The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-10-21
our, DAMNED spoT !.
Striking Comment on the Tillman Verdict
by Dr.. C. c. Brown.

this thing that brings blur on your
vision is woof and warp-thine own
essential self, and cannot be charmed
or conjured away. The spot, just as
you see it, will tarry into the eterni-
ties. and will come up from the grave
again uncleansed. Not even the
horrible alchemy of the tomb can
avail for its removal.
But you may go free! Your twelve
countrymen have said SO under the
lash of lying tongues that periured
themselves, and under the appeals Of
frenzied lawyers who have pleaded the
case all too well for their best COM
fort. No man feels perfectly at ease
who has torn down the bars that guilt
might escape. Ard yet to go free,
after al, is not much now! "Ah,
whittier shall I fee from hell9 Myself
am heIl!'' it is better to die and be
buried, or to die and still walk the
yielding earth unburied-dead to all
that is true and good and noble? The
genius Of history sits with his quill in
nerveless hand, and will write true
record, at last, and he will put the
story down so that no mar can chal-
Ienge it. The murderer's name be-
comes at last e hiss on the children's
lips, and so really it does not seem
that freedom confers much, when one
is conscious Of the eternal bondage
whose fetters tear and torture the
quiVering spirit. The murderer makes
the solemn discovery that man can
suffer elsewhere than merely in body
and estate. The worst ills that come
to these are but surface griefs, which
sleep or night may soothe away. Is
not Gonzales better off in his grave
than the murderer is who goes back
to what can never be home nor rest
ing place again? Would any one dare
call the dead man back, and bid him
make an even exchange with the
living? Count all the wrath and Bit
terness he ever wrote condense it into
one sentence; then into one word, and
it will not reek with blood like those
twin syllables that make up Murder
This is the indelible something that
viii hang like a cloud over the
Wretch's life. 1t will sit on the bed-
posts at night, and stand spectre-hke
through the mists of morning. It will
come again when life has well nigh
ebbed away, and shake its red locks
thai drip with blood, and raock at the
murderer who lies dying. It is the
awfEllest curse of earth, it carries
With it both It's torment and its tor
ture. It is cruel and unrelenting, and
will hound man to his grave, never
giving him one moments rest from
ahe hated consciousness that this deep
lnouthed lsuth-hound is baying upon
his tortEroUs trail. It is better never
to have been born than to be q mur-
derer. It would be better to be dead
than to BE- q murderer. It would be
better perhaps to work suicide, and
with one's own hand to spread wide
the gates that lock upon eternity.
Acquitted! Yes, there was double
acquittal, and the dead editor received
his full share. There was no testi
mony against him that impeached mis-
good name or brought his bright in
Jegrity into question. The lies of lying
witnesses fell short of him. Was it not
true once that the blood OF the mar
tyrs is the seed Of the church," If so,
let it be true again. The church de-
siyes no monopoly in claiming for its
own the shining galaxy Of those who
have have died for the truth and for
the right. This broad place Of death
is open to all. IF out of this one
mans grave, to which an asssasin's s
hand has sent him, there shall come
trooping forth bastalions of good spirits
to possess and inhabit the minds and
hearts of the editors who shall still
live, then Gonzales death has been
attoned for. The hanging OF Tillman
would have brought but poor atone
ment the lives were so unequal. No
matter how mach the lawyers may
froth and foam. it is the duty of the
press to assault and unveiI the IN
clean, and to make it impossible for
vagabonds to sit in high places. What
we need now is other editors who will
play this high part. and so, if needs
be, keep the tragedy going. Let it be
understood that the curtain has only
gone down temporarily, until the stain
Of the blood could be covered. The
peoples good is no mean thing to die
for. Now and then, according to
Gods engrayen decree, it is necessary
that one man shall die for other men.
The doctrine Of substitution is law
of heaven as veil as law Of earth.
Whether one dies in the high front of
battle, or while walking in the quieter
path Of duty, it matters not. Who
knows but he has a double share of
glory upon whom the lot falls to die
for the good Of his fellows?
And Gonzales died we'll! His pass
ing was like the going by of a tri-
umphal procession ia the good old
Roman days. We find no idle railing
nor grim wrath staining his last hours.
He set his face as a hero, firm as
flint, and marched undaunted through
the open door that led to the rgave,
satisfied to &c, if he could carry with
him the consciousness Of duty done.
Upon such a closing scene the sun
may well 60 down that the the gentler
stars may begin their vigil. What
need has one for longer day whose
task has been we'll performed? 0, good
angels, blow now the sun-down horn,
and beckon the martyr to rest!
But the murderer lives! Yes, if