Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-08-15

e~cc,,crs,&- urnt on Innocent people.
ana the wrong done I'm such case 10
The Individual is ono for which there
is no remedy. But even wheSe 'nt
real criminal Is reached the wrong
done by the mob 20 the community II
self is well-nigh as great t-spccla'iS
is This true where the lynching IS &C
comnsnied With torture. There are /
certain hidcous sights which once /
sen can never be wholly erased from |
the mental retina. The mere TACT or
having seen them implies degradation.
This Is a thousand fold stronger wncn.
instead OF merely seeing the deed. the
man has participated in IL Whoever
Il, any part OF our country has ever
taken part IN lSwlessly putting 10
death n criminal by the dreadful tor
ture OF fire. must forever after nave
the awful spectacle OF his own hand
work scared into his brain and soul.
| He can never again be the same man.
| This matter OF lynchinE would be a
/ terrible thing even II IL stopped with
the lynching II men guilty or the IN
human and hideous crime OF rape,
Int rs n matter OF fact. lawlcSSncSs or
this type never DOES stop and never
lean stop in such fashion. Every Nio-
llcnt man Sc the community Is Sn-
lccuragol by every case o. lynchlne In
which the lynchers 70 unpublished 10
himself take the law into his own
lfends v,hrne-cr q suits his own con-
vtnicncc. In tho same way the use OF
%, ture nv tie mob In certain cases Is
s.-c 90 spread uutil 10 is applied more
n, less tuafsc-iminatcly n other cases
TNc spirit of lawicssRcss grows Win
what IL feeds on. and when mobs with
IMMUNITY lynch criminals for one
cause. they arc certain % begin "a
lynch real or alicged cumincls TOT
lr.rc- causes In TIC recent cases oi
ivrcrin- over thrCc-fO-rths were not
r,~ rare at all. but for murder at-
/ tcmutcd murder and even less neln0 " "
| crenecS. Norccvc-. the history o
lthcrc recent cases shows the awtu
81 / fact that when the minds OF men ar
hchituated to the use OF torture o.
. iavlcss bodies 20 avcnge crimes OF
/. REGULARLY revolving description. othe
/, ir-elcss bodies viii use force TO &C
!. ronrlish crimes q an ordinary type
surely no patriot can fell % sec IN
= ffa-fui brut3lsz2tion and dehaSemcn
! / Which the Indulgence ot such SPIT
ana such practices inevitably portent
Surely all public mCn. all writer's 10
the daily press. all clcrgymen.
= teachers. an who IN any way have
= Irf-ht 10 address the public should wi,
y every energy unite 20 dcnouncc SIC
+, 4 crimes and 10 support those engas,
n in putting them down. As Peep
W. we claim the right 90 speak with y
cu'sar emphasis for freedom ana u
d. fas- treatment 90 all men without r
- gard 20 differences OF race. FORUM
- creed or color We forfeit the rig
lc % sneak when we commit o. condor
,. such crimes Is these OF which spea
-s The nation. like the individual. ca
=. not commit crime with impunity.
wc are guilty Of lawlcssncss and brui
-o violence. whether our guilt consist
~. active participation therein. or
- mere connivance and encourage mel
We shall assuredly suffer later on
~ cause q what we have done. The cg
~ rer-stonc OF this republic. as OF
~ free governments. is respect for q
81, obedience OF the law. Where We p
ls nit the law 10 be dehed or evad
whether By rich man or poor mi
By black man or white we are by j
- So much weakening the bonds OF
civilization and increasing the cham
30 its overthrow and OF the subst
az ton therefor OF a system In WI
~ there shall be violent alterations
"a, anarchy and tyranny.
ms Sincerely yours.
So THEODORE ROOSEVELT
the Hon Winfield T. Durbin,
la. .an~-r~ro~ ~ Indiana