Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-02-05
The Gorilla and the Negro.

Mr.. p. b. DuChaillu, the famous AZ
rican explorer, has just returned in the
nick of time after having explored con-
siderable portion of equatorial Africa,
and has given series oflectures in some
Of the cities Of the West He has also
published several interesting works de-
scriptive Of his travels aud Of bis discov-
cries as to. the character and habits Of
the gorilla. He is announced in the
New York Herald as about to COM
mence lecturing tour throughout the
United States. He has lived among
thirty different tribes of negroes and
spent several years in making his ex-
porations. He speaks simply as man
of science, and his lectures, should he
take Memphis in his route, will doubtless
prove intensely interesting. The New
York Herald says:
The public mind is ripe for just such
facts with regard TO the negro race as Mr..
DuChaillu has presented in his books,
and will present in his lectures, Not
being a politician or partisan in any
sense, and simply treating the subject in
scientific point of view, he will be
listened to by all parties and classes. He
should, by all means, go to Washington,
and enlighten the pro-negro and anti
negro members of Congress on the sub
ject of races. The hall of the Represen-
tatives should be assigned to him for this
purpose. This would be more appro-
pirate use of it than when used by strong.
minded women lecturers and for other
equally Objectionable purposes. 1t may
be profitable, perhaps, for our negro
worshiping Congressman to learn how
far the gorilla and negro of Africa are
removed from the white Caucasian race
ofthis country. The continent ofAfrica,
as Mr.. Du Chaillu shows, is the Oldest;
but whether the negro inhabitants are
the oldest race of the human family, or
whether, as some maintain, all of the
four great divisions-the Negro, the
Mongolian, the American Iudian and the
Caucasian-are descended from the same
stock, is of little consequence in view of
the actual and great difference that exists.
This latter is the paramount question now
that an effort is being made to put the
highest and the lowest of these races on a
political and social level 1t may be
useful to know that the negro, through
all his long history, has never emerged
from barbarism, not even partially, when
not under the Influence of a superior
race, and that he inevitably returns to
barbarism from even partially civilized
state when left to himself 1t might do
good to instruct our legislators at this
time in the operations of the laws of ma
ture upon attempts to amalgamate differ.
ent races-to show that hybrids cannot
continue to exist-that nature has pro-
nounced against it, and that wherever
political and social equality bas been at.
tempted between races in which nature
has established inequality, society has be-
come disorganized, revolutionary and in
cessant trouble. The white race may be
debased, and, in fact, is debased, by such
efforts, and the black man is not elevated.
Indeed, the black man, after doing i'm
meuse mischief, and demoralizing the
white race generally, is pushed out of ex-
istence. Here is vast and highly inte.
resting subject which Mr.. DuChaillu
has profoundly studied, and which his
experience will enable him to elucidats
better than any other man. We hope he
will go from one end of the country to
the other in his proposed lecturing tour
for he may make it as profitable to him
self as it will be useful to the community