Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-06-05

thecrime itself. You will say that it is
unnecessary, superhuous; / admit 1t, so
far as you or your own reputation Is con-
cerned, but do you not think that an artlcle
or speech-such as have not yet seen from
YOU or any leader Of your race-speclally
denOuncing this particular crime, specially
calling on the negroes of the South 70
stamp IL out, to preach and pray sgainstlS
warning them ia tones OF such Soiemnlty
and eloQuence as you alone can command
towards them would 60 further towards
removing the evil OF lynch law Tor thls
crime than many pages Of eloquent or merry
general denuuciation Of the white people
of the Southi / do IL my voice coulu
reach and persuade the negroes OF the
South. as yours can, would summon 70
nv aid the thunders OF Olympus 10 peal III
the ears Of every seif-respecung or re-
spectacle negro the message: on say
YOUR people are lynched, tortured ana
burned for assaults on white women. AS
you value your own good fame ana saiety
as a race, stamp out the infamous crimel
Ecrasez pinfame|
when the orators of France shouted
Down with capital punishment! Tue
witty and wise old Voltaire replied: que
messieurs les assassius cOmmencent" IL
was a hne retort. out il is better than tnat
lit is the hint Of great lesson.
"But, pray, sir, consider moment Ine
real situation az the South IN the respect
we are now discussing. You az leaSt are
not an irresponsible or professional scrlD-
bier You are not only conspicuous nB-
urein our history and public life, but you
have the most potent voice OF tue times
when addressed TO our cOlOred fellow-cltl-
7ens Of the South / am sure you teei your
responsible as well as you know II, ana
do not intend TO injure those TO whom you
are specially allied by race.
II have said the crime alluded TO pre-
walls at the South. You remark that the
same crime has been committed for two
hundred years or more by white men IN the
South against black women.' was sorry
TO read this remark, for do not think It
quite worthy Of you. In the trst place II
does not lessen the enormity OF horror OF
the ofense itself IL your statement be true,
and the remark itself is therefore a mere
recriminatiOn at best, calculated only TO
increase, not % diminish the evil IN ques-
ton You must know even better than l
the intense horror and disgust which the
crime oxcites In the minds OF all Southern
whites. This is heightened and intensl-
fed perhaps many fold by the fact OF the
former relation OF slavery.
"You insist and reiterate that this is due
TO race and color prejudice. suppose we
admit it is, in all its length and breadth,
Just as you state, is not the fact OF SUCH
prejudice the most obvious and powerful
reason why this crime should be put do vn,
frOWned upon and denounced specially by
you and by every voice that can reach the
negroes of the Southl III the South be
given over TO race prejudice, who that re-
CARDS the welfare Of the colOred race there
viii not, when he reflects, find it his first
aud highest duty TO help in all ways 10 ex-
tirpate the crime which chiefly eXcltes lti
If this Is the spark that is certain TO klndie
the fame Of the fagot and all forms OF mob
outrage. TO give the sure occasion for lynch
law, who but a most reckless and wicked
spirit will throw that sparks The IN
stance Of mob law in Arkansas which you
picture so graphically, an American wo-
man, in this year OF grace 1893, mingllng
with a bowling mob and with her own
hand applying the torch TO the fagots
around the body of negro'-impresses
me not more by the ssvagery of the scene
than by the evidence that IL gives OF the
uncomfortable resentment and rage reused
by the revolving crime charged upon the
victim. and / humDly submit that II the
cOlored race Of this country and their white
friends had been well advised we should
have seen pubic meetings called and
solemn resolutions drawn denOuncing the
crimes in question, rather than mere fiery,
WOriv denuncatiOns Of eXh' billions OF
Southern lynch law, which would prob
ably have taken place, as in fact they have
recently taken place, at the North under
like prOvOC8tiOn, with only somewhat less
of Urutal atrOcty Of incident.
"All you say Of race prejudice may be
true If true IL only points with sharper
warning TO the necessity OF giving no occa-
sion by revolving crimes for that prejudice
TO wreak itself with some degree of sympa-
thy or liberation on the part of white men
everywhere. on the race which is the OBJ
ject and victim of this intense prejudice.
To illustrate the universal intensity OF the
feeling az the South on this point, let me
mention that within the last month In
South Carolina Gov. Iilman, who is max
ing canvass against the party which rep
resents the upper classes Of the white
people in that State, and who two years
AGO proclaimed especially his opposition TO
lynch law and his liked purpose TO stop il II
elected as governor, is reported as declar-
ing in terms that he stood ready, as COVER
nor, 70 head moo TO lynch any negro who
had assaulted white woman. We may
deplore such a spirit as much as we please
We may den0unce il with the most terrific
or ordinarily prudent, il we sincerely wish
TO prevent the evil Of lynching in such
cases, we shall, I think, take care to sup
plement our denunciatiOns by the most seri-
Gus efforts 70 eradicate the crime which
occasions the lynching.
81 have already said you do not equal me
in my adherence Of lynch law, for per
ceive YOU frame excuses for il which l can
not; but my thoughts are bent not so much
on denunciations as 70 means for removing
the ono chief cause Of Southern iynchingS
This is surely one OF the evils which the
negroes Of the South can themselves re-
move. The remedy is in their own hands;
and wheJherit be right or wrong, not even
your tongue or pen can greatly enlist the
worlds sympathy for those who are
lvnched for the crime in question, or for a
race which shall continue supinely 70 per-
NIT such a blot TO stain its name and
record