The daily gazette., 1878-03-18
MARCH 18th. 1878.

hung for rape on Friday at New Castle,
in the GAZETTE of last Friday,we did not
attempt to express the views of the Gov
ernor, for we did not know what his
opinions were on the matter The num-
ber of the negro population in Delaware
is only about one to five of whites, and
yet within a few months in this county
alone three negroes have committed the
crime of rape in a revolving or murder
Gus manner upon white women; and
within a short distance from us in Penn
sylvania another case has taken place
subsequently in which young white
girl was beaten until life was thought to
be extinct, outraged and left for dead by
a negro man. These repeated offenses
show an animous against white women
that is unmistakable. The crimes were
not upon negro women by negroes, but
on white women. We should not spare
the white man for such crime; fortu-
nately no white man has in the same
time been guilty of the terrible offense
against society, law and humanity.
We have twice said that Governor
Cochran might possibly respite these
negroes, but we had no assurance that
the Governor had any authentic evidence
before him that would warrant him in so
doing; and unless he has, he will hardly
interfere even so far as to grant n respite.
If it should be shown to be a fact that
the woman was not the wife of the man
i'll. - n
The negroes knocked Smith senseless
and ruthlessly and threateningly dragged
TO distance the woman they supposed to be
has rife and brutally used her and outraged
her person, one watching the PROSTATE
(so-called; husband, while the other at the
command of the first repeated the
otfense. The crime is against the State,
1t is against society. And it is deliber-
ate insult to the three experienced Judges
who tried. the case to say ''if the facts in
the case could only be fully brought out
"they would prove it was only violent
assault" 1t is an insult to the jury TO the
Attorney General and worse than insult
TO the counsel that defended the negroes
and complete; but the confession of one
of the negroes and his assertion that he
would not have committed the ofiense
himself if he had not been threatened
with injury by the other negro who had
satisfied his beastly passion, put to res,
all doubts of the guilt of both negroes.
Mr.. Samuel Townsend who lives in the
neighborhood where the crime was com.
mitted, with great particularly traced
out the circumstances in the GAZETTE
ON Friday in which he says Sin Justice
to our negro population, | have moi
heard the tirst negro say that Chambers
and Collins should not be hung"
Now, we cannot be led into any discus.
sion of this case by our contemporaries
the Republican and the Heraid. We be-
lieve they are influenced by professional
and ulterior motives. We have simply
relied upon the facts in the case, AND
shall wash our hands of any of the con
sequences resulting to society, though A
contrevention of the existing statute,
and the decision OF the courts. All III,
forms of law have been closely observed
and its very letter and intent been appliet
and we doubt not their counsel insisted
upon every sentiment of mercy ,andreasol
able doubt being given them by the jury
The case i'll every view was an appanin,
one; poor men and women are led +,
visit the Peninsula to pick peaches for
living, and it was when IN the pursui
OF something to live upon that this VIC
man was horribly outraged after he
husband was knocked senseless.