The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-10-06
NON WILMINGTON
Is GOVERNED

W uvslNeLU
WILMINGTON, N. c., Sept. SIN
point of area New Hanover i. one of
the smallest counties in North Carolina
but Wilmington is the largest city in
the State. Fiscallv and politically
Wilmington is practically New Han
over county. 1t claims to have o. 000
inha bitants. is a port of no mean mag
nitude. and from a social and histor;
cal point of view is not surpassed by
any city in the State. Men bearing
names that are indissolubly associated
history live here, and some of tn.
wealthiest men of the State resid.
here.
1t will be rememed that by an act
of the fusion legislature the town OF
Greenville was negroized, by giving q
minority of negroes (22D the right to
elect four aldermen while majority
Of whites (254) were allowed to elect
only two. AS outrageous as was this
action there is a shadow of a ghost OF
home rule. in it when compared with
the method adopted to negroize the ait
les of Wilmington and Newbern.
RUSSELL'S HOME RULE.
The city Of Wilmington fs divided
into five wards. Three Of these are
carried by the white voters and two hu
the colored voters. To prevent the peo-
pie from controlling their own afrairs
the legislature provided that the gov
ernor Of the State should name five ad-
ditiOnal aldermen for the CITY. This
gave the Republicans or negroes sever
aldermen. two by election and five By
appointment, while the. Democrats or
white people have only three BY cleo
tlon. This board elects all the city Of
fciafs. save the board Of audit and
hnance, composed OF i've member.
VINO are named by the governor OF the
state. The board of aldermen have
the right to choose the mayor from
among their own number, and then to
board
GIZZARD FRENCH.
There is not a man in North Carolina
who has attained his majority who does
not Know Of G. z. French. His name
IS associated in the minds Of the peo-
PIE or the State with that dark and
Dltter period of outrage and oppression.
or scandal and corruption that belong
ca no the days Of reconstruction. After
IS years of Punishment Gizzard has
iloateu TO the top again. He lie now o.
lehSNDiy deputy, but in fact the sheriff
OF New Hanover. Elijah Hewlett was
erected, because French was not a cit
zen ~ OF the county, but French is sher-
i1f Hewlett lives on the sound and
never comes to town excent to drav
ms salary which Gizzard doles ont I.
him. oo' -
DEPUTY SHERIFFS CAN'T READ.
FRENCH stated under oath a day or
Two ago that he had appointed a negro
deputy VINO was then. up for trial for
an assault. French said he had ap-
pointed the negro by the authority of
r1ewiett. the sheriff. It does not re-
qu1re Blackstone to see the Illegal
ity or such an action There are four
negro deputy sheriffs in this county,
Two or whom, William Fonyiile end D,
w.. Ieachey, can neither read nor
MfIte. Two of these deputies have
on trial during the past four
'iioiiths Tor ourrages in Offices
NO PROTECTION TO PROPERTY.
mere need be no other proof ofrerei
10 the incompetence of our polio,
force, said one of the most nrominent
lawyers of Wilmington in speakinr 70
me OF this matter. than the record of
ourgfarles occurring here during III.
past summer. There have been NOR.
tHdh ioo burglaries in less than 100
sn.s' continued this gentleman. al
most everybody who can afford if
leaves the city during the heated term
some go to the mountains. others ia The
aedsiiore. Few Of them returned this
summer without finding their houses
piuloered and valuables stolen" Their.
a painful sense of insecurity as to
h III ana property. In fact moth
s eise could be expected when the
lie'hs adopted to put Wilmington m
oef engro rule is remsmbered sDeb
Iheenods are sure to bring 10 RI. .1r
al OF the lrresponsibles. the in
tipetehts and the vicious. In sdti-
Ion 70 the negro officials already
ST. Ne" Hanover has . negro reg
lster OF deeds and two deputies. q re-
gro coroner and 40 negro ma ri.tnt.,
A CONTRAST.
The baleful effects OF neero PM. arc
manifested in different ~. 81 dIear
ent sections In Halifax county I
iouhu what NAV termed An eniderie
" .hlc'ery in fOurth-cIa.. pe.topaces
~ nearly every one Of thes. Offices
~ - III me hands Of negroes In Newb.rn
&C., vas a systematic working Of IN.
~ nee or magistrate by the neeroe, FOR
the sake Of the fees. They ve,a o,,,I,y
~ all Kinds Of outrages having for
.neir OBJECT an increase in trial. and
me consequent enlargement o- in
,a3 from fees. In Wilmington the
audns chara cteristic Of negro RUE is
~ ing user IN the alarming Increase
srahn larceny and burglary. This i.
-recessaflly due to incompetence or
worse on the part OF the officials
III all OF these places / found that
one arrogance and insoIence Of the o.
pro o Merg constentiZ ,,b be nt,v ng NOR
that -au. omen were the leaders ir
Sutrages. Few creatures 49, -.
w ,,.ba Il lnt4ierable than negro yome1
show Inn ehiorouehly vicious. They viii
tb0usand spi.e and malevolence in
sss. themselves to men. and 49, -.
. .ney nes,h there is no such thine a.
,o,p then, especially II the oYencs
-ohie' through the tongue.
JNO y. XURH.