The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-04-05
Sentiments of the South.
Richmond Times Dispatch.

The Columbia State makes the
point and makes it with great force
OF argument that lynching is q crime
in itself-that the mob's crime being
againt the Commonwealth and not
against the individual, was equally
great, however serious or trivial the
offense OF its victim.
Several years ago a negro was jail
ed in one of the Virginia cities for q
heinous crime and mob stormed
the jail with the intention OF lynching
him. The officers on guard, after
giving fair warning. fred npon the
mob and several men were killed or
wounded. Strangely enough, there
were many to denounce as a great
outrage that respectable white men
should have been slain to protect a
brutal negro! They did not perceive
that the mob's assault was not upon
"brutal negro" but upon the Com
monwealth.
Lynching is not so fragrant a crime
when the victim of the mob's malice
is not State prisoner, but lynching
in any case is not only homicide, but
an assault upon the State, for the
State says that no man shall be de-
prived OF his life or liberty, except by
the law Of the land, or the Judgment
OF his pears. When a mob arrests
and executes q man it commits an
act OF usurpation, and every such act
tends to bring the entire court sys-
tenn into contempt, to impair the
power of government, to breed the
spirit of rebellion and to rally the
lawless element. The law has no in
heritant force. Its strength comes
from the people themselves and il
they do not in the spirit of obedience,
put life into the law, it becomes a
dead letter.
But sentiment in the South has
vastly changed within the past sew.
eral years. Lynch law grew directly
out of reconstruction and carpetbag
ism. 1t was necessity of the pecu
liar condition, for the carpetbag sys
tenn OF law was mockery. But that
period, thank heaven, is gone. We
have established our own court sys
tenn and it is reflection upon our
selves that we should treat it will
contempt. Sentiment is changing
The Columbia State says that four
teen years ago that paper, then in it,
infancy and actually struggling fol
daily existence, condemned the prin
cfple of mob rule and condemned tn,
particular mobs. 1t predicted tina
the time would come when white mel
would be lynched and negroes execu
ted for trivial offenses by mobs.
Gust those things later came tt
pass" continues our contemporary
"but what was the answer? The Stat
was denounced in mass meeting, TIN
editor threatened and the paper boy
cotted by lynchers. At that tim
the Governor of the State was willin.
to lead a mob and lynchers openl,
boasted of their crimes. The Stat
stood then practically alone. Nov
there is no South Carolina daily o
weekly having an ounce of infuenc
that condones lynching. In no othe
Southern State is participation in ;
lynching nearly so dangerous as il
South Carolina; in none other ar
sheriffs SO active in frustrating mobs
in no other State does the Governo
employ Pinkerton detectives to sc
cure evidence or is such earnest effor
made to convict lynchers. The re
suit is that lynchings are few an
lynchers skulk away and dread til
law like other criminals"
Lynching is also a back number il
Virginia. Every Southern Stat
should repudiate it. 1t is unworth.
OF us. 81 get my ideals of Souther
chivalry," said Rev. Howard l.. JOne
in Chattanooga last Sunday, "no
from a member Of a lawless mob, bu
from Robert Edward Lee, who, whel
he sheathed his spotless sword at AE
pomattox, counseled patience, loyaI
ty to law and respect for authority
1t was his voice that we heard an
) needed in the awful days OF 'recor
struction.' glory in the construc
tive days which followed. They ar
days OF victory. We need today tn
voice of Robert f. Lee rather than th
lawless council of men who are il
vincible in peace and invisible in war.
True Southern chivalry has no to
erance for mob violence. 1t is neve
cowardly or brutal.