The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-07-09
THE NEGRO IN THE NORTH AND
SOUTH.

IL is really interesting 90 note the
difference in the tone OF the Northern
press and clergy when "A negro Is
burnt at the stake in the South for
the blacklist OF crimes and when one
il burnt at the North for "a similar
Offence. When it happens in the
South, the Southern people are held
up before the Northern public as
murderers and even worse; when 10
occurs in the North the crime Is con
dOned and by many justified. This
difference is very noticeable even to
the casual observer and is brought
out especially by the clergy who
have expressed themselves on the
Wilmington burning. and whose eX-
pressiOns have been given 10 the
public. We give a few extracts OF
the many sermons that have been
preached on the subject taken irOm
clergymen in different portions OF
she North. which shows the
change of sentiment when they arr
touched with the affection the South
for years has suffered from. These
utterances were not by men in the
locality Of the scene, but 10y those
far away and thousands OF miles
apart.
The Rev. Peter MacQueen. Of the
Berkely Temple, Boston. said
These hideous scenes we must expect
as long as these fiendish crimes exist
When a man pictures the poor child who
was the victim crawling 10 her home.
bleeding and dishOnOred. and dying ia
her hesrtbroken mothers arms, all a
strong mans pity and good mans
chivalry is aroused.
We pirate a good deal about lynehing
Let man behave himself and he won {
be lyncbed Innocent men have been
hanged. but few innocent men are lynch
ed.
Rev. DR.. VIM. A. Bartlett, of the
Observation-Disclosures Chicago.
in a sermon on "Lynching from An
other Point OF View said
have seen 40 many sermons, editorials
aud resolutions denOuncing lynchings
and mob law that one gets the impress
sion that the citizens who hang or burn
the destroyer of life, home and all that j.
held sacred by wOmanhOod are the race
offenders rather than the monster whom
they destroy. We seem 10 be so absorb
ed with the majesty OF this vague term
claw that the notion appears 10 pre-
vail that the real criminals are those
who do not wait for legal processes, and
the violater Of wOmauhOOd j. the abused
party We shudder at the torture of the
criminal who is burned, but apparently
forget 20 shudder for the innocent girl
whose mental and spiritual agony is
tenfold greater than that OF the fire.
Rev. George II. Powell, OF La
cross, Wisconsin, away up in that
northwest country, where people
ought not 30 get excited over pass
ing events, said in an interview.
believe that the burning OF negro S.
ssilants at the stake should be legalizs0
II il is the cOnceEsus of opinions among
the best people Of this country that burn
ing at the stake j. the proper punishment
NJ this particular crime when perpetrated
by the negro il the sentiments 50 strong
that the law as il exists cannot b. en-
forced, then the only salvation Of the law
is TO legalize that which seems - desT-
able to the majority az to flourish In de
fance law.
No Southern minister, so far as we
are aware, ever went so far as the
Northern preachers above cited have
to justify the hanging, shooting or
burning OF negroes. On the contrary,
the clergy, with the rest Of the
Southern people, deplOre and con-
denim lynchings, and would prevent
them If they could. But they are
like the people Of Kansas, Indiana
Illinois, Delaware and other North
ern States, unable to prevent it at
all times, and must, therefore. suffer
the shame that follows such lawlcss-
ness.