The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-26
WILMINGTON. n. C..
FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1899.
SOME OPINIONS OF THE GREAT
PROBLEM.

Ex- Governor Northen's address to
the Bostonians on the subject of the
negro question gave satisfaction and
was elaborate. We may copy and COM
ment hereafter. The people in the
north greatly neeC information rela-
tive to the vexed question. They are
ignorant mainly of the facts and do
not understand the situation.
Ex-senator ingalls,, of Kansas, one
of the most gifted Of living northern
men, is not one OF the ignoramuses. BE
has been speaking his mind as TO what
thirty years of freedom have done Cor
the negroes. He is not afraid OF north
ern sentiment when he knows it is
based on ignorance. We make a few
extracts:
"Lincoln's Emancipation Proclama-
tion did not free the slave. He wears
heavier chains in liberty tina those he
wore in servitJde.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT was one of those
political blupders that is worse than q
crime. It has been a curse instead OF
a blessing, ard after thirty years OF
bloody tumu't the race problem re-
mains TIE most ~pCrtentOUs menace or
our civilization. .
There are some crimes fol which
statutory penalties, the verdicts OF
juries, the sentences of judges are in
ADEQUATE. The violation of woman is
one of them. It is not difficult to de-
nounce the butchery of Sam Hose as a
hideous crime against humanity, a
bloodthirsty and sickening atrocity, a
disgrace to American citizenship. .
Communities become fatigued with
crime triumphant through the laws
delays, the obstacles interposed by
knavish attorneys, the escape of notorl-
Gus felonG by triviel technicalities
Then society becomes elemental, and
mobs n vigilance committees enact
the rude equity of the moose, the bull
let, the fagot and the stake. 4 = In
slavery feloniouS assaults on white Wo-
men by the blacks were not known.
n " Freedom appears to have re-
leased the british instincts of their
barbaric ancestry. Not all, but an in
creasing number, exhibit an uncon-
rtrollable mania for lust and blood
There is more good sense and abso-
lutte truth in those few lines than can
be found in all the editorials and
speeches and communications of the
entire north relative to the negro ques-
ton. Senator Ingalls, perceives, under
stands and is candid. The conservative,
well disposed, more intelligent and law
abiding part of the negro race in the
south are not lawless, are not bad peo-
pie. They are self-respecting, moder-
ately Industrious, fairly intelligent,
sober, and ready to listen to good ad-
vice and to follow wise leadership. 1t
is this respectable class who are pleas
ed with the utterances of their ablest
men-Washing'ton, and the others.
They do not abuse the best white peo-
pie who have shown them so much Of
kindness and sympathy. The other
class do not like the whites and do not
like Washington and the other con
sentative colored leaders. The Boston
Transcript, a paper that has shown
intense hostility to the south and has
.slandered Wilmington, has a CORE
spondent who writes from Georgia. We
make a short extract from a long ar
ticle:
Closely akin to this dispute as to
Whether education Is alternating the
80 Jblem are the two views n
nnITas throughout the south of Booker
we .nington. Ask h question, What
uo you think of Booker Washington?
, nd from the replies you will be able
to tell what manner of man you are
talking with, without further delay.
The substantial white people of the
south and the more intelligent negroes
approve CT him. The agitators of the
black race, INC some of their white
allies, cannot say anything bad enough
about him."
The better part of the negro race in
the south owe it to themselves, to the
state, t. their communities, to willing
1y and actively cooperate with the
whites in Furnishing crime, in stamping
out rape and murder and arson. The
public peace and social safety are in
volved in this.