
e The first claim OF insanity is the be-
palliation for men who could cut off ear
fingers and toes, lindle fire with Of
and pitch, and burn up the basest GRIN
inal, but the statement that they wi
"become insane" at stated periods show
that the plea OF insanity will not excus
the men who have brought stain up
on their section and a blot upon South
ern civilization.
The manhood and intelligence of til,
South revolt alike at the crime and the
punishment. The first was the act Of q
brute who would have been executes. b>
law the last Is the crime of the white
men who boast of their civilization
Onclylllzed men grow enrased and
avenge crimes like that in Georgia was
i avenged civilized men are able to gov
ern themselves and to leave the punish
nent OF crime to the constituted au-
thorlties. When they grow frantic and
relapse into barbarlsm, as those Geor-
gia men did, they bring discredit upon
the South and are law breakers.
The South must put an end to iyncL
law. 1t is no justification to say that
the brutes deserved the punishment
they received. Tha. goes without saw
Ing, and it would be melted out with
out causing the destruction of respect
Tor law and morals among the less ed
ucated young men of the South. Law
lessness begets disregard tor law. and
the Innate respect for authority that
has always characterized the South will
be utterly destroyed unles. lynch law is
completely wiped out.
Lynch law barbarities must cease in
he South, not because they give occa-
Ion to sectlonalists at the North to
'ouse the South ana to n1isrepresent the
ttltnde OF its reputable citizens--what
hat class OF men may think or saw ia
ecome matter of Indifference to US
ut because lynch law strikes at the
cry foundations of cur civilization
abstituting the blind fury Of the mob +
" the safeguards of law.
lie effect of atrocities like that at =
ewman, Georgia, does not end with the f
st gasp of the wretch who il burned
the stake or with the further brutal r,
Ing OF the sen1i-brutes who take part p
them it wounds the public seli-ee- !"
ect and begets a skepticism as to the o:
acacy OF enlightened public opinion. 4:
at Is the surest forerunner Of degen- :
acy and decay. No patriotic man Of
South can read the sickening de- 3
lis OF such affairs without bowling his 1
ad IN Shame for his section, his race {
q his boosted heritage OF 5000 wears e,
civilization, that could not save
m such lurch downward to primal
'agery.
There has been enough, and 10 spare,
'pologetic cant of "chivalry" On such
asions. Southern men are chivs1,i.
chlvalry never yet burned a wretch
he stake. Let us call it what it is
temporary ascendency of hoodlum
the plug-ugIy. THE best cltizen> 81
no part In this Georgia affair the 81
citizen pleaded in vain with the 81
Die that was bent, not on having i,,s. *
done, but on having a savage orgie
then it would have been a kean
ppolntment il the intended victim n
been able to establish his limo. 81
e. E5
ext to the harm done by the lynch. s s
the evil wrought 10y his apologis., -
ong as mob-murder is declared to 45
ooted In chivaiary mob murder vii, d
lnue. So long as the thug who cuts BY
ars as souvenirs is dubbed a hero -
s VIII multiply. What is wanted Gz
public sentiment that shall put the q
q OF Cain On the brow ofthe lvnch- 81
pubic sentiment SO stern in its 81
emnation that it will beget a few Fl
cut jury convictions. Then and
efore lynchings will cease. b
ms are not wanting that this time y
ming. The lyncher is no lepit,-
product OF our civilization. Orr
are coming to take his measpre ~
e cowardly cut-throat that he is at g.
mat Is the beginning of the
so soon as the fact, d1yested Of Hsa
amour, stands bald that the lynch A
IS himself On a lsyel with his Vic. ~
n the eyes OF the citizen as in the
the law, We shall have done
hess slekening butcheries, this -
y OF hundred white murderers "
unspeakable doing to death Of &
sgro brute.
'io-saxon law is strong enouoh -
otect Anglo-Saxon civilization a
: The negro brute; 1t must he IA
Stfong enough to nrotect ,,