The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1863-11-06
MssIiissGsltanfnAs
From the Smyrna Times.
No. a.
To Ayres StOcIkIy 9Essq.

L -
flatter myself that have disproved,
beyond doubt or question, the unfounded as
sumption that " the negroes ara a.escendants
of the Canaanites. The Elderlp admits that
"our knowledge of history pri \ % tie Gre
clan Empire is very imperfect; t3o much 50
toprove or disprove this point ihcertainty,"
and in the absence of proof on this point he
AYERS that " The traditional belSefof all ages
and peoples on this subject is, 4 View of the
circumstances, sufficient TO satisfy his mind =
Unfortunately for the elder, = he has no
proof of even 'the traditional def Of all ages
and peoples on this subject anil the authori-
ties cited by him aver no such 4 traditional
belief" The authors whom be cites aver one
thing the g Elder iaters, assumes. without
authority, quite another thing, aad then coolly
invites us to believe his inferences s-unsus-
tanned by either proof or g tradition" On
page of this letter the !" Elder, remarks:
"When, in addition, we hear theturse of per-
peatat SLAVERY pronounced by Gods Phrophet
on dhe children Of Canaan and then find them
occupying Ethiopia, the land Of Ham," &C.
Here is another unfounded assumption of the
Elder" wholly unsustained BY proof or tra-
dition. He has offered no Evidence that the
Canaanites, or any of the sons OF descendants
of Canaan, ever occupied Ethiopia. On the
contrary, the Sacred Scriptures and the au-
thors l have quoted on this ssAieet clearly
show that the Canaanites ne$er occupied
Ethiopia. That they did so is an qnwarranted
Inference merely, which the elder " would
have his readers make from his disingenuous
and cunning language, without his having the
manliness to aver the fact. If be knew any
thing at all on this subject or the concuring
opinions of Moses and of all who have written
since his day in relation to the matter, he must
have known that " the Children Of Canaan /"
peopled or occupied the land of Canaan; and
that neither Moses or any other respectable
author has ever said that they occupied Ethio-
pia. A falsehood or calumny, written by in
situation, inference or inuendo, has always
been deemed the meanest and most cowardly
mode of propagating error; '.s Il, ot;oat
NOW, sir, what are tine uesisp 'ue opJe'''
ti.o speeiav purpose of the q Eldsts IN seese
bold, unsustained assumptions--ih these soT-
did appeals to the cupidity and ayarice Of his
readers? They are quite plainly to be de-
duced from his " Letter." They hre-
LIST. To try to show " that the Negroes are
specifically distinct from the white race !"
that they are distinct and an inferior race
of beings.
I'd. That this " distinct, inferior race of
beings" are laboring under the curse of the
Almighty, who has doomed them to slavery,
which is to last forever and ever" and that
the Divine Being, having thus subjected this
"inferior race" to slavery, attested the curse
by the distinguishing marks and signs-pa-
tent to all men-of " black skins and woolly
heads"
Sd. That it is not only right, and according
to Gods purpose and decree, but that it is the
duty of the superior arhie race taenslaye the
negroes and all who {" omit to advocate this"
-pro-slavery doctrine" when assalled are
to stand charged, by the words Of Jesus Christ
himself, through his servant Paul, with the
crime o. blasphemyl"
4th. Considering the time when, and the
circumstances under which, this Letter"
has been published and circulated, assume
that the great leading object and purpose of
the :" Elder " in this " Letter" to his son was
Political, and to subseree the eoaemptible
miserable aud inhuman policy Of the Southern
slaoe-Oltgarchy, and cftheir ptaint, supple tools
| Of the Northern sham Democracy. Plain as
this leading object of the Elder is, it is too
contemplate to merit any further notice.
have shown, trust, to your satisfaction,
and to the satisfaction of my readers, that the
negroes are not the descendants Of Canaan,
upon whom the curse of perpetual servitude
was pronounced and if this be established
then the whole superstructure of negro slavery
built upon this false assumption-falls to
the ground, and effectually disposes of and
disproyes the End and 3rd deductions above
stated.
In regard to the position of the % Elder
that the negroes are specifically distinct from
the white race-that " they are a distinct and
an inferior race Of beings" it is proper that l
should quote, somewhat at length, a passage
lrCu lne 1etle. OF the - Eluer, 10 ascer-
tain not only his precise meaning, but also the
skepticism, the ii.fdelity he would teach his
son.
On page of his Letter the Elder
holds this language:
| /" Nature instructs US that without Divine
interference there could and would have been
but one complexion, and that like our first
parents. Nature is consistent with herself
Like begets like. The compterion Of adam
'cas tohite. From the three sons Of Noah
was thewhole earth overspread.' (Gen. TX. 1917
and since they had a.common parentage, all
men are descended from one pair. That ne
groes are, however, specifically distinct from
the white race is not only patent to our senses,
but is proven by physiology-by the color,
hair, figure, brain, &c. A respectable au-
thor says, The entire bodily structure of the
negro. down to she nainxtsst atom of sssnsn-