The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-05-04
IS, S. c., THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1898.

white men were off at war they had
protected his family, nursed his child
rem and cooked his meal. Since, he
has built his railroads and titled his
crop.
The negro race should not be Judged
by thieves, murderers and vagabonds
There are white men who could stoop
equally as low. Telling the negro that
he would be protected, he has for years
never cared who the law makers were.
but the time had come when he must
unite with the best element of the
white people and with tEeir ballots Sc
cure government where the laws
would be administered without favor
This advice was received with wild
and tumultuous applause.
during his speech he made the charge
that not half the crimes of rape charg-
ed on negroes were committed by them
"a white man can trim his hair and
black mis- face" but negro would suf.
fer any way. lie advised them to lead
lives of propriety, and above all eau
toned them never to be guilty Of q
crime for which Peterson died.
ii. NJ. Raiford was the next speaker,
and he came near giving some bad ad-
vice if he did not actually do so. He
said that the time had come when for
bearance ceased to be virtue. If not
actually it was mighty near. (Tremen-
dous applause.) eve have been told to
abide the decision of that court from
which there is no appeal" he said,
pointing upward. "But we can't wait
till that court convenes. He said that
under present conditions he didn't con-
slider his life belonging to himself. But
1T Is better to die plucky than a coward.
The negro has eyes, ears anil arms like
white man and he should use them.
lie closed with verse Of Longfellow' 8
Psalm of Life, ending with the line,
LEARN to labor and to wait" "See
what the result will be-" the speaker
added to it.
Professor Morris spoke next. He
quoted the saying of famous Carroll
man, what are the halls Of Justice but
the temple of the Most High 2" and re-
GREETED that such was not the case now,
hut that the State was ruled by CHAR
barous mobocracy." The laws guaran
teed equal rights to all but the negro
didn'C get them. lie was deprived of
his liberty, and even when appealing to
the Governor for p otectiOn, as in
1'eterson's case, that official allowed an
innocent man to come to death without
protection. He advised them TO Join
the better class Of whites and bring
out order, peace and unity.
Nj. ). Shelton, a mail agent, was the
last speaker. Now was the time tC
rise up in our manhood and defend
ourselves. We suffer too much. W.
are too submissive. We depend toe
much on God The crowd got wil(
and yelled "Take it back" Shelton go
out of it by saying 1--WE pray to Coz
nightly and tell our wrongs but W.
must do something for ourselves" IL
closed by saying that the blood O
Peterson was Oh Governor Tillman'
hands and was dripping off. "In tn,
day of judgment this blood will ooz,
out of hls body and condemn" This
blood statement made the widest sort
OF uproar. The crowd was getting
stirred up and wanted more incendiary
talk but cooler heads carried their
point and the crowd adjourned. The
above is straight and umembellished
story of this strange meeting, and is
given as a warning, that's all.--Reg-
lister.