The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-11-18
NO. 307.
remote times for their high civilization and the

remote times for their high civilization and the
perfection of their manufactures
Aristotle and Herodotus describe the Eyp-
! tians-to whom Homer, Lycurgus, Scion, Pyth-
agOras, and Plato, resortcd for wisdom-as
having the black skin, the crooked legs, the
distorted feet, and woody hair Of the negro
(" The truth seems to be, that the most ancient
Egyptians really did have more or less Of the
peculiar characteristics Of the negro race.
Pharaoh's daughter, the bride of Solomon,
speaks very emphatically Of her own blackness
Of complexion To the same effect, "Dr
Pritchard has brought together, with great
learning and industry, all the ancient testimo-
MES that can illustrate this question, and has
examined and collated them so carefully, that
nothing further can be expected from this
quarter. The results are thus summed up
We may consider the general results of the
facts which we can collect concerning the
physical characters of the ancient Egyptians
TO be this: that the national confguration pre-
vailing in the most ancient times, was nearly
the negro form, with wooly hair But that in
a later age this character had become consid-
ersbly modified and changed, and that part
of the population Of Egypt reseInbled the mod
ern Hlndoos. The general complexion was
black, or at least dusky hue
Numberless other authorities are adduccd,
which may be summed up in the opinion Of Sir
William Jones, THAT the remains Of architect
ure and sculpture in India seem 10 prove an
early connection between that country and
Africa :" and in that of Hamilton Smith, who
fully adopts the opinion that the negro or
woolly- haired type of man, was the most
ancient and the original character of the in
habitants OF Asia rs far north the lower
range of the Hmmalaya mountains"
Our author sums up: The unity of the hu-
man races for which we contend earnestly is
therefore the identical origin of oil mankind
originally from Adam and Eve, and subse-
quently from Noah and his sons II is in this
point Of view the question becomes ono of fun
damental Importance and transcendent interest
to every human being, both as it regards the
| life that now il, and also that which is to come.
Tho relations Of all men, of every race and form
| to the same original head and representative
| their equal humanity, their common participa-
ton in all the consequences of the fall and in
| all the benefits Of redemption, and the common
rights privileges, and obligations, to which "a
spiritual and immortal beings all are destined
these are the great and glorious principles
involved in this doctrine, and with which
the truth of Scripture must stand or fall 1T
is also the foundation on which is erected the
claims of charity, love, and all the offices oi
| Christian philanthropy. Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as myself and honor ALL men"
That will do for a Charleston clergyman and
| its Conversation Club!
1t is obvious that it is the imperilled Bible,
and its authority az historical and doctrnal
| oracle, which stirs up this Jealous champion
| ship Of universal human fraternity and negro
| equality The assaults of science drive the
| Christian commentator beyond the religious
| Of nd tba in
vestigatiOn in particulars which must command
their immediate moral consequences in the
| practical relations held by the master to the
| slave; for the Bible proposition is not merely
that in the future world the negro may be ad-
mitted to an equal heaven, ~ mntter of in
| finite grace but that he holds, by a common
descent from the first pair, and by partaking OF
| the one tlOOd of the human race, equal rights
| here, to life liberty, and the pursuit of happ-
ness.
The Rev. Pr. Smith puts down in his book,
| without 4inoa..s g, .osv.-ativu this iuu-
| guage of DR. Tiedeman Judging by the ca
pacity of the crania the brain of some of our
unciyilixed British ancestors was not more de-
veloped than the average sized Negroes brain
and considered even ~ they are now observed,
Sir Charles Owen is Of opinion that there is no
modification of form or size in the negros brain
|
Ethiopian race would not profit by the same
influences, favoring mental aud moral improve
mont, which have tended 10 elevate the print
lively arbarous white races
This is manifestly Just and inevitable infer
ence of the doctrine of the original unity of the
races. If circumstances have effected the differ
encos now existing, nothing hinders the resto-
ration to like unity and equality in the end ;
and the duty of philnnthropists and Christians
toward these their brethren is unequivOcal and
imperative.
| IL will be Of no consequence in the argument
that Abraham held slaves" that Christ
and his apostles passed by the system of Asiatic
slavery, existing in their day, without special
remark or rcbuke." The principle cannot lie
tFidlc forever it must work wherever it can, and
1 the contrary instances and authorities OF the
sacred books must be disposed Of in harmony
with the great leading idea of human consan-
guinity, about which the strife gathers to IL
focus
do not believe, for myself, that tho rights
and duties of men depend upon the identity of
origin of the raal1Nt upon the intrinsic con
stitution of the 5ecH God made all men
somehow, no matters to this question of rights
and duties, how. The purposes and destiny for
which He made them all, are clearly indicated
| Wy inc hcNcThl Cul'tCitlcs WHICH no mas gwen
them. Every wheel and pulley in the mechan-
ism of life, human, animal, and vegetable, was
intended to work Whoever binders the free
play Of the least spring of action in any soul
illustrates tho intention of the Creator He is
the enemy of God and OF man. and must be
converted or destroyed. 1t is of no consequence
to me- therefore, whether Agassiz or DR. Smith
has the truth of their controversy it is of no
consequence whether the negroes brain is great
or smal-whether his faculties are high or
low, they are his, and not mine, or any other
mans; and it is sin against God and Nature to
abridge their proper liberty, and hinder their
possible development Such work of ruin
must end in ruin.
| But right or wrong in the particular specu-
lnton which we have been considering, ~ a
Bible doctrine it is likely that this Book shall
yet destroy that system. SENIOR.
| UNCLE TOM IN GERMANY.
The Augsburg AHgemeire Zeitung has a long
review Of Uncle Toms Cabin, bestowing on it