The Washington bee., 1894-09-29
PREAMBLE.

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Defence League. In order to aid this
agitation. broaden and make thorough.
ly effective the work of the Interna-
tional Committee already appointed to
investigate the matter, this League is
formed.
The work which the League has un-
dertaken is:
1st To encourage and assist Miss Ida
B. Wells in her anti-lynching crusade
by seizing the opportunity while public
attention is directed to the subject to
keep some one in the field to agitate and
emphasize our demand for justice.
2nd. To publish necessary literature
and statistics for distribution.
5rd. To keep detectives in the field to
investigate every lynching, get the Ne
gro side of the stories, and the real
facts for our English friends, our
Northern sympathizers, and for our
selves to employ counsel to defend
those charged with heinouS offences.
and secure the conviction and punish
ment of those who participate in lynch
ingS.
OUR DUTY.
Never since the agitation of the abo-
lition of American slavery has there
been period fraught with such serious
consequences, as now confront the
friends of humanity and believers in
free government, as is now involved in
the issue before the American people,
raised 10y the Anti-Southern-Outrage
Crusade an issue with which the
American people must deal and settle
once for all. The abominable cruelties
of mob law and lynching have become
National problems, and it seems that
the time has come when every good cit
izen must enter his protest against the
exhibition of this violent barbarity, as
sert themselves. exert their best en-
deavor TO maintain the dignity and ma
iestv of the law, and demonstrate to
the civilized world that the American
Government is in reality government
of the people, by the people, and for the
people, and for all the people.
TIE END IN VIEW.
To the end that this agitation may be
conducted in such a way as that full
light may be thrown upon all the facts
involved, we propose to organize around
the League a sustaining constituency to
do the proper work. For instance ::
Two colored men, near Alexandria,
Virginia, were charged with the crime
of assault on two white women. They
were arrested and placed on trial the
case was prejudged by the community,
and mob of armed men organized to
oTeTdwe the court and jury, and deny
to the accused the right of a fair trial.
The State militia were ordered out to
convey the two colOred men to and from
the courthouse, the result was the ex-
ecution of the men without any legal
evidence of their guilt. All this hap
pened under the very shadow of the
National Capital. If the American
Liberty Defence League had been in
existence, the case, instead of being one
Of local Observation-Disclosures,
would have assumed national proper
tions; fair trial secured to the ac-
cused the ablest legal ability at the
Northern bar would have been en-
ployed to defend the men; reporters
from the Metropolitan press especially
commissioned would have been present.
Able and experienced detectives, thor
oughly skilled in ferreting out all hid
den motives and facts in regard to
crime, would have been employed to as
certain the character Of the women
who were the accuserS, whether or not
they were professional harlotS; the
character of the house they kept the
frequenterS of that house if they were
criminally intimate with any members
of the armed mob, ETC., etc. With such
an exhibition of legal vigil4nce in pro-
tecting the helpless, the Virginia affair
would in all probability have turned
out very different. The purpose of this
League is to apply all over the South
the principles and policy of such vigi-
the repetition of the Virginia infamy
impossible.
THE POLITICAL PHASE.
The League also proposes to furnish
indisputable testimony, that, while al
lowing for the ferocity born of the spirit
of slavery, nevertheless, the animating
motive and significance of these South
ern outrages is Political. The political
motive and incentive to these outraGes
does not embrace merely local politics
it does not mean alone the election of
''color-line' Justice of the Peace, color
line sheriff, color line educational COM
mittee. color line members of the legis
lature, color line governors aud like To-
cal and State officers,-it embraces the
whole field of national political action.
1t embraces 159 solid votes in the cleo
toral college. 1t embraces a color line
legislative majority in both branches of
Congress 1t embraces color line
president of the United States. 1t en-
braces a solid South representation as
such in his cabinet. 1t embraces rep
in the United States Su-
preme Court, where color line solid
South judges will hold the same relation
to Negro suffrage which Judge Taney
Of the Dred Scot and Missouri compro-
mise, held to chattle slavery and solid
color line Democracy. Without these
motives the solid South
could not exist for day upon these
5he whole colossal political fabric is
from Missouri to Florida and
rom Delaware to Texas. 1t is this SOL
d South coalition which has elevated
color line political leader to the Ameri-
,an presidency, which now controls ev-
Try department of the Federal Govern
nent; and which, in the face of divi-
led North, threatens the life of the Re-
public itself. For tyranny through law
'annot be enthroned upon the pro >trate
orm of black humanity at the South
so affecting and deadening the
mol