Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1858-01-21
chronological and Political View Of
the Negro Races.
AN ADDRESS
AN AODHE00
Delivered b,fore the Robertson Association 9
Nashville, December 3lst, 1857,

Delivsrea bsfore the Robertson association Z
Nashville, December 3lst, 1857.
BY LITToN BoSTICK, ESQ.
The subject upon which shall a6
dress you on the present occasion, j
beginning toattract general Attention
1t has, however, only within th'
the last few years received that con
sideration to which it is justly enti
lied; and we of the Southern States
though more interested in its prac.
tical bearings than all others, seem
to have been the last to awake to
its Importance. The classification
of that numerous branch Of the hu-
man family known as the negro or
ethiopian, and establishing its true
position in the scale Of humanity,
whether considered aspurely question
Of science, or with reference toits politi-
cal and social bearings. or in its various
connections with religion and NOR.
atty, is certainly subject Of high
rank in dignity and Importance.
The natural philosopher who looks
with an eye Of interest upon all cre-
ated things, who scans the motion
of planets, the structure of noun
tains. the formation of shells. the
wonders of the animal and vegeta.
BILE kingdoms, and even descends
TO the world of animalcul9 and
mo tes SO small that they are invisi-
BILE to the unassisted eye, can find
no subject in the vast range Of bis
ST u dies more worthy Of most patient
and careful investigation than that
of Ethnology-the history character
istics and capacity of tho different
TYPES or races of men. To tae
statesman and christian whose lives
are devoted to the study OF those
laws which tend most to promote the
happiness and we'll being OF their
fellow men, and to work out the
greatest good TO the greatest num-
Der, this question is one OF pecu.
liar interest. And lastly it claims
the attention Of that large class OF
persons who without any pretensions
to craftsmanship or scientific attain
ments, from an innate love Of fair
play and an honest opposition in their
hearts to every species Of injustice
and oppression, often find the inquiry
forcing itself upon the mind, wheth-
er there is not an abstract wrong in
the dominion exercised by the white
over the black races. All such per-
picking doubts will be removed by a
full and candid investigation OF this
subject.
j propose therefore to present for
your consideration few" "Ethnotogi-
col and Political Eieics Of the Negro
Races" from which / expect to
deduce the legitimate conclusions
that snbordination to the white man
is the normal condition OF the negro
that this subordinatlon is neces
sity of his nature, acting with the
inevitable constancy and certainty
of gravitation or any other natural
law, and wheu obeyed the negro rea'
ches the highest development o
his moral, physical and social capacl
ties, aud when by accident or legls
iative enaetments it is violated, ht
sinks at once to a position but little
elevated above the brute creation
that the institution of the Southern
States, called slavery, is simply tht
form Of government best suited t.
the negro, affording him the h'ghes
happiness, cultivation, and freedom
of which be is capable. And hence
that the system OF slavery IS not
wrong and oppression, but the legltl
mate result of the negros own ma
ture, from which, if it were not I'M
possible, it would be impollt'c 10 ,
him to escape until thatnature shsl
be changed.
1t will be necessary, Tor a prope
consideration of the subject, to dis
card all fanciful theories and poet'ca
imaginiugs and confine ourselves Z
ascertained facts even at the expens
of dullness, and promise to lsser
nothing for facts, this evening, wh'c'
cannot be sustained by the test'mo
ny Of reliable historians and travel
Ilers, or by your own obsersatl0ns.
The question Of the original mn
ty or diversity Of the dilfesent type ).
Of mankind does not necessarll;
.r;eo IN th;s cnnnectiOn. whether 81