The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-09
A DUTY BEFORE THE NEGRO.
MUST AID IN BRINGING THE OUT
CASTS TO JUSTICE.


Judge Emory specrs Able Summary
of the situation as It Presents
ItseIf-The Race Deserving of Con-
Gdcnce, Hut II Must Not Uphold Its
Parinhs-Thcre VIII Always Be
Crimes-COnstitution and Courts
should Be Upheld.
Macon, June S-The brief abstract OF
the remarkable address delivered by
Judge Emory speer yesterday before the
graduating law class of Mercer University
inadvertently did him an injustice.
The distinguished jurst to-day in a
statement which viii attract Wide atten-
tion, made clear his position regarding his
| attitude toward the negroes as a race. i'm
connection with the outrageous crimes
committed by some of their number. At
ter referring to the brighter auspices of
the graduation OF the classes of 90 as
compared with his own during the civil
war period, he said:
There Is. however. one dark cloud ON
the bright morning of our hopes. speak
as Georgian, as l have the right.
speak of that condition of the public
mind because of which thousands OF hus-
bands, brothers and fathers go to their
daily labors with righfm dread, akin
to that which assailed the Pilgrim Of
New England, who, with his savage foe
man hard by, stalked to church with fire.
! lock on his shoulder and sword at his
| side; or the backwoodsman of the South
and West, who tlls his new-ground with
/ his m Ia Ia
the peace and happiness of our rural
homes as agonizing and as iafurlating
as any which ever afflicted the human
race.
The Negroes Must Aid.
Let me say In the outset that It Is a
destructive error to charge the negro race
| with the atrocities of its own outcasts
and patiahs. And let me next declare
| what Is even more important, the negroes.
| u they Wish 70 continue, to remain In
peace IN these Southern states, must, by
| their own conduct and assistance as citi-
zeus, to the officers OF The law in bring
ing the cruel, cowardly Apaches of their
| race to the bar Of public Justice acauit
| themselves Of the charge now widely
made OF racial sympathy with the critn-
| tnal no matter how atrocious his crime.
The plainest instincts Of self-proservatlon.
%
! demand this at their hands.
| Nor Is this demand incomnatible wifi,
The character and history OF the upright
men OF their race. We Southern people
know that there is a wonderful differences
among the negroes. There is doubtless
as much difference In tribal descent
among them as there is in nationality OF
ancestry among the white people While
some Of our negro population are descend
ed from degraded tribes and yet preserve
In eXasperating perfection their ancestral
viees, others spring from those gentle and
manly races which kindly mInistered to
the helpless Livingston in his long wan
dering across the dark continent
'These worthy men have the condolences
and good will Of the Southern gentleman.
Indeed the negro Is largely the peasautry
Of the Southern states and his labors add
enormously to the aggregate Of their
wealth. / feel that. after all that has
been said, this colored farmer Is no mean
| friend of the state, with all Of its advance
ing civilization. There are vlsionaries
who talk about the colonization of the
negro. but unless he chooses to go him
self, this Is utterly impracticable. MY
word for IL, he will not choose TO go. No
race has stronger loyal attachments than
the negro. Besides way down in our
hearts we do not want him to go.
VIII Always lie Crimes.
"There will ever be, as there have ever
been, crimes committed by individuals,
many of them so atrocous that the story
will stir a fever IN the blood OF age or
make the infant sinews strong as steel.
1t Is due however, when we consider
our vast territory and large population,
10 say that they are comparatively infre-
quent. Certain it is that these crimes,
when committed, must be dealt with ac-
cording 10 the methods OF civilized people.
The constitutions of the United States and
OF the state OF Georgia provide that no
person shall be deprived of life, liberty
or property without due process OF law.
This is a fundamental principle of civiii-
zation, and, however terrible the provo
cation, no people can shatter the basic
principles OF the social system In order
to wreak a lawless vengeance upon a
vicious individual without entailing upon
everybody OF every class the inevitable
return Of all of those calamltes which
civilization has labored for centuries to-
avoid.
In those courts where / have presided
for many years have often witnessed ne
groes do their whole duty to the govern
ment and 10 non-residents against every
power of advocacy and every prejudice
of the past ! have never known them 10
fail of their duty 10 the right by dsre-
gard Of the Jurors oath. These things I
know. and / here and now do de, are un-
Outstanding the full significance Of what
/ say, that al these tragic incidents as
they have been spread before the coun-
try Of lnte. In all their sickenng and fear
some details, are utterly foreign and alb
normal 10 the character OF this people as
/ have known and loved II from child
hoods days, and / shall know and love
it until my eyes are closed in death"
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