The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-10
AN HONEST REVIEW
OF THE RECENT RACE TROUBLES IN
MISSISSIPPI.
The Reciprocal Duties OF Blacks and
Whites Considered = The Law the
Only Sure Defense and Reliance for
Both Races.
From the okolona Messenger.

certain newspaper correspondents, for
the past ten days have been exceedingly
active in organizing race conflicts, the de-
tails of which seem to have originated
mainly in their fertile brains, and as a
matter Of course are OF very sensational
character. II half they have said concern
ing the Wkiialak affair is true We have the
most humiliating evidence that our race is
fast relapsing into barbarism.
The naivete with which these scribes
detail circumstances and Incidents impress
the reader with the idea that they are ac-
customed TO catering to the public from a
race contest" standpoint, but the as
tonishing feature to us is, they do not
seem to understand that they are
writing down the white people OF the
several localities where disturbances &C.
cur as set OF lawless desperadoes, whose
brutal instincts have swallowed up all
the finer sensibilties and whose conduct
would rival the Duke OF Alva and put to
shame the Kingof Dahomy Forinstance
In the several accounts Of the Wahaax
horror which have been published in our
daily papers, we gather that difficulty
occurred on Thursday, December 20, be-
tween white man and a negro on acountry
road, in which the white man was worsted
On Sunday night following posse OF
white men, headed by a railroad section
n boss, surrounds the negro's house and de-
mands his surrender. They are answered
by volley from half dozen or more
shotguns, and two men are killed and
several wounded.
One OF the correspondents. we believe,
claims that the whites were armed with
warrant commanding the arrest OF the
negro, but most OF them are ominously
silent upon this important point, and
leave the public TO draw the inference
from all the circumstances, that the posse
were only bent upon avenging the ndig-
nifty offered their friend and neighbor
few days previous by taking the darkey
out and giving him sound thrashing
after the manner OF the Indiana White
Caps, or the Missouri Bald-knobbers II
this be true there is not court in the
world that would convict any one OF the
firing party.
negro's cabin is his castle, and he has
as much right in law TO defend Il rs Van.
derbilt has to defend his stately mansion.
But the law and the courts aside.
In this country, where negro DONNA.
ton Is TO be so much dreaded. il was but
natural to expect that race prejudice would
hNihAhh ~ N'lllHAt IilllVWAlpAl NJ Allt UdiltN
OF the slayCrs, but our civilization forbids
that vengeance should be wrcalicd by fir
ing the houses, stock. corn and cotton OF
the offending blacks, "a the newspaper re.
pOrters announced 10 the world was done
on the following day. This was vandal-
ism which was ineXcuslblc from any stand
point, and suggests the idea that ii the I'M
fortunate men killed on the night before
were OF the same blrbar.c stripe as their
avengers, their loss was kemper County's
gain.
Il But the story does not stop here would
30 God that il did. The intelligent core.
spondcnt blandly informs the world that
for near week scouting parties secured
the country in search Of tho negroes
spotted that one OF the parties sue
= cccded IN capturing three OF the suspects
land marched them TO the "White House"
IAN old deserted tenement away out in the
\ wildernossl, where hey were corralcd un.
I'll the other parties should report. The
lea seemed TO be that when all oi the sus.
poets sixteen IN number) were caught
they would have a general killing. No
other arrests being made. the next DAY the
guards having the three prisoners in
charge report that they made their escape
and were supposed to bc 'slfc, and coblly
suggest that their names be erased from
the list of the spotted" Which
means, OF course, that Ihev were
deliberately shot We can understand
how, IN the heat OF passion, the
pursuing party composed Of the friends
Of the dead men, might have shot their
supposed slayers npon sight, hut how they
could have marched them for miles and
pcnned them for hours awaiting the ex.
pected arrival Of Others, aud then shoot
them rs they plead for their lives, IL a
depth OF brutality We cannot iathom.
And where were the officers sworn TO
enforce the laws while Kcmpcr County
was being turned into pandemonium,
by irresponsible bands, rowing around
burning hou'--, stock and other property,
aud shooting nggen2 Echo answers,
where2 At least the obliging newspaper
reporter did not deign to inform The pub
lie OF their movements except IN the case
of the Sheriff OF Noxubce County, who,
when IL was rumorcd that the negroes
were congrcgaiing at Shuquaak, marched
down to that village with fourteen dcpu.
ties one night aud the next morning
marched back again.
And the Governor Of this proud old
commonwealth, where was he? In his
= office ut Jackson M placid rs Amcs was
when his negro militia were numbering
the whites at Clinton, and on being asked
Why he did not interfere in the Wahalak
trouble, II Is stated that he replied In his
blindost and most ailablc manner, in sub
stance that nobody had appealed to him
for assistance or advice anil he had moth
ing 10 do with H." Would John VI. Stone
have rendered such nm excuse for failure
10 discharge his duty to the people Of the
State, or would lac have taken the first
train for The scene Of conflict Let any
Mississippian who know him as soldier
or M Chief Executive Of this state answer.
Every true Southern man believes In tho
doctrine oil white supremacy. and II ever
ready to make any sacrifice 20 maintain II,
except TO degrade that chyalrous manhood
which is his boast and surrender all claims
90 that advanced civilization upon which
his superiority over his colorcd ncighbor is
based. This lac cannot do, and the barn
burners, niger shooters aud approving
press correspondents mus, alike share his
unqualified condemnation.
@ "
Mn. G. W. Pony. Of lIarisuG Mich.
pays Po-ru-na q very high compliment His
wife suffered with Heart Trouble and Cen
ernl Debility. Seeing le.rti.ua advertised NJ