The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-02
is GEORGIA LIVING UP TO ITS MOTTO?
The Spirit of LaWIessneSs Threatens to Blot it
With Shame and Disgrace

The address by Hon. Samuel B.
Adams in response to the toast "Geor-
gia The State We Live In" at the St.
Wednesday night has excited con-
siderable interest, and is printed be-
low:
The state we live in, of which we
are citizens, is our state whether it
is ours by birth or by adoption. To
1t we owe our affection, our loyalty
and our ungrudging support. But we
are not called upon to be blind to its
imperfections or to exaggerate its
virtues. If evils exist which threaten
its well-being, the true friends of
Georgia will recognize these evils
and seek to remove them.
Our boosted motto is Wisdom,
Justice and Moderation" A motto is
supposed to be expressive of the
principles which actuate and the ideas
which dominate a people. Is the
Georgia of the present day living
worthy of this splendid motto? Are
we, as a people, really exemplifying
its principles and giving practical ex-
preston to its ideas? l do not speak
of the Georgia of the past, with it's
honorable history, of the mighty dead,
who nobly illustrated our state in its
golden days. But of the Georgia of
the present day, of the Georgia of
which you and / are part.
Justice the End of Government.
The limitations of the hour forbid
a discussion of the three words, which
make for us a noble escutcheon.
must, however, say something of jus
tice." A great and mighty word it
Is. There is none greater in the lam
guage. There is none more worthy
of the orators glowing eulogium, of
the poets majestic verse; of a peo-
pies profoundest study, of the hearts
highest and hottest aspiration. Con-
corning it, Hamilton has we'll said in
the federalist, Justice is the end Of
government. 1t is the end of civil So
ciety. 1t ever has been and ever will
be pursued, until it be obtained, or I'M
til liberty be lost in the pursuit. :"
There is no better proof of individual
and racial superiority than the love
and practice of justice. There is no
more potential demonstration of in
feriority than the practice of injustice.
A man who loves justice necessarily
sustains the Courts of Justice, because
without them, justice would soon be-
come an idle dream and lawlessness
and anarchy would rapidly accomplish
their fearful work. A just people and
law-abiding people are convertible
terms. A lawless people are the an
tipodes of a just people. Is not law
lessness abroad in the land? The Unit
ed States has bad eminence" among
the nations of the world for lawless-
ness. The statistics are appalling.
Georgia has furnished a full contribu-
ton to the disgraceful record. No true
Georgian can read the record without
hanging his head in shame.
The Worst Form of LawIessness.
The worst form of lawlessness finds
It's expression in lynch law. Lynching
Is the crime of crimes" 1t puts the
law to open shame" 1t tramples upon
1t and holds 1t up to mockery and de-
rision. The lyncher does society and
government infinitely more harm than
MIS- victim, ] care not how detestable
mat victims crime. He strikes at the
foundations. He is the twin brother of
the anarchist and is about the same
sad business. Were lynching I'm Geor-
gia confined to the unspeakable crime
which frenzies by its pitiless brutality,
we could understand it's exhibition and
while we might not justify, we might
"NN9S- butf aldS LOT us! the STATISTICS
snow that in the large majority Of
cases. not less than four out of Ave. In
some years n larger proportion even
than this, the victim of the lynchers
mas not been charged with this crime
and his murder by cowardly mob has
been utterly without excuse or pallia-
ton.
The Courts Not 90 blame.
i regret TO notice that sometimes I'm
published communications good cltl-
zens would blame the courts for lynch
ing its alleged delays and failure 70
convict guilty men. This. IN my judg-
lnent has nothing 10 DO with the mat
u'r II II unfortunate that such ex-
cpHeh are made for the mobH They
are quick 10 seize upon them and 10
Imagine that they are correcting tho
abuses ~ the administration ~ the
lhW 1nd are not 40 blame after 40 Let
tA 30 plain ana cnndld about the mat
~ ! am speaking a. Georglana Do
we inHi thirty yfare there have been
t'arnnaliy ~ lynrhiuFf m white men.
fHfhaga hYs would cover tha entire