The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-08-12
very ve>li4c OF tcclnicality and de-

i;lN.
g;,lt the fullest recognition of the hor
ROY OF the crime and the most complete
lack OF sympathy with the criminal
cannot in the lcas; diminish our horror
AT The way in which it has become Gus
tomarv 10 arenge these crimes and II
the consequences that are already pro-
cecdlng therefrom. II Is OF course III
evitable that where vengeance Is taken
bv 4 mob it should frequently light on
innocent people and the wrong don" III
such case to the individual Is one for
which there is no remedy. Sat even
where the re; criminal Is reached the
wrong done bv the mob 70 the commG-
nifty itself is we'll nigh rs Great. r. pc
ciallvis this true where the lynchln" is
accompanied with torture. lncrc are
certain hideous sights which Wnci.
once seen can never be wholly rl;tdl-
Gated from the mental rctlnh. Ih"
mere fact of havin" seen them implies
tiegradation This Is i thousand told
stronger. when instead OF merely seeing
the deed the man has participated III It,.
Whoever in any part OF our country
has rve,.taken part in Iawless!y y putting
10 death :, criminal by the dreadful
torture OF til.. must forever after tl:tHc
thc awful spectacle OF his own handi-
work scared into his brain and soul.
He can never again DC the same man.
This matter Of lvnching would be l
terrible thing even il il stopped with
the lynching of men guilty OF the IN
human and hideouS crime OF rape: but
as & matter of fact. luwlessncSs of this
type never does stop and never can stop
in such fashion. Every violent man IN
the community is encouraged by every
case OF lvnching in which the lynchcrS
90 unpunished 10 himself take the law
into his own hands whenever II suits
his own convenience. In the same way
the use OF torture By the mob in certain
cases is sure 70 spread until 1t IS applied
more or less indiscriminatcly IN other
cases. The spirit OF lawlessneSS CREWS
with wha: il feeds on. and when mobS
with impunitv lyuch criminals Tor one
cause. they are certain 70 vnch real or
alleged criminals for other causes. In
The recent cases OF lvnching over three
fourths were not for rape At all. but Tor
murder. attempted murder: ana even
less hcinous offences. Moreover, the
history of these recent cases shows the
awful fact thar when the minds of men
are habituated TO the use of torture by
lawless bodies 70 arenge crimes OF 4 pc
cu!iarlv revolving description. other
lawless bodies will use torture IN order
10 punish crimes OF ordinary type.
Surely no patriot can tail to see the
fearful brutaliHaiion and dcbasement
which the indulgence OF such spirit
and such practice inevitably portcnd.
Surely all public men.all wrltherS torlhe
daily press, all clerGvmen. all teachers
all who in any way have right to adj
dress the public. should with every en-
ergy unite TO denounce such crimes
and to support those engaged IN putting
them down. AS 4 people we clam tne
RICH, to speak with peculiar emphasis
ior freedom and for fair treatment oi ~!
men without regard II differences OF
race. fortune. creed or color. We ioI-
felt the rgh, 20 speak when we commit
or conGonc such crimes as these OF which
speak.
The nation. like The individual can:
not commit a crime with impunlty. II
we are guilty of lawlessnesS and bruta!
violence whether our guilt consists IN
active participation therein or IN mere
conuivancc and dcncou:agement.w we silai!
assuredly suffer later on because OF
what we have done. The cornerstone
of this republic. as OF all free govern
ments is respect for and observance TO
the law. Where we permit the law 10
be detied or evaded, whether by rich
men or poor men. by black men or
white. we are by just so much weaken
iny the bonds of our civilization and in
creasing the chances OF its overthrow,
and of the substitution therefor OF a >yS-
tenn in which there shall be violent a.
,erations of anarchy and tyranny.
Sincerely yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Hon. Winfield 7. Durbin, Governor
Of Indiana. indianapolis. Ind.