Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-06-15
Judge Speers Address on the Race Question

MACON, GA, juno 8.--The briei
abstract of tho remarkable address
delivered by Judge Emory Speel
} yesterday before the graduating law
class of Mercer University inadver-
tently did him an injustice. The
distinguished jurist to-day in a state.
ment, which will attract wide atten-
ton, made clear his position regard.
ing his attitude toward the negro
race, in connection with the outra-
gcous crimes committed by some OF
their number. After referring to
the bright auspices of the gradual
ing class of 1899 as compared with
his own during the civil war period,
he said
"Therc is, however, one dark cloud
on the bright morning of our hopes.
| speak as Georgian, as l have tho
right. speak of that condition of
the public mind because of which
thousands of husbands, brothers and
fathers go to their daily labors with
a rightful dread akin to that which
assailed tho pilgrims of Now Eng
land, WHO, with his savage foeman
hard by, stalked to church with fro
locks on shoulder and sword at his
eide, or tho backwoodsma of the
South and West who tills his new
Sround with his rifle ever in reach ;
OF that danger to the peace and hap
pincss Of our rural homes as ago
nizing and infuriatng as any which
ever afflicted the human race.
"1.ct me say in the outset that it
Is destructive error to charge the
negro race with the atrocities of its
own outcasts and pariahs. And let
me next declare what is even more
important, that the negroes, if they
wish to continue to remain in peace
in these Southern States must, by
their own conduct and assistance as
citizens, aid the officers of the law
in bringing he cruel and cowardly
Apachcs of their race TO the bar of
public justice, acquit themselves of
the charge now widely made Of ra-
cial sympathy with the criminal, no
matter how atrocious his crime. The
plaincst instinct of self representation,
aside from the dictates of right and
duty, demand this at their hands.
Nor Is this demand incompatible
with the character and history of
the upright men of their race. We
Southern people know that there is a
wonderful difference among the ne
groes. There is doubtless rs much
difference in tribal descent among
them as there is in nationality of an
cestry among the white people.
While some of our negro population
are descended from degraded tribes,
and yet preserve in exasperating
perfection their ancestral vices,
others spring from those gentle and
manly races who kindly ministercd
to the helpless Livingston in his long
wanderings across the dark conti-
nent. These worthy men have the
confidence and good will Of tho
Southern gentlemen. Indeed the
negro is largely the peasantry of the
Southern States and his labors add
enormously to the aggregate Of the
wealth. l feel that, after all that has
been said, this colorcd farmer is no
mean friend Of the State, with all of
its advancing civilization There
are visionarics who talk about the
colonization of the negro, but unless
he chooses to 60 himself this is ut
tcrly impracticablc. My word for it
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 90.
"Thcre will ever be, as there have
ever been, crimes committed by in
dividuals, many of them so atrocious
that the story will stir fever in the
blood of age or make the infant sim
ews strong as steel. 1t is due, how
over, when we consider our vast ter
ritory and large population, to say
that they arc comparatively infrc-
fucnt. Certain il is that these
crimes when committed must be
dealt with according to the methods
of civilized people. The Constitu
ton Of the United States and the
State of Georgia provide that no
person shall be deprived of life,
liberty or property without due pro-
cess of law. This is a fundamental
principle of civilization, and, how
ever terrible the provication, 70 peo-
pie can shattcr the basic principles
OF the social system in order to
IL 10,