The Teton peak. [volume] (St. Anthony, Idaho) 1899-1904, 1903-09-17
LynCR LaW and til PRINCIPLES Of Jhsticp

The claim is often made, and foo
often admitted, that lynch Justice 10
essential justice wen though irregularlv
administered. Some object to lynchjngs i
chiefly on the ground that a mistake
may be made and the wrong man NAV
be the victim. Many excuse the deed
in cases where the criminal has confessed
or the evidence is indisputable. At all
events, say some, our homes are safer
and men breathe more freely.
We earnestly ask our fellow citizens
to consider whether this seeming Justice
be justice at all; and whether such deeds
afford any real protection to our homes
or to any interest Of society.
1t is essential to the justice of any act
of punishment that it be performed by
some n who has the right to punish
crime. The infection of the death
penalty must proceed from some power
which has the right 10 infict it, or else
the deed is simple murder. Where is
that power to be found? Not in the
individual citizen, as all men will
admit. If the individual men ompos-
ing a mob have not each that right,
they cannot have it collectively. That
right can come only from God, who is
the Auditor of human life and the Giyer
of the Moral Law, and Who has the
right to infiict death for the violation of
his law. Whoever, then, assumes to
infict capital punishment must be able
to show that he is the minister of God
and acts by his authority.
That power, as men in general
solemnly believe, God has reposed in
civil society. 1t has it's foundation in
the God-given principles of human
nature. Among these principles are the
universal tendency to unite in some
form Of social order; the sentiment Of
justice which demands the punishment
Of crime and even, at times, disposes a
guilty man to submit to punishment for
his crimes; and the sense, however
obscure or imperfect, of Gods authority,
and the virtual appeal to Gods sanction
for the acts which civil society performs
In the lanuage of Professor Tayler
Lewis, n of the most eminent OF
American publicists, 'the divine
sanction, and the acknowledgment Of it
constitute the essential ground of al
true government"
The outworking of these divinely
implanted principles of human nature
is easily distinguished from the opera
ton of any false or spurious principles
These true principles Of justice lie in tho
sphere Of reason and conscience, thos'
faculties which make man akin to God
Their manifestation will, therefore, b.
calm, sober, reverent, settled, habitual
merciful even while constrained to b
just, as the acts of men are wont to b
when performed as unto God. The,
will issue in the formation Of permanen
institutions and the deliberate enact
ment of laws. These Fundamental
principles of human nature have beef
wrought into the common speech 0
mankind, as in the word estate, whic'
means according to it's derivation, ''tha
which stands, and nation, that whic
is born or has its life from God, i
distinction from things artificial, tn
handicraft of man. These definition
are broad enough to include all processe
of justice which are really the act of tn
community, as distinguished from tn
transient, ephemeral doings of a mol
The memorable Vigilance Committee