The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-08-12
THE PRESIDENTS SENSIBLE LETTER.

Inc lyncnlnS epldenlc tlldI
has spread over the country and
the actionof Governor Durbin Of
Indiana to stamp out mob law,
has brought a strong letter from
President Roosevelt, which must
commend itself to every lover Of
good order, and as his utterance
is on q subject which appeals to
reason and the general good we
reproduce it for the benefit Of
our readers. with the statement
that III It's principal parts 1t has
our fullest endorsement.
Dys;cr Bay. " y. Auy. t, 1908.
NIv Dear Gov. Durbia: Permit me To
thank you as az american citizen for
the admirable way in which YOU have
vin(l;catcG the majesty OF the law by
your reccntaction IN reference 70 lvnch-
ing. feel. my dear sir. that YOU have
made al! men Your debtors who believe.
Us al! far-seeing men must. that the
we'll being indeed the very existence
OF the republic depends upon that spir-
il of orderly liberty under the law which
is as impossible with mob violence as
with any form Of despotism. OF course
mob violence IS simply one form OF an
archy. and anarchy is now. Is it always
has been. the handmaiden and forerun-
ner Of tyranny.
feel that YOU have not only reflected
honor upon the State which for It's good
fortune has YOU Us its chief executive.
but upon the whole nation. It's incum-
bent upon every man throughout this
country only 10 hold up your hands in
the course YOU have been following.
but 10 show his real position on that
matter is one OF vital concern 70 Us all.
All thoughtfutne must feel the gray
est alarm over the growth OF -lyuc!ling
in this country and especially over the
peculiarly y hiGeous forms 50 often taken
BY mod violence when colorcd men art.
the victims on which occasions the
mob seems 70 lay most weight. 10: on
the crime. but on the color OF the Grim
inal. In L certain proportion of these
cases the man lynched has been guilty
OF 4 crime horrible beyond description.
L crime SO horrible that as far rs he
himself is concern. he has forfeited the
right oanv kind OF sympathy whatever.
The feeling OF all good citizens that such
L hideouS crime Shall not be hidcou>ly
punished by mob violence is due not in
the least 10 sympathy for the criminal.
but 10 u livel Y sense OF the train of
dreadful consequences which follow the
coarse taken By the law in executing
h imam vengeance for n inhuman
wrong. In such cases, moreover. il IS
well TO remember that the criminal not
merely sins against humanity in ineNpi-
able and unpardonable fashion. but sins
particularly against his own race and
does them 4 wrong far greater than any
white man can possibly do them. There.
fore. in such cases the colored people
throughout the Land should in every
possible way show that they, more than
al Others in the community. are horrl
tied IT the commission vi such Il crime
and are peculiarly concerned IL taking
every possible mersure 10 prevent re
currencc and TO bring the criminal 70
Immediate Justice The slightest lack
Of vigor either in denunciatios OF the
crime or in bringing the criminal 10
Justice is itself unpardonable.
Moreover. every effort should be
made under the law 10 expedite the
proceedings OF justice in the case OF
such IN awful crime. But it cannot he
necessary. in order 70 accomplish this
10 deprive any citizen OF those funda-
meu;al rights TO be heard in his own
defense. which, ARE. so 0t;,. 10 lis all and