Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-24
TILS OF NEGRO DOMINATION
rtrayed byDr. Lee Of Johns
Hopkins University.
{ WILMINGTON, N. c., UPRISING
trent of Crimes That Led to
the elimination.

q ll10 SQltIlltldLlOIh
don Elevation iof the Negro Element to
pwer and How That Power Was Abused
rne Business Elements of the city
oused TO Decisive Aetion-Whites Orr
nized Against the BLACKS IN Self
Hence. e,.ef
|fa6spondence Baltimore sun. VA
Washington, N. c., Nov. IA. My
|f Dc under date of, November 18th
I'D the history of the negro in North
~ blina from emancipation until the
Il OF 1896. will now consider the
1Hbr history of the movements that
animated in the great regeneration of
~ beautiful city Of Wilmington.
DE- January LIST, 1897, Gov. Russell,
IN an election in which the most
rageous fraud was practiced- by the
cessful party, took his seat. The
ADMINISTRATION that followed has been
Fixed by the favor shown to the negro
~ an utter disregard for the interests
3he white taxpayer.
HE first occurrence that led TO the
2sent difficulty was the appointment
Russell, under act of January, 1887,
five Republican aldermen, three of
ON were negroes, and the consequent
ction of u Republican mayor for the
b of Wilmington. BY the same law
\ election Of five aldermen followed,
~ two Of them were negroes. Three
n the wards were Democratic and two
The Democrats resigned,
nd, therefore, the entire administra-
lQ& was, Republican.
Under this new order of affairs a
|5Iblesale removal of whites ensued.
Negroes were put in their places.
The loss Of the offices was of little
3pment, as this city has SO many and
ayersified interests, with consequent
that places are not so
melted here as in some other sections.
'he Democrats were willing that Re-
Hblicans should hold the offices to
|5ich they had been elected, and only
*ght opposition was made. Every
< was DESTROYS that the city govern
Int should be well conducted and
Faited the Republican experiment
tn interest.
SUDDEN POWER MIsUsED.
HThe effect of the change in party
s lon the negroes was immediate and
3brked. The race seemed intoxicated
Hth newly given. power and mani
tied citation by increasing insolence
q the whites. The record Of insults
large. The wives and daughters of
hites were unsafe alone on the streets
ffer nightfall. Even in the day time
he most aggravated forms of conduct
1&de white women shun the presence
a negro.
rhe proportion of negro criminals to
bites increased, and according to
btistics furnished by the clerk Of the
minal court over So per cent of the
minals were negroes. But these
minals went unpublished. The Re
blican courts and negro juries re-
j6ed to convict a negro unless the
enlistment was in the discretion of
IL judge, in which case the sentences
IRE. farces.
STRAW bail was openly and VIGOROUSLY
ken and Justice became a travesty.
under the Republican government
~ tax rate increased beyond reason
|&8e explanation, and the business Of
no city suffered material damage. The
nhabitants of towns formerly tributary
oTWiimington began to discontinue
pming to the negro governed city, as
hey. disliked to do their trading"
Vic negroes began to complain that
Wk were not getting their share OF
j I&school fund. This claim was base
s Though the whites paid over 50
3<{cent of the taxes, the negroes re-
3&ed 60 per cent of the collections
a lDoflar1 Of fhn e,.x,.e,1,k u,
Ne friction in the matter of the
ibution of funds available fol-
'1nFl table purposes, claiming that nc
,rganized charity work was done among
hem. This claim was disproved by
Ehe publication of the work of the
y9lored United Charities Association,
Vxwhich it was proven that, although
&tEroes did not contribute to the fund,
lhA whites contributed over 5000
M1pthly to the society for relief among
jhN coiored people. In addition the
NNvidual dispensation of charity tc
Wl1red persons was very large.
dFM BENT ON SOCIAL EQUALITY.
NAs the attempts at fermentation or
Nmplaints of inequality in distribution
Feharitable and educational funds
VI failed the only remaining grounG
| BE- which the race could be stirred
was social equality. Despite thu
byeds falsity of the charges Of NAL
tribution the negroes were not con
iced, and their minds were prepared
the doctrine of social equality
is was pressed to its fullest extern
their leaders. W
Ehe effect on tho negroes was disas
u.s. Servants became insolent anc
ruthless. Civility from negroes tt
ties became rarer. Disconten
bthed in the bosom of the race. |
4 rs daily becoming more apparent tina
10 negro proposed to rule politically
cially, economically.
THE state of affairs existing in tn,
ito summer of 1883 aroused the graves
Pprehensions. Thinking people asked
emselves how the matter would end
1.-The organization of the negroes wa
Y fry complete. As this city is typica
examination of the negro society i
6 luable in the study of the negro race
i, i the head of the race stands tn
to boss, a Republican, of course
IN, but often of coequal rank, com
negro bosses. The orders of thes
ers are. carried out through
jun unknown to the whites.
ke negro race is given to societ
ing and the churches eneourag
propensity. In addition to tn
pms, Odd Fellows, Knights c
las and other well-known hodie
negroes have countless churc
bites. The officers of these bodie
n pf great use to the bosses.
ne negro minister is power wit
race, and it is much to be regrette
Y this power is in very many case
ID for III. For example, with hardl
ex seption the publication of Mani
\ his paper, the Record. reflectinr q