The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-21

chinery Of the law was set aside and all
" was given to the mob. white su-
must be maintained BY fair or
foul means. To his end a spirit waa
turned loose which detles all existing aRenI
cies and which threatens even those who
originally invoked the unholy power
A pretext-an excuse that would appeal
to the nation and paddock the mouth Of
D otest and indignation-wng necessary.
and the crime of rape was hit upon; bit
upon by men proclaimlnQ themselves the
special champions of female virtue, who
had used the brutal power Of tho slavemas-
ter to create a race OF mulattoss! they
could not have a sharper edge than this.
The following newspaper waif was picked
up not long ago out OF some one OF the l5O
Afro-American newspapers:
There is a growing tendency on the part
more the discussion of the subject entirely,
or to look upon lynch law a. justiiabls.
The north 10 told the Afro-Amsrican 10
lynched for good reasons; that this lynoh-
ing must DO kept up in order to stop the as
sault Of the Alro-Americans upon white
women. But to show that shey are killed
for other reasons than that of rape, we
here produce some figures as to the num-
Der lynohsd each wear ince1 1882:
Numbsr lynched-lSS2, 52; 1883, 80; 1884,
50: 1896. n: 1886. 70: 1887, 70; 1883, 72; 1883,
95; 1890. 100; 1891, 1863; 1899 10 date) s..
W the 10 AITO-ALN6FlChllb AyuCu0u AuT-
ing the past eight years, 269 were charged
with rape. 253 with murder. Al with rob-
berry, 81 with inoendiarism. 50 with reasons
unstated, 81 with race prejudice. ~ such;
Is with quarrelina with white men, 10 with
making threats, 7 with rioting, 8 with mis-
cegenation. 4 with burglary.
Since these figures were published there
cannot have been fewer than a hundred
men and women lynched in the southern
states. If tho ratio il maintained
up 10 the end Of the year. We
shall have upward Of 400 murders
by the irresponsible citizens of states
the authorities of which oftener lend aid
and comfort to the murdsrsrs than to the
maintenance of the law. 1t must not bs
lost sight of for 4 moment that in every
one of the states where these murders are
committed all the machinery of the law Is
in the absolute control of the Simon pure
home rulers" the chief stioklers for
whatever could any guilty man escape. espe-
ciallv il he have = black face. But, even as
in the days of slavery it was considered
that the law was too precious a thing to be
enjoyed by the black slave, M affirmed b.
Chief Justice Roger b. Taney-a creature Of
Andrew Jaokson's making-so even now the
black freeman il considered TO be without
the pale of the law. If he undertakes to vote
he is shot; il lie strikes . white man he 10
shot; if he looks ut a white woman he 10
shot; il he 10 . law abiding Citizen, attend
ing to his own affairs and accommodating q
completeness, he becomes dangerous and II
shot, There ia small chance Of escape for
| him, whether he be bad Or good. lazy or in
| dustrious. Neither the constitution of Tho
state nor the United States affords him any
protection. He il regarded ~ = psrixh. and
90 treated by individuals m by the au-
thorities of the law. When he 10 lynched
the militia is not ordered out TO suppress
| the mob and preserve the peace. When he
strikes bsok-as at Jacksonville, Fla, aud
Pnducah, Ky., recsntly-msrtial Law IL Of
| once declared and all che available soldiesy