The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-06

one plan meets with general IA
suspect that really a large maid
the whites favor the continuance
gro residence among US. while ar Ehs
tt get rid of the worst element. the dis
turbers OF the public peace
Gen Buffers plan is neither practi-
cable nor constitutional. The Richmond
Dispatch discussing his plan says:
I'm the first place, the negro does not
want TO emigrate. and under h Fsde-
raj Constitution as IL exists at present
there is no power 10 make him go.
Again, it is argued that. If that consti-
tutionaI question were not involved, ii
is for each state, not for the Federal
government to act. Thus, if Missis-
sippi considered that its black popula-
ton was a menace to society in the
state, it would be for its Legislature.
not for congress, to provide for their
expulsion or depcrtationn. Further
more, If the scheme were otherwise
practical. the cost would be prohibitive.
Yes, objections by the score have
been raised to the Butler plan. Indeed.
so far as we know, it has no serious
minded supporters"
The Messenger has naught but good
will and kind feelings for the better
class Of negroes,-the industrious, well
behaved, law abiding, se~lf-respecting.
1t has never seen a day or an hour
when it did not wish peace, happiness.
contentment and prosperity TO them.
1t has favored the education of the ne
gro all along at the white mans ex-
pense. 1t has favored generous appro-
priations for negro asylums. 1t has
never sought to heep reproach and
malediction, upon the good and faithful
men and women of the black race. II
has denounced again n again the
brutes that burn and kill and assault
white women and children. They are
disgraces to their race and should be
outlawed. This is the tribe that the
Messenger has scored and scorned Let
US again copy from the Dispatch:
Hundreds of the ablest and purest
men in our section are trying to master
the race problem, and present a solU
ton of it. But they are sadly in need of
help-help from the leaders of the color
ed people! If the cOlored people would
arrest, and deliver into the hands OF
justice every a. of their race charged
with the usual crime the whole stu
WV ~ INV AA1O-
ment. ThencefOrth, we should hear Of
few lynchings. The courts would be al
lowed to proceed against the accused
The white men in the south are not
enemies Of the black race. 1t is a lie
to say they are. They are friendly to
the better class, but nave no use for the
laWless, the insulters of men and Wo-
men, the robbers, the house-breakers,
the assassins, the rapists. They would
be mean and cowardly if they had ia
vor or patience for such inhuman dew
lis. The Dispatch says:
I'm fine, it rests with the respectable
members of the cOlOred population 10
assert themselves. If they viii not do
so, the whites will have to adopt other
measures Of defense, and it may hap
pen that the good and bad of the black
population will suffer together.
"One thing is certain and sure-the
I~whiteS are going to make the usual
crime less usual, no matter what the
cost. Hitherto they have haG ne help
from the blacks-a strange thing, if
that people reprobate the crime as they
say they do"