The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-05-03

We see and know that, whether as
cause or consequence is not material at
present, the Christian nations are eve-
rywhere the possessors of power and
supremacy--that they are everywhere
planting themselves and obtaining do
minion-everywhcre blishing their
Bible and their faith--everywhere the
extirpation of idolafry is in progress,
with pow to which there can be no
eflectual resistance.
"There are two modes in which this
work may be finally consummated; zone,
the actual conversation of the beathen
races--the other, their extinction, and
the multiplication of the Christian ra-
ces to occupy those portions Of the
globe now resting in tn, darkness oi
paganlsm.
sit is the opinion Of many intelligen,
men, that the latteris the mode in which
the earth will eventually become the
habi,ation only of Christians. They
entertain the belief that the white or
Caucasian race will at length supplant
all the others; and in support OF this
conclusion, they refer to the red men OF
this continent, dwindled from mighty
people to feeble remnant, and AREA
dy on the verge Of extinction. 1t is
but few centuries since Europeans
came among them,and now the descen-
dants Of Europeans are counted by mil
lions, while of the Indian tribes some
have totally disappeared and others are
passing rapidly away. The greater
part Of South America is peopled at this
day by the descendants OF the Span
lards and Portuguese; of the once
swarming empires Of Peru and Mexico,
little remains to attest their former
greatness, save the ruins Of mighty
and majestic cdifces, which even in
their decay, seem to mock at the intel
lectua and physical weakness of the
present native races. In the island Of
the Pacific, as has already been obser-
we'd, it Is notorious that the aborigines
are fast decreasing; and in short, wher,
ever the white man intrudes upon the
possession Of the savage, the latter per-
ishes away.
At first view the idea that this is the
operation Of Divine purpose and de-
cree seems to impeach the Divine be-
nevolence; humanity is shocked at the
thought that whole races can be doo-
med 10 perish, and the very conception
strikes harshly upon our feelings. But
this is only the elect of an imperfect
and erroneous method Of looking at the
subject. When we speak Of extinc-
ton, we naturally associate with it the
notion of sudden and wlde-spreading
death; Of hundreds and thousands--the
old and the young--manhood and youth
and infancy-the matron and the bloo-
ming maiden, cut off at once, os BY
some desolating pestilence. But such
is not the meaning Of gradual extinction.
To produce this, only slight departure
is required from the general law, which
provides greater annual number OF
births than Of deaths among communi.
ties. We have only to remember that
II is appointed unto every one once to
die; and that under the gradual opera
ton Of this mmutable law the eventual
determination oft people is readily and
surely effected, merely by not provid
ing birth to supply the place Of eve
nv one who dies. 1t is not in reality
ban extinction, ,buta non-continuance ;itis
simply allowing the law of death to op.
crate in its full force, while the opera
ton of the law Of life is suspended, or
kept up with diminished vigor. We
are not prohibited, therefore, by any
fear Of undertaking the Creators good.
ness and mercy, from believing tina,
the universal establishment of Christi.
anity may be effected, in part at least,
by the substitution of that race upon
which Christianity has bestowed its
meliorating influences for those which
n re vet buried in the darkness of pagan
ism. II these races perish, it is no more
than each individual Of them must do
and not only of them, but Of every 9th
er.p