The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1909-06-02
CIRCULATION 1926.

In advance.
CIRCULATION 2.325.
Lexington and 1awlsssasss. "
Under the above caption our es-
teemed and learned contemporary
The Columbia State, takes The Dis
natch to task about brief article we
.published last week about the negro
Ed Bynum, and attempts to review
the fearful lynching Of negro in this
county some twenty years ago.
The State wants to know "What
guarantee have the people of Lexing-
ton given to the chief executive that
the majesty of the law would there
be respected?" Why, contemporary
the citizens of Lexington, through
their sworn officers, guarantee to ev-
cry man protection, and this should
be sufficient guarantee to the COVER
nor that the majesty Of the law will
be respected. Sheriff Corley has no
more desire to see Ed Bynum lynched
than the Editor of The State. He
would protect him under any and all
circumstances, and there is now no
more danger Of the negro being lynched
than there is Of any other prisoner.
But what is the use to hide the facts?
When we said that the negro would
haye been killed had he been caught
soon after the crime was committed
we were telling what we believed to
he the truth. Ne matter how much
we deplore the mob spirit human ma
ture is the same in all ages, and when
a black brute commits a crime OF
serious nature upon white. person,
whether that crime is committed In
Lexington, Ricbland or any other
county in the State, it is well known
fact that the people will take the law
in their own hands if they get the op-
portunity. The State has worked
hard and zealously for the law, but
lynchings have occurred in other
counties in South Carolina besides
Lexington, and we Ewill venture the
assertion that they will continue to
occur under certain circumstances SO
long as the world stands.
We believe in respecting the ma
iesty OF, the law just as much so as
our worthy contemporary; we have
pleaded for it time and time
again, but what's the use? There are
times when men will lynch inspite of
the vigorous condemnation of the
newspapers. Lexington is no more
less lsw-abiding than any Of the other
counties in South Carolina. Doubt
less our friend recalls the time when
. negro was lynched in another coun-
Sty, almost in the presence OF that
prince of good men, Duncan Clynch
Hayward, and inspite of his earnest
and eloquent appeal for law and order.
What did the crowd tell him? Gov
ernor, we have the highest respect
for you and would listen to your ap-
peal under any other circumstances,
but this man must die. One of the
leaders gave yell, and the party was
off. The Governors words had fallen
npon deaf ears and the same men who
cheered his every word to the echo a
moment before were in the lynchlng
party. This has not been twenty
wears ago either. But now because
Lexington county had a lynching
twenty years ago, when hellish fend
attempted to ravish a young white
woman of this town and did accom-.
plish his purpose, Lexington is to be
cIassed among the lawless: 1t is un-
fair, it is unjust and we resent it.
Lexington's reputation for law
abidingness will compare most favor
ably with that Of Richland. There ls
doubtless more lawlessness going on
within almost stones throw of our
contemporary's Office every day than
is committed in Lexington during
year. Why don't The State stop 1T
why don't our contemporary expose
it; why don't it have its editorial col
umns filled with strong appeals to the
people and try to convince them that
it is wrong? If The State would re-
store Columbia's reputation for law
abidingness let it get busy. There IS
work to be done; the field is open.
1.-THE harvest is great but the labor
ers are few"
We have no objection to our con-
temporary striking Lexington so long
as it shows it's willingness to be fair;
we enjoy it, we sanction it, we appre-
ciate it's thoughtfulness, but never
will we submit that because Lex'ng-
.h,5 . 1vochino some twenty years