Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-11-01
AN OPEN LETTER TO
Continued From First Page.

of those grievances. Healing sore
rapidly does not prevent blood-poison
ing if the germs of infection are not
killed. Only just treatment of the
Negroes will remove dissatisfaction,
not Sitting their expression. AS an
example merely, take the very mat
ter of social equality, which was Il
prohibited topic.
The Bible teaches the Farthcrhood
of God and the brotherhood of Man.
Job SIG, asks a significant question.
eff did dcspisc the cause Of my man
servant or of my maidscrvant, when
they contcdcd with me, what then
shall | do when God riscth up?' In
Acts 1928 the Apostle Peter is taught
tho same lesson and says, "Nc know
that it is an unlawful thing for a
man that is u Jew to keep company.
or come unto one OF another nation;
but God hath showed me that L
should not call any man common or
unclean," and then later on in the
same chapter, "Of truth l perceive
that God is not rcspectcr OF per-
sons" The Declaration of lndcpcn-
dcncc states at the outset that all
men arc created equal and endowed
by their Creator with certain unalien
ablo rights, that among these are
Life, Liberty and tho pursuit or Hap
pincss. If these thoughts be develop
ed and their application be agitated,
a form Of social equality would be al
vocatcd wonder if in the future
the police intend to suppress sslch
doctrine among Negroes. I wonder
If Negro preachers shall be prohibit
3, cd from selecting the verses qnotcd
as texts to preach on. l wonder II
teachers Of Negro children arc to he
prohibited from explaining the Dcclar
alton TO their classes.
Again, If there arc places in AmerI
can life where these principles are
disregarded,-nnd there arc-are we
to understand that hereafter Negroes
speaking in Richmond arc to be ST.
lent on them under pain OF police in
reference? Again to go further; II
there Is from time to time illicit in
tercourse between tho sexes Ameri-
can sense Of dccency provides that if
tho woman he forced, the offender
shall be prosecuted for criminal as
snnlt. and that if she enters Into such
relations voluntarily or by solicitation
and there Is offspring, the father
should at least he made to give his
child tho dignity of his name. How
ever with tho existing law in Virgin
in prohibiting intcrmarriagc between
the races, the amcnde honorable is
impossible where the man Is white
and tho woman colorcd. No well--in
formed man will deny tho existence
OF such instances in Virginia. Shall
1t be considered unlawful hereafter
to discuss and donounce tho injustice
of such laws and practices? Shall 1t
be considered unlawful to organize
and protest. and petition and strive
to Influence public opinion on these
questions? Tt is to he understood un
derneath all these questions. that any
methods advocated for fighting what
we consider injustice shall be within
the law. Shall il be considered unlaw
full to solicit Negroes to register and
vote on this as an issue, If we choose
to question candidates for office along
these lines or to have the constitu-
tionality Of any law tested in the
courts? IF Negro and a white per-
son are married in Sood faith in anoth
er state and decide to como to Viz
ginia to live and arc arrested for
living together as man and wife,
shall it be considered unlawful to
say in the most emphatic terms that
that white people feel above marry
ing Negroes in Virginia is such n
law necessary?
The writer of this letter has spol1
eli to colored audiences in the pres
encc Of white people in Richmond
along these very lines and felt that
/ he was clearly within his constitu-
\ tional right OF freedom Of speech. He
\ has not changed his attitude one jot
\ or title since the coming OF MI. Trot
I Ter brought such formidable array
1 % nci;ccmor ~ the City Audi ori:n,n
! Tie tclieves with Swift that "To sin
by silence when we should protect
! makes towards out Of men The few
/ who dare must speak to right TIE
wrongs of many" He believes that
the authorities were unwarranted in
Il what they called warning, but what
their attitude caused to resemble a
threat. The question then is, What
shall we expect in the future? There
fore, for the benefit Of the Negro cit
4 l2ens Of Richmond, the writer would
appreciate to be published for our in
I formation and guidance, statement
! from the Mayor, as Executive head OF
the city government. and therefore
a of the police department.
We should like very much to know
8Whether tho action Of the police was
i taken at the instance of the Mayor
s or on their own authority. IF the
: Mayor would inform us Of his atti.
ude. the colored citizens would know
RDetter where they stand.
Yours respectfully,
NIT TNAr