The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-02-28
Fifty Years at School.

The many friends of Miss Melden,
of the Public Library, will be inter-
ested in reading the article given be.
low, written by her father located
in New Orleans. and published in
one of the nothern magazines:
John c. Calhoun is reported to
have said that if he could find q
single Negro who understood Greek
syntax he would regard the race as
human and worthy to be treated as
such. AS this was considered both
impossible and absurd, he defended
the South in its treatment of the
slave as less than human. This is
no place to discuss the institution of
Negro slavery. but a glance at it may
help us better to understand and es
innate the intellectual progress of
the race, for, in measuring the at
talnments and prospects of the Neg
70, we must consider the depths
from which he has come rather thar
the heights which he has reached.
Slavery was justified upon the
ground of the natural and inherent in
feriority of the Negroes. Human
rights were largely denied them. II
regarded them not as men who had
rights which other men were bound
10 respect, but as chattels to be used
ana used up; to be bought and sold
as other property. In various court
decisions this is brought out with
great clearness, In 1884, a chief jus.
tlce of Maryland said: "In MARYLAND
the issue (of female slaves) is con-
sldered not an accessory, but as part
OF the use. like that of other female
animals. Suppose a brood mare he
hired for five years. the foals belong
TO him who has a part of the use of
the dam. The slave in MARYLAND il.
TINS respect * placed on no higher or
different ground" Another nudge
declared, "A slave cannot contract
matrimony, the association which
taxes place among slaves and is call.
ca marriage being properly designat-
ca ny the word contubernism, a rela
tlon which has no sanctity and to
which no civil rights are attached .
ihese quotations. which might be in.
dehniteiy extended, show that slay-
cry regarded the Negro as without
personal rights
rms same assumption of the Ne. |
gro's inferiority underlay the mas.
ters attitude toward his intellectual |
development. He was devoid of ordj
nary human susceptibilities and am. |
Dltions. As a specimen of this re. |
pressive legislation, an extract from
the code of South Carolina will
serve:"lf any person shall hereafter
lIsS4) teach any slave to read or
write, such person, If free white
person, shall be fined not exceeding
one hundred dollars for each offense |
ana Imprisonment not less than six
months; or If free person of color
shau De whipped not exceeding fftv /
ashes and fined not exceeding fiftv |
dollars; and If slave, to be whinned |
at the discretion of the court NOT ev.
ceeding fifty lashes, the informer IN |
oe entitled to one-half the fine and 10 |
De competent witness"
Inc state, represented by Calhoun
VINO scoffed at the Negroes ability 70
learn, forbade by law and extra,ne
penaities the performance of the i'm.
possible! Well may the Commission
er OF Education add, with grim hum.
Or why re-enact the laws OF God?"
why, indeed! Because the institu.
Ion OF slavery must rest upon jgnor.
ance. 1t was doomed if the slave
oegan to think, and hence every of.
lort must be made to crush ont All IN
Iellectual aspiration.
a half century Of freedom has as
laollshed beyond controversy the GA.
pacity OF the Negro to acquire learn.
hg Like many another theory
winch has failed in the presence ~
.ac.s, that OF the Negroes incapacity
- ou earn mas been confuted by the in
,ehectual attachments of the race.
me antebellum claims seem absurd
"a the presence OF Negroes OF ripe
'ulture-the products of fifty vears
of opportunity.
nose VINO deny the capacity of
ne Negro for higher education arc
'Ohged TO answer the argument ~
actual achievement. There arise 70
'onlounu them scores Of Negroes
VINO nave completed the curricuIa
ine noiu the diplomas of our highest
ind oest-accredited institutions of
earning. They have done This in a
air field. asking and receiving
aVors on account of their color
Among the hundreds of university.
Tained Negroes are graduates of
" esleyan, Boston, Yale. Harvard
,hlcago, and other universities which
IRE jealous OF their prestige. These
men are distinguished in the variops
earned professions and in other hon.
'raDle and useful pursuits Tbor
'roVe the possibilities Of the rae II {
$ not claimed nor should IL 10 ev.
'ected that a race only iftg voars
rom slavery should show an aversgo
y scholarship equal to that of a race
'hicn has enjoyed fifteen centuriss
= christian civilization. with lis
for culture.
But these educated men prove the
lgnt OF the Negro to the hirhsst sdn
auonal privileges. He is entitled :,
chance 10 make the most of him.
Ell He is not to be dealt win a.
n exceptional being. but as > NJ,
y virtue OF his manhood he sbopi5
= = limited only BY his own capsbni.
-, mat he must have a pecslisr
ine o. education Is absurd Indrs.
20, education Is no more a psnaces
~ MS troubles than d would ne TO-
Use ,. o. any other people. Industrial
useation Is efficient buf IL MOI s,e- .
:. ~ - me Negro race needs leader
! Us own blood. and these. in order
"a, ~ tney may lead wisely. nrsf n.
.o.ouenly trained The true r,esh.os /