The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-20
WILMINGTON. n. c
FRI Jay, OCT. 20. 1899.
SINS OF

terlv. and wanted them to be made "a
national crime" and yet they had not
a. word to say about negro raplngs Oh
white women and children. They can
lvnchings ''dehumanizing outrages.
DO they regard rapes upon whites aS
~elevating benevolences and virtues II
is lust such one-Sided, foolish stun as
this that makes white men resolve
afrash to hang or shoot to death, or
burn every black brute that lays his
iron hands upon a white Woman or
child in the spirit Of cruelty n lust.
If The negro preachers did Dut know 1t
every time they cry out against lynch
ings. and shut their eyes to the damn
ing crimes that cause the lynchings,
they but fan the flames of Indignation
and revenge, and lower themselves in
the scale of decency and respect ana
intelligence. If they do not favor the
Internal crime that deserves swift, con-
dign punishment why do they not say
so. and lend their aid to stamp 1T out!
The White people all through the south
the very class that are friendly TO the
negroes and show by their words ana
works that they wish them we'll and
give them constantly practical evidence
of it-are nnbecoming FESTIVE, and even
disgus.,d Il, under the clamor OF denun-
citation of lynchings and the profound
silence of the negroes, who are SO swift
and noisy in their resolutions against
the mob violence, while as dumb as
oysters rs TO the great sin and outrage
of rapiugs. The negro preachers are
not in favor with many whites because
they conclude that they are fanatica1
and dangerous to society. If this should
be well based it would be deeply alaml-
tous. Some of the brothers in black
are men of character and sincerity and
are good, we'll meaning citizens. They
should be active for good and help to
rid the south of the murderers and ra-
pists of their race. The way some ne
gro preachers conducted themselves in
Wilmington last year in their voluntary
and eager efforts to bolster the scOun-
edrel Manly in his attacks upon the
characters of the white women in the
, "dS lloI Olly I'LL ohAo -" ioN,
but it left an impression that will not
be effaced for a generation.
In all kindness we tell the negro
preachers that if they would be public
blessings and worthy ministers of the
Prince of Peace they must give all of
their influence to the ending of the
crimes of their own race. rs good cit
liens they are compelled to cooperate
with the white race in their efforts to
put down the great crimes of rape n
murder and arson, and to help to re-
store law and order in the state.
Nothing short Of a hearty cooperation
in ending the crime of rape will main
tain good citizenship or Christian duty.
To denounce punishment for crime and
say nothing of the crime that p%rovokes
the punishment is really a genuine sin
of omission. If a negro in the south
shall never again perpetrate the crime
of rape or murder there will not be
again a lynching for either crime.
We regretted to see that a negro
bishop, Alexander Walter, spoke in an
unwise way in Boston. He was fight
ing mad and went for the south with
both fists and raved over lynching, but
uttered no word Of condemnation of
raj He was for free and with untram-
melled voting for all negroes however
mean, vicious and ignorant. We give
one specimen of his violence, which
shows that this preacher feels his
oats and doubtless believes down to
his heels in social equality" He
said:
''This means, first, liberation from
the mob; second, the right to cast a
free and untran4meled ballot; third, to
hold office, fourth, admission to hotels,
restaurants, steamboats,, and all other
public places. = Lynching, eSpec-
tally by mutilation and burning at the
stake, is a relic of barbarism. Thous-
ands of Afro-Americans have been
murdered in cold blood by the ynchers
since emancipation. They outrage us
with impunity, destroy our property. at
will, and seem to have no ~compunction
of conscience"
Put this tirade by the side of the
statesmanlike speeches of President
Booker Washington and Prof. Councill
two of the very ablest negroes, and
you will see h wide difference there
is between wisdom and craftsmanship
and Infatuated temper and ignorance
We wish we had space for more of the
admirably expressed and true views OF
Prof. Council, an ornament of the hui
I man race. He said:
1.-The races Of the south, side by
side, moving in parallel lines, must
work out all he problems naturally
growing out of our new relations as
well as get rid of the i'll feelings, like
'tares sown among the good wheat by
an enemy. External forces can avail
nothing. We alone must correct orr
errors and set right our wrongs. Out
q side influences can only scatter the
friendship Of years, feed internal strife