Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-08-15
President SeudS lis Congratulations
10 Governor Durbln
AN urIERANct BY Tic txEcUIIyF
NJ. RooteVeIt Holds That Lyuehtng
For ANY Crime Is SubNerSiVe Of All
law and 7uSt Be Suppressed


lied. President Roosevelt comments
Governor Durbin. OF Indiana, for the
attitude he assumed recently respect
ing bnching. The President also en-
braces the opportunity 70 express his |
own views on lynching and mob VIC I
ience generally. pointing out that !
mob violence Is merely one form or |
anarchy and that anarchy is the
forerunner OF tyranny. The P-esid n'
vigorously urges that the PENALTY for
that crime which most frequently in
duces = resort to lynching shall DC
applied swiftly and surely. but by due
process Of the courts. so that II may
be demonstrated that the law is AIDE
ovate 10 deal with crime b. freeing
it from every vestigc of technicality
and delay" President Roosevclt's let
ter in full to Governor Durbin fol
lows.
oyster Bay. August 6. 1905.
Governor Durbin. Permit me &c
thank YOU as ar American citizen for
the admirable way in which you have
+ vindicatcs the majesty Of the law by
ivnchinE. I feel. my dear sir. that YOU
have made all men your debtors who
believe as all OF the far-seeing rea
must that the we'll being. indeed. inc
very existence Of the republic. de-
Ponds upon that spiri- OF orderly hner-
. ~ under the law which is as incon-
pat{hle with mob violence as with any
form % dcspousm. OF course moo
: violence is Simply one form OF an
I archy. and anarchy Is nov. as II al
ways has been. the handmaiden anu
, fcrFrunncr Of tyranny
/, Il feel that you have not only re-
{ fccted honor upon the State which
Z FOR its good fortune has YOU as rs
. Chfef Executive. but upon the whole
p nation II L. incumbent upon every
, man throughout this country no. ON.
: % bold up your hands in The course
Q Won have been following but 20 show
= his realization that the matter Is un'
~ vital concern 10 us all
All thoughtful men must feel IN
y rraves- alarm over the growth
o lynching In this country and especi
81 ally over the peculiarly hideou
u forms so often taken by mob violenc
o. when colored men are the victims
on which occasions the mob seem
IN law most weight not on the crime
but on the color Of the criminal In
certain proportion OF these cases IN
man lynched has been guilty or
crime horrible beyond description.
crime SO horrible that as far as b
himself Is concerned he has 10
feffes the right 20 any kind Of syn
. patnv whatsoever. The feeling OF q
good citizens that such a hideot
crime shall not be hideOusly punis
.-r "a hv mob violence is due not ln ~
- least 20 sympathy for the crimina
r., but 10 a lively sense Ct the train
.. dreadful consequences which follo
the course taken by the mob in eXac
b.. ing inhuman vengeance for an
-r. human wrong. In such cases, nor
- over. ia is we'll 20 remember that q
- criminal not merely sins against q
manity In ineXplicable and unp'
donabIe fashion. but sins parucI lag
azaiust his own race, and does the
% a wrong far greater than any WI
90, man can possibly do 20 them the
'lli fore in such cases the cDlored pcoi
N thrortlout the land should u eve
OF pos slble way show their belief u
len they. more than all others IN the co
oi nunlty. are Mortified al the comm
al sion u such a crime and are
culiarly concerned IN taking eve
possible measure 20 prevent its
currence and 20 bring the criminal
immediate justice. The slightest la
II vigor either In denunciauon Of
crime or ia bringing the criminal
Justice is Itself objectionable.
Moreover. every effort should
made under the law 20 expedite
.ly: proceedings Of justice in the case
lun- such a. awful crime. But IL can
his be necessary. IA order 10 accompl
APP thfs. 20 deprive any citizen Of u
Ind. fundamental rights 20 be heard IN
own defense which are 30 dear 10
ss a All and which lie al the root OF
A liberty. II certainly ought 20 be po
the / BILE by the proper administration
Fifty / the laws 10 secure swift vengea
line upon the criminal, and the best
ALL / immediate efforts % all legislat
Judges and citizens should be
ler's dressed 10 securing such reforms
for our legal procedure IA 10 leave
are vestioe Of excuse for those misgui
.fnet men who undertake 70 reap We
b 10 auce through violent methods.
'1TSn who have been guilty
crime ike rape or murder shoult
visited with swift and certain
ishment. and the just effort made
the courts 20 protect them In
rights should under no circEms IA
.e perverted into permitting any 7
technicality 10 avert or delay
aGnishracnt. The substantial right
nine tne prisoner 20 fair trial Of 90
.h.. must be guaranteed. as you haF
.f,o- Justly insisted that they should
49,. ! but subject 20 this guarantee
; 80 law must work swiftly and surely.
al AGENTS Of the law should re-
L 40. nh IL