Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-12-07
BLEAsE DEFIANT.
Governors Conference Goes on Rec
ord Against Mob Rule.

ated Yesterday the TeceHt IleIdHCeS
of Gov. Blease Of South Carolina con-
corning the lynching of negroes. By
a vote of ii to 4 it adopted resolu-
lion declaring against mob violence
and for the impartial enforcement OF
the law.
The governors of North Carolina,
Arkansas, Connecticut, and Idaho,
who opposed the resolution, declared
themselves as strongly indorsing its
purport, but voted no because they
thought they had no right to repri-
mand colleague.
Gov. Blease hinb;elf, target of the
attach, holly defended his convictions,
snapped his fingers in the face of his
colleagues, told them to ego to it,,
and declared he cared not whit what
the conference said, Thought, did, or
did not do. Four times within as
many hours, he asserted, his life had
been threatened because of hil' utter
ances, but this appealed to him as lit
tie as the resolution.
The four threatening letters Gov.
Blease received were all anonymous.
One was mailed in Richmond, one in
Washington, the third in Louisville,
and the fourth in Pittsburg. The
Washington writer told him he would
pay the penalty if he ever came to
that city; the Pittsburgh writer said,
"You will DC taken to account Gil
hight for your words" the Richmond
and Louisville missives were imprint
able.
Gov. Blease was taken ITO task by
a dozen governors. Gov. Carey of
Wyoming denounced him for "claim-
ing monopoly for South Carolina of
the respect of the white man for
women" Governor Hadley Of Missou-
ri, declared that the floor of the con-
ference hall was not Clearing house
for local and personal controversies. -
Governor Goldhborough, Of Maryland,
declared that he stood solidly by the
resolution because it was a matter of
right.
Governor Dix of New York thought
it would be "most unwise' not to adopt
the resolution. Governor O'Neal o.
i Alabama in ringing speech which
was drowned time after time by APP
plause, asserted his belief that the
entire conference had been belittlcd by
the South CarolinianE remarks, anu
! that it was the sworn duty Of every
executive to uphold the law and the
enforcement Of law.
To these declarations Governor
Blease replied that he had been quoted
yesterday as saying "To hell with the
constitution" and that what he said
yesterday he repeated today to "a,l
the good governors here, to all the
governors Of all the States, to all the
people of the United States.
~ don't care one whit whether you
adopt thiis resolution or not. You
may expel me for all I care. On Jan
uary 21st next I will begin my second
term as governor. On March 4th,
1915, if God spares me, will be sworn
in IS member Of the United States
Senate. l snap my fingers at your
resolutions, for all the resolutions,
and all the motions you may act upon
will not avail to keep me out.
Long after many of you gentlemen
here today are resting in the retired
thades of private life l will be reap
ing the rewards of public service,
Long after you good governors are
no longer governors the white women
Of South Carolina will pray for me
with their arms around their girls,
and will arise from their knees to kiss
their husbands and beg them to 60 TO
the ballot box and vote for Blease to
protect them from their daily terror.
when l said l never would order
out the militia to protect the black
brute who laid his desecrating hand
upon white woman. l spoke the
truth. l say it now again. That is
my position. gentlemen, and if You
don't agree with me, in the words of
the great Virginian, GO to it,"
The resolution adopted was offered
by Governor Mann as an amendment
to one introduced by Gov. O'Neale.
1t reads:
Resolved, That it is the sentiment
of the governors conference, in ses-
sion at Richmond, Va, today that the
whole power of the several states
should be used whenever necessary to
protect persons accused of crime of
evry kind against the violnce o.
mobs, and to provide for speedy, or
derby, and impartial trial by courts