The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-21
He MIGHT PARTICIPATE
\ son OF AN ABOLITIONIST SAYS
HIS MIND HAS CHANGED on
SOME MATTERS.
RESOLUTIONS WERE NOT SECTIONAL
Original Resolution introduced at Piitsburg
Pfesbytery Were Much Modified After
an interesting Debate.
(Pittsburg Dispatch.l

|
| Pittsburg PreSbytery is not a unit on
lynching. AT its meeting at Swissvale
yesterday a resolution was introduced
ldenouncing the recent lynching in
| Georgia. The resolution precipitated one
of the hottest debates ever known in the
lpresbytery, and the resolution finally
| adopted bore scarcely any resemblance
| to the original. During the discussion
one member of Presbytery announced
that under certain conditions he would
| pull rope himself
The original resolution was presented
| by Rev. George y. Johnston, ID. d., and
read:
IN view of the deplorable frequency
of the lynchngs of negroes i'm the south
ern portion of our country, so as to cause
all right-thinking people to tremble in
view of the possible future to which such
a course must inevitably lead, therefore,
the Presbytery of Pittsburg feels called
upon at this time to utter its most solemn
protest against the inhuman course oI
dealing with supposed criminals and of
expressing its deep adherence of the
condition of society that permits and
above ALL approves, of sucn savagery,
believing as we do that mob law is only
savage violence, and has no tendency 20
deter criminals. Besides, from the COM
mission of crime the certain result must
be to brutaliZe the perpetrators and
plunge the land into most fearful race
war We hereby express, also, our sym
pathy with all those in the South who
are working to abolish mob violence"
WOULD CHEERFULLY PULL THE
ROPE.
Rev. Allan Douglas Carlile said: LAS
one of the barbarians, | want to oppose
the whole resolution with my whole
heart. | regard it as a piece of cheap
buncombe, which will do no good what
ever, and will only make feeling in the
South rankle toward the North. The
resolution is unjustly sectional, as many
parts of the North are just as guilty.
Again, | would not vote against an ac-
tion which under similar circumstances
| would do my self. If my wife were as
|saulted and murder committed as in the
Georgia case | would cheerfully pull the
rope"
DR.. Johnston said he was born md
dressed for weeks over the terrible state
of affairs in the South. NO mortal man
can tell what we are coming to. We only
want to express the righteous indignation
of our people against the violation Of all
human and Divine law"
Rev. A. ID. Carlile said some laws are
written in the heart, and he repeated
that he would have taken a hand with
the mob under the circumstances, in get
ting away with the wretch who commit
ted the crime down in Georgia.
Rev. George W. Montgomery moved
as a substitute that 1.-THE presbytcry
looks with horror on the lynching pusi-
ness, and sympathizes with the good poo
pie of the South in their efforts to sup
press the business
HE HAS CHANGED HIS MIND.
Rev. DR.. L. $. Holmes, said he was
the son of il man who kept OH under
ground railroad station, was an aboli-
ZIONIST. had been brought up to believe
IA man could not be a Democrat and -
to Heaven but he had changed his
mind as he grew older. He was opposed
to such action as that proposed, as the
presbytery did not know the facts in the
case, and in all respects ii was uuI of
place.
Rev. George w. Montgomery subsii-
tute was adopted. after motion 10 'ble
the whole business had been voted DOWN.
Mr.. Montgomery resolution, as adopfeI
is as follows:
Resolved, That this Presbytery looks
with horror upon the seeming growth Cf
-
in different parts of the country.
Resolved, That this Presbytery extends
its heartfelt sympathy for all those who
are striving so nobly to build up a higher
of the dignity Of the naw.
An effort to strike out the word "seem-
ing" failed The action OF the Presby-
terry was discussed among the members
after adjournment. and was generally
as meaningless.
Some people are so busy criticiSing