The Afro-American., 1895-08-17
w HlTE GENTLEMAN "
SPEAKS.
SOCIETY FOR DEFENDING INDECENT
INDICTED BLACKS -oFFEs ONE
HUNDRED DOLLARS PER ANNUM.

The interest excited by the recent
capital conviction OF the three Lunen-
burg colored women, very generally
believed to be innocent, is fitting
time to call attention to the utter help
lessness of INDECENT blacks in our
courts of justice. The certain conse-
quence Of their failure to get Justice,
and to take efficient steps to mitigate
if possible All together to stop this sad
and lamentable state of affairs. Soci-
eties, white and black in Richmond
have multiplied till they have become
nuisance and farce, but among their
vast number, tho we have a Society for
the Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals,
we have no society for protecting in
digent, Ignorant and helpless blacks
from injustice in our courts of Justice,
In other words no society for defend
ing INDECENT Indicted Blacks, society
which, if properly managed would do
more to elevate both races than nine
tenths of the Benevolent Societies
combined. To feed the belly, to clothe
the back, to educate the mind are all
good; but oh, how infinitely higher and
better is liberty, the feeling of securi-
ty that if put Qpon ones country, ono
shall enjoy ali the safeguards provided
by benefcent law against unjust de
privation of liberty and life. Give me
liberty, but lei me hunger; give me
liberty, bnt LET me shiver; give me lib
erty, but let ny tongue cleave to my
mouth and my land forget her cunning;
yes, give me liberty. or give me death.
THEIR DEPLORABLE CONDITION.
Now indigers blacks enjoy few of the
safeguards against unjust loss of liberty
or life. They cannot employ compe
tent counsel, indeed, no counsel; they
are arranged before a biased jury,
biased by race prejudice, the btterest
and most insradicable of preiudices
and they are prosecuted by pitiless at
torneys, stimulated by the pride of
success and greed, because every con-
viction means an additional fee. No
wonder then that INDECENT blacks are
convicted on testimony that would
be secuted against whites or when tes-
!
with punishment wholly dispropor-
toned to the ofense; no wonder then
that our iails and penitentiaries are
crowded with blacks who, had they
been whites would under similar cir
cumstances, have remained free
men; no wonder then the degradation
of the black race continues unlessened
and possibly Increased, no wonder that
poverty and unthrift prevail among
all classes and no wonder that the
moral tone of the white, especially
in elections and personal violence is
materially lowered.
A PRACTICAL SUCCESSION.
My suggestion now is this: form
Society, called say Society for Defend
ing INDECENT Indicted Blacks; engage
permanently a fearless, aggressive, but
discreet attorney, able and diligent, and
have him take charge of the defence of
direct asd u BrdasSectHh2g aS thg S9fsty may
ders against helpless blacks.
The burden should of course fall
mainly upon the blacks, but in view of
the important bearing upon our gener-
al moral welfare of securing justice for
helpless fellow citizens, I feel sure the
whites would cheerfully assist fnan-
cially and otherwise, and as earnest
thereof hereby pledge myself to con-
tribute one hundred dollars annually
for at least five years to such a Society
properly organized and managed.
With such society the blacks would
soon find their condition greatly i'm
proved they would not have their
self-respect constantly shocked and
equivalent 10 convention, nor by SEEING
prisons hIBd with blacks wholly dis
proportionste to numbers, because
NOW commonwealth attorneys, to use
Massey's characterization of Wise, are
brave Will the prudent. and prudent
with the bnve, that is, they are brave
and vehenpnt in demanding of unsym-
pathetic ilries conviction and excessive
punishment for INDECENT. ignorant
friendless blacks, who, on that account
should be mercifully dealt with, but
are prudelG and mild in demanding
punishment for whites of good stand
ing. who on that account should be
severely dalt with, but THEN convlc-
tions and sentances would be fewer and
lighter, lecause even Commonwealth
attorneys though so brave in face
Of helplss, friendless Negroes would
be prudmt in face of able, fearless
opponent. -,
Make successful start here you will
be imitaed elsewhere and your eX-
ample my prove to be a modern Mos
es leadhg the Negro race out of a
worse thin Egyptian bondage, because
it is a bndage Of injustice in the very
temple hf Justice Enough; | have
struck tie key note, follow it up. In
Richmoh Planet. L. ii. 3.