The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-05
NEoRo ourRAoEs DENoUNoED.
Negroes Of waycross Aroused by an
Editorial IN the News.

Editorial in the News.
Wavcross. Ca. Aug THE better
class OF colorcd people held an important
meeting at the First Methodist church on
Hazards Hill last night for the purpose
OF deporiBg and deuouncing outrdres
upon white women by negroes and the
lynchiugs which usually follow. The
Rev John Watts, colorei presiding elder
Of the district, upon reading some edito-
rials in the leading newspapers concern
ing the subject, called the meeting and
invited the whites and the blacks TO at
tend Elder Watts was elected chairman
and G. H. Bowen secretary. Elder
Watts said inopening the meeting: "Our
hearts are panied zach day on account Of
the reports Of Outrages pcrpctrated on the
fair sex Of the white race by the
uuprincipaled and low element Of our
own races. 1t is a stigma upon our race
that is 20 be dcplOred. | believe that the
time is at hand when a move should be
made to suppress if possible these out
RACES, and if the Outrages are stopped IL
follows that there will an end TO the
lynchings and cremations of our IA ce.
We invite every man who has the sanctlty
of home at heart, 10 aid US in finding a
remedy for this great evil. ! have never
come before you upon such a momentous
question. | have read Of Outrages and
lynchings but was never so overwhelmed
with pair in my life as ! was when ] read
an editorial in reference to outrages ana
lynchiugs in the MORNGNG News OF Aug
l. A remedy, which is the outcrOpping
of this meeting was suggested to my mind.
The fact that there have occurred 300 out
RACES, the majority Of them in the south,
since Jan. l, aroused me, and ]
concluded to call a meeting for the
purpose of speaking out against Outrages
and lynchings and if possible TO devise
some means of suppressing them. Inc
evil is growing worse every year. The
better class of cOlOred people are too slow
TO denounce outraRes. We are as much
opposed to Outrages as we are to lynch
ings and we must find remedy for them.
If the white people see we are trying 10
suppress outrages, we believe that they
viii suppress lynehings Tonight is the
time to start the bail to rolling. The
best remedy, in my opinion, IS for the col
Ored people to raise their voices against
these outrages and teach their children to
be virtuous This is a state and national
question. II is serious and alarming.
We must do something to show to the
world that we do not favor outrages
and lynching. We must 90 out
spreading the news of our condemnation
OF Outrages, until, like mighty wave, II
sweeps over this fair land, and these
crimes will cease Rev. Samuel (colored)
said that one public hanging was better
than dozen lynchings He believed that
a special law should be enacted for the
speedy and Just punishment of crimes be-
fore the law, whereby innocent men
would not have to be hurled into eternity
by mobs, because a trial followed by
speedy punishment would tend to put a
stop to the crime He said that the col
ored people should train their children to
be useful citizens, to respect themselves
and live right. He believed that if the
| negro stopped the crime, the white people
would stop the lynchiugs. A number of
other short talks were made by the lead
! ing cOlored men.
A committee composed of the following
was appointed to draw up resolutions
| DR.. G. p. Washington, G. II. Bowen,
Rev. d. W, Moore, S. M. Scarlett, Rev
Allen.
| The resolutions are as follows:
Whereas. We the colored citizens Of Way
! cross Ware county and state OF Georgia in
| public meeting assembled, to consider very
| serious question as to the crime OF rape,
! which IS being 80 frequently committed by a
certain unprinCipled element OF our race, ana
| of the consequent lynchings and cremations
| upon the victims. and
! Whereas, This state Of things has become
| so prevalent and deplorable, and
Whereas We believe that II is very eXpedi-
! emit that some action be taken to suppress the
crime, and if possible to put stop to lawless
| MODS. Therefore be 1t
| Resolved That IL Is the sense of this meet
! ing that these ends can best be obtained by a
united effort on the part of all the leading and
! influential men of the race; and be 1t further,
| Resolved, That there he held for this pur-
pose a public and representative meeting in
! the city of Macon. Ca, early in October this
! year the date to be hereafter given through
the press of the state, there to consider and
| devise the plans for the accomplishment of
the object set forth in these resolutions.
A circular inviting the people to attend
the meeting at Macon, Ga, will be sent
to the leading colored people of the state
at once.