The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-08-13

frequently light on innocent people,
and the wrong done in such case 10
the individual Is one for which there
is no remedy. But even where the
real criminal is reached the wrong
done by the mob to the community It
self is well-nigh as great. Especially
is this true where the lynching Is &C
companied with torture. There are
certain hideous sights which once
seen can never be wholly erased from
the mental retina. The mere fact OF
having seen them implies degradation.
This is O thousand fold stronger when,
instead Of merely seeing the deed. the
man has participated in it. Whoever
In any part Of our country has ever
taken part in lawlessly putting to
death a criminal by the dreadful tor
ture Of fire. must forever after have
the awful spectacle Of his W hand
work scared into his brain and soul.
He can never again be the same man.
This matter Of lynching would be a
terrible thing even If it stopped with
the lynching Of men guilty Of the in
human and hideous crime Of rape;
but az a matter Of fact. lawlessness or
this type never does stop n never
can stop in such fashion. Every vio-
lent man in the community is en-
ccuraged by every case Of lynching in
which the lynchers go unpublished to
himself take the law into his
hands whenever 1t suits his own con-
venience. In the same way the use OF
torture by the mob in certain cases Is
sure to spread until it is applied more
G! less indiscriminately in other cases.
The spirit of lawlessness grows with
what it feeds on, and when mobs with
impunity lynch criminals for
cause, they are certain to begin TO
lynch real or alleged criminals Tor
ether causes. In the recent cases OF
lynching over three-fourths were not
for rape at all. but for murder. at
tempted murder and even less heinous
~offenses. Moreover, the history of
these recent cases shows the awful
fact that when the minds OF men are
habituated to the use OF torture by
lawless bodies to avenge crimes or a
peculiarly revclting description. other
lawless bodies will Use force to ac-
complish crimes OF an ordinary type.
Surely no patriot can fail to see the
fearful EQUALIZATION and debasement
which the indulgence of such a spirit
and such practices inevitably portend.
Surely all public men, all writers for
the daily press, ali clergymen, all
teachers. all who in any way have a
right to address the public should with
every energy unite to denounce such
crimes and to support those engaged
in putting them down. AS a people
we claim the right to speak with pc
culiar emphasis for freedom and for
fair treatment of all men without re-
gard to differences Of race, fortune,
creed or color. We forfeit the right
to speak when We commit or condone
such crimes as these Of which l speak.
THE nation, like the individual, can
not commit a crime with impunity. IL
VIC are guilty Of lawlessness and brutal
violence. whether our guilt consist in
active participation therein. or in
mere connivance and encouragement,
we shall assnredly suffer later on be-
cause Of what we have done. The cor
re--stone Of this republic, as OF all
free governments. Is respect for and
obedience Of the law. Where we per
NIT the law TO be defied or evaded,
whether by rich man or poor man,
by black man or white, we are by just
So much weakening the bonds OF our
civilization and increasing the chances
of its overthrow and Of the substitu-
ton therefor Of a system in which
there shall be violent alterations OF
anarchy and tyranny.
Sincerely yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Hon. Winfield T. Durbin,
Governor of Indiana,
indianapolis, Indiana"