The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-01-08
NEGROES IN COUNCIL.

RESOLUTIONS AND REMARKS WHICH
SHOW THEIR FEELING.
They nre Justly Indignant ut the
Wrong Which Has Been Perpe.
trutcd Oh Members of Their Race,
and They Say No in Plain Lam
SuaSe.
Colun,b,a Register.
In response to the call sent out from
Charleston by Gen. =. j. Lee and other col
ored citizens of that place. meeting OF rep.
rrScniativC cOlorcu men OF The State was held
In this city last night to take action In refer.
<rcc to the recent lynching OF eight negroes
at Barnwcll.
The neat little church of the Wesley NJ. e.
congregation ut the corner of Gervais ami
Sumter streets was chosen for the meeting
and o'clock fixed rs the hour for It's assem-
bling.
Hy that time the church. was well filled,
nearly every scat being occupied with as rep
rcsruiativea Il gathering OF colored men, as
perhaps ever assembled in South Carolina,
and including many OF the most Intelligent
representatives or that race in the State.
There were but two or three women present.
The mecIing was called TO order by Gen. $.
J. Lee ot Charleston, who was at once elected
permanent chairman on motion or j. w.
Morris, while $. f. Smith, q very intelligent
cOlorcd man from Aiken, was made secretary
on motion Of Il. a. Saxon.
The Rev Il. Carroll OF Orangeburg offered
prayer and asked divine guidance In the
emergencies OF the hour and In the conduct
of the meeting.
A COMMITTEE APPOINTED.
On motion IL was voted that committee
bc appointed, consisting OF one from each
County represented at the meeting, to retire
and prepare an address to the people of the
caused the meeting.
The following committee was then appoint
cd, representing twcnty.eight Counties: J.
W. Morris, y. &. Tow nsend, B. r. Minus, ID.
II. Johnson, J. W. Murray. II. G. Elliott, Sim
Loudly. J. j. johnson, Nix HiXson, II. Carroll,
VI. NJ. Watson, a. q. Salters. a. j. Jamison.
:. +. smith, a. j; Johnson. w. ID. Chappell,
Rev. Watson, J. NJ. McCloud, +: &. Brown. j.
II. HiX. H. Ralford, Rev. &. +. Nelson, Wilson
Cook, Rev l.. II. Colt, j. IL. Williams, i. j.
Sawyer, Il. j. Clark, n. f. Lewis.
After an absence of some twenty minutes,
the committee, which had retired to the par
,onage adjoining the church for deliberhtion,
filed in and presented as It's report the follow
ing:
An Address to the People of South
Carolina.
"Thrice is he armed who has his quarrel
class of the colorcd people OF South Carolina,
in meeting assembled, have, In the name OF
all our ! coplc. Il very serious complaint
against many OF the white representative
elements Of this State. The grounds OF our
com paints are these:
Because Of coveted advantages intended to
be gained. influential leaders among the
whites OF the Stale have either directly or In.
directly advised or allowed to be taught that
any treatment OF the negro that would tend
TO impress him with the white mam's super
ior power in a conflict Of force is Justitiable.
From this irresponsible white men have OBJ
tained the notion that there are no rights for
the negro which white man. whether
worthy or unworthy, Is bound to respect,
when the observance of these rights is judged
by the white man as In any way contrary TO
his personal views or prejudiccs.
2. The most potent factor in this indiscreet
schooling consists of certain daily newspa-
papers published In this State. The untime-
iy and nlladviSed agitation OF the separation
of the races has not only created general un.
rest an ong our people, hut also rather em.
Doldcncd the criminal classes Of the whites
in their already Thoroughly formed prejudice
against us.
3. The hue and cry made by such white
men. after they have committed outrages
against our people, TO the effect that they are
attempting insurreciion against the whites
of such communities, is m additional cut
rage upon us, and so intended by those who
make them. The unprecedented forbearance
of our people during the four years civil war,
on the part of white men. Is q standing mon.
ument to their glory and an everlasting con.
tradiction TO the charge that the race Is insur.
rcctionary or aims at conspiracy against the
white race even under the most aggravated
circumstances. This denial is not Intended
TO convince those who stand convicted Of
these ISLANDERS against us, for we are sure they
are conscious Of The wrong they do US and the
gravity of the evil thereof.
1. We interpret the recent instance Of vio-
lencp upon our people In this State rs in
licaiing the supremacy of the mob element
Of the Commonwealth over the law abiding
class. The indescrihable and inhuman
butchery of eight men of our race, taken
from the prison cells of Barnwcll County,
In the presence Of the agents OF the law, Is aii
unprecedented instance OF barbarity, un-
becoming n civilized community.
Ihcrcforc. we deem it proper for our people
10 abandon such sections uf he State wherein
!awlcssmess prevails and lie Is unsafe and 60
to sections where life anI property arc safe.
We offer this us information TO the friends
Of humanity and justice, North and South.
and appeal to the Chief Executive and all
officers Of the State, and To all citizens, re-
sardleSS ol race or color, to unite In one com
law and the fair namc OF South Carolina.
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
The address, after being read, was pnan-
lmously adopted as expressing the sense OF
the meeting.
y uelcSaLc from Lexington sought 10 OHer
II motion in reference to expressing approval
of the Governors action in offering reward
Of $40 for the apprehension and conviction
Of each one of the guilty parties concerne ed
in the lynching. He was evidently moved
with deep feeling and attempted to make a
speech on the subjec:, saying he thought the
colored people ought, IL possible, themselves
10 raise thousand dollars to add To the sum
offered BY the Governor: AS his motion was
not seconded, however, 1t was not put to vote
some confusion ensuing In the attempts
made To get the delegates To cease talking.
Resolutions and Remarks.
J. II. Furlham of Orangeburg then present.
ell set of resolutions, given in full further
on, and supported the same in speech OF a
rather conservative character, well delivered
and expressed.
lie said one Of the worst features of the
butchery at Barnwcll was that four OF those
killed were witnesses, who, because they
we're not endowed with this worlds goods.
were inc;irccrated in Barnwell Jail simply as
witnesses.
The circumstances of the horrible affair, he
said, were all fresh in the minds OF his hear.
crS. Never lad there been in the history of
South Carolina, perhaps never In the history
of the United States, such blot such n crime
as the state OF South Carolina now stood
Win.
Ii the executive power of the State was not
competent to cope " it'll the crime, let the
whole world he brought as witnesses TO see
what would be done 20 try to bring to Justice
these guilty men. All over the world all eyes
were turned toward the Palmetto State, and
the universal question was, what will be
dunc:' The speaker, continuing, said: We
are not here In any vindictive spirit we are
not here stirring up strife, but we are here To
counsel our race to keep quiet-tu let the
majesty of the law assert Itself"
4.