The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-23

honor and gratitude 10 the old-time negro,
as we knew him before and during the
war.
The people Of the South stand. all the
time, ready 20 serve. in any way they
may. the old-tme negro OF slave memo
ries and slave devotion. No people In the
world were ever more heroic in duty and
loyal I'm attachments
1t is not my purpose. here or anywhere:
to defend human slavery. ! myself owned
slaves. We at the South are glad. more
than we can tell, that we are RID OF the
burden and the responsibility.
Whilst We had strong attachments FOR
the negroes Of those days, the bonds were
all finally broken; bitterness ensued' ana
we became literally two people stead
fast as they stood during the war, the
pressure became too great under recon-
strUctiOn.
To the people of the South war, as
sherman says. had been he'll. If there is
anything worse in the diabolism OF cruel
ty. reconstruction was that thing.
CONSTRUCTION.
After the war, the negroes were prompt
" made citizens. They were enfranchised'
and not only made equal with their FORM
or masters, but they were taught that
liberty meant license. and that the domi-
nation of the white man was the one
NNNr+
The people of the South looked not only
upon abandonment by the negroes, but
upon absolute treachery among her own
people. Many men who had been true
To their cOlOrs during the war, now,
broken down in fortune and without hope
for the future. believed they saw political
! elevation for themselves in the use OF
the negro's vote Uniting themselves TO
the carpet-baggers and scalawags, who
Aocked to the South, like vultures over
| dying carcass they eat carbon together,
as. in all the shame Of Union leagues and
midnight political marauding. they plan
ned for the negrO's antagonism towards
the white people that has proved the
bane Of the negro and the white man al
the South. Here began the separation be-
tween the negroes and the white people
at the South The breach was widened
by the presence of the military all over
| the South not only encouraging the
schemes Of division and domination con-
cocted In the Union leagues, but Offering
support and defence by such arms as
| might be needed.
our Legislatures were composed OF ne
| groes and carpetbaggers: our laws were
made. on the one hand. by those abso-
lutely ignorant OF our institutions and
our government. and. on the other. by
those who had no sympathy with our IN
terests and not a dollar IN our business.
Since that day. the negro at the South
has been determined 10 oppose everything
politically that he believes the white man
wants. lie is n Republican, an indie
pendent or a what-not just as he may
oppose and fight against anything he be-
lieves the white man wants.
This IS a fair presentation u what may
be expected from negroes. when politics
] tr.rr al % frrfu "a "a
man. regardless OF what he may have
done 10 protect and advance them. They
have been so instructed to use their bal
lot The South is not responsible for
these results.
AN INCIDENT.
To show the spirit OF the white people
OF the South towards tho rights Of the
negro. | need only mention two cases.
fully representative Of the conditions,
both OF which occurred during my adj
ministration as the Executive Of the
state
In the city Of Atlanta. Peter Daniel. a
negro. had brutally slain a negro woman.
He was brought before the courts and
promptly convicted OF murder. For some
reason. have never been abe to explain,
general sympathy for this man was arous-
ed an over the State among the white
| 10 the Executive Office. earnestly asking
Executive clemeucy. So general and pro-
nOunced was sympathy for the man that
was waited upon by five Of the leading
| white ministers Of the city OF Atlanta in
Daniels interest Finally the man Of
| largest wealth in the city came 10 my
Office 10 say that he feared the negro had
NOT had proper defence and agreeing, II
| I would give Daniel sufficient respite he
would himself employ counsel and give
! him another chance for his life. This ]
| did in Difference % the general sympathy
| expressed but the man was returned to
me under the same sentence and executed
| not for the lack OF untiring effort on
| the part Of the white people in his be-
| half. but because the stern demands " the
| law 50 ordered.
IL may be we'll 10 say That negro
| religion is patterned very much after his
own ideals. and. possibly. has more OF
what he calls religion and less OF what
we know as morals than is found IN the
standard endorsed by most men.
Next. his relations to society:
heard a very admirable speech from
very intelligent negro before the South
ern Baptist Convention during its ses-
sion at Birmingham. Ala The negro
| preacher was discussing the race prob
J lem. and when he reached this feature
| Of his subject he remarked that many
people seemed afraid the negro would AZ
/ no distant day demand social equality. He
| that there need 10 be no fear on this
point as he knew many white men he
! would not allow 10 sleep IN his bed. And
So We are pretty well agreed on both
| sides down South that social equality +
not desired by either race. and. In my
candid Judgment. Il Will never obtain.
! Social equality would heget ANA lgamation
| and amalgamation would result In mis-
| cegenation. and miscegenation would be
| an open violation OF the law % God. God
made one a negro and the other white
man. II IS the opinion OF the people at
the South that lie intended them 20 10
| remain We call them negroes az the
South. not as an offensive term. but 10
| distinguish them from what you know
as colored people at the North, because
| OF the greater mixture % blood
! II these statistics are true. am asked,
whv are negroes so frequently lynched
| at the South? | reply. for the same rea-
| son they are lyRched az the North. /
! repea,. with emphasis. that violence for
! crime Is administered without distinction
as TO race. when the crime is the same
1t Is not the color Of the skin that brings
! the punishment but the nature OF the
| crime committed
UNWR1TTEN LAW.
Let Il be ds,lnctively understood that
| persanally. I am absolutely opposed to
! mob law for any and all offenses. shall
not take your time here 10 give you
Il