Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-07-01
Nd JIRY SPENT BUSY DAY
RES1CAT|NG THE LYNCH|NG
ely AftG Judge Liti|eiohn Delivered Vigorous and
Elusive Charge, the Grand Jury Began Its Work
Large lumber Of Subpoenas We're Issued.

not peSSlmlSt, anu Willie hHeW lne
great majority of the people of this
county were good, law-abiding and
patriotic citizens, yet Sumter
County could not much longer
sustain it's high standard and
splendid reputation as an example
of law and order, unless those good
citizens, would come out in the open
and take an aggressive stand on this
great question of the enforcement OF
law, by publicly branding crime and
the criminal as he should be legally
and morally branded. This prophecy
has become too speedily painful and
humiliating fact.
| 1t is not my purpose or province to
use my position to denounce this flag
ant defiance of the law, SO recently ex-
hibited in your midst 1t carries with
it it's own condemnation in stronger
terms than | can use, but as the laws
Of this country can be upheld and en-
forced only by the people through theic
duly constituted tribunals established
for that purpose, l have called you to-
gether, that you, a representative
Grand Jury, may investigate this de-
plorable affair, and take such action as
will relieve this county and the good
people thereof, SO far as possible, of
the shame and disgrace thus cast upon
them, BY placing the blaIe Where II
belongs, and calling the guilty to ac-
count
1t is the first duty of any government
worthy the name, to maintain order,
and afford protection to it's citizens-to
retain respect of its citizens, the State
must exact respect for it's laws. A gov
ernment that stops to parley or per-
suade men to obey its laws, would be
laughed at. Laxity and timidity in the
enforcement of the law, are as fatal on
the one hand, as tyranny and injustice
on the other. A government that is
not terror to the law-breaker affords
but little protection to the law-abidinS.
The spirit of lawlessness is a peculiar
menace of our form of government.
The blessings of self government can
be perpetuated only among a people
the larger majority of whom are patri-
otto and law abiding. Society cannot
exist without government. There is
mo such thing as liberty without law.
When any number of people occupy
the same territory, without law, some
use their liberty and lack of re-
Istraintito destroy the liberty of others,
might becomes right, and all liberty
and property rights are destroyed.
| Justso long as any part of the peo-
Pile, eve En- though it be a small portion,
disregard the rights of others, some
Restraining hand will be required to
hold them in check. and thus protect
the righs and liberties of the rest OF
the community.
This dlty and responsibility now
! rests upd you, and you cannot ove"-
estimate te Importance of thorough,
> exhaustive and faithful investigation
: of the recsat defiance of law and the,
: onstitutedauthorities of your county.
The shoofng down while in the dis
t charge of lR duty, one of the officers
: of this City, was most deplorable act
: and deservei the severest condemna-
, ton; yet, nolrime, 1t matters not how
: wanton and finous, can ever justify
or excuse md violence. and to slay q
person no mtter for what crime, in
such manne, Is murder.
Every lynchag is menace to the
security Of evey citizen--it brings the
law into disrepte and contempt and II