Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1858-01-28


{ feelings Of the beholder, but mus
5 be viewed in the practical lights 0
: history, and judged by the tests o
stern experience.
} In Negro-Land. the usual typt
Of government is absolute despo
, tism- the Kings have unlimited
power. not only Of property, but o
life and death, and rule with iero
city and cruelty which the Caucas
ian Can hardly imagine, while theil
subjects bow down to this tyranny
with the most uncomplaning sub
mission. A few petty despots
hold the chains which bind the
negro races in a state of slavery
compared to which, the servitude o.
the American negro is b0undless
liberty. The kingdoms of Dahom-
ey and Ashantee, for instance. two
Of the most powerful nations Of AT:
rica, are gloomy despotisms, the
details of which shock the sepsi-
bilities and challenge the credulity
of the Anglo-Saxon. Our Indians,
IN all their elaborate cruelty 10,
wards captive foe, never equalled
the barbarities praeticed by the
Kings Of those cohntires upon .their
own subjects, in accordance with
the recognized customs and laws of
their realms. The most powerful
noblemen, when they approach bar
barc sovereigns, bow their heads
to the dust in submission. We are
/ told by travellers that they have
semi annual customs Of offering up
human sacrifices for the purpose
of propifiating evil spirits, and i'm
mense numbers of men, women and
children are butchered upon these
occasions, the ceremonies being con-
sidered more or less gorgeous and
imposing according to the number
of victims. Prisoners taken in war,
! who according to the common law
Of Africa are invariably at the alb
soluie disposal of the victors; or
captives caught in forsys made up
on neighboring tribes for the ex-
press purpose, usually constitute
the victims at these cruel rites
But when the requisite supply from
these sources fail, they do not hes
itate to seize upon their own sub
jects, and no one dares raise voice
for their protection.
Dahomey and Asbantee, though
celebrated even among the negro
Kingdoms for feroeity, are type of
all the governments of the race.
which differ in degree bat not in
quality. Some few Of the tribes
Nave governments, patrlarchal or
popular in form, but all are mar
ked by a disregard of what the
Anglo Saxon considers the rights of
man. All travellers from Mungc
Park to Barth and Livingston, the
most recent explorers, unite their
testimony on this point.
Thus it will be seen, that when
ever found by the white man,
these races are savage and degra-
ded, without arts and sciences;
sometimes blessed with rich soil
aud genial climate Of which tLey
fail to take advantage, bowing in
submission to the viii of those in
power with no more idea Of resis-
tance than beasts of burden, and
but little elevated above them in
mode of life. This was their con-
dition when first known to the civil
Iized world moro than two thou
sand years ago, when they had
lived for centuries free from all ex-
traneous influence in the unknown
wilds Of their native land. Since
that time, an intercourse more or
less extensive with all the nations
of the earth, has failed TO produce
the slightest improvement. or pro-
gress, bat they stand now where
the earliest records of history place
them, without advance or retro
grade. A dark pail Of supersti-
ton, ignorance and iucapaeity, has
ever hung over the race, which re-
pels even the reflection of bor-
rowed light.
The melancholy facts can only
be explained upon the ground Of
an innate inferiority, not alone in
point of intelligence, but in all
the higher attributes of human ma
ture.
That love Of liberty which burns
With naliye and inextiDguisha-
bic fame in the breast Of the