The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-03-27
no LAW FOR SOUTHERN COLORED
MEN.

A thrill of horror ran through the
whole country short time ago when
tie news was telegraphed of the horri-
bic outrages perpetrated upon unof-
Tending negroes in Kemper County,
Mississippi. Several of them were
lynched, how many will never be
known. Others were whipped and
driven off, their homes burned, their
little property stolen, and their women
and children forced into the mountains
TO save their lives, which were threat
ened If they remained in that locality.
Public opinion was expressed so
strongly that the Governor of Missis-
sippi was moved TO the declaration that
the outrages should be investigated,
but from that time To this not step
has been taken, although the perpe-
traitors of the outrages are well known.
At the time of these outrages some
of the sharpest criticism came from
the New Orleans press, but its atten-
ton was speedily diverted to outrages
of similar character in its own yicin-
ity. In iberia Parish two unoffending
negroes were lynched and several more
were whipped and driven out of the
parish. The Governor of the State
promptly ordered an investigation, and
the Attorney General conducted it.
The participants in the outrages were
we'll known. There was no difficulty
in finding them. Among them were
the officials of Iberia, the officers in
the militia, and so-called prominent
citizens" The evidence was over
whelming and identified every one of
the miscreants who had been engaged
in the dastardly work. They were put
under bonds. At the recent meeting
of the Grand Jury the District Judge
charged them vigorously with the
necessity of careful consideration of
the case, and called their attention to
the danger resulting from any pallia-
ton of mob law. With all the over
whelming evidence in their possession,
with not scintilla of doubt as to the
facts, the Grand Jury failed to find
bill against any person connected with
the outrages, and they will go free.
To show that we have not overstated
the case, we quote the following from
the New Orleans Times Democrat, the
Leading Democratic paper of that city
il certain citizens in that parish wish TO over
ride the law, II they wish TO whip. Danish, or
kill Objectionable persons, and instead of appeal
ing TO the law so outside OF IL, break IL, and APP
peal to Judge Lynch, they will escape all punish
ment therefor. 1t could have done nothing
worse for Iberia it could not have advertised
that parish TO worse advantage before the whole
world. In the name of Louisiana and OF law and
justice we protest against the declaration just
made by the Iberia Grand Jury that lawlessness,
mob rule and lynch law should go UNPUBLISHED.
The situation shows that public SEN
timent in that part of Louisiana is as
low and brutal as it is in Mississippi
when the rights of the colored people
are concerned. There is neither law
nor justice except for whites. No
Southern jury has yet indicted a white
man for lynching or outraging negroes,
even when the latter have committed
no offense, but South Carolina jury
has been found which has not hesitated
to convict two negroes of murder who
had helped to lynch white miscreant
for outraging little colored girl.
There is apparently no law for the
black man in the South. He is help
less. Chicago Tribune