The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-12-01
washington Post.)

! (WashingtOn POST
EDITOR POsT:-For nearly twenty
five years l have honestly endeavoret
to give the best portion of m,
thoughts and actions to the ameiiora
ton of the ills of my race, especially
along such lines as | considered mos
substantial. This help was not ad
ministered from affair." but having
voluntarily taken up my residence il
the extreme South, where l was in
constant touch and intercourse with
all classes and both races for twenty
years, speak with some Information
when l attempt, through your col
umns, to PROFOUND some things to
the negroes by way of advice and
counsel, and to the white people Of
America, who stand with the negroes
politically, as we'll as those who have
always been kept at war against the
negro on account of politics alone
| have always appreciated very keen
ly the position taken by the Post, be-
cause it has SO accurately defined
the temper and feelings of the white
people toward us and advising as to
our course accordingly, which posi-
tions have from time to time been
contradicted in good faith by able
cujored men as not being the public
sentiment respecting us, but which
has never been contradicted by the
white people themselves. The Post
has certainly reflected what was pub
lie sentiment, and that is that ne
groes have made serious mistakes in
expecting to be sustained when their
interests or demands clashed with
those of the white people.
Referring to the race wars in North
and South Carolina l desire to say
that the negroes have been victimized
and traduced, and in order that they
may not be further deceived by any
belief that the President or the
national government will come to
their relief l desire, through your
columns, to suggest that section
5000, United States Revised Statutes.
discussed in the Cabinet on Friday,
under which Mr.. Tolbert wants
Federal Interference in South Caro-
lima, was in force when President
Harrison told the negro Bishops that
the President had no power. 1t was
in force when the United States Su-
preme Court gave its many decisions
covering what they considered denial
by the States Of the equal protection
of the laws. It was in force when
the white people of Wilmington or
ganized, planned, gave timely notice,
and did forcibly prevent free cleo
ton, and did expel the duly consti-
tuted city government and informally
install another in it's stead.
The existence of the statute in
question is we'll known, and is no
new discovery; but it ought also to be
borne in mind that the statute at
tempts to construe the fourteenth
amendment, defines what is meant
by denying to persons the equal pro-
lection of the laws, and directs the
President to interfere in the manner
therein pointed out. The Supreme
Court, our tribunal for constituting
the Constitution, has given several
decisions saying what is meant, and
the States in question will not per-
nit the Presidents interference. eX-
cept in protecting the United States
officers in the discharge of the duties
appertaining to those offices. If
these United States officials are MUIR
dered, the United States courts will
exercise no jurisdiction in trying
their murderers, for the threats
AGAINST their lives ara NOT moda ha-
cause of their holding said offices,
but because of their course outside of
the duties of such offices. Mr.. Toll
bert, who appears willing to return
South Carolina and die with his
friends in case there is no power in
the Federal government to protect
those people, will certainly make a
needless sacrifice, for hope held out
by the general government is delus-
ion and snare. 1t is foolish to
think there was authority under this
statute all these years, yea, all
through these troubles. The whole
world was given notice that the
North Carolina Republicans conferred
with the President, the Assistant
Attorney General being a North
Carolina Republican, and the Presi-
dent sitting by and allowing all these
murders, and the popular will to be
suppressed by violence.
The President has no authority
under that statute, and it is hoped all
the authorities will read what the
Supreme Court says in the Virginia,
West Virginia, Delaware, Kentucky
and Mississippi jury cases, and in
the civil rights cases, and numerous
other cases where they went over the
ground. Their position is uniform
that the individual, who is wronged
in right under the Constitution and
charged up as wrong of omission or
commission by the State, the party
complaining must proceed through
his State courts and exhaust his
remedy there. The cases where the
President may interfere, except in
enforcing the execution of the bust
ness of the United States, are limited
to such conditions where the State
Executive shall call upon the Presi-
dent for help, declaring his inability
to execute the laws after proving to
the President that he has exhausted
his remedies.
1t is safe to say that no State Exec
utive, either Republican or Demo
cratic, will call on the President to
aid him in protecting the lives of the
negroes, and it is just here that l
want to advise Southern negroes not
to be further deceived into opposing
the political am bitions of the South
ern white people, of whom SO per
cent. are Democrats. Their aim is
white supremacy, such as we have
the country over. Negroes are
taught to fight and fear this when
their only danger and hurt comes
from opposing it. for political oppo'