The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-22
LETTER OFHORACE MANN TO THE OHIO CON
VENTION OF COLORED FREEMEN
WAsHINGroN. December 81, /.


VENTION OF COL0RED FREEMEN
WAsHINGToN, December 81, 1851.
GENTLEMEN: Your. letter of the4eth inst
Informed me that the colorcd people Of Obi,
propose to hold Il State Convention at Cmein
matt in the month of January ensuing, VT
adopt such measures as are best calculated
to enhance their moral. social, and political in
terests," and you are pleased to ask my view
as regards the present position and futur,
prospects of the colOred race in this country
You submit to me q great problem. IL
terms include the cOlored population alone
But ! presume you would not exclude from
contemplation the welfare Of the white race
so far as that can be promoted by a full regard
for the rights of the blacks Fortunately,
however, believe there is no real conflict Of in
terests between the races. The eternal laws Of
justice and right would promote the welfare
of both If either rcssts these laws it will
deserve. and must ultimately receive, an ayeng
ing retribation
The "colored race of this country now
numbers nearly four millions of people More
than thrce-lOurth5 Of this number are in the
lowest political and civil condition known to
the human race. They are Slayes-a word
that includes all woes and wrongs They are
denied all political rights. They can hold no
property, but are themselves held as property
They have M marital or cOnjugal rights no
parental or iial rights but husband and wife
parent and child, may be torn from each other
under the most agonizing OF circumstances
and from the wickedest and meancst OF mo-
tives-lust cupdty, or revenge. The slave
has no rights Of reputation or character He
may be rdcued, .traduced vilifed to any ex-
tent, and without any possibility Of redress.
The laws Of the slave States, SO far from Sc.
curing to the slave any intellectual rights alb
SOlutcly build wall Of darkness around him.
50 that no ray OF knowledge can illumne his
soul, except such as the master desires for his
own profit. In a land, Also Of professed Chris
tianity and among a people who call them
selves Christian the slave is without any moral
or religious rights His capabilities Of virtue
are developed only So far rs virtue is profitable
or convenient; and when his Wees are sup
posed to be more profitable than his virtues,
they only are cultivated There is no such
thing rs religious freedom for the slave for
where there is no knowledge there can be no
freedom. There is no such thing rs free agen-
cy for Il slave for his body and limbs are at
the control of hls master: and his soul in the
blindness Of it, ignorance is, like any blind
creature under the dominion of its leaders
Thus, MI the most precious and sacred rela-
tons of n human being to his fellOw-beings.
to Nature and to God. are Obliterated by sla-
very True. 1t is said that the institution of
slavery permits the soul Of the slave to he en-
hghtencd sufficiently to De saved-SO that n
wrctched existence this side the grave may be
followed by a happy one beyond it, But is
this anything more than saying that it is i'm.
possible for the wckedncSs of man to send
forward It's crueltles into eternity and there
wholly TO thwart and cancel the goodness OF
God!
The residue of the colored population of the
United States is in n condition vastly superior
to that of the slaves. though still UNNECESSARILY
below the position to which they are entitled.
and, az believe destined to fill.
Now, az one of the points of your letter re.
CARDS the future prospects Of the race" it
involves consideration of the means which
may be brought to bear upon those prospects
and to determine what they shall be-
| shall only attempt to throw out few hint
on this great subject.
In the first place, | think it neither probable
nor desirable that the African race should iii,
out and leave that part of the earth to whicl
sian or any other Of the existing races. Ther
are vegetable and animal races which we ma,
lawfully desire to see supplanted by othe
kinds of vegetable or animal growths: nay
there are tribes Of the human family who's
existence we may not wish to see continued
provided, always that they dwindle and retir
in n natural way, and without the exercise q
violence or injustice to cNpe them from tn
earth. But writer's on the characteristics @
the different races of men, ascribe to the Afr
can many of the most desirable qualities b,
longing 10 human nature. AS compared wit
the Caucasian race, they are indeed suppose
to be less inventive, to have less power f
mathematical analysis, and less adaptation ic
abstruse Investigations generally, are less er
terprising less vigorous. and are less defiant
obstacles. Bat, ON the other hand, there
great unanimity in according to them II MOI
cheerful, joyous and companionablc natur
greater fondness and capacity for music
keencr relish for whatever, in their prescl
state Of development. may 10 regarded
beauty, and more quick, enduring, and exat,
religious affections. The blacks, as race,
believe TO be less aggressive and predatory tina
the whites, more lorgying and, penerGiu n,
capable OF the white mans tenactv and terr
most universal opinion to be that in ntelleC
the blacks are inferior to the whites while i
sentiment and affection the whites are iniero
to the blacks
Under these natural conditions may not th
blacks develop as high Il state of ciulizatio
as the whites! Or, what is perhaps the bette
question, may not independent nations of eac
race be greatly improved by the existence {
independent nations of the other | believe 5,
| believe there is a band Of territory aroun
the earth ON each side of the Equator whic
belongs TO the African race. Their Create
adapted their organization to its climate. Tn
connections of the earth have jostled many q
them out of their place but they will be r,
stored to it when reason and justice shall sue
ceed to the terrible guilt and passions that di'
placed them
Under these circumstances, what endeayor
shall the free colored population of the Unite
States put forth, in order 10 improve the cond
ton OF themselves THEN posterity, and thei
race
Ii il almost too obvious for remark, that n
nation or people can ever rise to prosperity