Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-03-04
SOUTH CAR0LINA'S
HORROR.
CRIME OF GREAT BRUTALITY.
President McKiniey not Blame
Tess. The State not to
Blame.
Lynchburg News.l


The report of the murder OF the negro
postmaster at Lake City, South Carroll
ma, by a mob, with all it's revolving at
tendant circumstances seems to lie fully
confirmed. Not only was the postmns-
ter killed. but his wife aud daughters
were wounded by bullets, his infant
child killed, and his house reduced 10
ashes.
A band OF Comanche Indians or n saw
age tribe in the interior of Africa, could
not have committed more brutal crime.
There is not the shadow of an excuse for
the murderers. The ordinary plea for
lynching does not apply to this case.
The only incentive to the outrage was
the unwillingness of the white residents
to have negro postmaster. There were
many other ways in which they might
have shown their dissapprobation, but
the method which they adopted proved
them to be barDarians, full of savage in
stincts.
South Carolina does well to repudate
the heinous atrocity which has left n
blot on the fair name OF the Palmetto
State. The authorities are making
strenuous efforts TO discover the guilty
parties and bring them to Justice. Mass
meetings throughout the State are de-
nouncing the crime in vigorous language
and demanding the punishment of the
perpetrators. It would not be reasona-
BILE or just to hold the State oi South
Carolina responsible for the acts of a
few lawless citizens; but the State can
only purge herself of blame by doing
everything that is possible to discover
and punish the offenders.
In this connection, President Me Kinley
cannot be held blameless. He knew per.
iectly well that in appointing n negro
postmaster, he offended the prejudices
OF the whole white community Still, he
persisted in making the appointment in
spite OF the energetic protests of the
white Republicans of the neighborhood
The names of several white Republicans
were suggested to him, names of men
whose appointment would have beer
perfectly satisfactory, but lie rejected
them all and forced negro OH an un
willing community, though he had rea
son to believe that his appointee would
meet with rough treat ment at the hands
OF an outraged community. What mo.
tive could have prompted the President
to this action? There is only one plausi
BILE explanation. President Mckinley
wants to succeed himself in the Presi
Dental Office, and in order to secure tn,
nomination, he must have the support
OF the Southern negro delegation to The
national convention. The explanation
is not honorable to the President. but il
Is the only one that accounts for his ac
ton in appointing disreputable negroes
to responsible and important positions in
the South, such as the appointment o
the notorious Demas in New Orleans
over the protest of white Republicans
The President can afford to ALLEVIATE tn,
white Republicans in such States az
Louisiana. Mississippi and South Caro-
lima, provided he can win over the whole
negro contingent, because in those
States the negroes constitute n large
majority oi the Republican party. The
ELECTORAL vote of those States may not
be cast for the Republican nominee for
President, but their delegates in the
national convention will have a poten.
tial voice in naming the Presidential
candidate of the Republican party.