The colored American., 1865-12-30


other; but history, both ancient and
modern, plai teaches that they have
governed each other as fate and force of
arms permitted And if the student of
history will only reflect upon her deyelop>
ments, he will there find, that just as
man of another race displayed the neces-
sary characteristics demanded By those
who governed, he was elevated to the posi-
tion which his character required. And
if that was the customs among nations
and races, who, in point of character are
immensely below the standard of true
manhood as we conceive of that standard
through the light of christianity, what
ought to be the custom with US? Yet,
at the present day, we are infinitely less
generous than the semi>savage of
thousand years ago, for we are determm>
ed to govern by one race and totally ig>
more the existence of graces in any other
outside of ourselves.
Ifit was proposed to place an African
in the jury>box, even allowing him to be
an infranchised voter, howl of discon-
tent would be raised from the shores of
New England to the auriferous plains of
California, although that African might
have better sense of justice, and be
able to render a verdict more in accord
ance with her mandates than any one of
his white brother jurors Yet these same
white judges, no matter from what State
they might come, would find no dificul>
ty in sitting down with Chinese to decide
any question of legality, although he was
as ignorant as when he left his native
shores, with the exception of being able
to understand our language. Now, why
is this A Chinese no more belongs to
the Circassian race than the Negro, and
if there is any solid reason for excluding
the Negro because he is not of the same
race, there is equally as good d reason
for excluding the Chinese. If the gov
erning race break the walls of their
oneness in favor of another, but one step
removed in the social scale, they arc
chargeable with selfshness when they re-
fuse the same privileges to third, be-
cause they may be two or three steps
removed, yet who develope traits of
character vastly beyond those privileged
recipients. Psychologists have divided
the human family into FIVE classes. or
races, the highest of which IS the Cir
cassian, and the lowest, the Negro. Be-
tween those there are the Mongolian, the
Malay and Indian. Now, we are very
much mistaken if either of these three
go-between races would not find hearty
welcome at the poles of this country,
and in the jury boxes of justice should
they present themselves for the necessary
qualifications, while the poor African
would be houted and kicked for his nra,
sumptivo 'temerity. We lay it before
the bar of human reason if this is not
spite and prejudice. We cannot but
look for such things from monarchial,
tyranical Europe, but when we see the
professions of this free and enlightened
country, and hear the boast that it is free
from the polutions of the old world, we
certainly do expect better conception of
Of things from it. Yet, what is its pat
ent practice? The very reverse of its
profession Our citizens are shocked
beyond all conception when they are told
that the Emperor of Brazil has negro
for Prime Minister, and that it is quite
common to see black judges administering
justice to the whites in that country.
Now, why are they shocked ? Is there
anything appalling to the senses on ac
count of it being fact? Z? Do they think
that justice has not her habitation in
Brazil as well as 10 Columbia ? Our plain
unvarnished opinion of the matter is just
this, that they are shocked because of
prejudice 4; that they are appalled, be.
cause of spite: and that they cannot con-