The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-10-02

NV WV SoHiC III utSItC, ltpIICu TIC
'The problem, my
child, is difficult one TO solve. The
whole eastern world seems now what
it has been for centuries past. The
race in that quarter of the globe APP
pears to have reached its maximum
of advancement. Its element of pro-
grcSsion seems exhausted or Iath-
er the race there appears long since
to have acquired its intellectual ma
turity. Amy changes observable in
lis customs, manners or laws, result,
| should Judge, rather from imitation
than from the ever active creative
attributes ofprogrcssion. The same
remarks, slightly me difed, are APP
p|icable to the aborigines of this con-
tinent. There is no evidence that
they have improved upon the knowl-
edge Of their ancestors. The oldest
arrowhead found in their soil is as
perfect as the best specimen of the
existing hour. Their ancient mon
uments are but piles of loose stone ;
those of to-day exhibit no improve
ment on the original pattern. Their
traditions tell US of no condition more
savage than their own. What their
fathers were, the existing race is
clanish, untutored wanderers thro'
wilds, holding an en-
pirc conformity with the beasts of the
forest, and gathering subsistence "a
lone from the uncultiyated bosom OF
nature
And yet further SOUTH observed
WalPole, If we may credit Spanish
historians, the native inhabitants
were much further advanced in the
arts than the aborigincs Of this re-
gion. Indeed they seem to have APP
preached the very confines of civil.
2ation.'
True replied the octogcnarian
'thc Peruvians and MeXicans wer,
in advance Of the race in more nor
them attitudes. The people Of those
regions appear to have been more
creative, and to have reached Ger.
tain stages in their onward move.
mcnt, not then attained by their nor
thcrn neighborS; and / have Otter
regretted that the experiment ther
III progress could not have been car,
ried out. Not that | think it would
have resulted in true civilization
but it would have shown us man il
an attitude at nee novel and inter
csting.
'Rut why might not the result nav,
been true civilization, as you tern
IL? inquired Caroline, who appear
ed now to have become deeply in
terested in the conversation.
Bccausc,' replied the octogcna
rian, 'the true element of civiliza
ton was not there. No one featur,
in their system recognized man a
man. individuals were nothing
each was regarded as an atom-al
unimpoTtamt portion of a great Who'll,
to be disposed of as a ting, ac
cording to the whim of princes, o
the requirements of a blood demand
ing theology.
Let them have discarded thci
princes and abolished their theology,
observed Caroline, 'and-'
'And it would have anni.ilatc,
their civilization,' replied the octo
genarian; because their civiIiza
ton, such as it was, rested on thci
theology and their peculiar form c
government. The two were insep
arabic. Time, ! admit, might hav
wrought change but if so, it mus
have introduced a new element
'And that new element obscrv
ed Walpole.
The true appreciation Of man a
man,, replied the octogenarian.
'And was the attainment of tn,
probable?' inquired Caroline.
Itis difficult TO say rejoined I'll
octogcnarian, what might not hay
been accomplished by people VIII
had already done so mach, had t Ell
been no foreign interference. The
were cut short in the midst Of an az
parcntly onward march, and the Sc
luton Of the problem must ever IT
main one of conjecture. My ow
opinion is their maximum olimprov,
nent would have fallen immcasur;
bly, below the Caucasian standar,
But there is one other variety of tt
great family OF man, of whom W
know more, and of whom, on thj
account, we can speak with MOI
certainty as TO their rank in the sea
of the race
you refer to the African sa
Walpolc, observing the aged spcal
or to falter for moment.
The octogenarian did not rcpl
but bending forward, gazed throua
the thick garden foliage toward ii
nargin Of the pond, with a look
extreme anxiety. In the midst Of Il
momcntary surprise created in Il
minds of lis two companions, al