The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-05-21
JUSTICE.

yor. Nawkish Sentimentallty, per
sonal popularity, wealth, pull, poltl-
cal power, legal t~echnicalities, or
other attempts to defeat the ends OF
justice do not prevail in that Com
monwealth. If the Beattie case and
the Allen case had been tried in some
other Commonwealth, it is very much
to be doubted If there had been
prompt conviction and punishment. In
too many States the miscarriage OF
justice is their crowning shame. 1t
too often happens that lawyers, with
a pull in politics or in business, take
that pull with them into the court
house, and that jurors seem to be
more like yassals or retainers at the
bar than like free men, and are more
anxious to stand by the lawyer who
has done them favors than to see
justice carried out.
In Virginia, all the wealth of Beat
tie was of no avail; the terror pro-
duced by the Aliens did not make
men fail to do their duty. In the
early days of the Republic the Old
Dominion led the way Of the Com
mOnwealths in many things. 1t furn-
ishel the men who wrote most Of the
Constitution, wrote the Declaration
Of independence, led the Army Of the
Revolution and gave the Republic
four of it's first five Presidents. The
fundamental teaching In those days
was for Liberty and Justice and the
| passion for justice has survived as
probably in no other Commonwealth.
In producing the greatest political
leaders Virginia has not in recent
years preserved the old standard, al
though it has always furnished men
Of ability. But in it's 0 for justice
n execution of the law. its average
citizen Of that State today is wor-
thy to be mentioned with Mason and
Jefferson and Madison and Henry and
the other patriots who laid deep and
broad the foundation Of respect for
law and the just administration for
laW.
The whole country may we'll fol-
low the example which Virginia offers
in the administration OF justice. This
good State, which has surpassed Vir-
| ginia in many things, needs to sit at
the seat of this Gamaliel Of Common
Wealths and learn how to administer
justice with celebrity and fairness, as
it is administered in Virginia.
When he heard the verdict
that carries with it the death
penalty, Floyd Allen is quoted
as saying %defiantly: They'll
never remember putting me in an
electric chair He said nothing I'M
til he reached the Jail and was alone
with his personal guard when he ex-
claimed They tried to fix me this
morning, but I still have some friends,
and they will never remember put
ting old Floyd in the electric chair"
He is yet to learn that Virginia justice
is stronger than personal friendship.
Beattie thought until the very last
that his fathers money would avail.
The old man, head Of a powerful and
desperate, and large family, still
hugs the delusion that friendship il
stronger than Virginia Justice, bu
Allen will find hat he has come VI
to an immOvable wall, as did Beattie
Virgin1a's chief glory in this era is
that it administers justice without
fear, favor, or delay.
Wilmington is going forward
steadily upon a sound basis. It's lat
est progressive step is for a tension,
port metropolis. Land is high. Cap
, Fear Club property with a frontag'
Of 200 feet may be sold for 500, 600
The old city is fast