Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-09-23
Historical.

BY REV. JOHN S. c. ABBoTT

BY REV JOHN S. c. ABBOTT.
Mexico is indeed an unfortunate and unhappy
land. For three hundred years scarcely has
single ray of freedom and prosperity pierced the
clouds which have enveloped and darkened the
country. While under the dominion of Old
Spain, the native inhabitants of Mexico were OPP
pressed and deirauded in every possible way
They were driven to unpaid toll, and kept in the
lowest depths OF poverty, that the grandees of
Spain might dwell in palaces and ride in chart
OTIS And since the revolution about twenty
years ago-whlch separated the colony from the
mother country the inhabitants of Mexico have
hardly known year Of tranquility. Revolution
has succeeded revolution with such rapidty that
it is useless to attempt to record their succession
These conflicts, while keeping the inhabitants in
a state OF constant agitation, and preventing any
possible advance in civilization and the comforts
of life, have generally been comparatively blood
less, The Spanish chieftains, who were strug-
Cling for the supremacy, forced the natives to
fight their battles. The soldiers, however, Ia
king no interest themselves in the strife, kept at
very respectable distance from each other and
as the balls generally fall about midway between
the two armies, ifany of the combatants were Sc
rlou3ly injured, it was an untoward accident
When the armies of the United States were
poured in by thousands upon these timid Indians,
the conflict could hardly be called battle. No
matter what the disparity of numbers, these eff
Terminate Indians could hardly make show OF
resistance.
| In Mexico, though there is much confusion Of
races, the blood of the Caucasian the Indian
t and the Negro being comminged in every con-
celyable proportion, the arisocracy of color is
very decisivey manifested. The pure Castian
, is very proud Of his unadutrated lineage, and
: looks down with arlstocratic haughtiness upon
f the dusky skin which is an indication of an hum
r bier parentage, Approximation TO the Caucas
S ian race is there, as every where else, esteemed
t an honor, That the white man is now, in intel
] lect and energy, in moral and physical power
/ the world over, greatly superior to the negro
2 race, few will undertake to deny There is un
quesionably, great diversity of opinion respect
n ing the cause of this inequality, but few, howev
: er, will question its existence. And this admit
a ted nterlority is generally adduced as an argu
Il ment in favor of slavery-but it is surely
e strange reason with which to silence the re
@ proaches of conscience. The men who till Dan
:, lel Webstcr's farm, and servants who minister tt
the household wants of John c. Adams, ar
uOupllGSo lnltlCCtudlIN lulCllO W tlCII CuIpIO)
q ers-but surely they are not on this account tt
e be delrauded Of their rights OF manhood, to b.
d degraded to the condition of slaves, to be bough
d and sold in the market John Quincy Adam
j. may not be willing to marry his son to the daugh
ter OF his WashWoman, or to marry his daughte
% to the son of his footman but surely this is n
J. reason why he should cheat his washwoman on
A of her wages, or dcfraud his footman out of hi
- hire. The naked assertion for it is no argu
ment, is this, "because | am more shrewd an
stronger than my unfortunate brother, therefor
| have right to delraud him | CAN compt
him to work for me without wages and therefor
S, have a right to do it. | CAN blot out the eye
It. of his mind, and keep in him ignorance, g. there
er fore will He shall not even know of the rgh
I'd of which rob him" Some influence must hay
of awfully deranged the conscience before such REL
ar soning as this could have quoted its reproache
to When enlightened piety shall dwell in the hear
Ill the wise and the strong will say, 4 will protet
10 my less fortunate brother, and fairly remunera
he him for his toll his feeble mind | will strive
py enlighten and to strengthen | will be his ben
re factor not his tyrant his brother, not his driver
le The plea that it is benevolence which induce
We one to enslave his felow-man, that the motive
lt kindness, in wishing to provide for one who
ar incapable Of taking care of himself is one whit
Nv is too absurd to be noticed No one can sober
i1r pretend that brotherly kindness has led to Il
Or enslavement of the negro.
In Mexico, as elsewhere, the Indian, in soci
position, stands below the white man, and t
Negro below the Indian; and as general ru
the sighter the admlXture of colored blood t
is more marked is the energy and the talent, al
- the more elevated the rank. There are very f(
ire negroes in Mexico. The great mass of the pc
,av ulatlon are Indians, They are the 'hewers
,re wood and the drawers of water All the men
an Offices of life are performed by them. They a
fa- miseraby poor, ignorant and degraded. T
he common soldiers in the army are almost witho
me exception Indians the lower officers are m
ort of mixed blood. The higher officers are net
,rd " all white men, either natives of Spain or t
mo descendants of Spanish ancestors, with pu
,ks Castian blood coursing in their veins. The
are exceptions to the rule but that these exec
tons are very rare, no one, familiar with socit
in Mexico, will deny.
There are three sources of amusement in Nh
ties ico-the theatre the ballroom, and the cockE
led These places are usually thronged; and here
me most respectable of the inhabitants are contlr
his ally seen united with the most dssolute and
the PRAYED There are few books in Mexico, and
fin literary taste. The ladies are almost entirely
and educated There are no ire-sides in Next
hen and, as an unavoidable consequence perha
ned none of those social gatherings, none of th'
.om domestic enjoyments which cheer the hearths
: IN the North--which cause the current of hum
red affection to flow so warmly during those lc
act evenings, when the SHOWS of winter whlten