Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-06-21
AIsxam0riG Gazetts.
Entered at the Postofice Of Alexandria, 'ir
Rinia, as second-class matter.l
"THE UNwRITTEN LAW"


One of the most curious and painful
reyiyals of barbsrism witnessed tor many
wears is the appeal that is being made OF
late, in many parts of the country, TO
what is popularity known as "fbe un-
written Law" but what is in reality
Individual Lynch Law.
By ''The Unwritten Lsw," these ad'
vocates of legsl.z;d lawlessness mean
that uDdsr certain circumstances and In
view of certain provocat:ons--simply on
the judgment Of the person who con-
sideTs bimself mistreated--a man may
take the law in his own hands, aud, with
out warning, kill the person who has
offered him provOcation; and then go
scot-free Of any punishment at the hands
of the outraged law. Killing-undef
these circumstances-not being murder,
but jusifable protection of mythical
and supposed honor"
Fortunately, this outbreak has not
been coufued to any section of the coun-
try. and so, the discussion of it cannot
be made sectional in any way. But this
is the only thing that can be called
"fortunate" in the whole barbarouS con-
nectiOn.
In New York, a noted lawyer had the
impudence to plead this brutal defence
in the face of the whole country; but
righteously, his plea had no effect. In
,, Virginia, disastrOusly for the iair fame
of the Old Dominion, the same plea was
made successfully. And now these two
wretched exaeples seem to be bearing
their legitimate fruit in the revival of
this horrid, barbarOus and brutal plea
in many directions.
"The Unwritten Law" is simply a
contradiction in terms; either mean
ineIess set of words, or a phrase de-
liberately designed to cover a lapse
from all law, snd brutal disregard OF
the elementary principles Of ciViliza-
tion.
If "The Unwritten Law" means any
thing on earth, it means the condoning
and justifying of lyuch law in its worst
and most malignant form; where soli-
tary individual usurps every function
and office of the law; act as prosecutor,
witness, jury, Judge and executioner; and
then has the conscienseless inpudence
to Justify his foul act in the sight of all
men. And this, too, in the face of the
fact that murder done under the plea OF
justification by the "Unwritten Law is
usually the foulest and most cowardly OF
sll forms OF murder. Usually, the pleader
Of ''The Unwritten Law" has taken his
adversary at unswares, given him no
warning or chance of self-defense, and
shot him down, unarmed and unwarned,
in most cowardly fashion And then
poltroon of this type has the impudence
to stand up in the face of high heaven
and decent men and plead "The un-
written law"
Ard there are found juries and even
iudges-sworn TO administer the law as
II is written in the statutes of the land
who give heed TO this dastardly and bar
barGus plea
The law. as it is contained in our stat
ute books, is the highest and most SOL
emn and GOd-like Instrument in the
land. Reverence for law and obedience
to law, is akin to reverence for and
obedience to law, is akin to reverence for
and obedience to God. And disregard
and contempt for law is striking at the
root of all that is permanent and valua-
BILE in religion and civilization. A coun-
try or community that tolerates end jus
tifies contempt for law, is lacking in the
most essential element OF permanent and
useful civilization, and thereby proves
itself akin to barbarism.
1t is to be hoped that no State or COM
munity iu all this land is 50 low in the
scale of Christian civilization as to toler-
ale, much less justify, this savage plea
But whether the community openly
iusti6es this plea, or not, the mere exist
ence and use of the plea tends to danger
Gus consequences.
To its honor be it said, the press of
this country has largely taken an open
and positive stand against this upright
eous position, and the honorable part Of
that press has expressed its opinion in no
uncertain terms.
# is most devoutly to be hoped that
the courts will visit the users of this
"Un written Law plea with the utmost
penalties of the law and make such ex-
amples SIS will bring this plea into con-
tempt. A few notable and prominent
examples in this direction would work
notable results. How can we hope
to put stop to the exercise of lynch
isw by a mob, when one individual is
allowed to exercise that same lynch law,
and 60 free of0sll legal penalties?
Respect for the law is fundamental
OF civilized society; and violation of law
should be tolerated neither in the case
| of the mob nor OF the individual. -