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The Progress of the Races
master. The Negro served his master nearly two and a half centuries for nothing. It was you work and I eat, you toil and I will enjoy the fruits of it. We hold that the Negro’s services was worth as much to himself as it was to his master, because he made his master rich with his unrequited toil. And if the United States Government has a right to pay the ex-slave holder or his children for more than four million slaves who were set free by the Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863, it has as much right to pay the ex-slave or his children for his services rendered to his master. Slavery has always been wrong and an oppression of the strong over the weak, which is forbidden by Holy writ.
It is true that the Bible has laws governing slavery, because slavery was in existence when the Bible was written and for many centuries before it was written. But there is not a single line in the Bible that favors it. Slavery was wrong when the first slaves landed at Jamestown, Va., in 1620. It was wrong when the Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson and signed by the other distinguished sons of colonial times who wisely thought to arrest the spread of it and place it where the public mind would believe it to be in the course of ultimate extinction.
Slavery had made such an inroad into the colonies that it was like a chronic disease, hard to eradicate. But these distinguished sons in laying a firm foundation for the General Government placed these words in that immortal document which served in a great measure to eliminate slavery: fle hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these, are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. President Lincoln not only had a military right but a divine right to abolish slavery. If this bill is to become a law and the ex-slave holder or his children are to receive full payment for their slaves, it will virtually say to the pro-slaverv advocate and the slave holder that slavery and secession were right, that the results of the Civil War and the Reconstruction of the General Government under a far better system of politics, were an injustice to the South.
E. W. MAXSON
615 P Street, Northwest
Washington, D.C.
July 7, 1930
The Reaction That Follows When Laws Are Not Enforced
To the Editor of the Post, Sir:
It has been nearly two decades since the first Anti-lynching bill passed the House and was killed in the Senate. And it seems as though the bill that is now pending before the Senate will meet the same fate. This bill seems to be obnoxious to some southern gentlemen because there is a Negro in the wood pile. They would enter a protest and vote against this bill as a subterfuge on the ground that it interferes with States rights. But there was no cavil or long debate over the Anti-kidnapping that passed both houses of Congress about five years ago. The State of New Jersey did not think that the Congress had invaded any of her rights, or any other State in the Union. Any sane man would indorse such a law. And any unprejudiced mind
The Progress of the Races
41
would indorse the Anti-lynching bill, because it is a menace to society and destructive to our institutions. One governor has said that it would take a standing army to enforce the anti-lynching bill in his state. This is only a scarecrow to obstruct its passage. It is true that it took an army to abolish slavery because of secession, but it has not taken a standing army to keep the Negro free. This was the greatest problem that has ever confronted the American people. When any state neglects to protect its citizens, it is the incumbent duty of the Federal Government to interfere ar.d the Congress should pass laws and see to it that they are enforced upon all citizens alike. I have no sympathy for a man who would criminally assault a helpless woman. And any man who would commit such a heinous crime, should have the full extent of the law. But let him have a fair and impartial trial before a court of justice. Do not expiate crime with crime. When men violate the law and oppress a certain class of people with impunity because they are helpless, there is always a reaction in some way or other. This is the inevitable law of sowing bad seed. And if space would allow me I could give you some historical fact that I personally know of in this country. But let me conclude with these words to the lawless and to those who favor lynching. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth. that shall he also reap.
ETIENNE W. MAXSON'
1004 Third Street, S.E.
Washington. D.C.
December 7, 1937.
For An Amendment
To the Editor of the Post, Sir:
Breaking the Tradition of One Hundred and Fifty Years.
It seems to me that if the election of a President for a third term has been fraught with so much danger to the people of the United States that this so-called danger would have been removed years ago by an amendment to the Constitution. It is too late to lock the stable after the horse has gone out, but you can secure the next horse.
The precedent set by Washington and Jefferson in refusing to accept re-election at the end of two terms has thus far been effective in limiting the President’s term of service to eight years. But this was only a precedent and an unwritten law, that was subject to disregard or abuse because there was no restriction.
Now since this precedent or tradition has been broken by the re-election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt by an overwhelming majority, the Congress should, as early as practicable, adopt an amendment that would put teeth in this tradition. Because there may be in the future another popular President who might rise up and the people may draft him for a third term or for an indefinite number of terms. In the next four years let us hope for the best and be ready for the worst.
A Subscriber.
ETIENNE W. MAXSON
1004 Third Street, S.E.
November G, 1940.