The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-06-25
Erahmanisn.

Caste is the grand, all-dominat!nG ins'i
tuition Of India 1t is the cornerstone O
Brahmansfn; thc sole prep OF the arls'o
cracy-the Brahnans; the GRAND engine
of oppression; the bar to all social ad,
vancement among the lower classes; ana
! the means by which the dominant; race
! have maintained both their power and pu,
rty of blood for nearly three thousand
| years Dr.. Duff. at a recent meeting III
! Calcutta. spoke Of this singular institution
| in these stron. and eloquent terms:
| Caste has, like cedar, strucl; It's roots
deep into every crevice of the soll OF nm
du nature-wound itself, like the IVY.
round every stem and branch OF hindu
intellect, and tngcd as with n scarlet dye,
every feeling and emotion of the Iiindu
heart. 1t reaches to the unborn chiid-it
directs the nursing OF the infant IL
shapes the training Of youth; II regulates
the actions Of manhood; it settles the at
tributes of old age; il enters into and mo
dities every relationship OF life; 1t mouidS
and gives complexion to every department
Of society Food and raiment aud eXer-
else, and the very functions of nature
must obey its sovereign voice. With every
personal habit, every domestic usage, every
social custom, it is inseparably interviewer.
From the cradle to the funeral pile 1t sits
like presiding genius at the helm, gu.d-
ing directing and determining every
movement of the inner and outer man.
Beyond the ashes of the funeral pile. II
follows the di embodied spirit 70 the
world Of shades and fixes its destiny
there
And yet this all-controlling law forms no
part of the teachings of the Nedas. 1t
grew by degrees out of the peculiar struc-
ture of Indian society, which, having been
formed by the influx Of one manner OF
people upon the top of another-the last
come dominating over their predecessors,
to be in turn subdued by othcrs-the
khonds. the koles, and the Sourahs, yield
ing TO the sway OF the Tainul, Telinca, and
karnatic nations, and they subsequently,
To the Aryan nations, tthe Rrahinans OF
the present day, J and the Aryans, after a
rule OF fife. Il To eighteen hundred years,
yielding o'iIiCal suprs macy 20 thc Mos
lens Finally they and all the rest were
C n nluered and ruled by a British company
Of merchants: and now that company has
succumbed II the British Crown
We have said that caste forms no part
Of the religious teachings of the Nedas,
the first and most sacred Of the Brahman-
ical scriptures For MANY years twas hut
"a eUtldI tlt>ltlll, IL diDNt ciil''t- btt' Utt-
ring the long period through which the
Aryan race ruled with undisputed sway
over the vast population OF inferior races,
caste was enacted into & lay", embodied III
the code Of Manu- and thus fixed with IN
flexible riGidity. the Brahmans ii their
position as tine aristocratic or ruling class,
and all the inferior races in their relative
social stations There they have for ages
remained, divided by horizontal lines
which may not be passed, on pain Of l7iln
in the present world and perdition IN the
future Some writers have said that caste
forms no part Of the religion OF the people
of India but this Is q mistake. Ihe error
is founded upon the fact that it's not 70 be
found il the Ncda= i Is. and for ages
has been, part and parcel Of Brahmanis'n
a. a religious system, and j, its main stay,
it, all-potent engine, is most distinguish
ing characteristic.