The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-06-15
Scotching an Ancient SANDER.

Perhaps it is just habit, but more
likely ii is pure ignorance, that leads
many northern writer's to make state
ments of the most vicious sort about
the south. Generally such things are
written by persons who have never
read a substantial history Of southern
life and. with reference to the slave
era. know no more of the truth than
is visible in the performances Of
Uncle Tom" companies in northern
theaters.
The latest instance that comes to
us is in the editorial columns of that
usually well-informed newspaper. The
Chicago Chronicle. Referring to the
recent burning Of negro murderer
at Belleville in its own state, The
Chronicle says;
In states where for generations the ne
gro was q mere Chattel over whom the
master exercised the power of life or
death and who had no right of trial by
jury or Of any appeal TO law there Is
something. even though IL is very little.
to be said in eXtcnuation of the crime OF
lynching.
The Constitution would like, in the
interest of the truth of history and for
the information Of its readers. to know
which are the states where ''the negro
was a mere chattel over whom the
master exercised the power Of life and
death?'
That charge has often been made
against the slaye-holding states and
their peoples, but we wish here and
now TO brand it as false, absurd and
malicious. No such power was ever
legally held by any slave master In
the south to our knowledge.
We do know that Georgia was the
first of the colonies to prohibit slavery,
and when the system had been eX-
tended to us by the northern colonies
that could not make profit of their
slaves, humane laws were made to pro
tect the human rights and interests Of
this new chattel population.
In the constitution of the new state,
adopted In 1898, it was provided, in
article 4, section II, as follows
ANY person who shall maliciously dis
member or deprive Il slave of life, snail
suffer such punishment as would be In
ficted in case the like offense had been
/ committed on & tree white person, and
on the like proof
Afterwards we find in Cobb's Digest
of the statutes of Georgia in force up
to 1851, the date of his work, and sub
sequently up to the end Of the civil
war, the following statute:
Section XII Any owner or employer OF
q slave or slaves who shall cruelty treat
such slave or slaves by unnecessary or
excessive whipping. by Withholding
proper food and sustenance. by requiring
greater labor from such slave or slaves
| Than he she or they are able to perform
or by not affordng proper clothing
/ whereby the health Of such slave or
! slaves may be injured and impaired, or
cause or permit the same to be done
! every such owner or employer shall be
! guilty of a misdemeanor. ana on cOnYic-
! lion shall be punished by fine or irnpris-
/ onment in the common jail of the coun-
! ty. or both at the discretion of the court
/ And again, on page 9S1, we find the
| statute which was enacted in 1909 and
! continued until the close of the civil
war. imposing a fine of ten shillings
| on any slave owner for every slave
employed on the Lords day, common
! " called Sunday. in any work or labor
work of absolute necessity and the
necessary occasions of the family only
excepted" Yet the charge is YET
mouthed all over the north that the
slave had no Sunday rest and was de
MED the rights of religion and wor
ship!
It is doubtful if all such misrepre
sensations Gill ever be caught UP with