Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-04
ESPECIAL rrLneRAx TO THE D1sfArCH.,


COLUMBIA, s. c., January 3.-At II
o'clock to-day Governor Richardson was
waited upon by 16 colored men, appointed
at the convention last night to present an
address and ask the Governor to use every
effort to secure the punishment of the Barn
well lynchers. The Governor met the
delegation at the door, and asked them
into his private Office. When they were
seated, General Lee, of Charleston, stated
the Objectof the visit He outlined the posi-
tion of the colOred people, and said that the
negroes had serious complaint to make
against many of the whites OF the State who
believed that any treatment of the negroes
that would impress him with the white
mans superior power in a conflict of force
was justifable.
irresponsible whites, said the General,
had imbibed the idea that the negroes had
no rights that they are bound to respect.
He continued:
THE BUTCHERY CONDEMNED.
'The inhuman butchery of eight men at
Barnwell, in the presence of agents of the
law, is an unprecedented instance Of bar
barity unbecoming civilized community,
and they appealed to the Governor, and to
all citizens, regardless of race and color, to
unite in common. effort to uphold the
majesty of the law and the fair name Of
South Carolina"
The Governor then addressed the delega-
ton for 15 minutes. He assured them that
not one of their number more deeply re-
GREETED the horrible murders at Barnwell
than he, nor could anyone condemn it
more strongly. 1t was q most brutal
and horrible murder, and every good
citizen of the State must condemn
it. He gave them his sacred word that
nothing that he could do to have condign
punishment reach the lynchers wonld be
left undone. He only regretted that in this
case the executive arm was not long enough
or strong enough. Such lawlessness must
and shall stop. The good people OF the
State will rise up and crush the guilty.
THE RACES NOT RESPONSIBLE.
In conclusion, the Governor thanked the
colored people of the State for their noble
and most commendable conduct in the
whole matter. He did not hold the
race reponsible for a few hot
headed and misguided negroes, and
would expect the negroes not to
Judge the whites by few men who did not
represent their race. The whites of the State
were with the negroes in this matter, and
they appreciated the conservative, digniied
and proper conduct of their colored friends.
While the Governor was talking, Senator
Hampton entered the chamber, and as the
delegation rose to depart he rose to his feet
and said that he had not heard all
that Governor Richardson had said, but that
he had already talked with him on the SUBJ
iect and fully coincided in all his opinions,
and that they could consider the express
sions from the Governor as representing his
views on the subject.
MADE AN IMPRESSION.
The delegation thanked the Governor for
his assurances of assistance, and after shak-
ing hands with Senator Hampton and Gov
ernor Richardson, took their departure.
The whole conduct of the negroes was most
dignifed, and made great impression on
the Governor.
There were several preachers here to-day
from Barnwell. One of them said he was
sure that four of the men lynched for muir
dering Martin were innocent. They were
members of his church. Martin was an
aristocrat, and was hated by the poor
whites, but he had always been kind
to the negroes, and they loved him. This
preacher did not believe in the negroes leav-
ing the State. They should stay right here
If the daily papers expressed themselves as
often as they did this week, outrages would
cease, and there would be peace. He hoped
the negroes would strive for peace, and that
the pulpi. of both races would make open
war on the lawless