下载辰思小说免费APP
“Itoccurstome，“hesaid，“thatonethingatleastshouldbeimmediatelydone。Thoseresponsibleforthedisgracefulriotoflastevening，andImeanmorethantheactualringleadersintheaffair，shouldbebroughttojustice。“Heproceededtoelaborateupontheenormityofthecrime，thedangertotheStateofmobrule，thenecessityforsternmeasurestopreventtherecurrenceofsuchdisorders。Hesuggestedaspecialcitizens’committeeforthepreservationofpublicorder。
Hiswordsappearedtomeettheapprovalofalargenumberofthosepresent，especiallyoftheyoungermen。
Whilehewasspeaking，theaudienceappearedtobegreatlyrelievedtoseeDr。TempletonandtheReverendMurdoMathesonwalkinandquietlytaketheirseats。Theyremembered，manyofthem，howatarecentsimilargatheringthesegentlemenhadadvisedaprocedurewhich，iffollowed，wouldhaveundoubtedlypreventedthedisastersofthepreviousnight。
Givingabriefaccountoftheproceedingsofthemeetingtothepresentpoint，theMayorsuggestedthatDr。Templetonmightofferthemawordofadvice。
CourteouslythankingtheMayorforhisinvitation，theDoctorsaid:
“AsIcameinthisroom，Icaughtthewordsofmyyoungfriend，whosuggestedacommitteeforthepreservationofpublicorder。MayI
suggestedthatthepreservationofpublicorderinthecommunityissomethingthatcanbeentrustedtonocommittee？Itrestswiththewholecommunity。Wehaveallmademistakes，weareconstantlymakingmistakes。Wehaveyieldedtopassion，andalwaystooursorrowandhurt。Wehavevainlyimaginedthatbytheexerciseofforcewecansettlestrife。Noquestionofrightorjusticeissettledbyfighting，for，afterthefightingisdone，thematterindisputeremainstobesettled。Wehavetriedthatwayandto-daywearefrontedwithdisastrousfailure。Ihavecomefromahomeoverwhichtheshadowofdeathhangslow。Thereafatherandmotherlieprostratewithsorrow，agonisingforthelifeoftheirchild。Butadeepershadowliesthere，ashadowofsin，forthestingofdeathissin。Abrothertornwithself-condemnation，hisheartbrokenwithgriefforhissister，wholovedhimbetterthanherownlife，liesunderthatshadowofsin。But，gentlemen，cananyofusescapefromthatshadow？Dowenotallshareinthatsin？Forweallhaveapartinthedeterminingofourenvironment。
Canwenot，byGod’sgrace，liftthatshadowatleastfromourlives？Letusturnourfacesfromthepathofstrifetowardthepathofpeace，forthepathwayofrightdoingandofbrotherlykindnessistheonlypathtopeaceinthisworld。“
TheChairmanthencalledupontheReverendMurdoMathesontoexpresshismind。Butatthispoint，thewholeaudienceweregalvanisedintoanintensityofconfusedemotionbytheentranceoftheExecutiveoftheAlliedUnions，ledbyMcNishhimself。Simmonsalonewasabsent，beingatthatmoment，withsomehalfdozenothers，inthecareofthepolice。SilentlytheExecutiveCommitteewalkedtothefrontandfoundseats，McNishaloneremainingstanding。Grey，gaunt，hollow-eyed，hemetwithsteadygazetheeyesoftheaudience，someofthemaflamewithhostilewrath，forinhimtheyrecognisedtheresponsibleheadofthelabourmovementthathadwroughtsuchdisasterandgriefinthecommunity。
WithoutapologyorprefaceMcNishbegan:“Iamhereseekingpeace，“hesaid，inhishoarse，hard，gutturalvoice。“Ihavemademistakes。WouldIcouldsufferforthemalone，butno，othersmustsufferwithme。Ihaveonlycondemnationfortheoutragesoflastnight。Werepudiatethem，welamentthem。Wetriedtopreventthem，buthumanpassionandcircumstancesweretoostrongforus。
Wewouldundotheill——wouldtoGodcouldundotheill。HowgladlywouldIsufferallthathascometoothers。“Hisdeep，harshvoiceshookunderthestressofhisemotion。Heliftedhishead:“I
cannotdenymycause，“hecontinued，hisvoiceringingoutclear。
“Ourcausewasright，butthespiritwaswrong。“Hepausedafewmoments，evidentlygatheringstrengthtoholdhisvoicesteady。
“Yes
