Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-05-12
Mlisfellaneous.
The Unity of the Human Race.


ever published the grounds and evidences of his
peculiar doctrine ct any length, fact which
I gives greater interest to report, imperfect of
course. that we find in the Mobile papers, Of
ecture recently delivered by him in that city.
Our readers who are not Indifferent to these
scientific Investigations will perhaps, like to see
an outline of the professors argument.
That all living beings did not originate from
one common centre he says, is shown from the
geogra phical distribution of animals with their
geographical groupings, and the same is true in
respect to man. The unity existing among men
consists in the identity Of their mental and NOR
al character, which shows relation of brother
hood, ard that man is the highest deyelopement
of nature, superior to all else in the plan of Gre
alton, but nothing more This is unity supe-
rior to that of mere genealogy, and does not
conflict with an original diversity of races, which
is exhibited in man as well as in the entire ami
nal creation.
Among the most important proofs of this
facts, too, which have been i-appreciated and
which, if rightly understood and traced up,
should have led those basing their arguments for
an original unity upon it to directly reverse con-
cusions, are those arising from hybridity.
Animals propagate only among those Of the
same kind Different species will propagate
mixed races or halt-breeds, intermediate between
the parents. We have familiar example in
the horse and the ASSEMBLIES are exactly in
termediate between them. Now, the horse and
ass, though of the same family, are distinct types.
Propagation between different breeds of horses
produces no great diversity, and so Of asses
Though there are very unlike breeds of both
these classes, the offspring of the same family
are never half-breeds. 1t may resemble either
parent, but will never be much unlike either. If
we examine among the different races of men,
we shall find the same facts.
"The progeny of very cognate tribes-as, for
instance, the different white trbes-may resem-
BILE either parent, and are never very unlike Ell.
ther. On the contrary, the offspring of races
remotely resembling each other, are in the same
condition as those of different species among
animals Thus, the offspring of white and
black is never white or black, but always mu-
Iatto. BY the laws of reproduction, it is shown
that there is as great diversity between these
ypes, as between animals of distinct species.
Language has been relied upon by those hold
ing tho original unity of the human races. DIFF
ferent languages have been thought 10 depend
so much upon each other, to be in so many re-.
spects similar, that they must have sprung from
one common source. The facts, that between
the Latin and French, and between the Latin
and Italian especially there is the closest resem
blance,-that the Romanic is similar to the Ger
manic, that Greek and Sanscrit-or those dialects
known as the Ind0- -Germanc have, as it is
claimed, the same vocabulary-that their roots
can be traced to the same form-have been con-
sidered evidences of transmission OF language
from one tribe to another, and that all speaking
them, were related by common descent, and had
received them by direct tradition from earlier
common sources.
, But the professor buntly denies the inference
saying
r j." The inference is entirely unfounded these
" resemblances do not show the same origin--s,ill
less that they have been derived from tradition
Even from researches in the animal kingdom
this position is shown to be false Language is
e to man as voice to animals. To each kind there
is distinct class Of sounds characteristic of the
III species. AS, for instance, birds, wild and tame
II have set of sounds peculiar to themselves, and
| unlike all other animals. Again, the knocking
t bird has its characteristic voice. as all thrushe.
N have similar voice which distinguishes them
But the voice of dog is unlike that of tlge
1t. the dog kind bark-whie the cat kind all hay,
re mewing cry.
Is, "Some kinds may indeed mock others, as th
ad mocklng bird initiates others notes. They hay
IN however, each peculiar, characteristic voice
an AS the negro in speaking English, Frerch, o
m Spanish, when he has learned them. does nc
as give their diomatic accent, but utlers them a
his throat and nature have modified them.
"There is u marked diversity between differ
ent species of animals in this respect. We havt
Sc for instance, many species of the dog family-a
as wolves, foxes jackals, the blue fox of the arcli
to regions besides distinct species in Asia, Afr
W ca, and South Anerlca-but they all bark.-
id, They all hunt, chase, follow their prey to dea Il
ow and these intrinsic pecuarnies are UNIVERSAL
ur- distinctive Of the flmily.
again OF the cat kind, we have the lion, Il
m, tiger, the red tiger, the puma, wild cats, al
IA mary other species, in all no less than ninefy-s
re of different sizes, aud many specific unkencsse
their unity is as intimate as that of dogs. The
all, the tiger lion, &c, ike cats await the
nd prey-and failing to catch it by springing,
not pursue it like dogs.
sor "They are alike treacherous sand all me
md The roar of the lion, and the cry Of the cat,
,ch phiosophicaIly analyzed, might show as gre
=, similarity as the Greek aud Sanscrit. And
the mode of articulation is the same in the Ii
the and tiger.
80 $50 of birds. No one would tail to recogni
10, the wood -pecker by his note--not the drummi
. in noise made by peckmg trees-but by his pei
liar song. BY this alone he is easily dist
A., puished from all other varieties of birds-thou
49, this species is very numerous, there being
~. less than twelve kinds in Amerlca--besldes {
"'' ferent ones in Europe, Africa, &c. 80
=" thrushes are easily distinguished by their sw
song; and though they mock the songs OF OF
uds birds, yet we recognize them by their pro
70 is voice. There are dihereht sPc''eS VI '"''
there being no less than SIX here eight Or