The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-07-27
SHE'D EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING.
W00DSFIELD, MONROE COUNTY, OHIO, JULY 81, 1853 !.
An Amusing Tradition.

An Amusing Tradition.
The unity OF the human race has been
question OF multiplied discussion for the
last three centuries, and many books have
been published upon it, mainly by tha,
class of minds that have been trained to
believe, and are tenacious in believing, 2,
that all the races Of men are sprung from
one pair. These generally labor to show
that the black and copper-color Of races
have gradually retained their hue from
climate causes, and from peculiar habits,
operating through great length of time,
thus assuming that the original race was
white. have recently learned that the
African view ofthe question is quite differ
ent, and the negro version Of Genesis
makes Adam and Eve, at birth. black;
and. as an important link in the conc caten.
alton Of conjectural scienti6cs, furnish
the item.
A paper Just received from Paris, and
printed on the eth December. 1859. con-
tains the account Of visit made by trav.
eler to one Of the voluntary associations
or clubs of the African race, in Peru, cal.
led confradius. where the negroes enjoy
themselves on Sunday, in contemplation
OF their national and traditional ideas
which they preserve in their literal integri.
ty. On one of these occasions, a Mandin.
60 sage thus recounted the dispersion Of
the sons Of Noah. whom he depicted as q
black man, and the father of the human
race. "Now, then the first man was born
black. His sons were three in number,
and they were black like their father. The
patriarch drawing towards his end, as
sembled his progeny and said to them
"Children. my life is drawing to close.
and we shall soon be separated. The
hour is come for me to reveal to you the
wonderful power of a cistern, which am
gong to open TO you. He Of you that will
plunge into it may come forth with 4 com
plete Transformation. You are free this
moment to make a trial OF it,
The three brothers consulted together.
and the eldest. probably Ham, decided on
living under the same form and with the
same robe as his father. Shem initiated
the example Of his elder brother, but Ja-
phet. who already seemed to feel in his
bosom that rising boldness which he has
transmitted to his descendants, plunged
resolutely into the miraculous cistern.-
The metamorphose was immediate. and
he reappeared to the astonished eyes Of
his brothers under the form Of beautiful
Caucasian youth. A duet Of recrimina.
ton was Immediately raised against Noah.
during which the waters in the cistern be-
gan to decrease with strange rapidity.
Shem then changed his mind. and leaving
Ham to chose his own part, he descended
in his turn towards the nearly dried.up wa
ter, took handful of the soft mud, and
with i: rubbed his body. This simple To-
ton sufficed to change the dark ebony Of
his skin to yellow color. At the sight Of
this, Ham, interrupting his complaints,
precipitates himself at one bound, to the
bottom of the cistern. alighting on his feet
and hands. and there exhausted himself
in efforts to drink one drop of the miracu-
lous water. But, alas! the earth dried up
in his grasp and only the soles Of his feet
and the palms Of his hands and his thick
lips retained the envied color of Japhet
.Barbarous father!" cried he, in his pa
tois. "could you not tell meme. your
eldest born, what Virtues these waters con.
cealed, and what advantage would result
to me from their. contact? How shall |
live now by the side of my brothers, for
whom | am to be an object of disdain?''
Thus did poor Ham pour forth his grief
which seemed to take a new "reminiscences
Of tone. his piteous look fell on the small
surface which the moistened earth had
wnitened. The paternal bowels were NOV
ed. and Noah still said, "You are going
once more to be the arbiter Of your desti.
ny. God has given me the power Of dis.
tributing among you three gifts. namely
riches, independence. and genius; and |
leave you the choice as my first born"
Alas! who was it that erred again? 1t was
poor Ham. He chose gold, Shem Inde-
pendence. and Japhet joined to his beau
tful form, genius. which enabled him to
rule his elders.-N. Church Messenger.