The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-12

cated, while the officers were vainly try ing to get him out of his cell It Is a felony under the laws of Alabama which may be punished capltally, to wilfully set fire to a iall in which prisoner is lodged. The law of Alabama, however is imma- terial here, save as 1t bears upon the question whether the firing of the jail was a criminal act It was not only criminal by the laws of Alabama, but 1t was a violation of the laws of God and evinees a spirit of general malevclence to mankind.
 One of the Peoples Courts.
 "The people of the several states ere- ated this general government, defined it's bojeets and granted it's powers, by the act of conventions which reflected their will. When the United States engage in the protection of rights created by or dependent upon the constitution of tho United States, they only perform spe- cial mission which the forefathers com mitted to that government. Experience taught them that general government with less power to protect it's citizens than was committed to it, would not properly subserve the happiness or desti- ny of the American people.
 "As to such rights, the states volun- tarily abdeated their hitherto existing power, and solemnly conferred 1t upon the general government. The people in the states select the representatives who make the laws of that government. They choose those who appoint and confirm the judges and chief officers of it's courts. The jurors who sit here are drawn from the body of the citizens of the state. Ev- cry officer and juror of this court Is an Alabamian, imbued with the attachment which good men always feel for the gov. ernment which deals directly with the things nearest their homes and fresides This court in every legal and moral sens, is court of the people.
 No Ground for Jealousy.
 "There is no ground, therefore, for tn, jealousy, which only the minimizing anC unpatriotic seek to excite, that the United States court, when enforcing the constitu ton and laws for the protection of right. of citizens of the United States, Is fl some sense an intruder, or undermining the power of state government, or trench ing upon the wise principle of local self government It should be matter of con. graduation, not of regret, that a eitizer whe, at one and the same time owes al. legiance both to the state and the United States, and is entitled to the reciprocal right of protection by each has some rights concerning the enjoyment of life liberty and property and the pursuit of happiness, which can be vindicated by a resort to the laws of either.
 We Have Duty as Individuals.
 "Our responsibility of upholdng the law does not end with our labors here May we not, therefore. counsel together what further you can do on your return home to fight the tendency to mob vio- lence which now bids fair, if unchecked, to remit us to a condition of savagery?
 Stab at Sovereignty.
 Every mob Is a stab at the sovereignty or the people, and malign denial to them by force of arms of the right to the freedom of orderly government. There Is not d village in Alabama whose able bodied men and boys would not fly to arms to repel band of freebooters who organized in their midst to enforce a de- mand that the community should have nothing to do with enforcing its own laws. Yet this is the mob, and what 1t does.
 The fire bells would ring out the alarm and the streets of any of our cities would swarm with armed and indignant people if they were told that a gang of intrud- CTS were coming to expel their chosen judges from the judgment seats, and put irresponsible and vicious men, chosen by the marauders, in their places. Yet that Is the mission of the mob when 1t arms to storm a jail and put a prisoner to death. If men would only reflect what