The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-08-16
The Fruits of Negro Equality,

The Panama correspondent Of tho New
York Herald, under date of July 10th,
gives the following account of the work
ing of Negro Equality in that portion of
Central America. The writer says:
You may suppose that much I have
heretofore written in regard to affairs in
this State is because I have taken pre-
judicial view of matters and things and
have not taken pains to inform myself
properly as to their true condition. [
Will now give you an outline of the con-
dition. I will now give you an outline of
the conversation [ had few evenings
since with native of .Panama-a gentle
man Of education and refnement-one
who knows and thoroughly understands
his country, and who would upon no ac-
count say anything against it. I wanted
some information on the subject, and
frankly told him so, and what use I in
tended to make of it. The first question
I put was: "What is the population of
the city of Panama and suberb (arrabaO?P
Answer-"Abou twelve thousand, inclu-
ding foreigners" Second-t'What pro-
portion of the twelve thousand are pure
white?" Answer-;sLess than two thous-
and" Third-"Of the children born
among this population what proportion
are legitimate ?'--Answer--"About
three-tenths, and these nearly altogether
among the whites, for there are but few
marriages among the blacks" He went
on to say that on one occasion he took a
census of an adjoining department of this
State, and among eleven hundred persons
he found seven married couple only
What [ have here given you is very fair
picture of the state of society hereabout,
and you will find it about on a par-no
worse-than other parts of the world
wherein the negro has, by mistaken SYM
pathy, been brought above his proper
level. From knowledge of what the
Southern States were prior to the rebel
lion, I feel perfectly safe in asserting that
Notwithstanding Mrs. Stowe, Fanny
Kemble Butler end others-there were
more legitimate children born among the
slaves than there are among what is term
ed freedmen" Morality among them
here is thing almost unknown, and some
of the cases of incest you hear of are of
the most revolving and disgusting charac-
'Ci. Will Say Ou0 tulHSs uOh6fSI, III
favor of the class who are natives of this
soil-that in everything they are as far
advanced above the Jamaica negro as it
is possible to be-. The latter has very
likely acquired some little education; this
at once makes him saucy, arrogant and
desirous of aping all the manners and
customs of the white men. The Jamaica
mulatto is far worse, and can excel the
world for impudence, and in nine cases
out of ten is utterly worthless. They are
shuned by the natives, and the lowest
term one can use here towards a black or
mulatto is tc say that he is a "Jamaica
nigger" This cuts like two-edged
sword, and is more telling in its effect
than if you were to use the vilest words
known in the kpglish language. I had
intended to drop the black subject, but
thought that little information from the
best source about eMosquerra's progress
in civilization would not be amiss, and
might throw some light upon what may
be expected in the United States should
the same course be pursued with the
freedmen" there as has been in this coun-
try and among the West India Islands
namely, universal suffrage.