The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-04-05
hARBORlNO CRIMINALS.
An Object Lesson to Good Colored
Citizens.
(Raleigh Post.)

(RaIelgh toSt.
A statement is made in connection
with the negro Cotton, who was lynch
ed few days ago just over the line
in Virginia, which merits very serious
attention, no less from the leaders
among the coloTed race than on the
part OF the white people. Cotton
seems to have spent his time in the
country extending from Halifax
| county toNorfolk. We believe it has
been stated that he was native OF
Halifax. His record has been a bad
one before he committed the horrible
crime in Portsmouth, for which he
was to suffer the death penalty. He
was we'll known about Weldon and sur
rounding country. After escaping
from Jail in Portsmouth about Christ
mas, he returns to this State and cop-
ceals himself at or near Weldon. in
the adjoining county Of Northampton;
and just here arises the matter which
calls for the special consideration
suggested. In Northampton he con-
cealed himself at the home Of another
negro, and was there harbored and
aided by this negro, who well knew
the general character of Cotton, and
also must have known that he was a
fugitive from the law and under sent
ence for heinous crime. And this
negro who harbored this atrocious
murderer was, TWO YEARS AGO, A
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR THE
OFFICE OF JUSTICE OF THE
PEACE FOR HIS TOWNSHIP IN
NOCTHAMPTON COUNTY. The state
ment which gives this information
does not give any as TO the general
character of this negro representative
Of his party previous to this conduct,
but to have been permitted to ''stand"
for this responsible position in a civil
lied community, to aspire TO the
functions which would clothe him
J with power of the liberties and the
property of people of both races,
would indicate that he at least was
prominent in the councils of the party
organization to which he belonged
and whose candidate he was. And
yet, this shining light in Senator
Pritchard's political household, with
which Senator Butler has but recently
renewed "co-operation, the candi-
date of combination for the most i'm
portant judicial position within his
township, becomes the house of ref
uge for the highway murderer, burg
lar and midnight assassin, an escaped
fugitive from the death he deserved
and which was, so far as he was con-
cerned, meritoriously administered
unto him few days ago.
Cotton has gone to the place pre-
pared for just such from the begin
ming. but the Republican leader who
harbored him from just punishment
for his infamous crimes still lives,
and no doubt is earnestly co-operat-
ing with Senators Butler and Pritch-
ard in efforts TO defeat the amend
ment to the constitution which will
hereafter prevent just such as he, and
he is but type, being elected by his
class to dominate to the extent OF the
exercise of such functions, the good
people of any section of this State.
There were 40 negro justices Of the
peace in New Hanover up to 1898,
elected by the same element, the par
I tisans and followers of Senators But
ler and Pritchard, and some several
hundred in other sections of the State
1t is to remove the possibility of the
election of such characters to office
that the amendment is proposed
alike for the welfare OF the colored as
for the white people, and it is to con
tinue such possibility, yea, make 3
certainty the election Of such that il
advocated by those who oppose the
amendment. The white people of th'
West especially can appreciate from
this the tremendous Importance o
settling this question once and all by
the adoption of the amendment. 4
more pregnant object lesson could
not be given them.
But aside from this political aspec
of the case, as serious as that is, ther
is another which we wish to impres.
upon the colored people, and that il
the necessity as we'll as Importance o
educating the race up to the STANDARD
Of condemning rather than condOnin:
crime and harboring criminals an.
aiding them to escape justice. Ad
mitting. as we gladly do, a very larg
element Of the negro race would re
fuse to shield criminals, or hesitat
to condemn them, yet, as race, th
negro is prone to give aid and com
fort to his own color and contribute
in such way As he can to hide tn
criminal as well as the crime. A
citizens they are as much called upoI
for their own good, TO aid the law il
arresting and furnishing those VIII
violate it's mandate AS others, and i
is this too general disposition not t.
do SO that enters very largely into th
disqualification of the race. A vigor
Gus crusade by the better element O
the race against such evils, as well a
against crime itself, is urgently calle
for by existing conditions and the fu
ture welfare of the race, and such .cal
not be begun 100 soon, or prosecute'
too earnestly. An earnest. presisten
. effort to stop crime by aiding in catch
ing and furnishing the criminal vii
. go along way toward bringing abou
a better relationship between th
races. This is serious evil, an