The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-05-11
TAKES THE RIGHT VIEW.
The Opinion of Wise and Conserva-
tive Man Of Color.
Wilmington MesseDger.D

The Messenger has desired to pur-
sue firm but conservative course
relative to the negro question in the
South. 1t has only kind feelings for
the deserving negroes, and for all the
better class who show they are sim
cere in culaivating friendliness with
the whites. are opposed to negro
crimes. especially rapings. Inc
negro preachers shoot off large guns
in denunciation Of white Outrages
upon their race. but are careful to say
but little, if anything. of the Williams
and their awful crimes against So
cietv. We lately received private
letter from an educated man of the
negro race, man Of ability and APP
preciativc of what the white race is
doing in North Carolina and in the
whole South in behalf of the cOlored
people. There are others like him who
sincerely deplore the very outrageous,
brutal conduct of certain class OF
NEGROES. He. like the Messenger,
deplores the extreme course pursued
by white mobs, and the horrid bru-
taities OF some of the whites in
Georgia and other States recently.
While a part OF the North remains
stupidity blind as to the meaning and
necessity Of the Revolution in this
city last year, there are educated
colored people who have clearer un-
derstanding Of events, and who know
that the white people are at heart
neither oppressive of nor enemies OF
the colored folks. We make few
extracts from the letter because we
would advance the cause of the large
and respectable class of negroes who
are not guilty of crime and are not
trying to njurc now the whites. Our
correspondent writes:
1T has been with more than Ordi-
nary relief that | have read your edi-
torial comments upon the horrible
atrocities which have recently occur
red in Georgia. 1t has seemed al
most impossible for the white people
Of the South to understand and recOg-
nize the true feelings and painful
rcspectability, aspiration and char
acter view the vicious and tiendish
manifestations of depravity exhibited
by certain element of our people.
Hence we have become somewhat &C
customed to having our sense OF
shame abnormally intensified, and
our feelings of Encouragement and
disgrace unjustly aggravated by edi-
tors who usually assume that all
negroes are in sympathy with those
OF our race, whose crimes present and
cause the blacklist stains on Ameri-
can civilization. All negroes are not
together upon this subject and |
greatly re dice that in your recent COM
ments YOU have not done deserving,
earnest but sorely perplexed negroes
the injustice which they so frequent
" suffer. We usually object
to mob or lynch law, but it is because
under such conditions that the
chances Of miscarriage of justice
are so great. 1t is a kindness to the
race to remove it's vicious monsters,
but we know when passion and pre-
judice become rampant that justice
and reason are not strong enough to
protect the weak and helpless and
even though innocent. We
want these criminals punished for
their own good as well as for the
cause of civilization. Provisions for
punishment in keeping with an en-
lightened and Christian sentiment
should be provided. Not only the
laws delay, but the features of a
court-trial which are abhorrent to
every lady of modesty and refined
feelings should be removed. Surely
the enlightened genius of American
civilization can do this"
We hope this will stir the whites
to renewed purpose to stop mob
law, and prompt all worthy negroes
to a combined effort to stamp out
crime, and particularly rape, among
the bad of their class.