Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-10-23
W. McDONALD LEE. EDITOR.
SOUTH CARoLINAS' vENDETTI

SOUTH CARoLINAS' yENDETTI.
The wise man has yet to be pro-
duced who can improve upon the
jury system, but that improvement
is necessary grows more and more APP
parent with every generation. To
reap exact human justice some sys-
tenn in juries, as in elections, must be
found that will thwart the injection
of that intensely human ingredient,
selfishness born of prejudice. One
more great trial last week added
to the list of outraged justice because
of human bias. J. II. Tillman was
tried by "jury of his peers" but it
was also jury of partizans. Judge
and jury at the beginning were dis
sected and found to belong to the
Gilman element of South Carolina,
but to his undying praise be it said
that Judge Gary sank friendship and
partizan prejudice and presided
as only Judge holding life and
death in the balance should-with-
out fear or favor, and to the best of
his ability and to the extent of his
integrity.
If ever there was a cold blooded
assassination in the annals of the
States the Tillmau- Gonzales tragedy
was the one. An unarmed, lone, de-
fenseless man shot down "like dog"
(the words of Tillman's previous
threaD without suspecting and with
out warning. The culprit was
cleared by jury of Tillmanites, and
that is all there is to it. Let us hope
that the effects of this abortive trial
may be far reaching and that the
blood of the brilliant and gallant
Gonzales may sprout a revulsion of
feeling that will early put the Pal
metto State into the column she
stood before this awful disease of
political dissension wracked her
that of leader among the states of
the South.
Democrat, rock-fibbed though We
may be, We have seen, and our kith
and kin has experienced, too much
of the awful tyranny that Tillman-
ism has brought to Carolina not to
enter a protest against such perverted
Democracy. With the advent of
Tiilman there was injected into the
body polite the savagery of untu-
tored nature, the vindictiveness of
personal feud and the diabollcal
prejudice born of ignorance and
superstition. The cavalier blood that
had raised Carolina to pedestal of
glory was supplanted by the "Sand
hill". virus and "buckra" fluid that
teemed with malice and envy TO all
that would not descend to its level
or "divvy" under its socialistic within
Veritably in its meanest sense the |
bottom rail got on top and unre-
strained license debauched the virtues |
that had assumed ascendancy by the |
overthrow of reconstruction and car
pet-baggerism. The Hamptons and |
the Earles whose blood and talent
had been given to liberate the white
skin to the lowest generation and
keep under it the alien to our shores
was ruthlessly oyerthrown and trod-
den down by the goths who had
been raised on grass but now had
gotten taste of blood. Degenerate
son measured sword with noble sire
and the old State overlooked with
blood and bitter ire. Today where
Tillmanism is rampant insecurity
lies and justice is hardly known.
The mothers pleadings at the sacri.
ficlal. altar do not save the loval
son from the sword of his Attila. like
brother, and the whole of such land
e bereft of verdure by the iron hoof
of'his steed. The fear of law has in
great measure restrained the murde-
rous spirit from fully breaking forth,
for this band of the canaille is no
whit less blood thirsty than the feud-
sts OF Kentucky, but what may we
lot now expect in the light of recent
vents No mans life is safe if the
Gilman vendetti spot him-provlded
here Is assurance that the stiletto
carrier will be tried by jury of his
BEERS and partizans.
OUT in Ohio a Federal grand jury has
declared that the passing OF Confederate
is no violation of the Federal
tatutes which apply to counterfeit
money. 1t logically follows, therefore,
hat Confederate money is genuine
Leader.
Confederate money was Confederate