Dixie After the War: An Exposition of Social Conditions Existing in the South, During the Twelve Years Succeeding the Fall of RichmondAvary, Myrta Lockett
Philosophy
Dixie After the War: An Exposition of Social Conditions Existing in the South, During the Twelve Years Succeeding the Fall of Richmond
Avary, Myrta Lockett
Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877); Southern States -- Social conditions
"There was only one case,[26] as far as the writer can ascertain, of the
negro's crime against womanhood during all the days of slavery," said
Professor Stratton in the "North American Review" a few years ago, "while
his fidelity and simple discharge of duty during the Civil War when the
white men were away fighting against his liberty have challenged the
admiration of the world; but since he has been made free, his increase in
crime and immorality has gone side by side with his educational
advancement--and even in greater ratio." The Professor gave figures, as
others have done, which proved his case, if figures can prove anything.
Considered with reference to the crime under discussion, it is difficult
to see how purely intellectual training tends to its increase, if there is
any truth in the doctrine that brain development effects a reduction of
animal propensities. Only in moral education, however, rests any real
security for conduct. Negroes educated and negroes uneducated, in a
technical sense, have committed this crime.[27]
The rapist is not to be taken as literal index to race character; he is an
excrescence of the times; his crime is a horror that must be wiped out for
the honour of the land, the security of womanhood, the credit of our
negro citizenhood. The weapon for its destruction is in the hands of
Afro-Americans; overwhelming sentiment on their part would put an end to
it; they should be the last to stand for the rapist's protection; rather
should they say to him: "You are none of us!" They should be quick to aid
in his arrest, identification and deliverance to the law. Such attitude
would be more effective than any other one force that can be brought to
bear upon this crime and that of lynching. I chronicle here as worthy of
record, that in June, 1870, William Stimson, rapist, was tried before a
negro jury, convicted on negro evidence, and hung November 4. This
happened in North Carolina during negro rule.
The negro guilty of this hideous offense has committed against his race a
worse crime than lynching can ever be. By the brutish few the many are
judged--particularly when the many in vociferous condemnation of the
penalty visited upon the criminal seem to condone his awful iniquity
against themselves. Black men who have been and will be womanhood's
protectors outnumber the beasts who wear like skins as many thousands to
one; and it is not fair to themselves that they pursue any course, utter
any sentiment, which causes them to be classed in any way whatever with
these. Black men are seeing this and are setting their faces towards
stamping out the crime which causes lynching. Utterances from some of
their pulpits and resolutions passed by some of their religious bodies
indicate this.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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