The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-08

existing dissimilitudes in habits and propensi-
ties, in arts and modes of living, under the
same or similar conditions For example, to
| quote the words of Mr.. DuChaillu, " the
American race at the Equator differs from the
Equatorial Africans completely and the various
tribes of Central Africa contrast strongly with
their Arabian neighbors who dwell in the
same latitude. with only an arm of the sea
| between them" asa rs
Speculation is very apt to be betrayed by
the charm of analogy into adopting the notion
that populations which are designated as
savage, barbarous, or inferior. differ from
other populations which are commonly re-
cognized as civilized and superior only as the
infant mind differs from the adult mind
There may be infancy of nationality, but
there is nothing in history or science to indi-
cate that there is infancy of race in such q
sense as to admit the idea of the seIf-develop-
ment of visibly interior type up to the level
of a visibly superior type. If we assume his
toric progress for the inferior, we must also
assume it for the superior. Therefore, though
both may move under the impulsion of differing
quantitative forces, they Will maintain to-
wards each other an invariable disparity;
and, at any given time in the future, the one
which is now in advance, must be at the
same distance ahead.
But there is strong ground for suspecting
that races at present regarded as inferior are
incapable of advancement beyond limits
which they have already touched There is
also reason for believing that modern ciyiliza-
ton as embodied in existing nationalities of
the Caucasian race, is in a certain sense
fatally militant and devouring in respect to
all populations composed of inferior types of
mankind. This idea Herbert Spencer, in one
of his recent works, has wrought out with
great force, and in an admirable spirit of
philanthropy as well as of philosophy; and
Mr.. DuChaillu brings to its support all the
results of his observations as a traveller, and
Of his reflections as q thinker whose mind is
rarely fresh, unbiased, and frank, if not pro-
found, subtle, or transcendental. In the
lecture referred to, he unequivocally ex-
pressed the opinion that all races Of men,
except the progressive Caucasian, are des-
tined to extinction; in other words, that the
strongest and the highest will inevitably con-
quer and occupy the earth. And he con-
tinued:
The Hottentots and Bushmen being the lowest |
types OF negroes viii disappear first; then win |
follow the lower order of the Monaghan race 1
the Australians, Polynesians, American Indians /
Civilization will not stop this decrease for il is
to raise up these inferior races to the
standard OF their superiors. To account for the /
gradual loss of the vital energy of nations tn /
speaker could not; but that nations do thus lose /
their vitality he fully believed. There is no doub
that whenever two races come in contact with /
each other IN one country, o struggle for the as
tendency will ensue. and the more intelligent one
must eventually conquer. A remarkable fact /
s that the disappearing races of to day are
not inferior physically to their progenitors-they
have not been dwarfed. The intermixture of
Inherent families of the Caucasian race is bene-
Hcial and to this is to be ascribed the wonderful
progressiyeness of the people bat the intermar-
fisge OF two distinct types of men is most injuri.
'us III q superior marry an inferior the latter is
benefited at the expense of the former; but the
nongrel or hybrid viii soon die out, for a third |
distinct type cannot be formed to live. To saw |
hat the races that are dying cut should not be |
jared for and helped to the highest civilization of
which they are capable in their decline, would
'e as unreasonable as to argue that because
nan is slowly wasting away by consumption. and
must die, We should not, therefore, care for him
II attend upon his wants.