The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-05-17
Written for the Perrysburg Journal.
The Condition, Character aud
History of the African Race.

| Ine condition. Character and
History of the African Race.
The erroneous impressions which prevail in the
civilized world respecting the condition OF the
negro race in africa are discreditable to the
intelligence Of the age. The people OF the United
States are doubly blamable for their false views
ou this subject, because we owe a debt to that
portion OF our fellow men for ages Of wrong
inflicted on them Tor our benefit, and because with
ample means within our reach for correcting our
erroneous opinions, we generally neglect them and
still persist in denying to negroes those intellectual
faculties and moral qualities which the Creator
has bestowed on the entire human family.
No one can, with any claim to intelligence and
candor, persist in these declarations. With the
books Of rec cnt travellers in Africa in their hands,
the humane can appeal to the testimony Of BowEN,
LIVINGSTON and BATH, to prove that millions Of
Pagan negroes, in different parts OF that continent
have been for ages in the practice OF some Of the
most important arts oflife, dwelling in comfort and
generally at peace, while many millions more
have been raised to considerable degree OF civil
ization by Mohammedism, and long existed in
| powerful aud Independent states, under various
changes, it is true, but perhaps not so maay or
great as those through which the principal nations
Of civilized Europe passed during the same periods
| To refer 10 but one portion Of the vast regiots of
Africa, inhabited by the black race, namely
that extending along the southern border of the
Great Deser-we find there, between the tenth
aud twentieth degrees of north latitude, FIVE or
six Kingdoms, most of which have been in ex-
iseucc several centuries, and some thousend
years old, generally under the influence Of Muham.
| MADAM tpe
liar, so far as they prevail, establishing Fixed laws
customs, arts and learning and although abound
ing in errors and evils on the one sids embracing
benefits on the other, which are not enjoyed by
that portion which remain in Paganism. The
Koran, as is well known, has copied from the
Hebrew Scriptures many of the attributes of God
and the doctrines Of morality, with certain Just
! views of the nature, capacities, duties and des-
! tiny Of man; and these are 50 faithfully taught
that they are conspicuous in the writings of many of
the numerous authors in Mohammcdan countries,
and often displayed, in more or less satisfactory
degree, in the characters aud lives Of those cdu-
Gated in them.
The space allowed in n newspaper communica-
ton compels me to limit my remarks to very mar
row bounds and shall therefore be unable to
present many details which would interest the
reader, aud can give only few facts relating to
learning, nature, institutions aud results
This forms au essential Of the Mosem system,
aud has long been in operation in large families of
the negro race and moulded them after the civiliza
ton of the Arabs and AIoors. Unlike Popery, II
requires, as a fundamental principle, the free and
universal reading and study Of their sacred book,
and instead Of Withholding il from the people un-
der penalties of death and perdon, it establishes
schools for all classes primarily. to teach its
languages and doctrines. Extracts from the Koran
form the earliest reading lessons for children, and
the commentaries aud other works founded upon
| it furnish the principal subjects of the advanced
studies. AS this has always bocn the practice it
may not seem strange that learning Aourished
among the Moors in Spain, during the dark ages of
Europe, while Popery so long overshadowed the
nations with her worse than Egyptian darkness.
Readers who have neglected Africa, may not be
prepared to believe that schools of different grades
have existed forcenturies in various interior negro
countries and under the provisions of law, in
which even the poor are educated at the public
expense, and in which the deserving are carried on
many years through long courses of regularinstruc
ton. Nor is this system always confined to the
Arabic language, or to the works Of Arabian
writer's. number of native languages have been
reduced to writing. Books have been translated
from the Arabic, aud original works have been
written in them. Schools also have been kept in
which native languages taught. Indeed
ofthe most gratifying evidences has been furnished
of the favorable influences exerte1 by tho uure-
sricted use, as well as the general diffusion. Of
the knowledge of letters, while the truth Is not
less certain, because hitherto unknown, that large
portions of the African continent lie open to the
access of Christian influence.
These and other facts, which we SHALL not stop
to mention, make it appear wonderful indeed that
the African race should be judged by us only from
that small and unfortunate portion of it found On the
western continent. Where is the excuse for
looking only at few millions Of late slaves and
tho descendants of slaves in America and entirely
negiecting to inquire into the condition and char
actcr the history and capacities of the hundred
or millions of negroes in their native country,
who have had some opportunity TO show what
they capable of? 1t is now time for public
attention, in the United States, to be directed to
Africa, and attentive perusal of the most recent
travels will afford the reader the details Of many
things which we can only cursorily mention in
this article, while earlier publications will be
found TO afford confirmation of some of the most
important facts. 1t certainly will bring more
compunction to the hearts of the humane among
us, to learn that the race which we have been
accustomed TO despise, well as to il-treat still
lies under a load Of evils perpetuated by the
prejudices prevailing, even among many of the
most enlightened Christians, and it will be sur
prising to be told that among the victims of the
slave trade among us have been men of learning,
Of pure aud exalted characters, who have been
treated like beasts of the field by those who
claimed puref religion. d. II. p.
SToSY RIDGE, April 20, 1867.