The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-29
Lynching R,epists.

Luling. Texas. May I4.-It Is a we'll re-
membered fact that during the civil war,
the negroes in the South were really the
guardians OF our Southern homes to
great extent. Faithfully they toled and
protected the white families. while the |
owner and his sons were off hghtlng
against their emancipation. The crime Of
rape was never heard OF among the ne !
groes in those DAYS.
Anterior TO the war, during the many
decades of slavery. the same family hdeiity
was exhibited. the crime of rape was un-
known. II violence in that line some
times occurred. it was exceedingly rare, |
and 1t was not committed by negroes.
What a great change has interviewed
since the war not with the old freedmen,
but with their descendants. the young free
negroes raised M under freedom. Now
raping is often occurring, generally in tue
South, but occasionally IN the North.
The precise causes OF this strange de-
velopment OF negro brutality should be
understood IL has grown up under free
dom and after the spread OF education
among the negroes. The present condt-
tons are producing it. until our people are
becoming alarmed at It's frequency. and
mob law has taken the matter In hand,
and even a race war Is spoken Of as, posi-
BILE eventually.
An educated and very intelligent negro,
Blshop Iurner OF the Methodlst chufcn'
asserts that the former connlllon OF inc
negro in slavery was better than his pres
ent condition Ia freedom; but the learned
eccleslaslio stops at very narrow view
Of the subject. This brings to my mind
some changed relations among the ne
groes themselves. that explain somewhat
the present alarming state OF hestiality
appearing among the African race In their
al tp pf lrpedOm
In slavery times the negroes were gen
orally paired on; each male negro nad or
could nave wife. on his master planta-
ton. or in the neignbornood. dwellings,
We're furnished families raised and the
negro was sure OF iood ralment ana shel-
ter Tor himself and family Here was
nome IRE not lsoiated either, nut IN
numbers on the plantation without care
lor subsistence or shelter, the negro was
only dependent upon his legal guardian,
whose interests demanded his welfare.
/ Inc sexual Pelauons among the negroes
are entirelY dinerent now me young
maze Wnen no nattles now. must look LOT
home FOR himself Tor his food. ard every
noeued comfort MANY OF them AVOID
marriage TO ESCAPE It's oncumprahces' ana
uiVoroes' among those VINO nave seleeJed
partners are very common Ihere are
many more separations now IMAM were
( ever made under the state OF slavery,
( allN seVereu this felatloh' lhefe are
/ many unmarried OF ooth sexes ana I'M
| moFallty is actually more prevalent tnan
/ IN the DAYS OF slavery ana hue'lty IN the
married relation not greatly improved ey
/ freedom Our cities are thronged by UNI
married females VINO oiteh lead abandoned
+ ives lhese lacts e%pialh ono aspect OF
I 'he present cohultloh' ana explains 70
some extent the recKles5ness OF unsatlshed
iusI among inc unmarried mates
inc next aspect o. the present condition
/ or the negroes Is presented in the general
use OF lntoNlcants ~ the lower classes
among them. Consioer the actual adult
teration or alcohoic stimnlants now. Every
eIoerly man KNOWS that me stlmulhnts
soiu now DIV the present class OF saloon
keepers are slmnlv poisonous adultera-
/ uons. FIJI an Enorant. brutal negro tor
whue mani with tho mean WHISKY sold III
these days and he Is ready for any out
rafe
Let the candid reader OF both races
think OF TINS ASPECT OF present conditions.
In slavery times negroes were permiiied
to use stimuants to a moderate degree,
but drunkenness on the plantation was
suppressed. Not so now. Generally the
old slaves were sober race. at least 4
temperate one. Excuses were few. This
! consideration. In connection with the
nome life have already alluded to, eX-
pains several things. IL explains why no
old slaves. 1t explains why since freedom
has come to the negroes these old ex-
slaves have still preserved their old hab-
its OF order and not one of them since
freedom has ever been charged with this
atroeious crime. But these grand old
"standbys" are dropping or, as old age
sueeumhs to death and new leaders and
eN-employes are taking their places We
are called upon to face a new condition
Of things, and for the sake of the negroes
themselves and for our own sakes we
should look at these changed conditions.
A question comes 40. How much are the
whites responsible for these present conli-
tonsg Freedom was cast upon the black
responsibilities of citizenship In q free
Reoublic- We have furnished them many
educational facilities. ana many Of them
are making good use OF these. But among
the negroes as well as among the whites,
there Is low dtsorderly element These