The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1897-07-10
GEORGIA LII WYERS ON
L YNCHING.


The subject of lynch law has
been much discussed by the news
papers throughout the Union lately.
Especially in the Southern States
has this mooted question received
the attention of the public
journals. With few exceptions edi-
tors south of Mason and Dixon's
line approve the lynching of negro
ravishers. In Georgia the other
day the State Bar Association met
and some of the best minds of that
commonwealth, discussed the ques-
ton whether or not black brutes
who ravish white women should be
lynched. Hon. Hal. T. Lewis, an
eloquent and distinguished son of
the Cracker State, led the fight in
favor of giving the endorsement OF
the bar association to the lynching
of the wretches, and we are glad to
say that the sentiments so forcibly
and beautifully expressed by the
fearless Georgian, were unquali-
fiedly endorsed by other lawyers of
equal prominence. All honor to
those gentlemen for daring to give
an honest expression of their views
on this subject, for there are
Southern men, who at heart share
the same opinion, but have not the
moral courage to speak it out, for
fear of mourning the displeasure of
Ida Wells and few bowling cranks
in the North who have not the re-
hottest idea OF the social conditions
that prevail in the South.
1t may be alright for Judge
Baldwin, Of Connecticut, and other
long distance sociologists to coolly
inform the Southern people that the
claw of evolution is at work upon
the negro" and :tthat with the
facilities for schooling which the
laws every where extend to Linn, the
eradication must be steadily and
gradually Effected"
But while the negroes are in this
evolutional state, what are
the white men of the South to do ?
When the negroes will have reached
that degree of advancement which
Judge Baldwin tells US will be the
result of educa ton and they will
cease the preparation of that horri-
BILE crime upon defenseless victims,
then, and not before, will the
Southern people cease to lynch
them.
Mr.. Lewis, who, by the way, is the
gentleman that nominated Bryan al
Chicago, spoke as follows:
"Lynchings in Georgia are al
most invariably the result of horri.
BILE outrages perpetrated upon help
less and defenseles women. Is it
because the people are apprehen.
sive that such culprit, with proof
of guilt, would escape punishment
if left in the custody of the law
No one doubts that under our sys.
benz as it stands his conviction
would be assured. Is it because ar
unreasonable delay in trial and exc
cution is aPprehended No one
doubts the readiness of any judge II
Georgia to call a special term O.
court in such cases whenever the
welfare of society demands it. I:
1t because of an unusual spirit O
]awlessness among the white people
of Georgia that they perpetrate o.
permit mob violence7 1 dare say
that the criminal record of Thu
class of her people will compare
favorably with that of any State O
nation on the globe.
s'Why, then, is lynch law NOR
frequently practiced here than il
F., the North and West? 1t is because
the crime to which we have referred
is more frequent here, and the dan
ger of its perpetration greater. H
that supposes this evil can be cor
Tected by legislation simply doe
not understand and appreciate tn
situation, especially in our rura
districts. This crime is committee
by the negro, and, strange to say