The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-11-18
For the National Era.
ORTHODOXY VS.. SLAVERY.


Victor Hugo has beautifully significant
passage in one of his novels, in which young
man is represented standing at day-break, in
front of the Cathedral of Notre Dame with "a
book in bis hand The massive structure be-
fore him, WITH its turTets, buttresses and spires
blending the military with the ecclesiastical
types-the fortress with the temple-the feu-
dalism of the middle ages with the religion Of
peace, in barbaric grandeur and marking at
the same time, the only sphere and outlet of
poetic and artistic aspiration of the times in
which it was erected The young man is busy
with the contrast between the work before him
in solid masonry, and that which he had been
perusing in characters still more powerful and
enduring-the material with the immaterial-
the work with the word-the building with
the book-untl, kindled into enthusiasm with
the grand idea Of the intrinsic supremacy of
mind, he cries out "This shall destroy that"
A friend reporting to me conversation
which he had with some Southern gentlemen,
in which an apolOglst Of slavery declared his
belief that the Bible will at last somehow over
turn the system of chattel bondage, along with
ell the forms Of oppression which have come
down to us from our ancestors suggested the
paralesm and impressive correspondence of
alluded.
Ambition and enthusiasm shall take the d.
rection of Intellectual achievement hereafter,
and poetry and eloquenco shall displace archi-
lecture. Thought shall not henceforth build
its power and fame into fabrics of stone, but in
printed words 1t is a striking idea.
And the Bible shall yet destroy the feudal
structure of slavery, with all it's barbaric gran
deur, and twce-strengthe defences! 1t
is likely. Why mott 1t is the standard of civ
ilized sentiment. Conscience gravitates toward
its morals with force propOrtloned to it's
| light; and the hottest sanctions are waiting
there TO incite men to their highest duties. In
| terpretations which accommodate the code
to the conduct Of unworthy believers are
nothing in the way of lbs final triumph. Men
feel nevertheless, that there is a better way o
narrower path within the way of general
obedience, and they will find it as their eyes
open to the light The Bible will yet destroy
slavery.
These reflections arose as | laid down book,
entitled "The Unity of the Human Races,
proved to be the doctrine of Scripture, Reason,
and Science, with Review of the Present Po-
siton and Theory of Professor Agassiz. By the
Rev Thomas Smith, ID. d. The work il dedi-
Gated to the Literary Conversation Club Of
| Charleston, S. C., "by whom the subject has
been repeatedly and pleasantly discussed, with
feelings the most harmonious, amid opinions
the most discordant."
| Now, this topic discussed 30 tremendously in
that Conversation Club is worthy of remark ;
and the hope which have made my text takes
some encouragement from the circumstance.
Professor Agassiz (along with DIR. Morton,
Mr. Gliddon and some other distinguished men
of sciencc) has made himself responsible for
the doctrine of a diversity of species and n
number of primal percentages, for what have
been heretofore termed the varieties OF men, or
various races of the human family.
The battle is fought on the borders of the
question, and the Negro race is, of course, the
debatable ground.
The friends of the Bible "a it is commonly
received, are bound to maintain that Eve is
the mother CT all living and that God " hath
made of one blood all nations of men for to
| dwoll on all the face OF tho oarth and hath
determined the times before appointed, and the
bounds of their habitation."
In the argument of his proposition, the au-
thor of this work is carried something farther
into the doctrine Of fraternity and equality OF
the races than we might expect for pleasant
and harmonious discussions by a Literary Con
versation Club of South Carolina gentlemen
will put down few points that struck me a
unexpected in the notions of such party.
"The specific character of man il given il
that image of God in which, as it is solemn,
and repeatedly declared he was made" 81
is as unphosophcal as it is degrading to oul
nature, to limit the criterion Of mans specie.
TO his material constitution, in forgetfuness Of
his spiritual. Ip both, he is found to be essen,
TALLY elevated III organization and sndowmentt
above all animals"
Dr. Tiedeman is quoted with unqualified mp
probation for the following conclusions, drawn
I from laborious analysis of the comparative
size of the brain and skull of tho negro and
European races
q In regard to size, the brain of the negro
I.4krge as that of Europeans and Other. md
hofs@ 2. In regard to the capacity sbi the era.
mum, the skull of the negro, in general, is no.
smaller than that of tho European and other
human races, and the opposite opinion is i'll
founded and entirely refuted by my researches
g. In the form and structure of the well-pos.
sessed spinal cord, the negro accords in every
way with that of the European, and shows no
difference except that arising from the differ
ent size of the body. d. The cercbellum of the
negro, in regard to its outward form, assures,
and lobes is exactly similar to thst of the Eu-
ropean. 5. The cerebrum has, for the most
part, tho same form az that of the European
g. The brain, in internal structure, is composed
Of the same substance. 7. The brain of the
negro is not smaller compared AZ to size, nor
are their nerves thicker. 8. The analogy OF
the brain Of the negro to that of the ourang
outang IL not greater than that Of other races
except it be in the greater symmetry Of the
gyri and sulci, which | very much doubt g.
/ " r Al 4.
gree of intellect and faculties of the mind, ue
must conclude that no innate difference in the
intellectual faculties cGn be admitted TO ernst be-
tpeen the Negro and European races. 10. The
opposite conclusion il founded on tho very facts
which have been sufficient to secure the degra-
dalton of this race H. The more interior and
natural the negroes are found in Africa they
arc superior in character, in arts in habits,
and in manners and possess towns, and litera-
ture to some extent Whatever therefore, las
Robinson says may be their tnts their souls
are still the same"
| Professor Caldwell is quoted, with the like
appreciation and reliance, for these sentiments
Contrasting the Negro and Caucasian races,
ne says: In both individuals, however, we find
the brain, which we regard AZ tho seat Of the
moral principles, precisely alike, except that in
the African it is somewhat smaller Morality
il seated neither in the skim the nose the lips,
nor the bone of the leg. Being an intellectual
rather than corporal quality, it il believed
to be the offspring of the brain, which, except
in point Of size, is precisely the same in tho
African az in the European"
This alleged parity Of anatomical structure
is sustained by ample quotations from half a
dozen of other distinguished naturalists and
medical authorities.
Next, three chapters are devoted to the proof
of the former civilization Of the black races Of
men. The necessity of this proof turns upon