The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-01-15
A Few Words About Ariel.

For some time past, this pamphlet has
engaged the attention of our exchanges
by Its novel and startling theories of the
status Of the negro in the scale OF crea
ton. We have heretofore abstained from,
any reference to it, because we supposed
that the world would regard it as We have
inclined to do, as an ingenius hoax. That,
in this day of light and knowledge, much
sinned against it is true, any one could be
found, so bold and so blind, as to chal-
lenge the right to place in the scale of
humanity, Of SO large portion of the In
habitants Of each, however degraded by
centuries of barbarism in the worst eli
mates of the globe, did not enter serious.
ly into our Imagination. We regarded
this essay as quaint and curious satire
upon the theories ofthose who have claimed
for these children of Ham, superiority
over Shem and Japhetb, in utter violation
of the truth as found in the holy scrip
lures, and verified by the worlds history
from the days Of Noah. But whatever
may be the real opinions Of this writer, it
is manifest that he has been conceived to
be in earnest by large numbers of his
readers, and has been c,nsidered no I'm
worthy antagonist of certain learned Di-
vines, who with much zeal, if not discre-
tion, have done him the honor to attempt
refutation. This proceeding has at once
dignifed the subject and invested the
pamphlet with certain strength which it
would not otherwise have possessed F;
when anything is said or written, revolt
ing to the religious sense of christians, as
we'll as shocking to our ideas of humanity
(which happily, incline US to elevate all
creatures rather than to degrade them) it
is always mistake to invest the subject
with Importance by making it the theme
of controversy, because however cunning
ly devised, it will sink beneath its own in
trinsic defects and fallacies. Certainly, to
answer any grave error without elaborate
thought, is Of all things to be deprecated.
We fear this has been done in this case,
for the answers of the theologians have
not been as we'll considered and as conclu-
sive as their friends could have desired,
for they generally felt better satisfied Of
the absurdity of the argument before this
attempt to demonstrate it. Ariel has re-
sponded In two letters characterised by
greater learning and ability than the ori
ginal argument, and the present attitude
of the question is not SO triumphant fol
the cause of truth as we should desire
We do not propose to discuss this pamph
| let further than to indicate the present as
pect of the discussion, and as far as We are
concerned, to declare most emphatically
our adherence for the cotd blooded as
sumption that the negro is beast, or at
best a man without soul.
1t is their misfortune that they have
been thrown by their pretended friends,
in antagonism to the great body of the
whites, North and South, and in proper
tion to the extent of their delusion, are
they entitled to the torbearance of their
only true friends, the gentlemen of the
South who have seen their best qualities,
and know their impressibility to religious
and moral ideas, and have always regard
ed them as faithful, though humble friends,
whose title to place in the economy OF
the great plan ofsalvation was as well es-
tablshed as that of any portion Of the race
of Adam. There may be sort of pleas
urc in thus flying in the face of opinions
long received and cherished by the world.
but surely it must be malignant spirit
(Which could derive satisfaction in demon,
strating that this unfortunate people are
no longer to be regarded as anything bet.
ter than higher order of monkey, orang.
ou-tang or gorilla. We repeat, we regret
that this wild and cruel theory has been
dignifed by discussion, and would not
have referred to it, but for the notice it
has received ut the hands of reverend and
learned divinea, which has made it one Of
the topics of the day.-Camden Journal