Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-08-04
THE UNITY-or-RAcE QUESTION.

its extra compensation.
THE UNITY OT-RAcE QUESTION.
Professor Agassiz, and perhaps one or two
other men Of genius and science, have attempt
ed to consrovert the Scriptural and popular
belief Of the common origin Of mankind. In
doing 80, they Of course set aside the Mosaic
account Of the Creation as q fable, and invali-
date the authority Of the Old Testament. The
champions Of Slavery have, as might be expect
ed, awaited themselves of this theory as . JUS
tifcation Of. the system, and have palmed off
upon the public any number of pamphlets and
books written by execrable soribblers, North
ern as well as Southern, all designed as offer
ings on the altar of slave-driving pride and
prejudice The inexpressible disgust which we
feel for creatures Of this stamp, particularly
those Of Northern origin, has induced US to
treat their puerile conceits with the contempt
they deserve. But it affords us pleasure, new
ertheless, to observe that the momentary eclat
gained by these literary fungi in the South, is
passing away. A majority of the advocates of
Slavery labor under wholesome fear of the
Devil at any rate, if they cannot be eaid to
love God and they are beginning to see that
the apostles of the Jew revelation are leading
them into the slippery and dangerous paths Of
Infdehty They have therefore set themselves
to the task of degrading the negro in an ortho-
dox, Scriptural manner, 30 that the most pious
slave-driver may reconcile his pride, his preju-
dice, and his injustice, with the dictates of re-
Igion. They accordingly pass sentence Of con-
domination upon the infdel theory Of diversity
of races, and set up another, that the negroes
are the descendants Of Cain, whom the Almighty
is represented as saving from destruction
during the food in some miraculous way.
This ridiculous subtcrfugc appears to satisfy
the consciousness of pious slaveocrats and affords
q secure retreat for pride and prejudice in the
arms Of religion. There is no warrant in Scrip.
ture for tho assumption that any Of the pos
terity of Cain survived the food, unless they
had intermarried into the family of Seth, and
were represented in the blood Of Noah and his
family. But this is no affair Of ours. Ii it
caves the champions Of Slavery from the heart
less infdslity Of those who attempt to degrade
men to the level Of monkeys it will subserve
good end.
1t appears to us utterly illogical, on orthodox,
Scriptural grounds, to contend that the de-
scendants Of Cain, allowing him to have any
or of Ham, are more deserving Of the curse Of
eternal Slavery than those Of Adam. There
can be no grades Of depravity where all arc
born totally depraved, and equally deserving
the Divine vengeance, which is the prevalent
doctrine throughout the South. Adam was
told that he and his seed should eat bread by
the sweat Of the face forever and yet we zee
our pious brethren Of the South eating bread
by the sweat Of other peoples faces--a plain
evasion Of tho curse. Who, then, can blame
the descendants of Cain and Ham for evading
the curse pronounced against those their an
cestorss What makes the case stronger in
their favor, is the fact that Adam and Eve
were the original offenders who, By eating tho
forbidden fruit, brought death into the world
and all our wos;D while Cain and Ham were
influenced by the evil example Of their ances-
tors.
The sin Of Adam was original. II caused
the Fall Of man from his state Of perfect in
nocence; while Cain was "born 10 sim" and
Ham WINS not only born in sin, but bred up
amidst the greatest depravity. They received
q curse, with brand or mark, while Adam
and Eve reoeived curse without q brand !;
which would have been no brand, because il
could have distinguished them from no other
class.
We think, therefore, that there is strong
spice Of Pharisaical pride in the idea which
pious, orthodox champions OF Slavery have ad-
vanced, that il is perfectly right and proper to
trsmple on and enslave for all time the unfor-
tunate descendants Of Cain and Ham. IL is
not only thanking God that they are not as
other men are, but thanking Him that they
have been made the instruments OF the Divine
vengeance upon the colorcd race, According
70 these petists, the curses visited upon Cain
and Ham have much 10 do with tho price
current Of cotton and sugar; and they Gee no
hope for tho white men Of the South, which IL
not immediately dependent upon the dsmna-
ton Of the negroes. They believe that no
grocs may he good enough ioT the holy compa-
ny Of the Apostles and Martyrs in Heaven, but