New-York tribune., 1897-08-02
"THE BEST PEOPLE,"


Atlanta COMMERCIAL who has been urging the
people of Georgia to he quick at lynchng ana
thank God for their courage, is circulating Il
reply To the almost universal criticism of his
appral 10 savage passions in which he says
that Georgia favors lynchings that the press in
the State which condemns them is not repre-
sentative and adds: in the case of the Griffin
"lynching there was the most perfect order, and
''t is wcll-iccognlzcd fact that in the crowd
There were graduates Of the State University
and some of the best people in Georgia, all OF
'whom would compare well with the civiliza-
'tion of any country on the face of the globe.
Perhaps it is true thai the best people OF
Georgia do like lynching. perhaps Georgia gen
tlcncn think "nigger killing" excellent sport.
perhaps the graduates of the State University
wish 10 promote civilization by establishing Il
museum of hangmans nooscs and blood-soakcd
clothes. AIr. Blackburn knows their feelings
better than we do, but we are still prepared to
maintain that best people" of that kind do not
compare well with the civilization of any coun-
try on the face of tie globe \ few incidents
taken from the accounts of the local papers
rot dOctOred Northern stOrlcS-Of the Grifiin
affair which called forth Mr.. ElackburnS ell
logy on lynching show that If, as he charges,
the Georgia editors who represented the lynch
irg as the Wo.k Of the lawless elements lied.
they did 50 with the benevolent intention of
making their folloW-citiZons appear less bar
harOlis than thry We're The Macon Tele-
graph shows mat Williams was not victim
to the righteous Indignation of the fathers of
Georgia half so much as OF an aroused appe-
lite for hanging There had been talk of
lynching the wretch, but the excitement had
HusSidcd ana there WAS Il good prospect OF
speedy legal Trial. conviction and execution.
Meanwhile another lynching occurred of
white man. The Ryder affair revived interest
in the case" SAYS The Telegraph" In Macon
thc people " lo hung about the streets began 10
say: Ryder may or NAV not have been ii good
"subicct for lynching but that fendish negro,
civilians. certainly is. and if Macon had any
| "mcn with courage hc would not bc allowed 10
/ stay here" To dare the courage of the men
o. Macon WAS TO excite 20 action a high-spir-
tied people and so Williams was hanged. One
taste Of blood had aroused desire for more.
And how did the best citizens behave after
they had Wliams's blood: Read "Thc Au-
glista Chronicles account:
| The body was cut down and there was at
! once II rapid division of the rope among the
! spectatOrs IL was cut into small pieces and
| distributed as far as il would go. Some OF the
men were content with pieces Of the dead ne
| gro's shirt, trousers or suspenders. and desires
were expressed even for pieces OF his body for
a mcmento. Men. women and children. black
! and white, were gathered about the scene ot
! the lynchng all the morning.
How was that for civilization that compares
We'll with any in the world: The best people
who were so anxious to protect homes and pre-
serve refinement must feel that they are doing
/. nobly in providing for men, women and
children n chance for morbid contemplation
gloating over dead body and preserving
ahasily relics of horror. How proudly will
those bows and girls in after years display
piece. OF the blood d-stained shirt and boast it
was from n mao their fathers killed.
In its editorial columns The Augusta Chron
icle" states exactly the view of civilized p"o-
pie on this subject ~ hose who oppose lynch
"incs are not moved by consideration for the
..v.relchcs who are lynched. but for the men
l'"who. without shadow of legal authority there
for put 10 death Il feilow-bcing. II is not 10
| save the outra2er that the press and the law
.,hidipo nublic declare against lynchng. bu; il
lis 70 save ,he people themselves from laWlesS
and brutal conduct" No people. be they the
bcst OF the worst in the world. can habtually
indulge in such sccncS aS occurred nj Griffin
without lowering themselves and tanting the
blood oc future. generations with morbid and
! nnruly Instincts. 1t is law OF nature. The
alarming growth Of the lynching habit shows IT,.
The plain tendency of mcbs 10 form al The sug-
.estion Of lynchings elsewhere tells the same
story The grcwSome acts of horror haunting
crowds at every lynching enforce the truth.
These are only the outward incidents No.
body can tell how much these noisy mobs con-
vey Of criminal suggestion to negroes who
would not h" led 10 passionate outbreaks were
they not brought To contemplation Of the sub.
jrci. Al any rate the deeds become more fire.
auent ~ for the influence Of volenc" on the
rising generation Of the whites. that. too can
not be- measured. But where the fathers are
lawless .ncc the children are likely 10 be law
less ten times from the example, and those who