The New Cry

The appeal of Southern whites to Northern sympathy and sanction, the adroit, insiduous plea made by Bishop Fitzgerald for suspension of judgment because those "who condemn lynching express no sympathy for the white woman in the case," falls to the ground in the light of the foregoing.

Southern whites appeal for Northern sympathy and approval. Bishop Fitzgerald makes a clever, insidious plea to withhold judgment. He says those "who condemn lynching express no sympathy for the white woman in the case." But the evidence presented above undermines both appeals.

From this exposition of the race issue in lynch law, the whole matter is explained by the well-known opposition growing out of slavery to the progress of the race. This is crystalized in the oft-repeated slogan: "This is a white man's country and the white man must rule." The South resented giving the Afro-American his freedom, the ballot box and the Civil Rights Law. The raids of the Ku-Klux and White Liners to subvert reconstruction government, the Hamburg and Ellerton, S.C., the Copiah County, Miss., and the Layfayette Parish, La., massacres were excused as the natural resentment of intelligence against government by ignorance.

This account of race and lynching explains the whole matter. It stems from the well-known opposition to Black progress that grew out of slavery. That opposition is summed up in the often-repeated slogan: "This is a white man's country and the white man must rule." The South resented giving Black people their freedom, the vote, and the Civil Rights Law. The Ku-Klux and White Liners raided to overthrow Reconstruction governments. Massacres also took place in Hamburg and Ellerton, S.C., Copiah County, Miss., and Layfayette Parish, La. These raids and massacres were excused as the natural resentment of intelligent people against government by ignorant people.

Honest white men practically conceded the necessity of intelligence murdering ignorance to correct the mistake of the general government, and the race was left to the tender mercies of the solid South. Thoughtful Afro-Americans with the strong arm of the government withdrawn and with the hope to stop such wholesale massacres urged the race to sacrifice its political rights for sake of peace. They honestly believed the race should fit itself for government, and when that should be done, the objection to race participation in politics would be removed.

Honest white men practically accepted that intelligence had to murder ignorance to correct the federal government's mistake. Black people were left to the tender mercies of the solid South. The government had withdrawn its protection. Thoughtful Black Americans hoped to stop such widespread massacres, so they urged Black people to give up their political rights for the sake of peace. They honestly believed Black people should prepare themselves for self-government. Once they had done so, objections to their participation in politics would disappear.

But the sacrifice did not remove the trouble, nor move the South to justice. One by one the Southern States have legally(?) disfranchised the Afro-American, and since the repeal of the Civil Rights Bill nearly every Southern State has passed separate car laws with a penalty against their infringement. The race regardless of advancement is penned into filthy, stifling partitions cut off from smoking cars. All this while, although the political cause has been removed, the butcheries of black men at Barnwell, S.C., Carrolton, Miss., Waycross, Ga., and Memphis, Tenn., have gone on; also the flaying alive of a man in Kentucky, the burning of one in Arkansas, the hanging of a fifteen-year-old girl in Louisiana, a woman in Jackson, Tenn., and one in Hollendale, Miss., until the dark and bloody record of the South shows 728 Afro-Americans lynched during the past eight years. Not fifty of these were for political causes; the rest were for all manner of accusations from that of rape of white women, to the case of the boy Will Lewis who was hanged at Tullahoma, Tenn., last year for being drunk and "sassy" to white folks.

But the sacrifice did not end the trouble or move the South to act justly. One by one, the Southern states have legally(?) stripped Black Americans of the right to vote. Since the repeal of the Civil Rights Bill, nearly every Southern state has passed separate railroad car laws. These laws impose penalties for violating them. Black people, regardless of their advancement, are penned into filthy, stifling compartments partitioned off from smoking cars. All this time, although the political cause has been removed, the butchery of Black men has continued. It has happened in Barnwell, S.C., Carrolton, Miss., Waycross, Ga., and Memphis, Tenn. A man was also flayed alive in Kentucky, and another was burned in Arkansas. A fifteen-year-old girl was hanged in Louisiana, a woman in Jackson, Tenn., and another in Hollendale, Miss. The South’s dark and bloody record now shows 728 Black Americans lynched during the past eight years. Fewer than fifty were lynched for political reasons. The rest were lynched over all kinds of accusations, from rape of white women to drunkenness and disrespect. Last year, the boy Will Lewis was hanged in Tullahoma, Tenn., for being drunk and "sassy" to white people.

These statistics compiled by the Chicago Tribune were given the first of this year (1892). Since then, not less than one hundred and fifty have been known to have met violent death at the hands of cruel bloodthirsty mobs during the past nine months.

The Chicago Tribune compiled these statistics and published them at the beginning of this year (1892). Since then, at least 150 people are known to have died violently at the hands of cruel, bloodthirsty mobs.

To palliate this record (which grows worse as the Afro-American becomes intelligent) and excuse some of the most heinous crimes that ever stained the history of a country, the South is shielding itself behind the plausible screen of defending the honor of its women. This, too, in the face of the fact that only one-third of the 728 victims to mobs have been charged with rape, to say nothing of those of that one-third who were innocent of the charge. A white correspondent of the Baltimore Sun declares that the Afro-American who was lynched in Chestertown, Md., in May for assault on a white girl was innocent; that the deed was done by a white man who had since disappeared. The girl herself maintained that her assailant was a white man. When that poor Afro-American was murdered, the whites excused their refusal of a trial on the ground that they wished to spare the white girl the mortification of having to testify in court.

The South hides behind the plausible claim that it is defending the honor of its women. It uses this claim to soften its record, which grows worse as Black Americans become more educated. It also uses the claim to excuse some of the worst crimes ever to stain a country’s history. Yet only one-third of the 728 mob victims were even charged with rape. And some of those charged were innocent. A white correspondent for the Baltimore Sun says a Black man lynched in Chestertown, Md., in May was innocent. He had been accused of assaulting a white girl. The correspondent says a white man committed the assault and has since disappeared. The girl herself insisted that her attacker was a white man. After that poor Black man was murdered, white people excused their refusal to give him a trial. They said they wanted to spare the white girl the humiliation of testifying in court.

This cry has had its effect. It has closed the heart, stifled the conscience, warped the judgment and hushed the voice of press and pulpit on the subject of lynch law throughout this "land of liberty." Men who stand high in the esteem of the public for Christian character, for moral and physical courage, for devotion to the principles of equal and exact justice to all, and for great sagacity, stand as cowards who fear to open their mouths before this great outrage. They do not see that by their tacit encouragement, their silent acquiescence, the black shadow of lawlessness in the form of lynch law is spreading its wings over the whole country.

This cry has had its effect. It has closed hearts, silenced consciences, and distorted judgment. It has silenced the press and the pulpit on lynching throughout this "land of liberty." Men are highly respected for their Christian character, moral and physical courage, and commitment to equal and exact justice for all. They are also respected for their great wisdom. Yet they stand like cowards, afraid to speak out against this great outrage. They do not see how their unspoken encouragement and silent acceptance are helping lynching spread. The black shadow of lawlessness is spreading its wings over the whole country.

Men who, like Governor Tillman, start the ball of lynch law rolling for a certain crime, are powerless to stop it when drunken or criminal white toughs feel like hanging an Afro-American on any pretext.

Men like Governor Tillman encourage lynching for a certain crime. But they are powerless to stop it when drunken or criminal white thugs feel like hanging a Black person for any reason.

Even to the better class of Afro-Americans the crime of rape is so revolting they have too often taken the white man's word and given lynch law neither the investigation nor condemnation it deserved.

Even among the better class of Black Americans, rape is so revolting that they have too often taken white men at their word. As a result, they have not investigated or condemned lynching as it deserved.

They forget that a concession of the right to lynch a man for a certain crime, not only concedes the right to lynch any person for any crime, but (so frequently is the cry of rape now raised) it is in a fair way to stamp us a race of rapists and desperadoes. They have gone on hoping and believing that general education and financial strength would solve the difficulty, and are devoting their energies to the accumulation of both.

They forget that accepting the right to lynch a man for one crime means accepting the right to lynch anyone for any crime. And accusations of rape are now made so often that this is likely to brand us a race of rapists and desperadoes. They have continued to hope and believe that widespread education and financial strength would solve the problem. They are devoting their energy to gaining both.

The mob spirit has grown with the increasing intelligence of the Afro-American. It has left the out-of-the-way places where ignorance prevails, has thrown off the mask and with this new cry stalks in broad daylight in large cities, the centers of civilization, and is encouraged by the "leading citizens" and the press.

The mob spirit has grown as Black Americans have become more educated. It has left remote places where ignorance prevails and thrown off its mask. With this new cry, it stalks in broad daylight in large cities, the centers of civilization. The "leading citizens" and the press encourage it.