Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-25

the fact that IN the city Of Richmond.
VITA DOpuiaIOn OF 10000 and in the
broad Iignt OF day. two deperate attempts
20 criminal assault have been made upon
lAileS by a negro man within the past
week. and the frequency Of such crimes
throughout the South. 20 very far TO
emphasize the difference I'm moral status
between the negro as a slave and as q
freeman. and show that freedom and
the educational and religious advantages
that have accompanied 1t have served
out poor purpose, so far as q large ele-
meHt or tho race is concerned in elC-
waiting their moral character and curling
me brutal ifNtincts Of their natures In
the nte-bellum days. when the negroes
wera 10 as slaves, crimes of this char
aSter were OF the Tarest occurrcnce-al-
most unheard of-and we believe II cor
rect data could be obtained ii ould show
ttat rev Of the criminal assaults upon
wtlte women have been made by the
negroes who We're reared under the
wholesome and restraining influence of a
master but by those of the post-bellum
ciaSs. VINO have been taught that free
dom means immunity from labor and
license 70 disregard the law and to graft
~ tle animal lusts. For the misdeeds Of
the miserable wretches who have figured
4h these outreSes We should not make 4
"holesdle condemnation Of the race and
claSs them all in the same category
mere Is a very large element of the
negro population who have a proper ap-
probation OF the new relations their
emancipation created and who honestly
endeavor TO avail themselves of the ben
ehts they have afforded to raise them
serves IN the social and moral scale That
phenomenal success has crowned the ef-
forts OF ths class statistics fully warra MT
Us IN OelieYlng. They have proved true TO
themselves, and have made the best use
CT their opportunities. They have been
guilty OF no great sin of commission. but
are chargeabie with one of the gravest
omission Is not raising their voice In
the Sternest condemnation OF q crime
that almost invariably leads to Iawless-
ness. and which is daily destroying the
friendly relations that should and would
otherwise exist between the races lr
the more respectable and Intelligent class
or negroes, their preachers and teachers.
would only exhibit onc-half the earnest
ness and zoal they display I'm denouncing
lynching and lynch law i'm denunciation
OF the one crime that induces the white
men wherever it is committed to take
the law into their own hands, shey
would be doing Gods service. and at the
same time might save the country from
such exhibitions as nearly always follow
In the wake OF its commission AS long
az the negroes exhaust all OF their ef-
forts I'm denouncing lynching and take
no notice OF the crime that l-gds to II,
but rather make martyrs and heroes or
the wretches who commit II. they may
reasonably expect that IL will become
more frequent, and that the lawlessness
OF which they affect such horror VIII in
crease pari-passu. The negro might as
well be made to understand that when
ever n white woman is criminally as
saulted by one OF his race. that speedy
punis hment Will surely follow. not ac-
cording to the form prescribed by the
law, but I'm the mode that may be die
tated by outraged public sentiment. which
I'm all such cases is a law unto ITSELF
and that invectives and denunclaton VIII
avail nothing 10 avert IL. Let them put
a stop 20 the crime and there viii be no
occasion for them 10 lament Nnching