Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-08-04
GOV. wARFIELD's BLUNDER.~

COY. WARFIELD'S BLUNDER."
We would to God that William
Lee. colored who criminany assault
ed two white females in Somerset
County Maryland had never been
born. His crime was heinous and
his death on the gallows deserved.
but the Biihmond. Va. Times-Dis-I
patch stated the truth and the whole
truth. when il said in its issue of
the 27th ult:
William Lee the Maryland Negro
who assaulted two white women in
Somerset comfy was Snea ked out
of Baltimore on a boat by the sher-
III. taken 10 an island in the county
and executed. This was done by dil
rectioa of Governor Warfeld. in orr
der, we are informed. 90 escape the
fury of the mob and prevent the
Negro from being taken from thel
officers and lynched.
This as our neighbor. The News
Leader. has already indicated. was
a pitiful-not 90 say disgraceful-l
surrender TO the mob. and "A dis
credit TO the government OF Mary
land. The Governor is sworn 10 M
hold the law. and he should have
called out. IL necessary. the entireI
military forces of Maryland TO pro-
tect the States prisoner from mob
violence and enable the officers to
execute the sentence OF the court in
the usual manner and az the desig-
mated place.
Say what YOU may in favor OF
lyncning. when the State has once
taken a prisoner into custody. IL
must protect him at all hazard and
at whatever cost, and there must
be no compromise with the mob. II.
is reflection upon the dignity
OF government. it is a travesty
upon our institutions. when the
Governor of great State resorts
20 bushwhacking in order TO dodge
the mob and execute the sentence
OF the court.
Governor Warield had an oppor-
tunlty 90 make a demonstration and
give the mob much-needed lesson.
Instead he gave IT Official recogni-
ton and made obeisance. Nor can
we refrain from adding that this
action was taken after the Govern
or Of Virginia had saved William
Lee from the Somerset mob by
sending Virginia troops to the res
cue.
Gov. Warheld did well in the be-
ginning. but he made a big blunder
at the close. His action was the
next worse thing to permitting the
lynching. The after effect Will be
felt by Maryland and the dollars
saved in this instance will no doubt
be spent many times over upon a
similar occasion. when the criminal
may be a white man instead of a
cOlored one. There was no danger
Of a loss OF life, II Maryland's Chief
Executive had sent enough troops
to overawe the mob and to maintain
the digniy of the commonwealth.
The mistake made by him was
caused no doubt by the fact that
he was looking at the fiend Lee rath
er than the majesty OF the law,
which he was sworn to uphold AMI
protect at all hazards
1t is unfortunate, though that the
race at this peculiar stage IL its ex-
istence should be handicapped and
embarrassed by such lawless char
acters like Lee. We are no wise re-
sponsible for his existence and ev-
ery-where colored men will be found
who feel relieved at his legal taking
of
We must continue to relieve the
situation as much as possible and
do all in our power to reform the
lawless classes in our midst. White
people are similarly afflicted, but
the rancor of race prejudice is not
here for them to combat with ref
erence TO their depraved classes.
Every would-b be lyncher who Graves
to burn a Negro victim is Just as
bad as William Lee was and would
be liable to commit a crime as helm
Gus as the one of which he stood
convicted.
We need to show the good side of
the Afro-American and make friends
with every white person, North and
South, who seems disposed to help
us. In the meantime we should
strive 10 increase our financial mold
ings and multiply our tax-paying