The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-14

Wilmington. y. G.. Oct. IL. 1895

Editor Messenger:
In the disclosure made in your sun
days issue as TO the efforts OF the
negroes here to buy rifles there IS food
for thought. Not that the number the
delUded creatures attempted 70 buy Is
sufficient To cause alarm. but that tn
offer To pay cash for tw~enty-<oGr rifles
at $3.50 OF more a piece. coming from
negroes, excites surprise. Where
among their race here could that
number be found DESTROYS TO purchase
a rifle at this particular juncture and
also able to put down the cash for
it? If they have not the individuals
who could or would furnish the mon
ey. the only other ource would be the
republican count executive commit
tee. by which. ii seems. the rifles were
actually ordered.
Now, the chief source OF money sup
ply to that committee are the few
white republicans in this city. Can IL
be possible hat these men have sunk
so low that they are willing to supply
ans To the vicious negroes TO be used
against white men, Winchester rifles
| are not bought for play. ! say. is IL pos
sible that there is one. even one. white
man in this city SD mean as TO place
| rifles in negroes lands To be used
against their neighbors? Then the
limit OF endurance is reached and pass
ed Can We. without resistance. allow
the white republican. who probably
lives next door to US, towards whom
We have tried TO be a neighbor. and
whose family have been welcomed into
ours. TO league himself with negroes for
the destruction of our peace and pos
sibly our lives? Hardly.
These shameless white republicans
ned not deceive themselves by uppos
ing that decent white people will long
er tolerate them. We will extend 10
them the same treatment we man To
mete out 10 the negro. If the negro
Systematically opposes our interests,
| then he is our enemy and must stand
at arms length. If he can afford il,
we ear We mean what me say. n
as with the negro, So with the few
white republicans here who are Civ
ing him aid and encouragement. and
| supplying money To purchase rifles.
, After such conduct we need wait for
| no further development. Nc man can
be our neighbor who tries To disrupt
| society. destroys peace. n turns his
back upon all race traditions.
There can be named six white re-
publicans here who. if they were To
quit the negroes in this crisis. the lat
ter would go to pieces. Those men are
the real source Of all our trouble
Theirs is the responsibility for the
| recent lawlessness of the negro. Even
now. they are holding night confer
erces with him. under the guidance of
high officials who thus prostitute their
office. for the purpose Of still further
disgracing our town and state.
In spite of the fact thar the white
men furnish the negro 81 cents out of
| every 81 that he earns. and pay 90
cents of every 81 that is expended for
the schooling Of his children, these
miserable white republicans say to the
negro. No. YOU shall not vote with
| your friends. but against them: YOU
| shall vote as we tell YOU" And like
| dumb driven slaves. the negroes obey.
These same six white republicans
have. according to reliable information,
arranged a county ticket. to be put
thirty-six negroes. They dare not
name it nov
Finally. as a climax 70 their shame
! less conduct. they give him money and
tell him to buy guns. They have as
! cosiated with the negro 50 long as to
have assimilated his temperament, and
| that not of the better ones. but most
vicious. We are not fools. When the
negro begins to use his gun we viii
know we'll enough where to place the
blame.
There will come an end to this con
fusion, violence and la wlessness. IT is
a race conflict. and when the negr0
finally goes down, as go he must. for
white men have never yet cringed be-
fore an inferior race. then these white
republicans will have cause to regret
the day they Joined the negroes against
tn whites in such a contest. Theirs is
the choice. CITIZEN.