Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-22
IS RAE NEGRO RECOM1Na CIVILIZED:


Is THE NEGRO BECOMING CIVILIZED.
The conduct of the colored pop
ulation of this city night-before-
last and yesterday toward one Of
their number, suspected of frailty,
was a surprise even to the whites
who have lived among them all
their lives. Here is food for refec-
ton for those who regard the ne
groes as white people with black
skins. This girl had been well
brought up. She was born a year
before the war broke out and was
never subjected to the alleged de-
grading influences of slavery. She
was well raised by an afIectionate
and respectable aunt, who spared
no pains in her education. In music
as well as in good looks and intel
lect she greatly excelled. She grad
uated with high credit at Fisk Uni
yersity, at Nashville, a year or SO.
ago and moved among the bon ton
of colored society. She has taught
school in Bolivar county, Missis-
. sippi, and in the colored city schools
of Memphis. To her colored
suitors she was cold as ice and
chaste as snow, and they adored her
as an angel that had just shed
its molting feathers. But this was
a bird not to be caught with such
chat, however impressible she may
have been to other influences. In
fact, she was well matured for one
of such tender years. If reports are
true, she fell from grace and virtue
many months ago, and it is further
reported that some of the colored
Beechers knew this ab initio and
only felt their indignation rise when
this guilty knowledge was divided
with others Then she became in the
eyes Of her would-be lovers of the
earth. and earthly. A trap was set
for her and she walked into it,
as was supposed, although her guilt
was and is a mere matter Of con-
lecture. These details would be Of
no more consequence than the de-
tails Of an ordinary police case were
it not for the demonstration that
occurred when this girl was al
rested. The negro population wal
wild with excitement, as if nothing
of the like had ever happened il
the world. Hundreds of then
gathered and followed the defense
less prisoner to the station house
carrying candles, torches, lanterns
and bowling like fends in~carnate
1t was at an hour Of tn.
night when few whites wer
abroad and there was no inter
ference. The police kept the prii
Oner over night to prevent violenc.
and the mob staid around for hour
making threats and wild gesticuli
tons. A majority Of these wei
of the young class-those who ca
not remember slavery and who hay
grown up free and had opportun
ties to attend the city schools, tn
LeMoyne colored normal scho,
and even Fisk University; and "
this is the exhibition they make
their progress in the ways of freedol
and citizenship. Yesterday mon
ing, when the trial came off at Il
Recorders Court, several hundr,
of them were there to jeer,
threaten and to block up the sire
for a square. When the prison
was discharged it was with gre
difficulty that the police could I
her into a hack and allow her
opportunity to escape their We
geance. There is no doubt but I
Infatuated mob would have torn
to pieces limb from limb if she
fallen into their hands. Yet {
rabble affected %virtuous indigl
ton, as though their stands
of morality was so far alb