Birmingham age-herald., 1894-09-13
GOVERNoR'e OFFICE.

GOVERNORS OFFICE, RICHMOND, Va, Sept. 12, 1894. ] Messrs. John Mitchell, W. Calvin Chase, John o. Dancy and others, Committee of the Afro American Press Association, city DEAR SIRs: In response to your invita- | tion to address or attend the convention of | the Afro American Press association now in session in this city, beg to say would not think of accepting an invitation 10 ad- dress any convention or assembly that in- dorses, as your convention did last even ing, the course of Ida Wells in her islander of the people and civil authorities of the south.
 ''I condemn lynch law as much as any one, and as long az am governor of Vir- ginia every man, whether white or black, with whatever charge against him, shsll have trial by judge and jury II 1 have to exert all the power given me by the consti- tuition and laws of Virginia, and should any case of lyuching occur l shall endeavor to enforce the law against the lyncbers, but 1t strikes me that the action of your convention in indorsng the misrepfe5enta- tions and slauderous utterances of Ida
 Wells is calculated to do harm, rather than good, and intensity, rather than moilfy the spirit of violence which so frequently manifests itself, not only in Virginia, but throughout the south, when & certain crime Is committed. The brutes who com-' init this crime, too horrible to mention, and are summariIy dealt with, seem to elicit sympathy from Ida Wells and her supporters, as though they were murdered innocents, while not word of sympathy is expressed for their victims, who have suf- fered more than death.
 ''I believe that if your convention would condemn the crime which has caused the lynchings in the south, with rare excep- tions, and the leaders of the coiored people would frown upon it and cry out against it, and not exert their energies and devote their time in denuncation of the lynchings there would be fewer outrages, and if so certainly fewer instances of mob violence.
 ''I do not know, but it looks very much to me as though the work of Ida Wells was deep laid scheme to check as far as may be the progress of the south, and every good citizen, white or colored, should feel an interest in refuting her villifcations, rather than sanctioning them, as your convention did last evening. She and her supporters certainly stirred up a feeling against her race which did not exist prior to her crusade. The people of the south who have labored so assiduouslY for nearly q generation now to recuperate and build up their waste places, will not take kindly to the effort which this woman and her fol- lowers are making to bring reproach upon their section and create the impression that, it is q land of lawlessness and disorder.
 "I have the most friendly feeling for the colored people. They have my sympathies in all their struggles and laudable under- takings, as l think have shown in my deeply pained when l read this morning that your convention, composed of repre- sentatives of your race, had struck the south blow which she did not deserve. While thank you for your invitation must decline, under the circumstances, to address your convention or attend it's ses- sions. Respectfully,
 sCnAs. T. O'FERRALL."