The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-30
MILITARY VS.. MOB.

In sn.eakins of recent attempts made to
lynch a negro in Mecklenburg county and
the sending of military company TO
Royaton tor prevent mob violence, our
Boydton correspondent says that I'll TINS
was done only TO save miserable des-
peraao who was not worth load OF
powder and Shot
That is total misconception of the
great principle .involved The prime object
in. sending troop.s to Boydton was to main
tain the dignity and majesty and supre-
macy of the law. This negro had been ar
rested and was int the custody of the court.
The Constitution of the State guarantees
10 a man accused of crime fair trial IN
n court Of justice. It was in pursuance OF
/ that provision that this negro was ar
raigned in court. and it was in defiance Oh
the organic law of the land. in defiance OF
|. the court which represented the law, in
defiance of the institutions of government
that the mob proposed TO take the prisoner
out of .the hands of the officers and hang
him to a tree. Therefore, the local au-
,horities made requisition upon the Gov
ernor, for troops and the Governor sent
them, and the troops were there to see
that the law was not trampled under foot.
We heartily agree with our correspond
emf however. as to his concluding remarks.
He says:
cannot think it either wise or that it is
Justice to the military to send out
handful of men to a section of the State
to suppress violence The very tact mat
only a small -fo.ce IS on guard irritates
and encourages the vicious, and gives
them the opportunity of Dragging and TO
try and ridicule the military. In this way
drunken and irresponsible fellow might
bring on a difficulty, believing that the
citizens could beat the military in a di1t1-
Guilty
Whenever it beooms IS necessary to order
out the military L believe sufficient force
of men should be sent to command respect
and obedience to the mandat ties of the law,
and not place a small detachment of men
in position to be tainted, jeered at and
detied, and, it may be, to sacrifice their
lives.
Whenever the MOB threatens to rise 1t
is well for the State to make demon
strstiou both of its determination and its
power to uphold the law. We do not be-
ieve in calling out the soldiers unless it be
necessary, and we do not believe in COM
mandins the soldiers unnecessarily to fire
upon the mob. It wocld have been ter
rible thing lad there been a bloody clash
between the soldiers sent to Boydton and
citizens of that county who were mad with
indignation In all such cases there should
| be enough soldiers to deter the mob from
acting. 1t is better in the practical results
and in the moral effect for the State to
oyerawe the mob with a demonstration of
strength. Soldiers are not sent out upon
such occasions to destroy life, but to pro-
tect it They are not sent out to shed
blood, but to prevent the mob from she'd
ding blood, and. as we have emphasized,
above all to prevent a breach of the peace
and to prevent the mob from trampling
| the law under foot. 1t is better object
lesson to overawe the mob by the sim
| pie. disnified presence of the military than
| to shoot into the mob and shed blood.
! Therefore, in all such cases the military
! ordered out should be in sufficient strength
| to prevent a conflict.