E. N. Benham to Frederick Douglass, May 20, 1852
Letter from E. N. Benham.
Mr. Douglass—Dear Sir: — I am at a loss, whether to be amused or frightened at the Quixotic assault of the so-styled Ethiop, upon myself. But I have not stood side by side with the colored man for fifteen years, sharing his obloquy, and making his wants and woes my own, without some discipline of patience. Misrepresentations and reproaches, I have learned to bear, from friend, even as well as foe. It will be easy, therefore, for me to exemplify my meekness on the present occasion; though, for the life of me, I cannot see what has so excited your correspondent, and perverted his vision, putting his logic quite at fault. Certainly there was nothing in the article which bore my name, designed to apply to the subject of wealth, or the propriety of accumulating it; and I have never thought or intimated, either publicly or privately, that the colored man has not a right, on the ground of expediency or morality, equally with the white man, to acquire wealth, and use it, too. But being thus unceremoniously forced into the conflict, I will say, that he who inculcates on either side, black or white, the sentiment that wealth is of more importance, in the scale of respectability, than intelligence, morality and innate worth, inflicts on such a great moral wrong; and he who, under the predominance of such a principle, acquires wealth, will not
be benefitted by its possession. And saith, not that same "Scripture," "love to them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth;" or elevated to a standard of respectability, such as wealth only can confer. If I read aright the tenor of Bible truth, it promises no blessings to the rich, as such; and he who shutteth his ear from the needy when he crieth, shall find, in wealth, but a poor defense from shame and everlasting contempt.
When the chosen instructors of a people use their elevation and moral influence to [inspire] that people with a love of gold, it would be well for them, self instructed, to remember, that there is that maketh rich, and yet hath nothing.
In all my effort for the benefit of the colored man, erring and imperfect as they may have been, I have aimed to make him conscious of his manhood, of his capacity of improvement and equality; and if ever the blush of conscious shame mantles my cheek, it is when I see the obsequious bow and smile of complacency, with which too many receive the penny dropped into their hand, the reward of menial service, performed for those who have no natural superiority of themselves.
As to the terms "unmanliness, meanness," &c., I disclaim the language. "Be courteous," is a precept which I have humbly sworn to obey; and if, at any time, I have issued "epithets" at variance with its spirit, I am unconscious of it.
As ever yours,
E. N. Benham.