The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-03-09
Negro Murder and Race Hatred.


county, S. c., celebrated Washington's
birthday. John Baker, a negro, had
been appointed postmaster at that
place. The post-ofice building had
been burned by way of emphasizing the
disapproval Of the appointment by the
white.skins Of the community. AS the
dusky federal officer did not resign at
this mild intimation that he had better
give up the office, on the night of Feb
ruary %, mob of some 500 miscreants
surrounded the hut to which the Office
had been moved, set fire to it and when
the postmaster opened the door to es-
cape with his family he fell before the
rife shots that,rained upon him, and his
body was charred in the ruins of his
burning dwelling. His wife was
wounded and the babe in her arms
killed, and two daughters and a son
were wounded, by the fire of the as
sassins.
Thus did the representatives of the
"sovereign race" in that obscure COM
munity indicate their determination
that no descendant of Ham should have
the handling of the postal cards, letters
and newspapers that enter or de-
part from its benighted precincts.
The governor of the State rose to the
full height of the grade of civilization
these midnight murders and woundings
indicate by offering reward of $500
for the arrest of the murderers-abou
one dollar head. The leading papers
of South Carolina condemn the fendish
massacer with proper spirit. The
State, published at Columbia, closes an
impassioned article on the subject with
these words:
eve are ashamed and sickened For the
sake of South Carolina, her good name, her
pride, and her manhood, we would have
preferred to see her lose Thousand sons in
battle than have to record such a towards
crime as that which stains her to-day. All
Of US have to bear the disgrace OF 1.-THE
million innocent alike with the mob. For
years and.deoades it will be a taunt in the
mouths Of our enemies, and we must bow
our heads under the lash of their scorn."
But the editors generally, even he of
the State, blame the President for max
ing negro a postmaster, and on him
or Hanna, or "the State boss who had
the negro appointed" the final RESPONSE
bility for the murders is shifted. A
negro postmaster is not, even in South
Carolina, a new thing. Columbia in
that State had one for eight years;
Charleston had one for the same length
of time and dozens of other South
Carolina towns have had negro post
masters, and have borne this offence to
race pride with patience and dignity.
Why should not President of the
United States who appoints to high and
responsible offices in Washington and
elsewhere representatives of the race
hat "fought bravely" for the Union,
that was ever the faithful friend and
pilot to the Union lines of the federal
soldier escaping from the horrors of
Confederate prison pens, that was often
the trustworthy guide Of the Union
armies, that rendered most arduOus
and difficult military service in the
Southern States during the civil war,
that was clothed with citizenship when
the Union was reconstructed, that is a
controlling factor in the industrial pros
perity of the South-why should not
President of the restored Union APP
point one of this race postmaster?
The only question in the case could be
as to the Negroes ability to perform the
duties of the office. There is reason
and propriety and right in the appoint
ment, and there would be reason and
righteous retribution in abolishing the
post-office in every community that
persecutes federal officer 30 appointed,
and murders him when all other brutal
agencies fail to secure his resignation
or removal.
If South Carolina justice does not
deal resolutely and in good faith with
the murderers in the present instance,
the suggestion of federal punishment
made by the NsDS and Courier of
Charleston, S. c., affords the only
hope of the vindication of outraged
law. Sin the federal courts" says that
paper, "the trial would be free from
local political influences; and that is
where the mob should be tried" The
tone of the southern press, in unmeas-
ured and indignant condemnation of
the murder, and in demand for rigorous
punishment, is sign that the age of