The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-08-16

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dignitaries are to be held up to public
scorn and contempt for promoting a
fendish disposition in negroes and q
lynching disposition in the whites, be-
cause they recently selected from the
thousands OF negro citizens in North
Carolina two mento be appointed post
masters in ''our eastern counties"
The language of Bro. Bailey means,
if it means anything, that notice is
thereby served upon all whom it may
concern, that, if they dare to give any
of the rewards of citizenship to negro
citizens, they may expect other negroes
to be tied to trees and shot to death in
resentment of such action.
Bro. Bailey says, ut is in the tcuest
sense vindictive and immoral to ap-
point a negro postmaster at Scotland
Neck. "Let us treatit for the moment as
if it were both vindictive and immoral.
It is certain that Joe Williams was not
appointed postmaster at that town, nor
at any other town. It does not appear
that Joe Williams had anything to do
with the appointment Of a negro POST.
master at Scotland Neck, or at any
other town. 1t does not appear that
Joe Williams had been guilty of the
fendish act for which murders by
mobs are not only usually justified but
applauded. Why, then, should Joe
Williams have been murdered2 And
why should Bro. Bailey go hunting
through the House, and the Senate,
and the Cabinet, and the National
Executive Mansion itself for arguments
to be used in taking away some Of the
horrors Of q most brutal murders
Whether Bro. Bailey meant it or not,
he makes himself the apoIogist for
murder and murderers in the para
graph printed at the head of this ar
ticle.
We do not write this in anger. We
write it in profound sorrow rather;
and we write it only because we think
it ought to be written.
It was, perhaps, a huge political
blCnder to take men out of slavery,
and elevate them to the dignities and
responsibilities Of citizenship, without
any previous training for such dig.
mites and responsibilities. But, how
ever huge the blunder may have been,
the negroes themselves are not to blame
for it, and it is criminal to teach, even
remotely and by implication, that
numbers of them are to be murdered
in cold blood, because, now and then,
one of their number is given some Of
the rewards of a citizenship which was
thrust upon them.
Then, it is to be remembered that
the enfranchisement of the Southern
negroes is not an evil unmixed with
good to the South. It is true that the
representation of the South in the
National legislature has been largely
increased by the process of investing
the negroes with citizenship, to the en-
largement of the South's powers in the
administration Of all our National
affairs.
Then, too, it sometimes happens that
the very best preparation which a PEG
pie car have for the exercise of high
and citizenly functions, comes to that
people by putting them in places where
the exercise OF such functions is i'm
peratively required of them.
But, be these things as they may,
1 Nhn -onnaoo ~ &ha 0ogTfh nuA 10S4SUnan ~
the Republic, as a matter of fact; end,
having to bear the burdens of citizen
ship, are they not entitled to it's re-
wards, just as their white brethren are
entitled to them9 That is to say, are
they not entitled to the rewards of
citizenship just as they rise in the scale
of intelligent manic I'd and moral
characters
The negroes are citizens. They have
to pay taxes, sit on juries, work the
roads, bear arms in defence of their
country, and do and suffer all other
things, which are required to be done
and suffered by any other class of citi-
zens. Does the editor of the Biblical
Recorder believe that it is christianity
to deny the negroes the rights and re-
wards of citiz onship, while exactiDg
from them all the Lab ors. pains and
burdens OF citiz enshipY If he does,
may God help his Christianity Does
the young editor of this great religious
weekly think it is moral to mitigate
and extenuate murder. simply because
that murder is the elimination of the
race hatreds engendered by political
rancor and b%itterness9 If he docs, may
God help his moralsl Does Bro. Bailey