The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-06-26
Negroes in Mexico.


social rank of the African race IN Mexico
i shown, by General Waddy Thompson
interesting Rccollections" OF that couh'
nv. 10 be not less erroneous than many
other opinions il relation 10 The habl's anu
customs Of that country, founded upon Tue
inaccurate narratives OF ignorant or prrJu'
diced tourists, spon whose statements We
have been heretofore compelled 10 reiy,
Gen. Thompson says, there are u COCO
many negroes in Vera Cruz, probably
more than IN any other part oil MeN''o,
Uc did not see half dozen negroes, ahu
very few mulalIoes, IN the city OF MeA'C"'
IN residence there OF two years ne
adds - 1t Is very great mistake 10 SUP, |
pose that they ENJOY any thing Ike s"c'"l
equality, even with the lndma population
aud though there are no political d'stlhc'
mons, the arlstu.Tacy OF color IS qhlle Us
areat IL Mexico a. II IS "a thus country
and the pure Castllian IS quite az PROUD
Thai he i man without "a cross as was
Old Lcathcrslucklug, even Il that cross
should have been With tic Indian race,
however remote The negro ~ Mexico,
as every where else, Is looked upon as be-
/ longing To class a little lower than thc
lowest-the same filthy, LAZY and VICIOUS
creatures that they inevitably become
where they are not held IN bondage. Don
dhse or barbarlsm seems To be their tes'
tlny-a destiny from ~h ch the Etm"plan
race has furnished no exception ~ ANY
country for period Of time long enough
Ia constitute an epoch. The only idea oi
the free negro OF liberty, 10 Mexico or
elsew here, Is exemption lrnm idbor, ahd
the privilege to be IDLE, vicious nhl as
honest. As to tie mere sentiments ol no
erty, and the eieyailng consciousness u e.
quality, iiey are incapable 81 The luriiff,
and for the latter no such equality ever d'd
or ever will exist. There Is u inc winch
canno, be- passed by any degree ol ialcn'
virtue or accomplishment. The greater
the degree of these which, IN rare lndiVd'
ual instances, may eNtst, and the nearer
their posses-ots may approach tins 'mpAs'
sable barrier, they are oalN the more mis-
erablc. This may be caI,sd prejudice, but
It Is a prejudice which exists wherever NE
Caucnsian race IS found; aud nowhere IS
II stronger than in Mexico. The negro Is
regarded and treated there rs belonging "a
! degraded caste equally us IN the Ualru
States much more 50 tltaG ~ south taT
DINA 10 quite as gteata degree as "a Dos
ton or PHI adclphla.' There i a lurking
sarcasm IN the last sentence, not Ihe les
singing because Of lis truth.
Gen. Thompson makes some remlfh'
on the system Of setsitule IN Mexico, no
altogether inappropriate "a TINS connection
"a ystemimmeasurably worse Che says
j. for the slave, N every aspect, than the ~
stituiion Of slavery Ia the United States
y The owners Of the estates (haclendas) re
J. celye laborers into their service. Thcst
= Iuborers are ignorant, destitute, halinake'
y Indians; certain wages are agreed upon
= which the employer phys 10 food, Tamcul
= and such articles as are absolutely ucccs
% s5ryi m account i Kept Of all these thing
' aud Il lher the llborer nor h, Family ca
10 ever leave the estate Until all nrrearage
are paid. These ct course he has no mean
e Of paying bat by the proceeds Of his labor
ssh ch, being barely sufficient for hts sub
si.lcncc, he never n get free md he I
p, not only a slave for lilc, but hts childrc
:, after him, unless the employer chooses 1
- release hun from hrs service, which he oI
ten finds It convenient To do when the ia
" borer becomes old or diseased. Nhalrtc
may be the iheogeIieal protection it1m Coi
~ purai punishment which the law aiiyr.
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