New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-16

for the economist.
Now, we have no objection whatever to the
intelligent discussion of all these questions.
But we insist that those who arc neither physi-
ologists, ethnOlogists, historians theologians,
nor economists are not just the persons to issue
conclusive dogmoS upon topic so important.
We are ashamed to find those who profess to be
the leaders and inforncrs of the pnblic thought
permitting themselves blindly to be led by
those who are still binder into o ditch of ipse
apis and noisoms assumptions. There is, no
doubt q great prejudice against the black race
in the United States, but it Is impossible to say
that this is not tho result of cruel and system
attic degradation, and it will continue to be i'm
possible to say this with the least logical sccu-
rscy until all traces Of the bondage in which
the blacks have for nearly two centuries been
held have disappeared. Such prejudice is by no
means u novelty, nor has il been at oil confined
to blacks. All Christians IN Gle middle ago sup
posed that Jews exhaled bad odor from their
Christian at that period would have been
far more likely TO provoke mob in any
civilized city than tho marriage of q white
man and black woman would be now. There
is The simple fact. II is impossible TO get
around il, or under il, or over it, with the whole
COppsrbead power OF wriggls. Now the white
hatred of the black in this country is precisely
OF this character. Delicate people say that it is
natural. We answer that it Is impossible to
prove that il is natural. OF course il is easy 10
classify It's different sources. A man of great
refinement may dislike 10 associate with an
ignorant negro as he would with any
ignorant m0r of whatoycr tribe. A man
proud of bis purse mag sc0rn poor ne
gro as he would poor white man. man
Systematically scquiescent in the wrong, and
cruelties Of society may shun negro rs he
would any unpopular white. man who has
himself been undere,timated. may be jealous OF
any attempt to DO justice to others. But we
must insist that all this settles moth
ing except orr human mhumanity-
except that in spite of our religious professions,
we do not dwell together ss brethren--except
that we DO not, in spite Of our Bibles. believe
that God has made all men OF one blood. For
the opinion o; a jealous, i!lterste, coarse
minded creature upon this or any other topic,
The most refined hater Of the African would
probably have no respect; and yet the Ill
natured prejudice of this brulaliHed being Is
just precisely the prejudice Of The learned and
accomplished You ask the one why he bates
the Black. and he will answer-because no
hates him. You ask the other Why he hates the
Black. and he will snswer-because he hates
him. For the lie of US we cannot see why the
philosopher of tho shsnty does not make out
quite rs good n case as the philosopher OF the
study. The reason why they cannot tell, but
this they know, and know fall well--they do
not IKE the Blacks
II is hard to decide how long this prejudice
may continue TO influence society; and it will
probably continue to be felt long after all traces
of It have disappeared from the s,a'ute-books of
all the States. Bat this thing is certainly clear
that under tho Constitution in its most liberal
Interpretation. and admitting our cherished
American doctrine Of equal human rights, if a
white man pleases to marry black woman,
the mere fact that she is black gives no one a.
right 10 interfere to prevent or set aside such
marriage. We do not say that such union
would be wise, but We DO distinctly assert that
society has nothing to DO with the wisdom of
matches, and that We shall have to the
end Of the chapter great many fool
ish ones which laws are pOwerless ~ pre-
vent. We do not say that such metci@s
would DO moral, but We do declare that they
would be infinitely more So than the promiscuous
concubinaSc which has so long shamelessly pre-
vailed upon the Southern plantations. II a man
can so far conquer his repugnance to Black
woman as to make her the mother Of his children,
we ask. in the name OF the divine law and of
decency, why he should not marry her We
are not in favor Of amy law compelling Copper
head to marry negress, unless under circum-
stances which might compel him to marry a
white woman or to go to prison; but we insist
that if the COpperhead or anybody else is
anxious TO cutter into such union II is not for the
Legislature TO forbid him, or for his fellow
creatures 60 pronounce him violstor of the
laws of nature and Of God