The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-12
,IsHop GAINES on IYHCaIEG.
,mn.,,lonsd Statement OF what Col
I'D u,n DsnAnd ali Blast Have

Tmnas,loned Statement OF What Soi-
s-,d u,n Demand Rn d blast Have
,',sbon W. J. Gaines. OF the African
,,o,boalst Episcopal church. writes as
|',,,ws 10 the Atlanta Constitution: l
mid Nike to say few things through
,ss columns OF your valuable and widely
sI.,nlaied paper with reference 70 the
'."sstIon OF lynch law, which, since the
~ vnching In Ohio. is a matter In
~, fhe whole country Is Interested
and rot the southern section alone
While am no apologtst for mob law
under any circumstances, am free 10
admit that there are two sides 70 the
question, and there Is no danger OF fqr-
Getting the enoFmiiy " the crime In
ne stress and emphasis we put on the
observance OF the law.
because colored people have been SO
,ronounced in their danunclation OF
iyrrb law many have reached the con-
sinsI5n that they are In sympathy with
ranlsts and other fragrant criminals who
ars generally the victims OF such law.
This is a great mistake. The better
class OF col0Ted people all over the south
az. unanimous In the condemnation OF
,Gc wratches who are guilty Of these I'M
rrsutionuble crimes. They recognize the
t,r, that the whole race Is suffering In
,bs ewes OF the world through the con-
Snrt OF the vile scohndrels who perpetu-
a,s these crimes. And m many places
tbs white people regard negro with de-
,Ss,atlon and suspicion. believing him to
he capable OF any criminal act where he
is lgft unrestrnined.
From experience and observation !
know this to be true. for one am not
willing to ba thought In sympathy with
crime or criminals, and especially with
ms, OF the character am now consld-
srjDg. II the colored people as q race
.s,get 70 gain the confidence and respect
al their white neIghbors and to elevate
themselves In the scale OF civilized life
they must emphasize In no uncertain
way their detestation OF the more brutal
M their race who commit the horrible
ofIrnses OF rape, arson and the like.
There must be no maldlln sympathy for
snch characters who disgrace their own
nce and bring the negro into shame
and contempt
While I say these things I would not
ne understood US favoclng lynch law.
Could the real criminal suffer It would
nat be so bad, but when innocent men
are frequently the Victims OF excited and
inmTlsted mobs who take the law into
lbeIr own hands the necessity for legal
conviction Is apparent, Lynch law, too,
ma matter how Justly administered, Is
had In It's tendency, working n dlsre-
gard for all law and educating the peo-
plr In the very lawlessness II is intended
10 prevent.
Let the legislature provide for speedy
trials In cases OF this sort and let the
people understand that the guilty must
suffer. lam sure the better class OF my
people are In sympathy with every legal
method to stop this awful crime Of rape,
his TO their. interest to be so. They can
not AFFORD to be In the attitude of palll-
a;!ng or eXcusing or apOlogizlng for thls
bic; upaa their people and upon their
civilization
The white people OF the south are not
alone in their lawless dealing with this
class Of criminals, The recent lynehing
in Ohio shows THAI sentiment every
where In this country is In favor OF deal
Ing out speedy and terrible punishment
10 the despoller of women. stop must
be put to the crime Of rape and he who
commits It. be he white Or colored, must
be made to know that terrible retribution
will follow.
All our people ask is that justrice be
done--that before the law the same evil
dence hc required TO convict negro that
IS required TO convict white man and
that the same punishment be meted out
to the one as to the other. Wherever the
prosl IS conclusive, speaking for my peo-
pIy let the guilty suffer though the heav-
ems fall 80.
Lynchlng. as another has said is not
race question. but a national question
aud II Is proven by the fact that OF ifi
persons lynched in 1896, fifty-four were
white men.
have now In the printers hands
book Tor publication entitled The Ne
gro and the White Man" in whlchl dis
crs. this and many Other vital questions
touching the relations OF the two races.
hope, Mr. Editor In thai book to help
t5ruarl a better feeling between the Two
races in this section Of our county. ]
rstaGnize the fact that In the order OF
pl5v,dence va must live together. and
would Ike to contribute my part toward
intoxicating In my people those great
rr.n-Ipies OF righteousness, truth and re-
spccr i1r law which are the foundations
ul51 which alone they can build up
s.ll-ftspectlng manhood.