The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-27
| / COVE NOR|
CONDEMNED
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since I read that defence Of straw. that
tissue OF: legal sophistries. The reason OF
every citizen resents any such weak, va
clllating and cowardly conduct .
NOTswITalN THE LAW. -
..But the Governor claims that he acted
within the law. Let's see aboutsthat..
sAt37:so o'clock Saturday morning the Oft
Ger in comma nd Of the troops wired tina
Governor:
..ss....s..without protection the prisoner will
sbe$lyncled tonight. Shall LOBBY order.
and leave?
There was the Infatuated mob. organ
lied, eager to pounccT upon dts victim.
chained hand and foot TO yonder cell
floor: there is the drunken Sheriff, who
ought to represent. the majesty Of the
law, who ought willingly to defend that
prisoner at all hazards; there are the
Judge and county officers, INUNDATED
by the mob. Between that prisoner and
the mob is only the thin line of our SOL
diers, bravely doing their duty. The
faithful officer, aware of all this, wires
the Governor:
.5tWitbout protection the prisoner will
be lynched tonight. Shall I obey order
and leave?
1.-THE Governor, with that situation and
with that telegram before him, sat down
in the quiet Of his comfortable study on
yopder hill, and read in our statutes this:
=. Power of Governor to Call Out Mill
tia-If any combination. whether for dis
Numbering the State, or establishing in
any part Of it a separate government,
or for any other purpose, shall become
so powerful as to obstruct, In any part
4 of this State, the due execution OF the
laws thereof, in. the ordinary course OF
+ mn "a
forth the militia, or any part thereof, to
suppress such combination.
SEVERELY CONDEMNED.
'.He arose and sent the answer. Yes
.That act was criminal incapacity. That
act compels the good people of this Com
monwcalth to condemn his name forever
to political oblivion. He has cut out
work for the Legislature to do. But
the Executive. in that lame Defence says
this statute applies only in case martial
law is proclaimed.
WAS there ever in the history OF Vir-
einia a situation that more clearly
demanded martial law than that? Will
there ever be? His own officer wires him:
without protection the prisoner will be
lynched tonight He commands that
officer to withdraw, protection from the
prisoner Then hellisht passions were let
loose; the lynching of Cotton occurred.
with diaboical glee; 1ull in the whites.
vengeance; the blacks bestir themselves:
O'G-ady is dragged forth. Ah.. our Gov
errors career will teach him that O'Grady
spells Banquo. At every turn that spec
ire will rise up to condemn his weak
action. It is the repetition in one
important aspect of that scene of another
Governor which we read tonight When
PLATE saw that he prevailed nothing but
rather that a tumult was arising. he took
water and washed his hands before the
multitude. saying:
COMPARED TO PLATE.
"'I am innocent Of the blood OF TINS
righteous man.
Now, contrast this message of our
Governor to Major Cutchins:
The sole responsibility is on the
Sheriff. If he orders you to Withdraw
you can do nothing but obey. We have
done everything possible to uphold law
and prevent mob violence.
Remember that the aforesaid Sheriff
is both drunk and in the. grip of the mob
Did the Governor not know this? 1t was
his business to know 1t. No spot in Viz
ginia needed the Executive more at that
time than Emporh- $..,,.-.sss.
1.-The situation was something like thls:i
AS I pass down the street, I see two Of
my friends in deadly quarrel. One has
just drawn his pistol. rush up and
throw my arms tightly about him. so
that his hand and weapon are rendered
useless He struggles in his passionate
anger, and bids me loose him, saying,
L will kill that man or die.
Now, If perfectly calm. having suf-
ficient strength to hold him, to part the
two combatants-I say, if 1 take my
arms from around him. and if he at
once shoots the other man, who rs re-
sponsiblc for that murder?
II lay that lynching at the Governors
feet.
1--WE are not without precedents in such
crises. Cromwell told the Duke of Savoy
that If he did not cease his persecution of
the Vaudois in their Alpine valleys.
British troops would drive him from his
doninions.
cromwell told another italian ruler that
if he did not end his Vaccinations against
a certain folk, the roar of British can
ron would awaken the echoes in his
palace.
1.-TWO notable ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and
Morley-are now holding that Cromwell
up as an example to America.
CLEVELAND PRAISED.
"But q parallel to our present case is
found in the ene1 getic conduct of Grover
Cleveland in dealing with the great Chi
cago strike.
Grains were stopped, burned: lives in
jeopardy The Constitution says that
Federal aid can put down domestic VIC
lence only at the request of the LeSisla-
ture or Governor.
THAT ruEillanimous Governor of Illinois
seemed to be in league with the mob;
said to the federal authorities. we can
deal with the case, stay out Cleveland's
hands were tied. Were they? He turned
over the pages of the Constitution and
his eye fell, upon those innocent words:
..The Federal Government shall estab-
lisn post-otfices and post roads, What
is car? A post-ofiice. What is back of
post-office? The might Of the federal
army.
$50 Chicago blessed Cleveland for that
courageous. wise and constitutional step.
.If our Governor had had the strength
of one of the hairs of Cromwelrs head,
if he had had the energy of Cevelcnd's
little finger, he would have proclaimed
martial law at Enlporia. and saved those
prisoners, saved the fair Eane of the
State, though it had taken every militia
man in the Commonwealth
THE REMEDY.
"But we are not without guidance in
this distressing situation. One tells us:
q The remedy for such occurrences may
be found in a greater cultivation in the