New-York daily tribune., 1843-07-31
The Preindice OF Color.

All prejudice IS injurious 10 It's votary as well
as its victim; but the habitual indigrity and III
treatmhnt to which persons wholly or partially oi
African descent are subjected In this country Is
so dagrantIy inconsistent with our Political axi
ons and our Religious faith that persistence IN It
would seem not merely gross wrong but shame
f hypocrisy Slavery Is said TO be the cause OF
this prejudice but Slavery prevails throughout
Asa vetno such prejudice there exists. II Slave
~ be Inc cause, why Is the prejudice quite as
styopr IN the North as the South, ii not indeed,
stronger here than there What baseness, what
arrant knavery IN a man who vauntS his Democ-
racy. vet considers himself degroded by eating
At the same table with man oncfourth or one
cioh,h of African blood, and viii take away his
children from school and break it up if a cleanIv
coIored child is taught there But we intended
ony to introduce the following portion of a letter
from Paris which appeared originally III the Ere
Ming Post:
When | had walked around the monument of
July, aud read the inscription, | felt anxious to
know whether 1t stood on the very site OF the Bas
tile. and determined to ask the first man who
should step on the pavement before me. did
50, addressing him II the best French | could
muster lie replied that this was the actual site
Of that prison. | am American ] continued
and feel deep interest in viewing that column
|. too he replied IN English, AIN an American,
and have reason TO remember that fine region for
cultivation, but Ii is not the country for me- |
responded to this remark, by pointing out Its gen
era advantages both CT soil and government, and
the attractions it had for the poorer classes, and
the certainty there was OF man of industrious
and temperate habits acquiring competence.
But ycu have distinctions in society there sad
he, (which do not exist here | did not at once
sec his drill-and referred to our constitution and
laws, TO show that there were distinctions IN
American Society, but those made by superior
abilities, wealth, worth, or success. No limits
could be set to these. In fine the trainers of our
Constitution were believed TO have done all that
was practicable in establishing perfect equality
OF or7ginG} political rights.
An equality Of condition. YOU know, added,
is a perfect chimera and can never exist under
anv form of Government But said he, you
have an odous distinction of birth, which al our
abilities or money IN the world cannot surmount.'
The following is the substance OF hls reply - J..
sir, was born IN Mississippi. | ain q Creole.
have the blood Of the An1can race III my VEINS :;
but had | renamed there, could never, with all
nv power and efforts, have secured that respect
which is paid to the other races must have
been content, had been ever so industrious, or
talented to live in "a humble and degraded sphere
Here on the contrary, there Is no such prejudice
ar,inst blood-ro such insur1nountablc dstlnc
ton. am physician here-l am doing well
and respected My brother is also here he is an ad-
vocate We are both respected; nobody IN Paris
cares or inquiries about The admiyturc Of blood in
the human race, or if they do, there is no dlsad
vantage in it. All are respected alike, and this
is the country for us
perceived, in the course of this interview, that
my informant had dark hair, though it was not
crisp, and dark eyes. His complexion was not
darker than most persons from the south OF Eu-
rope, or many in Paris. Neither was there any
thing 10 distinguish his air, his dress or manner,
from the middle classes in Paris. He spoke
French and English tluenty, the latter with no DIFF
fculty in utterng the sound of tn. He was of
middle stature, little inclined to be stout. He
walked erect and with q confident air, which
gave evidence of the truth of his assertions, as to
the practical force public opinion in Paris. |
did not ask his name. had 10 motive for 1t
But the interview made such an impression upon
nv mind that made notes OF it the moment |
90, back TO nv lodgings