The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-04-12

because tnlnk u would I've 4 work Ot su.
porerogaton; because | think it would
add but little, If anything to the intelli.
gence OF gentlemen upon this subject, be.
cause it is no longer necessary--now in the
noontide Of civilization, blessed as we ore
with free education, with light pouring
ia upon us through every avenue Of inteli-
gence, aud with the experience, dreadful
aud calamitous as it has been, OF years OF
desolahng war. | say, under those circum-
stances 1t is no longer necessary to argue
IN order to convince men Of the righteous.
ness of this change. rejoice that the day
is past when these efforts are no logger re-
qulred in order to convince men who sin.
cerely desire to exalt our country among
the nations of the earth, and who earnestly
devote themselves to the elevation of our
national character, that this illy.founded
and narrow prejndice based upon color
and not upon character based upon the
degradation to which we ourselves, had
subjected the black man, and not upon the
elevation, mentally and morally, Of which
he is susceptible-is socially, religiously
and politically wrong. 1t is because of the
condition of the public mind, which is so
largely represented in this body, that I
deem it superfuous to urge the passage of
these resolutions by entering into lengthy
or elaborate discussion of the principles
they embody They have already received
more consideration at the hands Of the peo
pie, have been talked upon, and argued
more thoroughly, and are better under
stood to-day by the great mass Of our coun.
try, than those involved in any other Ques-
ton that has ever agitatod the public mind.
And the verdict of the sovereigns oe the
land, with all the accumulated intelligence
OF years of faithful investigation, will
be, Mey are right, and must be incorpor-
ated Into the fundamental law of the State.
The spirit of slavery, which yet remains
aud which refuses the black man the right
to vote-the right to participate in giving
aim, and channel, and direction to the pol.
icy OF the Government he fought to sus.
tain, this, the only dark spot upon the
character of our State must be botted out
The voice of the people vibrates throughout
the land demanding that the spirit of slavery
which conceived and developed to maturity
the most inexcusable rebellion since the
world began, must die. There is indeed n
verypecuiar feature that marks the progress
OF the recent struggle. 1t olnnot have es
capped the detection of tho most superficial
or the least observant, that, as the senti.
ment OF the country became moro hostile 10
the Institution OF slavery, that, as the policy
oil the Government became more clearly
dehned III opposition to it, the greater and
more decisive were our successes in the
held. The more rapidly the people became
educated in the determination to eradicate
the evil the more surely did our armies
march to victory. II this be true, and it is
generally conceded, the lesson to be
drawn from it is that your march must con.
tinue to BE- forward and upward, not back
ward and downward. We must advance,
keep up with the progressive spirit of the
age, tor the moment we halt, we begin to
lose power and others will beat us in the
race OF civilization. But, Mr.. President,
much has been said upon this floor to prove
that Africa has no history; that as we go
stepping through the ages, no signs of
better manhood, no evidence of greater re-
hnement, elegance, civilization, grandeur
and power mark her career ; but that in all
The asst she has lived and breathed and ex.
listed in a state of barbarism that Africa
never gave the world anything for which
she deserves credit that she never drg up
out of the complications of nature any new
principle, and flung itupon the world, for
the benefit and ennoblement of its people
Men have read history to but little purpose
who make such declarations. Africa claims
a high and early origin in the scale of EN-
pire. The recollecuons of history for four
thousand years stand in grand array, incon
trovertibIy proving the assertions enron.
eous. When Asia was land of tents and
Greece, and the Western Cont
nent unknown in song or story, Africa rose
the proud mother of nations, and the cen
tral source of civilization and social refine.
nent. 1t is held by the Democracy that
the mere color of the African places him
under the ban of nations, and renders pre-
posterous the idea that this race could ever
have occupied position of dignity, or con.
tributed to the general Improvement and
advancement of the world.
do not purpose to show how the Afri-
can became black, for know nothing about
it certainly not more than know how we
became white. Both facts are mysteries
equally great, and which think cannot be
solved. But let us take hasty glance at
the history of Africa. This race need not
be ashamed of their ancestry. 1t is as
bright as any of her oppressors, look for
them where you may. OF whom do we
boast as our ancestors? Well, 80 we are
not responsible for our ancestry, we need
not blush TO own it, The Goths and Van
lals of Europe. That great philanthropist.
Richard Watson, aiirms that the con-
temned race ot;A trca, as to intellect and
genius, can exhibit brighter ancestry than
our own. They are tho offshoots, wild and
unframed it is true, but still the offshoots
Of stem which was once proudly luxuri-
ant in the fruits of learning and taste
Africa could boast her heraldry of science
and of fame with any kingdom found upon
the vast map of nations. The same author
to whom have already referred, says "the
only probable account which can be given
Of the negro tribes is that as Africa was
peopled through Egypt by three of the
descendants of Ham they are the offspring
Of Cush, Missaim and Phut. History tells
us that through these Egypt, morass, was
converted into the most fertile country of
the world they reared its pyramids, in
vented its hieroglyphics, gave letters to
Greece and Rome, and through them to us.
But hear some of my friends on the Dem
ocratic side of this question, object and say
we received letters from Phenicia then
1T il not be forgotten that Phen oia was an
Africo Egyptian Colony, and CadmuS, its
ouBdeT, a Gmhite. and one Of the ancestors
of the African race. Nimrod, who was. the
grandson of Ham, (not many removes off
guess he was full Llood) erected in the
and of Shinar the first Kingdom vn earth
Ethiopia proper, lying on the south OF
Egypt, in Africa, was also settled by col
my Of Cuslites, and to these is to be traced
he present Ethiopian race. The Cushites
ire evidently the origin aud stand in history
Is the face OF the negro world. They are
he only branch Of Hams posterity that are
black. Aud they were black twenty-five
luudred years ago, as we are informed in