The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-13
HE WILL NOT GO.
Gov. O'Ferrall Attends No Conyen-
ton That Endorses Ida Wells.


Richmond, Va, Sept 12.--In answer to
an invitation to address the Afro-Ameri-
can Press Association in session here,
Gov. O'Ferrau to-day wrote as follows
Governors ONCE. Richmond, Va. Sept. 12
lS94.-Messrs, John Mitchell w. Calvin
Chase John G. Daney. and others, Committee
OF Atro-AmeriCan Press Association. City:
Dear Slrs; In response to your invitation to
address. or attend the convention Of the Afro
American Press Association now in session
in this city, Reg to say would not think of
accepting an invitation 10 address any con
vention or assembly that indorses, as your
convention did last evening, the course OF Ida
Wells in her SANDER of the people and civil
authorities OF the south.
Il condemn lynch law as much as any one
and as long as / am governor of Virginia
every man. whether white or black whatever
the charge against him may be. shall have a
trial by Judge and jury, If / have to exert ali
the power given me by the constitution and
laws Of the state, and should any case Of
lynchlng Occur | shall endeaVor to enforce
the law against the lynchers but it strikes
me that the action of your convention in
1ndorslng the misrepresentation and
slanderous utterances of Ida Wells is
calculated to do harm rather than good and
intensity. rather nan molltfy, the spirit of
violence which so fre luently manifests itself
not only in \irginia, but throughout the
south when certain crime is committed
The brutes who commit this crime, too hOr-
rible 10 mention, and are summary dealt
with, seem to elicit sympathy from Ida
Wells, and her supper. ers as
though they were murdered limo
cents, while not a word of sympathy
is expressed for their victims, who have suf-
fered more than death, ! believe that If your
convention would condemn the crime which
has caused the lynchings in the south with
rare exceptions. and the leaders of the col
ored people would frown upon it and cry out
against it, and not exert their energies and
devote their time to "A denunciation of the
lynchings, there would be fewer outrages
and If so, certainly fewer instances OF mob
violence.
Il do not know. but it looks very much to
me as though the work of Ida Wells was a
deep laid ,heme to check as far as NAV be
the progress of the south. and every good
citizen white and colored. should feel an in
terest in refutIng her Vlllihcations rather
than Sancttoning them, as your convention
did last evening she and her supporters GER
which did not exist prior to her crusade The
people OF the south, who have laLored so as
SldlouSly for nearly generation now to re-
cuperate and build up their waste places will
not take kindly to the effort which this woman
and her followers are making to bring re
proach upon their section, and create the i'm
preston that 1t is land of lawlessness and
disorder.
have the most friendly feeling for the
colored people. they have my sympathies
in all their struggles and laudable undertake
1ngs, as think have shown In my private
and public life, and | was indeed deeply
panied when l read this morning that your
convention, composed of representatives OF
your race, had struck the south blow viii, h
she did not deserve. While thank you for
your invitation. must decline under the Cir
cumstanees to address your convention or at
toad its sessions. Respectfully,
CHARLES Il. O'FFRRALI