The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-09-19
ReBUKEO BY O'FERRiLL.
Iuvlfstion OF 8 ro-AmerIcsn Press Asso-
citation - sciinsd.

RICHMOND, Va, Sept. 12.--In answer
to al invitation to address the Afro.
American Press Association, Governor
| O'Ferrall today wrote as follows:
Governors Office,
Richmond, Va, Sept. II, 1894.
Messrs, John Mitchell, W. Calvin Chase;
John q. Daney and Others, Commit
zee of Afro-Amefican Press Associa-
tion, City:
Dear Slrs: In response to your tnvl.
tstion to address or attend the conven-
ton Of the Afro-Americsn Press Asso-
citation, now in session In this city, /
| beg to say would not think Of accept
ing an invitation to address any con-
ventton Or assembly that endorses, as
your convention did last evening, the
| course of Ida Wells In her slan1er of
the people and civil authorities of the
South.
| 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 ag ainst him
may be, shall have trial by judge and
jury If | have to exert all the power
given me- by the Constitution and laws
of Virginia, and should any case of
lyncning occur l shall eHdeavor to en-
force the law against the lynchers, but
it strikes me that the action of your
convention IN endorsing the misrepre'
sentations and slanderous utterances Of
Ida Wells is calculated to do harm
rather than good, and intensity rather
than molllfy the spirit of violence
which so frequently manifests itself
not only In Virginia, but throughout
the South, when a certain crime is
committed. The brutes who commit
this crime, too horrible to mention, and
are summarily dealt with, seem to ellc-
it sympathy from Ida Wells and her
supporters, as though they were muir
dered lnnocents, while not a word of
sympathy is expressed for their v1ct-
inns, who have suffered more than
death. [ believe that If your conven-
tion would condemn the crime which
has caused the lynchings in the South
with rare exceptions, and the leaders
of the colored people would frown upon
it and cry out against it, and not exert
their energies and devote their time to
a denunciation Of the lyncaings, there
would be fewer outrages, and if So,
certainly fewer instances of mob vio-
lence.
l 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, aud every good citizen, white
and colored, should feel an interest in
refuting her viillications rather than
sanctloning them, as your convention
did last evening. She and her support
ers certainly stirred up feeling against
her race Wnich did not exist prior to
her crusade. The peo pie of the South,
who have labored so assiduously for
nearly a generation now to recuperate
and build up their waste places, will
not take kindly to the effort which
this woman and her followers are
making to bring reproach upon their
section, and create the impression that
l have a most friendly feeling for the
colored people. They have my sympa-
thies in all their struggles and lauds-
bic undertakings, as l think have
shown in my private and public life,
and [ was indeed deeply panied when l
read this morning that your co1lven-
tion, composed Of representatives of
your race, had struck the South a blow
which she does not deserve.
While thank you for your invita-
ton, l must decline, under the circum-
stances, to address your convention or
attend Its sessions. Respectfully,
CHARLES O'FERRAL