New-York tribune., 1902-08-25
ITyrBryG AND REQUTsITIoys.


The Boston State House was visited the other
day By a company protesting against ihe re-
tUrn Of a negro TO the authorities OF North
Carolina Is the fugitive slave law again III
force. aud is the Massachusetts conscience once
more aroused 10 prevent negroes. law or no law.
from being carried into bondage? No 1t was
aroused TO prevent the negro from being carried
to . ,,ossjhIe lawiess hanging or savage burning
The negro was charged with having committed
arson i'm North Carolina and requisition for
him WAS made upon Governor Crane The Al
tornev General gave hearing on the question:
and the protests against the negTos surrender
were based on the alleged lack OF adequate
guarantees that he could have fair trial. OF
that he would not be lynched out Of hand.
Governor Aycock il is true. wrote promising
r,rotectiOu from lynchers and a fair trial. ana
nobody questions his good faith. He has made
record in North Carolina for his vigorous war
fare on iynching. 1t was urged however. that
Governor Aycock could not certainly give the
protection he promised, and that two negroes
had been lynched during his administration, IN
spite of his best efforts, eliminating in the cali
ing out of the militia Therefore. The protest
was made against sending back the man 'nto
community where negro charged with crime
was likely 10 be put 10 death on mere suspicion
enioins the surrender of fugitives taking refuge
in one State when charged with crime in an
other The honoring OF acquisitions made in
praper form is commonly regarded as obli-
gatory Yet there are precedents for refusing
them. When Governor Taylor Of Kentucky
took refuge in Indiana from the partisan at
Tempt. to persecute him ard hold him IN JAN
as an accomplice In the murder Of Goebel- the
Governor of Indiana refused to surrender him.
The Governor of Ohio, It is said. refused to send
a negro to Kentucky for fear of lynching and
Governor Aycock himself refused for the same
reason to send one 10 Tennessee. The consr-
tuition contemplates government OF law IN
every State. and If a government by mob has
been instituted II can hardly be wondered
that requsitions are refused. States are by
law bound to give full faith and credit TO the
proceedings OF other States but men cannot be
blind to facts. and communities which do not
obey law cannot with good grace invoke 1t
Governor Aycock is entitled TO support In his
campaign against 1ynching and we are not sure
that the prestige If would give him to have this
man surrendered On the faith of his guarantees
would not help to teach the worth Of order.
Certainly the Southern people should see that
the lynching habit threatens a new danger.
Unless they can suppress II they can hardly ex-
pect the authorities Of other States to surrender
criminals for their mobs to murder. Criminals
will work among them in confidence of an
asylum just in proportion as they teach their
neighbors that humanity forbids the return OF
fugitives Such a condition Of affairs would be
deplorable. II would encourage lawlessness liz
the South, and would certainly provoke Ill
feeling between States. Yet il is inevitable II
the Iynching mania spreads The welfare OF
the whole country is threatened by the mob
spirit, and it must be put down.