Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-06-26
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL
WILMINGTON. n. c..
FRIDAY, JUNE &c. 1865.
Another Warnfn G.


The riot on Saturday night, during which
q colored mob rescued negro thief from
the hands of the police, intilctlng injuries
upon the officers of the law, and threaten
ing violence to the Mayor, presents another
warming to our citizens, not to notice
which would be in direct conflict with n11r
duty DIS journalists, excusable only Oh the
plea of cowardice. We have never coun-
tenanced prescription OF the blacko except
In self-defence, nor would we do so now, did
we not believe it necessary for the safety OF
the peace of our community. Ii We
thought they could be made peaceable
and industrious laborers, for the sake ct
old associations and former faithful servi-
ces, we would plead in their behalf-nay,
if any excepted class of them could be ele-
waited to the position of citizens, TO tho bene-
fit of the race and the country, we would
not be backward in bestowing upon them
every privilege and right which expert
ence and time might warrant. But daily
we witness conduct on their part which
renders such citizenship in direct conflict
with the welfare of the country.
The success and immunity with which
mob law was exercised in this city on Sat
urday, practically renders null and void
every ordinance of our municipal govern
ment where the offender is negro. In the
case in question, the crime was larceny !;
had it been arson or murder, would the
action of the mob been different, and the
laws of the country vindicated culpTlt
taken fqgrante delictO, is violently arrested
from the officers of the law in the public
streets of our city, by an excited and noisy
mob, who injure the police, threaten to
follow them into the City Hall, which build
ing they surround and are driven from
the doors only by the intervention Of
the bayonets of the military, and there
has been no arrests. When we consider
that the city is still under the control of its
best citizens, the police composed Of sober,
honest and honorable men, and the mill
tary under charge Of educated and gentle
manly soldiers, and yet such conduct goes
UNPUBLISHED, what may we expect when the
thief and portion of his protectors COM
pose our police force, and the balance
form the "loyal militia to enforce the
laws and ordinances of their white asS0ci-
ates who fill the offices of Mayor aud
Aldermen What security then will there
be for life or property =?
Are not all these things possible, nay.
probable The industrious and respecta-
BILE portion of the colored people, who,
however, have no words of condemnation
for such outrages, and by silence, at least,
give them countenance, will not be apph-
cants for the positions within the gift of
the city officials, but it will be the INDECENT
and lawless of the race who must become
our police. The better class have constant
and profitable employment; the idle and
vicious will be applicants for positions, and
they acM Teceire them.
We have. on several occasions, urged
upon our people the necessity Of supplying
the places of these negroes with whites
In few months several hundred white
men could be employed with profit to our
citizens and with security to our city, in
places now filed with negroes who either
engage in these riots in person, or support
the associations in which such conduct is
encouraged, and promote the men who
lead the ignorant blacks into the commits
sion of crime. We urge it upon them
again, for we honestly believe a different
course will end in disaster to our commu.
nifty and when too late, we viii repent OF
our folly. We have had warnings sufficient
Gentlemen have been threatened on the
street; violence has been attempted upon un
armed persons at night ladies and gentle
men in public assemblies have been in
suited and now the mob has assaulted th
police and the laws of the city openl
violated. What the next step may be w
dread to consider. We have it in on
power to protect ourselves in peaceful
and legitimate way, and if We neglect t
do SO, then the fault will be ours. We hav
possibly referred to this subject for the las
time, and place the responsibility upo
other shoulders.