The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-10
THE UPPERMosT QUESTION NOW.

Longstreet. so severely some time Ago..
He lately wrote an article upon lynch
ing, and was censured by The New
York Journal for his candor and bold
ness. The New York paper said The
Commercial did not reflect public senti-
ment in the south. In his reply to the
structures Of The Journal, he says: TT
is a safe rule to observe that a man
who will lie to you about how he loves
you, and will agree with you in pref
erence to unfolding his own people.
will steal from you If he gets a chance"
He writes:
1.-THE people of Georgia favor lynch
ing for the usual crime. Those who
contend that lynching is confined to the
law1ess element are a lot OF internal
liars, who take the people of the north
for a lot Of fools. We might as we'll
be plain and honest about the matter.
II their contention is true, that the peo-
pie forming such mobs are lawless and
unrepresentative. why is it that these
men, or some of them, are not some
times punished? The governor offers
rewards, but the oldest inhabitant
never heard of one being claimed or
paid"
Mr.. Blackburn denies hat the real
! reason for %lynching is the laws delay,
and says this:
This is far from the truth Of the sit
uation. If the people knew absolutely
that such criminals would be hung by
law in thirty lays from their appre-
tension, mob violence would continue
It is not the uncertainty
Of the punishment that excites them.
1t is a spirit that breathes the ~1oftiest
chivalry, a determination that the pure
victim shall not be subjected to the
narrowing experience that follows court
inquiry in order that her assailant
may be properly punished. This is the
main consideration in every lynch
ing for this particular crime, n all
appeals to law will be futile until gall
lantry becomes a thing of the past"
Say what you will, but there is much
truth in his contention. The people
are naturally profoundly stirred when
a devilish rape occurs right in their
midst. They are already excited at the
repeated records Of rapes, and when
one occurs at their door they are up
in arms at once bent on swift and
unerring retaliation. While fearing
the results in the courts, its delay
included, they are anxious to shield the
unhappy, the miserable victims of the
| brutes from the most painful ordeal of
a public scrutiny in a crowded court
room. It may be sentiment or sympa-
thy or resentment or what not, or all
combined and more, but the feeling is
deep down in the southern heart that
the women of the Anglo Saxon race
shall be protected against the brutal,
fearful outrages of the rapacious ne
groes. The Atlanta editor says:
eve believe in law and popular re-
lance on the statute-but the people
being the authors of the law, we be-
lieve that every man should vow his
highest and~strOngest allegiance to
that great unwritten law that calls
upon him to protect his own home from
despoliatiOn. We believe that the man
who would see his own child outraged
and then call Upon the people to sub
NIT to law and allow her to be exam
ined in detail before a gaping, curious
crowd is worse than the brute guilty
of the crime, and should be hung on
the same gallows with him."
That is mighty plain speech and
it is hitting all about the bulls-eye of
the truth. Mr.. Blackburn surely has
the courage of his convictions and he
writes with exceeding boldness. Hear
him Once more:
"Lynching for such crimes is a home
question, and must be looked at from
every freside. It is a great wrong
in us of the crowded cities to shut our
selves within the selfish shells of our
own security and withhold our SYM
pathy from the poor countryman whose
family is at the mercy of an inferior
and criminal race. His wife is just
as pure as ours, and his innocent child
rem have their little fingers just as
firmly clutched in his heartstrings as
those at our police-protected homes.
1t is right for our people to protect
their homes in this way, and we repeat
that God should be praised every time
such a brute is hung. The only secur-
ity to our system Of government begins
and ends at the hearthstone."
All know how very uncertain is jury
trial now in the south. If a brute who
has assaulted a good woman is caught
and tried, there is no guarantee what
ever that he will be found guilty and
punished. The court may meet prompt
ly, but one negro on the j-.ry can pre-
vent a due course of justice. In the
meantime the raping continues at an
awful rate Of increase. A few days
ago a terrible RAPE was committed near
Kittrell by a negro in the employ of
MI. Oscar J.. Blacknall, who was from
home. He at once telegraphed to his
son to employ the best lawyer possible
at his expense to help the state Off
cial prosecute the ~scoundrel. Yester-
days Messenger contained an account
in a special of a criminal attempt by
a White scoundrel named Henry jack
son upon a daughter of Mr.. James
| Hodges, a farmer in the country, six
miles from Washington in Beaufort
| county. The villain admits the crime.
The Messenger also printed a dispatch