And yet, the poor boon of a trial in even such courts as these is denied the negro, even when his character is being painted with hell's black ink and charges that threaten his life are being laid at his door.

He is allowed no chance to clear his name; no opportunity to bid a friend good bye; no time to formulate a prayer to God.
"About this way of dealing with criminals there are three horrible features: First, innocent men are often slain and forced to sleep eternally in dishonored graves.

Secondly, when men who are innocent are thus slain the real culprits are left behind to repeat their deeds and thus continue to bring reproach upon the race to which they belong.

Thirdly, illegal execution always begets sympathy in the hearts of our people for a criminal, however dastardly may be his crime.

Thus the execution loses all of its moral force as a deterrent.
That wrath, that eloquence, which would all be used in abuse of the criminal is divided between him and his lynchers.