Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-03-17

lcTeSLluN CApoSi"0h 1850 L
PHILOSOPHY. He endeavorsto |
here is an innate, fixed and un-
difference between the Africsn
Lssian races; that the negro Is
g~v,cally and intellectual lydegraded;
veore denies the validity Of c~oncln--
n in favor Of the common origin OF
y AGankind. We concur with the Author
in his opinion that the negro is degraded
and inferior to the white man ; and that
there Is a great difference between the Al
rican and Caucasian races. But what
caused this difference, this inferiority! The
gentleman says, this deficiency Is inmate,
and thatthey aredistinct and separate races
without a commoa origin. IT thls be 50,
the negro is " excluded from those COW
cnaut promises made to the children OF the
first Adam, through Christ the second
Adam"
In support of bis views, the Author OF
the work under review says, DIR. Semmer-
sing enumerates f~orty-six Instances where
in the ANATOMY of the negro differs from
that Of the Caucasian, and that Mr. Law
renee describes the !" whole front OF the
head "a narrow, the forehead hattcned
and receding the cavity of the brain com-
paratively small, both in It's circumference
and full length of measurements, the nm
der perforation and candvlcs placed farther
hack than in the European. Compared
with the Caucasian, the intellectual quaii-
ties are reduced and the animal features
ENLARGED. That the brain of the white
man averages nineiy-two to ninety-hVe
cubic inches, while that of the negro rare
" ever exceeds eighty" therefore,, says
the Author, "a negro Of we'll regulated
Intellectual faculties, such as any ordinary
white man possesses, is absolutely a natu-
raj impossibility." Does it Dot appear
strange, that such evidence as inc aooVe
should have satisfied the learned Author
and that be should have formed opinions
without farther investigations, adverse as
thew are to the expressed teachings OF the
Bible? "God hath made of one blood all
nations of men for to dwell on all the lace
If the earth, and hath determined the
time before appointed, and the bounds o.
their babitation.-Acts xvii 26.
But when we consider that the analytl
cal tendency of the American mind is "
great, it may not appear strange TO Sc
great fundamental truths called in ques-
ton, and q veil of temporary uncertaint
thrown over them by the great thinkers 9
this investigating age and the hope is 10
Obliged, that on some other occasion MI
MacMahon will discover his errors and re
iect his unscriptural views.
We will now consider the validity
the Authors conclusions. The solution {
this question is impossible by %refereuc
only to the records of profane history, be
cause they do not extend back to the or
gin of any of the leading divisions of til
human family; yet the gentleman, con
curing with the authors Of the TYPES
Mankind" with an air of apparent trl
umph informs his readers, that " rcliab
history favors the views of the diversit.
theory party because the negro and thr'
other leading types of men we're delines
ted on the monuments of Egypt sever
thousand years ago." But is not the gel
tleman aware, that whatever date be a:
signed to these inscriptions, there mu
have been an antecedent period lor
enough to have given origin to any nur
Der Of types, produced by natural cause
Favorable to the development of an orr
inal constitutional tendency to spontaD'
Gus variation ?" 1t is q significant fax
that while the oldest monumental recor
extend back, according to Birch and lie
sius, to about three thousand, eight-hul
dred and ninety years B. O., 40 negro q
lineation, as admitted, is found EARL
than the twenty-fourth century, b. c.;
interval of more than a thousand years |
tween the date of the oldest negro deli
cation and that Of the earliest records, no
withstanding the gentleman speaks of ,
former as contemporary with the earle
Egyptians. So much for the Autho
Monumental argument, which can not
correct, therefore must fall to the grour
How comes it." says Mr.. MacMahc
that the negro has ever been norma
savage He was from the first surround
by the earliest civilization and came IN CO
tact with the greatest people of antiquit
Let him read the ninth chapter of Gen
sig, and he will learn that God gave,
prophetic blessing, the mastery of
world to Japhet; made Shem second in q
thority, and Ham the humblest, theref
under a curse ever to be continued .
remember that " social condition is a p
eminent cause which determines the fO
of a mans brain, therefore that of his SIX
which seems to be, says Professor Dral
spnected very closely with the habits
that the career of the Caucasian r
ker been progressive, while that
kican has been one of degenera