The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-08-09

comment than is usually ocCdSlOned
by events of that nature chlefy, no
doubt, because il was attended by
greater loss of life than Is usually the
case. At any rate these comments
afford a fair idea of the present state
Of the public mind in this part OF the
country. relative to iynching.
A great majority of the editorial
comments which nave come under my
observation say briefly that Sherit
Van Pelt did his duty in resisting
the mob, even unto death but, so FAR
as I am advised. no one has attempt
ed TO go further into the subject than
the making of this hare statement
7. too. feel that he did his duty in re-
Sistipg the mob TO the very limit OF
his ability 10 resist and shall en-
deavor to briefly give reasons for my
sentiments.
To begin with, dastardIy deed
had been committed in your midst
That horror which ever hangs like
pail over our fair land had been per
perratpd there. That which is ever
expected. and which occasions no sur
prise bv its coming. had befallen a
beloved daughter OF the southland.
The depravity of a fiend in human
shane had crushed out pure and
precious life. left motherleSs an. IN
nocent pTattling babe. broken hus-
bands heart. and thrown the Commun-
ity into panic of fear Urged by
the horror of It all. and by a desire
to make a fearful example of the
one who had thus offended. your true
manhood banded together crying out
for vengeance melted according to The
enormitv of the crime, and which
should come without tarry1ng- That
great concourse of enraged men was
ample evidence that the chivalry OF
southern manhood is not in its deca
denCe. 1t proclaimed anew the beau
tiful gospel of protection or woman
during her life and the vindicat1on or
her honor after her death II man
hut yielded TO his natural impulses,
he was at once possessed Of SUI
preme desire TO smite the miserable,
covering fiend. and see his life blood
flow. He deserved no sympathy. and
the most hideous torture within the
score Of human ingenuity TO devise
would have been but a miSera bic
travesty on vengeance
But We boast of a civilization which
has advanced beyond that primordial
state in which the rules Of action are
founded upon animal instinct. There
was a time when the worldwide rule
of action was hoOf against horn, and
smitten animal smote in return, the
flttest survived, and weakness was
the only sin. Real or imaginary
wrongs were summaTily TeGuited. ana
each individual held his life subject
to the caprice of his fellows. 1t has
reuuired thousands of years for our
race 10 struggle this far away from |
those conditions, and the path of its |
progress is StTewn with staggering |
sacrifices and drenchej with blood. |
We are now living under a govern
ment made by ourselves, the very
foundations of which are laid upon
the exalted principle that man shall
no longer avenge himself upon his
fellow man. but that all disputes and
transcreSsions shall be adludiCated
.hv deliberate and impartial tribunal.
Take away that underlying principle,
and the whole supeTstruCture tumbles
into ruins. leaving our property, our
homes and our lives subject to indl-
vidual perversity and caprice Inc
protection of every human right is
vested in our courts, and when we
cease TO respect and rely upon these
courts. we have undone all that mas
been accomplished at such irightfui
cost.
The legislative department OF the
government may prescribe that man
shall not be deprived of his property
without due compensation and that
his life must he held inviOlate by al
men: but if one who IS stronger than
he should enter his premises and car
" away his goods by force. or II,
lurking BY the wayside. should take
his life. by what means may congress
or the legislature avenge the wrong
None? The legislative branch of the
government may prescribe rules OF
conduct. but those rules can ne en-
forced only by the judicial branch.
and when that Is oveTTldden. and its
authority usUrped, the whole fabr-"
Of our system of government VIII fa!l
to pieces. plunging US into ANARCHY
chaos. and pandemoRium. There are
instances, as in the case of this de
graded wreck of a man. where the
crime is so fiendish and the guilt so
apparent. that it seems expedient TO
mete out a speedy and terrible retrl-
button. but when We take the law into
our own hands, We not only fail TO
remedy the great wrong which has
already been done. but also debasC
ourselves. demoraliZe the community, !
and explode a bomb against the very /
bulwark OF our liberty
If We tolerate mob violence in a
case Of this kind. il will inevitably !
follow that il viii be tolerated IN !
cases where the offense j. less re /
voting, and that through The small /
breach thus permitted. great. "a /
ing. rampant flood OF UubTidiei pas /
sion viii eventually flow UnrestTaln- /
ed in that DAY mObS will not re con /
tent with wrPakiHg vengeance upon /
negro fiendS. but white men charged I
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