Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-05-26

|
justice to the people Of its neighbor-
ing county, because If there Is any one
| thing that this paper seeks to avoid
more than another, it Is the act Of do
ing injustice to anybody.
AS to whether the York lynching
was a greater defiance Of law. than the
Kershaw lynching 1t would be bootless
| to argue, for as we see 1t neither was
calculated to contribute to the law
abiding spirit or peace and security Of
the community I'm which 1t occurred.
1t is a fact that THE ENQUIRER did
not condemn the York county lynch
ing to which the Review refers. On
looking back to the files Of the paper
we find that not only was court in ses-
sion at the time, but the grand jury
had not yet been discharged. When
we note that these sworn custodians
of the law could only muster up cour-
age to say that I'VE take this oppor-
tunity to express our condemnation Of
the growing practice Of lynching," we
are not surprised that THE ENQUIRER
had less to say on the subject.
But If the Review thinks we are less
interested in the enforcement Of the
law In York than in Lancaster 1t Is
mistaken. 1t Is mistaken also IL 1t
would assume that we hold the people
Of York as superior to those Of Lam
caster in this respect. Here is what
we said in our issue Of Oct 4, 1904,
about the Morrison lynching:
But notwithstanding the fact that
their crime Is the most recent, the
Kershaw people are not the only sim
ners along this line. Every miscar-
riage Of justice in the courts Is at
tributable more properly than any
thing else to the weakness and dishon-
esty of those who may be charged
with the duty Of administering Justice,
and each succeeding case Of this kind
brings us that much nearer to addi-
tional lynchings, and each additional
lynching brings us that much nearer
to general anarchy. The only sure
remedy for mob murder Is enforcement
of the law, and he who fails to meas
ure up to his duty In the enforcement
of the law is as guilty as he who par
ticipates in a lynching."
AS has already been pointed out this
man Morrison was tried for murder In
York county, and was acquitted
where he should have been convicted.
His acquittal was probably due as
much to an Indifferent presentation Of
the case as to the observation-disclosures
of the jury, or an unhealthy public
sentiment. Just what the facts are
we frankly confess that we have no
recollection; but we are sure that 1t
was no credit to the justice of York
county that the man was ever allowed
to escape.
But 1t seems that 1t Is the action Of
Solicitor Henry throughout this whole
matter rather than the Kershaw
lynchers, that Is under criticism, and
we have been called into question
more on account Of what we have seen
proper to say in support Of the action
of the solicitor than on account or
what we have had to say in condem-
nation of the crime Of lynchinG.
opinion Solicitor Henry has his short
comings like the rest Of US; but at
the same time 1t Is pretty we'll known
of all men that he is neither a knave
nor a fool. He Is bound to have fore
seen the trouble he was cutting out
for himself when he undertook to in
vestigate the Morrison lynching. Any
man of reasonable intelligence could
have seen that men Of prominence and
influence were implicated in this af-
fair, and that they would not tamely
submit to prosecution. Surely nobody
will deny that Mr.. Henry must have
had pretty fair appreciation of the
problem with which he was confront
ed.
Under all the circumstances then,
what was the solicitors motive In 60
ing into this very disagreeable mess?
Surely 1t was nothing else than de-
sire to, as far as possible, vindicate
the law that he had sworn to the peo-
pie of his district to uphold. 1t Is true
that he accomplished very little except
to show that the law is not so supreme
as we all so fondly claim; but even
this was worth the sacrifice that has
been made Now that our weakness
has been exposed, perhaps we will try
to patch it up.
Had Mr.. Henry failed to make an
honest effort to bring the lynchers Of
Morrison to the bar Of justice he
would have incurred the contempt Of
all honest citizens Of his circuit. AS
the result Of his efforts and by reason
of his report to the governor, he has
aroused no little personal animosity
against himself in Lancaster, and per-
haps elsewhere; but we are quite sure
he has retained his self-respect.
The Review will not find 1t difficult
to convict us of numerous sins of both
omission and commission; but among
those sins will never be included con-
demnation of an earnest, faithful,
capable officer in the honest discharge
of an unpleasant duty.
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS.
The commencement exercises of