The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-30
AN ANSWER TO RUSSELL
RICHMOND WHITE MEN RESENT CHARGE
OF LAWLESSNESS.
They Have Put a Stop to Incendiary Speeches
Because The Negroes Were Being
Wrought Up to Do Volercs.

Laurlnburg, N. ", Oct. =, 1890.
To the Editor: The Governors procla-
nation has been the all-absorbing topic
of TODAY and the source of much unfa-
vorable comment. He says that 1.-THE
political canvass, now going forward,
has been made the occasion and preteyt
for bringing about conditions of lawless-
ness in certain counties in this State,
such. for example, as Richmond and
Robeson counties
Inasmuch as our own county has been
singled out as a particular county in
which, according to His EXcellency,
these conditions of lawlessness" exist,
we feel impelled, in the defense of our
best citizenship, to state the plain and
simple facts in the matter, and leave the
decision to the intelligent public of North
Carolina. Every one knows that where
there is so much concentration of effort
and determination, such a state OF UNI
easiness. excitement and turmoil, so
much sacrifice of personal and business
interests as we see manifested III oui
midst from day to day, that back and
behind all, there must be, there is Il
sufficient underlying cause. What are
some of the causes existing in Rich
mond?
/. A few weeks ago our citizens were
Informed that Republican of our town
was to address a crowd of negroes on q
certain night, few miles in the country.
knowing. as we did, the exciting and
threatening attitude of the negroes. anu
at the suggestion of the wisest element
of our intelligent citizenship, it was
deemed advisable for a portion of our
citizens to attend, expressly for the pur-
pose of preserving law and order and
seeing that nothing should be said in
territorial or unintentional of an Ill
flammatory character. There were no
threats no intimidation. or demOnStra-
ton of violence. but on the contrary the
speaker was met and assured that he
would be accorded a respectful hearing.
He dismissed his crowd, however, saying
he feared trouble and subsequently ac-
knowledged in the presence Of witnesses
that the negroes were armed with Win
chester rifles. That same night. two
gentlemen of this town wera held mp
on the public highway by three of these
negroes. The negroes were profane and
insulting in many respects, and but for
the desire. on the part OF these gentlemen
of not resorting to unnecessary violence.
they would have been left dead in their
tracks.
But this is only the beginning. The
following Saturday night was "an eye
opener" to us all. Some time during the
night the negroes, heavily armed, assem-
bled in that portion of the town where
the negroes principally live. They
whooped and yelled and shot volley after
volley from midnight Saturday night. Mt
various intervals, till sunrise Sunday
morning. Never before has the peace
and sanctity of the Sabbath day been
so disturbed by fiendish mob of in
furiated negroes The Oldest inhabit-
ants of the town say they never witness
ed sllclr a scene. 1t is variously esti-
mated that from three to five hundred
shots were fired between four o'clock
and sunrise, and they left town Sunday
morning still shooting and yelling war,
war. Sunday night, while our people
were in their accustomed places of wor-
ship, pistol shots could be heard in va
rious directions, and no later than last
Sunday a negro was seen walking the
street carrying Winchester rifle. Be-
sides the negroes have publicly made
threats of burning and have been known
to say that if they couldn't shoot, they
could burn and would do it. Now, it
must be remembered that these things
all occurred BEFORE the canvass of
the county candidates and which His
Excellency says "was made the occasion
and the pretext of bringing about CON
ditions of lawlessness." When the can
didates began their canvass in this end
of the county, they found it in the con
diton above described. Our people real.
lied that we were on the verge of an
apparently serious trouble, and that dis
erection, prudence and determination to
nip in the bud' anything calculated Il
encourage it, were essential to the main
tenance of law and order, and the pro-
lection of our property and lives. The
county candidates spoke at Old Hundred
and were unmolested, and it was there
that one of their cOmra des. Henry Gov
ington, made that infamous speech i'm
the total absence of any known protest
from those who were canvassing the
county with him. Some Of Gibson's
most reliable men heard it. and when
this fellow had the cheek to attempt to
speak in their own section the
following day, they promptly
returned home and reported the charac-
ter Of Covington's speech, and about
three hundred white men who respect
and admire the exalted womanhood of
North Carolina. determined that this vile
slanderer should not, in the absence Of
our protest, continue such business any
longer. There were no acts of violence,
and Coyington, realizing to some extent,
at least, the infamy of his speech, stood
up before the crowd and submitted an
apology. l think l can safely say, in be-
half of our citizens, that no threats have
been made at any time, save the various
threats of burning made by vicious
negroes. Now Mr.. Editor. l have. at
some length, stated the case as it really
is, if there are conditions of lawless-
ness" an Intelligent nnhlic can take the