The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-11-18
The Messenger.
LET US HAVE A

All the good citizens of Wilmington
doubtless greatly desire to have peace.
The excitement of the past six weeks
eliminating in a serious conflict be-
tween whites and blacks last week was
very distressing every way to the
whites, but it was the outgrowth of
accommodating outrages and seemed
well nigh unavoidable, under the cir
cumstances. 1t Is a most marvellous
thing indeed that under the p~rotracted
and great p~rovocations the conflict
was really so small in results, and so
few negroes were killed. We verify
believe that there is not a city of the
size of Wilmington in all the north or
in all the south if subjected to a like
~provocation and with the entire white
manhood under arms for the protection
of all women and children, and all
~peaceably inclined black men, that
would not have killed five or ten times
more of the blacks han were killed
here. The forbearance has been in
deed most wonderful, and all here
wherever born know this to be SO. The
long suffering was tried tremendously,
but the natural, Unborn heroism and
sense of justice of the white men pre-
vailed and they kept most marvellous
control over passion and the spirit of
vengeance for insults, outrages, vio-
lences to women, children and white
men.
yUhn~ r nr1 (1ixya yynC in India ny-
hibiting such masterful rule he was
guilty of some offence or offence that
caused him to be censured by the
British government. He said when re-
viewing his own conduct, that when
he remembered that he stood master
over the enemy, and in the midst of
immense riches running up into count
less millions, and contented himself
with taking but a very small sum that
"'by God he was surprised at his own
moderation"
When the best manho of Whining
ton, not confined to any condition in
life, for the daily toilers were as brave,
determined, ready for self-sacriice as
any other class for city and race and
homes, stood with the best arms in
hand, and failed or refused to strike
the class that had brought on the
chaos and threatened destruction, n
only six or seven desperate negroes
ready for deviltry and d~eath-dealing, |
and sought it voluntarily with burn !
ing malice and revenge, were killed,
it was a splendid example of for
bearance and moderation without a
possible parallel in this country. We
repeat that in any other community
in any state in the American Union
with such prolonged manifestations of
wrong-doing and oppression of the
race and such threatening
clouds of killing and arson hanging
over them and their homes, the re-
suits would nave been far beyond any
seen here in the appeal to bloody arbi-
So moderate, so conservative, SO
at bottom have been the white
people, the masters of the city, that
gave protection to hundreds OF
the negroes. This writer offered shell
ter and protection to three women of
hat race, and told a negro man where
he could go to find protection from
,ne of this writer's family. The truth
g. when we remember the great eX-
element intensified by delay and out
age of blacks, and then see how great
he curb upon passion, how reason
leld the reins, and how wide the mod
,ration of the dominant race here we
ire like Give, we stand amazed, and
yOnderment fills Is.
Let us have peace. Let law ana
order prevail all over the city. Let all
he stirrers up of strife be arrested
brought before the mayor. There
are negro women who are insulting
white women and children yet. There
ire turbulent negroes making threats,
h should be suppressed, should
10 arrested and severely dealt with.
There is no use crying peace, peace,
when there is no peace Let the au-
stamp out violence and in
,1lts. and all that leads to retaliation.
peace have it's perfect work. All
rood citizens will help and rejoice in
he cooling down of all passion n
he return Of confidence and quiet.