The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-11

tor deals in facts and tells the truth.
He took the ground that the editor
is public teacher and that it is his
duty to try to create public sentiment
in favor of right and against wrong,
but always to be honest in the pre-
sentation of facts, and that he
should never hesitate, in matters of
public concern, to give the facts. he
believed before God, he solemnly as
serted, ehat he was doing his duty to
the people in publishing the edito-
.torials that appeared In The State
during the campaign Of 1902. He
made this clear, beyond question, to
my mind, both in what he said and
by his manner, which in that hour
was free from every semblance or
suggestion of i'll will, personal feel
ing. or revenge.
Why do / say these things, now
after ..the incident is closed?" The
incident is not closed. The jury rem.
dered their verdict, mot Guilty"
but that did not alter the terrible
fact that one Of the finest citizens in
the State, while quietly walking to
his. home unarmed, was without
word shot down and killed. His
friends, andA thousands of others
throughout the lands will believe ne
was shot solely because OF what he
wrote and that he only wrote what
he believed to be true, and what he
said was true. The public will con-
tinue to pass Judgment, not only on
the court proceedings, the testimony,
the verdict rendered, but also On the
conduct and the personal character
of the man who cannot now speak In
his own defense, and who, his friends
believe, suffered grave injustice IN
much that was said in the argument
before the jury and which could not
be answered by the direct testimony
Of those who knew better. say
these things because know from his
lips that n. G. Gonzales was not
seeking the defeat Of any nian on
account Of personal i'll will, and that
he was not seeking at the time the
editorials were being Written, nor
would be afterwards seek the life or
personal injury OF any person of
whom he spoke in our conversation,
and we spoke Of all the prominent
candidates.
From all that I knew of him. from
all that was said in our conversation
above mentioned, believe in my in
most soul that the unarmed editor
who received his death wound with
out warning, was not pursuing his
fellow man. he was not carrying
malice and unavenged anger he was
not blood thirsty In spirit, or in man.
ner, or in conversation. He was in
the quiet pursuit of an honorable
profession in the service of the peo-
pie. Some Of US are not willing for
the veil be drawn over his public
career, and the record of his work
and life to close in the estimation Of
the public with the evidence Of GER
tain witnesses at Lexington. some Of
the arguments before the jury, and
with the verdict amid the applause
and congratulations Of certain per-
sons in the court room, including
some of the court officials. We be-
iieve in that hour, too, a great inlus-
tice was done the slain editor. We
do not like to think of the life, the
public services, the brilliant record,
and the undaunted courage Of the
distinguished and chivalrous Con-
zales to be thought of in connection
with the trial at Lexington. Let him
pass into history as he was, and as
We knew him, and not as he was
made to appear before that. jury.
His devotion to his native State and
his noble defense Of all that is good
ard worthy in South Carolina, and
his splendid and courageous fight
for law and order and justice before
the courts, should be held in ever
lasting remembrance. This is the
N. G. Gonzales who held and who
still holds s'such large place in the
confidence and affections of those
who really knew him.
Al. S. THOMAS.
Greenville, sc.