ering white women, they scampered to the woods." "And the poor
frightened creatures are still there. They cannot be induced to return,
and the suffering among them is intense. Mothers have given birth out
there, and they and their offspring have died from exposure." "Poor
creatures!" exclaimed Mrs. Engel. "God pity them and us!" continued Mrs.
McLane. "If what has been done in Wilmington within the last few days is
the work of gentlemen, then in the name of God let us have a few men in
Wilmington, if such can be found." "But, my dear--" "Don't interrupt me,
Mrs. Bruce! Hear me through," said Mrs. McLane, raising her voice. "May
the groans of these suffering women and children ever ring in the ears
of Colonels Moss and Wade, and may the spirits of their murdered victims
unrelentingly pursue them through the regions of hell." "Marjorie
McLane!" exclaimed Mrs. Bruce, in astonishment. "Such language from a
Southern lady!" said Mrs. Hill. "Yes, a Southern lady clothed in her
right mind," returned the hostess. "These men in their blind zeal to
restore white supremacy, and to defend women, have unmistakably
demonstrated their weakness. White supremacy cannot be maintained by
resorting to brute force, neither can the women of one race be protected
and defended while the defender of virtue looks upon the destruction of
the other race as only an indiscretion.

'Thou must be true thyself
If thou the truth wouldst teach.
Thy soul must overflow
If thou another's soul would reach.'

"Enduring supremacy, the supremacy that will be acknowledged is
supremacy of character, supremacy of deportment, supremacy in justice
and fair play. We have irreparably lost our hold upon the Negro because
we lack these attributes. We must not allow ourselves to feel that the
Negro in this enlightened age is incapable of knowing and appreciating
true manhood and true gallantry. To shoot men after they have been
totally disarmed, and after they have surrendered everything as a peace
offering is cowardice without parallel.

"What would Lee and Jackson have said should their departed spirits
return to gaze upon men who so bravely followed them through the
wilderness, in perilous times, leading in such dastardly work as was
done in Wilmington on the 10th of November? 'Whatsoever a man soweth
that shall he also reap.' It is not in future fires that men are to get
the reward for their doings, but here in this life. Our fathers have
sowed th