The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1852-05-05

10 as mucn cOnSlueIauOn as dnotuoI y.
Prejudice, however, is traditonary; and
even after the white generations which
have seen slavery haye died out, the preju.
dices, originating from that condition, will
be handed down from generation to gen.
Grafton; maintaining and strengthening the
barrier which color, now and forever, must
interpose to any general amalgation.
This point is dwelt upon because of its
Importance. 1t lies at the root Of the ques-
tions at issue. If emancipation, present
or gradual, is to produce amalgamation
by intermarriage between the white and
black races of the United States. as they
will at any time stand related and affected
towards each other, we give up the case.
A belief to this effect is the only apology
for modern abolition.
The past furnishes no grounds for such
a belief. All the probabilities of the future
are against it. No argument has been
attempted to supportit We doubt whether
it has ever found dozen respectable and
open advocates. So that we assert again,
at the risk of unnecessary repetition, that
the two races, whatever might be their lie.
gal rights, would remain separate and dis
tinct, while they continued to occupy the
same land. On the truth of this position
our argument rests. OF this each one
must Judge for himself. The reasons of
our own faith are inferences drawn from
existing facts.
The next point OF enquiry is the prob
able relations Of these two free and dis
tinct races, while occupying the same land.
On this point it was to have been expected,
that Victor Hugo's sympathy with what
he calls 1.-THE august cause of slavery, '*
and natural curiosity as TO the subse-
quent condition of the new-made freemen,
would have induced him to make some
Investigations; especially too when he had
at hand. in history, ample sources Of in
formation. He does not appear, from any
thing that his letter contains, to have
done so.
Had Victor Hugo reflected, as would
have been proper, before he committed
himself by writing his letter of the 9Th July
he would have remembered that all histo-
ry teaches but one lesson on this point OIL
the enquiry, which is, that TWO RACES
WHICH CANNOT AMALGAMATE BY INTERMAR.
RIAGE, CAN EXIST IN THE SAME LAND ONLY
IN THE RELATION OF MASTER AND SLAVE
OR, IF BOTH ARE NORMALLY FREE, IN THAT
OF THE oPPREssoR AND THE OPPRESSED.
The instances are striking, numerous
and notorious. The Moor, superior ir
learning TO the Spaniard, but not amalga
mating with him, was expelled the land. ol
remained as an il.treated inferior. The
Saxons end the Normans were in conin.
ual strife, until intermarriages ANAL gamat
ed them as one people. Our own country
in its Indian history, presents another in.
stance Of the truth of the dogma. In
Mexico, the Spaniard and the Indians
amalgamated, and formed one people: but
what people!!! In the old United States
it is true, that some of the best blood o
the land, noble in spirit, steady in pur.
pose, and brilliant in talent, flows down
from an Indian maternal ancestry to the
present day: but yet, the Indian in oul
country will soon be q memory only
which Victor Hugo might have referred
touching future probabilities, should mod
ern Abolition, whose advocate he is, be
triumphant in the end. 1t is. indeed, 6
pity that he did not take broader view o.
the subject, than he seems TO have done
before, at the instance of Mrs. Chapman
he wrote the letter which we refer to
Had he done this justice 10 himself and tc
us, an Indifferent cause, we think, would
have lost the weight Of great name-bu
humanity might have been none the worse
off on that account.
Nor is history, in its teachings in re-
gard to the relations of two races that car
not amalgamate by intermarriage, while
living in the same land, without the con.
frmaiion of every days experience, in oul
own country.
In the city of New York, where the ne
gro may be a voter, he is not permitted tc
drive dray or cart. am not aware
whether this is by law, or is the effect Of a
combination among white competitors:
but the inference is the same in either case
In Philadelphia, he has again and again
been made the object of attack by an in.
furiated populace. In Cincinnati, to pro-
tect him from such attack. it has been ne.
cessary to parade cannon in the streets
Boston and Hartford have both witnessed
scenes of violence, when the negro was
the victim;-and yet all these cities arc in
free States, where the negro has enjoyed
for years nearly. or quite, all the rights
which law could give to him. What hope
is there OF different and better future fol
the black man in these respects? Wha
prospect Is there of a present change foI
the benefit, either Of those now free, or the
whole race, should general emancipa.
ton take place! None under the canopy
of heaven! more barren present, q
more hopeless future than that Of the free
colored people of the United States can
not exist America is the white mans
home. and his exclusively. God hath sc