The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-09-21
In Defense of Lynching.


Editor Constitution: Judging from tho
recent issues OF The Constitution. "A par
oxysm OF holy horror at the enormty of
lynching seems to have seized the presi-
dent, an associate justice of the supreme
court Of the United States. a governor,
bishop and various distinguished divnes.
white and colored. Ii appears to have as
sumed the proportions of a small cyclone
and the result is a unanimous ex cathe-
dra. windy illumination against anarchy
and mob law.
Whence the present necessity Of this
fierce charge upon a man Of straw? Who
in. Georgia favor anarchy or mob Law in
its true ard offensive sense? When in the
history OF this great state were the peo-
pie more loyal to law and government?
When were courts more regularly helI
and the law more speedily and justly sd
ministered and her virtuous and patriotic
people more conservative and law-abid-
! ing? These denuncations of mob Jaw ana
| anarchy are intended to characterize tho
! summary punishment Of negroes for Ger
tain nameless crimes. Would it not oe
infinitely more wise TO bcstow all thus
learned breath in effort to remove the
| cause--to stop the crime than to en-
courage it unwttingiy by silence at us
enormity and bitter denunciation Of IT'S
righteous punishment. sweet girl IN
| her teens, all unconscious of danger, is
threading her way TO school is outra&'d
1 bv a beastlv negro. her throat cut ana nef
body dragged into the woods and ma 10
/ be devOured by dogs or vGltures. An nom
est, toling farmer leaves i'll the morning.
for the fed of his labor the wife Of mis-
love in fancied security in his cottage or
castle. supposed to be under the proctec-
! ton of n government he pays his money
70 support and gives his blood TO defend
both happy; he returns in the eFenlrE'
! and inste,G Of meeting al the gate the
sparkle of an eye that watches MS con-
ing and grows brighter when ne comes
he beholds the moldering ruins OF lis
home ana the charred remains oil the
! idol Of his heart with her head crushed
/ with a bludgeOn, after she had suA"ieu d
( horror worse than death Inc neiBnp"'9'
with common consent and with common
hands ana without the sordid incentive
of reward meet, hunt mp the e!lAil'l"',
identifv him. receive his confession OF
e,,ilt and administer speedy deserved and
summary punishment, in which the cle-
rnnnts OF Justice. penalty revenge pre-
vention and protection are combined rms
Is simply lynching and great men utterly
IGNORE the crime involving honor security
and life and raise a howl of indignation
against those who thus essay 10 secure
,.rotection and punish the criminal These
denunciations may solace the relatives ol
sam Hose. but they Will never control me
action Of conservative, chivalrie Geor-
CLANS.
If seems to me that If those who seek
to teach The people and control pu"''@
sentiment understood the genesis OF TINS
crime, for which the American people
row. north and south, adopt lynchh5 as
the rishtfu remedy, they would ana us
,,frth ana origin IN THE INSANE De
SIRE or THE NEGRO FOR SOCIAL
! EQUALITY WITH THE WHITE RACE
I fsNcOTRAGED AND FOSTERED 81
/ THE TEACHING AND POLICY OF Tile
REPUBLICAN PARTY. The negroes
were taken from the held and put 10
making constitutions for the truest ana
! braVest people OF earth. The freedman
! bureau was established TO decide cohtlo-
! vcrs.es between the whites and the ne
| gloes in favor of the negroes. White m IN
! elected to the legislatures were turned out
! and black men. defeated at the ball0t Don,
/ were put in their places. They were sem
! to each house OF congress and appoint
to important positions III the executive
/ department. They were encouraged 10
jdleness ana reliance upon the govern
ment for a livelihood by the promise ~
40 acres and mule. The forty third con-
gress passed the civil rights Dill intended
to inforce by law absolute social equality
President Mckinney rode i'll state by the
side Of u negro President Roosevelt dined
q negro with his family al the white
house. The highest official in the United
states thus setting the example OF per
feet equality with the negro in The most
sacred function of social lte-dfnlnG at
the family board with wife and children
Minnie Cox a negresS is fed at the pub
lie crib, though out of office while Miss
Heuldah Todd white woman ana faith