Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-28

LETTER OF BISHOP MEADE TO TIE EDITOR OF
TIE WING, ON Mr.. MoMAHoN'5 BOOK, EN-
TITLED cause AND CONTRAST"
To the EiitOr of the Wig;
In your and other papers, pablishsd in Richmond
and elsewhere have high euoges on thi, book.
Its popularity is represented be so great that four
thousand copies have already been called for. know
nothing OF the Author except from the mention made Of
himself the Sis! page, where he says: "T0e Author
born British subject-arrived In New York In ls49,
where he resided till the spring Of 1861" We presume
that he removed to the South ct that time tho ii Is not
declared His book treats of the present between
those of the old United States which re that nams
and the new Confederate ones. Had the Author con-
6ned himself to the political questions at ISSUE to
the general suit Of the awulness Of slavery he might
nave rendered good services to the Southern but
by introducing historical and theological discussion
concerning the origin and comparative grade OF the ne
gro race, he has cast 6rebrand in midst a. time
when unity Of sentiment and action is most desirable
There may b. unbeievsrs among who will synpstiIe
with the doctrine of this book and some protesting
Christians Who from want Of information, may be I'M
able at once to refute the theory Of the Author who
claims to be himself Christian, but the great body OF
those who receive Scriptures the Word OF God
and conaining the history Of man. will he shocked
to find that the four millions Of felow.bsings for
whose welfare a. we'll as for our own think that
are contendiDg are only one portion Of large family
Of animals holding an intermediate place between
selves and the ape the monkey or gorilla But such ~
the doctrine of this book.
| We adduce the following passages in proof In the
preface he says e" have venured to show that canni-
baism and fetchsm are and have been, The nor
NAL and unaterabe condition Of the negro in bis native
home-that he is physically and psychologicsly degra-
died. that be Ia inferior species Of the human race
In note on page 81, he Gays: Moses intended
to have the negro regarded chill Of Adam and Eve.
After quoting kltons description Of our 6rst parents
ns the true one he adds "Now let the reader imagine
il he can conceive this as picture Of negro Adam
and Eve; or let him show how negro could posi-
bly, spring from srch parentage" On page S6 be says
at would be most Difficult. effort Of the mind, even IL
an abardoned aud confirmed white Sboltonist, 10 i'm
aeine "a cable Holy Mary St. Cecilia" On page 80
he refers to the opinion Of Of the advocates Of the
original nerioity Of the negro race, by OF diff
ferent descent and who said that there lawful like
urss" between and the goris; that being shot
hs groan Of the gorilla bad something terribly human IN
IT," Blu. our Author differs from him, saying: eth,
negro proper is certainly not 50 low in the scale
physical org aum the gcrla yet Is demonstrate,
that he Especially the Hottentot,) most certainly ap
proKates in the structure Of his frame to the mopke,
kind and the trogodyte." One quotation more will suf
fee. In note on page eS he says: Eve contend thai
the genus map like unto all of the other types Of ami
mate nature was created in distinctive and sptcif
groups during certain intervals of cresion like the Buf
falo Durham and Kerry cowlike the salmon trout auC
rockfsh-lke the jay, mockng and canary birds" Thi
is he bolds that different tribes nations createt
with their pecuiArities and deficiencies At dilsren
times and countries and yet he declares that he holds e
the Mosaic account, saying; "If other men chooce L
mi.nterpe. Moses it lie neither bis fault the fault
Moses Such the language and doctrine Of one, who
after Chaps less than years residence in the South
undertakes to instruct the clergy and aity thereof as
history and character Of those whom we have hth
erto regarded the descendants OF our common, bu
fallen father the objects Of the redeemog love-
vi whom If we are but humble believers, hope Il
spend happy eternity in one heaven. Referring GU
reader TO the book itself for the correctness Of $50
taons We now ask him read the disgusting accoun
we have Of the negro race in the th section Of the book
from page to page 49, From this statement be wshe
the reader to conclude that the negro must have
been, from his first creation to the present time an,
must be- unalterably inferior race ft only for tn
lowest seryitude to others of the human family. Bu
let me- also request tho reader to turn to anothe
oook-our true and faithful Bible-and read Wha
ASses and the Prophets say of the nations ell arOunt
Jadea, comprising every grade and shade Of color
| aud geo how the lowest vices and most abominAbl
iiola,ries prevailed amongst them, equslng in turp
tuds anything which Is to be found among the poor he
rroes Of Africa. Let him, then, open the New Tests
ment aud only read the frat chapter Of st. Paurs Epis
10 the Romans chapter so disgusting that Wo ar
rmos. tempted to wish could have been omitted 70
| the honor Of humlny-ind let him remember that thi
chapter most certainly and emphatcay, includes, nc
only the most renowned nations Of the world but tn
| Philosophers Of Greece and Rome who praciSed some
the very vices charged upon the negroes and encourage
some Of the most abominablc dolstres, while hodin
some of the mos. senseless and ridiculous opinions
common with others Of q higher order. | concud
this letter by affirming that volumes might be written
and have been written, filed with accounts of toe d.
basement Of human nature in every age in Europe ASH
Africa and America fully equal to those Of the poor d
graded negroes.
Believing, Mr.. Editor, that have occupied ss much
your paper and your readers time a. could reasOnabl
ask in the present painfully interesting crisis Of h
tory conclude asking permission to resume the supeo
10 few dAys.
Youra WIN MEADE.
NoTE-If the reader wishes to see q confirmation o
this assertion to the horrd character OF some Of h
other nations Of the world he may find it in the els
cbap.er 309S page of volume entitled The Bible
the Classics which published during the last yesr
the Ssh aud 81 chapters of the same he may SEQ much
belonging TO the subject Of this letter.