Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-08-28

tant questions. Ills letter, we have no
doubt, will accomplish much good, aud
i, affords US great deal OF pleasure to
lay il before tho public, for tho frs,
time.
LETTER FROM J. b. Il. LATROBE. ESQ.
Oe'as Ho.''. Ns~pOr, r. L.,
August ~. 1851.
TsoaAs SurTERH, Esq.
Oesas House.
Nj prAKsIR.-
The following is, probably, the SUBJ
stance ofmy remarks, during my con-
versation yesterday, with Mr.. J. w.
Coleman and yourself, with Victor Hu-
go's letter to Mrs. Chapman, of July
9TH, 1851, on the subject Of Slavery in
the United States, before u.,-l com.
init them to paper at your request.
The letter Of NJ. Hugo is charac-
teri.tic. 1t has been translated, SO as
TO do Justice to the tcrse and epigram.
matte style Of the author. Argument
it does not pretend to and while you
feel, that it is calculated to produce
wrong Impressions, and obtain an in
fluence to which it is not entitled, it is
difficult to find any salient point on
which to hang the true view OF the
subject.
The best way. perhaps, will be to
consider the letter as the expression of
a strong sympathy Oh the part Of the
writer, in the labours of a lady, ell
gagged in promoting the cause Of Anti
S.avcry,-or, to use more accurate
definition. Modern Abolition, in the
United States. Indeed, Victor Hugo
begins by saying. that he has been dc.
sired "to lift up his voice. and so he
does.
Victor Hugo SAYS, that he agrees
with Mrs. Chapman in thinking that
"within time, not distant, the Uni
ted States will repudiate Slavery with
horror" 1t is not unreasonable to
suppose, therefore, that he would be
glad to have the reputation take place
at Cnce.
Let u. suppose now, that his expcc-
tations were realized. The country
would then present the spectacle of
two free races, Of different colours,
with equal rights, as citizens, under
the law.
But there would be some things
which the law could not give. 1t could
give political, but not social position.
1t could empower the cmancipatcd
slaves to hold property and to vote,
which has been already done in some of
the States but it could not remove
the prejudice, which the white popu-
lation entertain against their race. 1t
could not change those physical char
acteristics, which affect association
with them, either as regards their ap-
pearance or otherwise. 1t could not
induce fathers to give their daughters
to them in marriage, or reconcile the
daughters to receive them as husbands.
Nor would this impotency of the law
be Of present duration only. As | al
ready said some of the States have
done for the negro race, all that legis-
lation could effect, and this too, gen.
crations since. But no where do we
hear Of any general change, or any
prospect Of such a change, as would
better their social condition in any Of
the particulars we have mentioned.
w" may fairly assume then, that the
emancipation of the whole slave popu-
lation of the United States, at once, or
gradually, would present the specta-
Gle Of two free and distinct races,
whose difference Of colour was an in
separable barrier to their amalgama-
tion by intermarriage, now, or within
any probable period Of the future
Whether the emancipation Of the
slaves, which would prevent colour
from being the badge Of servitudc,
would tend to promote intermarrlage,
and the gradual absorption, in many
generations, of one race into the other,
must of course be n matter Of specula-
ton. That those intcrmarriages are
now repugnant to the general feeling
of our entire country, is fact, and as
such may be dealt With. The future
is a conjecture wholly about which
one mans opin on may be entitled to
as much consideration as anothers.-
But we may fairly suppose that the
white generations which have seen
slavery must first die out, before the
prejudiccs, originating from that con-
dition, can be obliteratcd.
This point is dwelt upon because Of
its importance. II lies at the root Of
the questions involved. If emancipa-
ton, present or gradual, is to produce
amalgamat,on by intcrmarriagc be-
tween the white and black races Of the
United States, as they will then stand
related and affected towards each 9TH
80 x,p rive nm the sosc A brlief ~