Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-02-21
A LECTUR E

IN TR EMoNT TEMPLE,

b1 HON. IL. IOOMBS.
sLAvERr-iTs CONSTITUTIONAL sTArUs-Irs NFLU-
RNcE ON rHE AFRICAN RACE AND SOCIETY
TcoSoLUDED.
In the Eastern Hemisphere he has been
found IN all ages, scattered among the nations
OF every degree of civilization, yet inferior to
them all, always in servle condition Very
soon after the discovery and settlement Of
America, the policy of the Christian World
bought large numbers of these people of their
savage masters and countrymen and imported
them into the Western World Here we are
enabled to view them under different and far
more favorable conditions In Hayti, by the
encouragement OF the Federal Government,
after long probation of slavery they
became free, and led on by the conduct and
valor OF the mixed races, and by the aid
OF overwhelming numbers, they massacreed
the small number of whites who inhabited
The island, and succeeded to the undisputed
sway of the fairest and best of all the West
India Islands under the highest state of cult
vatlon. Their condition in Hayti left nothing
to be desired, Tor the most favorable experiment
OF the race IN self government and civilization
ms experiment has now been tested for sixty
years, and It's results are before the World
Fanatacism may palate but cannot conceal the
utter prostitution OF the race war of races
began the very moment the fear OF foreign
subjugation ceased, and resulted in the exter
mination of the greater number of the mulattoes
who had rescued the African from the dominion
OF the white race. Revolutions, tumults and
disorders, have been the ordinary pastime Of the
emancipated blacks; industry has also ceased
and their stock of civilization acquired in
slavery has been already nearly exhausted, and
they are now scarcely distinguished from the
FRI has fro, oh III ~
land.
More recently the same experiment has been
tried III Jamaica, under the auspices Of Eng
land. This was one of the most beautiful, pro
dnct've, and prosperous of the British colonial
possessions. In 1888, England, following the
false theories Of our own abolitionists, pro-
Claimed total emancipation Of the black race
In Jamaica. Her arms and her power have
watched over and protected them not only the
interest, but the absolute necessities of the
white proprietors Of the land, compelled them
10 offer every inducement and stimulant 10 In
dustry; yet the experiment stands before the
world confessed failure. Ruin has over.
whelmed the proprietors; and the negroe, true
= the instincts of his nature, buries himself in
hlth, and sloth, and crime. Here we can com
pare the African with himself in both condi-
tons, IN freedom and in bondage, and we can
compare him with his race in the same climate,
and following the same pursuits. Compare
him with himself under the two different con.
ditions in Hayti and jamaica or with his race
IN bondage in Cuba, and every comparison
demonstrates the folly of his emancipation In
the United States, too, We have peculiar op-
portunities of studying the African race under
different conditions. Here we find him in
slavery; here we find him also free man in
both the slaveholding and non-slayeholding
States. The best specimen OF the free black is
10 be found in the Southern States, in the
closest contact with slavery and subject to
many OF its restraints. Upon the theory of the
anti-slavery men, the most favorable condition
IN which you can view the African ought TO be
In the noR-slaveholding States of this Union
There we ought to expect TO find him display
ing all the capabilities of his race for improve
ment and progress--in a temperate climate
with the road Of progress open before him,
among an active, industrious, ingenious, and
educated people, surrounded by sympathizing
friends, and mid, just, and equal institutions,
If be fails here, surely it can be chargeable TO
nothing but himself He has had seventy
years in which to cleanse himself and his race
from the leprosy of slavery, yet what is his con.
dition here to-day? He is free: he is lord
of himself; but he finds tits truly heritage
of woe" After this seventy years of educa-
ton and probation, among themselves, his in
ferioriiy stands as fully confessed fact in the
non-slaveholding as in the slaveholding States.
By them he is adjudged unfit to enjoy the rights
aud perform the duties Of citizenship-dened
social equality by an irreyersible law of nature
and political rights, by municipal law, incapable
OF maintaining the unequal struggle with the
superior race the melancholy history of his
career Of freedom is here most usually found in
the records Of criminal courts, jails poor-houses,
and penitentiaries. These facts have had them.
selves recognized in the most decisive manner
throughout the northern States. No town, or
city, or State, encourages their immigration I;
many of them discourages it by Legislation ;
some OF the non slayeholding States have pro.
hibited their entry into their borders under any
circumstances whatever. Thus, it seems, this
great fact Of "inferority" Of the race is equally
admitted everywhere in our country. The
northern States admit IL, aud to rid themselves
Of the burden, inaict the most cruel injuries
upon an unhappy race they expel them from
their borders and drive them out Of their bound
aries, or into their poor houses, as wanderers
and outcasts. The result OF this policy is every
where apparent; the statistics of population
supply the evidence Of their condition. In the
non-slaveholding States their annual increase,
during the ten years preceding the last census
was but little over one per cent. per anuum
even with the additions of the emapcipated
slaves and fugitiyes from labor from the South,
clearly proving that in this, their most favored
condition, when left to themselves, they are
scarcely capable of maintaining their existence
aud with the prospect Of denser population
and greater competition for employment con.
sequent thereon, they are in danger of extinc.
ton.
The Southern States, acting upon the same
admitted facts, treat them differently. They
keep them in the subordinate condition in
which they found them, protect them against
themselves, and compel them to contribute TO
their own and the public interests and welfare /:
and under this system, we appeal to facts. or en-
TO all men, 10 prove that the African race has
attained higher degree Of comfort and happi-
ness than his race has ever before attained in
any other age or country. Our political system
gives the slave great and valuable rights. His
life is equally protected with that Of his master
his person is secure from assault against all
others except bis master, and bis master $
power in this respect is placed under salutary
la .al