Twentieth century Negro literature : $b or, A cyclopedia of thought on the vital topics relating to the American Negro
History
Twentieth century Negro literature : $b or, A cyclopedia of thought on the vital topics relating to the American Negro
African Americans -- History
The crying need of the times is a wholesome respect for law and order,
and a righteous condemnation of mob rule everywhere. Every pulpit
North and South should speak out against mob rule and lynch law. The
eloquent divine in Greenville, Miss., who recently denounced with
righteous indignation the damnable outrages of mob violence in that
state, was as a voice crying in the wilderness. For some reason his
brethren of the cloth have not seen fit to join him in a crusade
against this abominable sin. If the Southern clergy could only be
induced to preach against this evil occasionally, there would soon be
created throughout the sin-ridden districts such a healthy public
sentiment and respect for law and order that these crimes against the
state would soon become things of the past; nor could there be found
throughout our broad land a miscreant, who, under the influence of the
spirit of lawlessness, would take the life of our Chief Magistrate;
nor would there be anywhere such an illiberal public sentiment as
would openly criticise our Chief Executive for dining a representative
member of the race whose feasts even Jupiter did not disdain to grace.
But let us consider the alleged crime for which lynching is attempted
to be justified. L. H. Perkins, Esq., of the Kansas Bar Association,
in an address to its annual meeting, in July, 1901, said:
"Lord Coke observes: 'There are crimes that are not so much as to be
named among Christians.' It is difficult for us in Kansas to believe
that certain crimes exist; crimes against nature, practiced by force
upon defenseless childhood, disclosed in criminal records of great
cities; but there is one crime in Kansas that we have learned to know.
It ought not to be named, much less permitted in a Christian land. The
crime and its fit punishment, can scarcely be discussed; but how else
can it be expunged? Shall it be by fire? Must he who writes the story
of this new-born age still further shock the world and foul the fair
name of America by pictures of a howling mob, profaning every law of
God and man; with every bulwark of our rights thrown down, the gates
of hell unchained, and passion, loose, unbridled as hurricane,
roaring above the prostrate guardians of the peace, annihilating in an
hour the civilization of six thousand years?
"Death in flames! Savage, bloodthirsty vengeance! Three things this
savory orgy lacks: salt and sweet herbs and a good appetite.
"There is a law that in the last extremity, in the presence of
impending death, all barriers are removed, all ranks are leveled, all
rights are equalized. Supreme necessity is supreme law. Can it be
possible that some such overmastering impulse at times dethrones the
public mind, and, while the fit is on, the latent cannibal runs riot
in the land? It seems it must be so; and, if it be, 'twill be until we
rise to the necessity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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