Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-02-28
CAPABILITIES OF THE NEGRO.

Samuel White Baker. entitled, "Grest :
Ba.iu Of tho Nile, aud Exploration OF the
Nile Sources" We make the folio" ing ~x- I,
tract. Mr.. Baker is an Englishman, aud !
In, ing enjoyed such abundant opportunity
during his travels in afr'ca OF fulmins an
opinion, his impartial estimate deserves TO
be weig' cd;
"rhe black man Is a curious anomaly,
the good and bad points of human nature
burs,iug forth without any arrangement,
lik. the flowers and thorns OF his own vii
.lerness. A creature Of impulse, seldom
. ua,. d by s.cc,ic', he black man as
,ounds by his compute oh:useness, and as
suddenly confouuds you by an unexpected
exhibition Of sympathy. From long"a
periencce witt, African savages, l th'"k 1t
is as absurd to condemn tho negro M toto
y. it is preposterous to compare l'S intel
Iectual capacity with that Of the white
man. 1t is unfortunately the fashion for
one parry to uphold tho negro as n superior
being, while the other Gcniea him the com
mon powers Of reason. So great d'tfs.-
snco Of opinion has ever existed upon the
iE'rinsc value of the negro, that the very
perpl.x;ty Of the question is a proof that
Ls is altogether a distinct variety, So long
as i, i. generally considered that The negro
aud tho white man are to be governed ty
the same laws and guided Ly tic sa":e
mana agsment, so ng will the former re.
main thorn in tho sido Of every coinmu-
ri,y to which he may unhapr'iy b.l'nS
When the horse and the MSS shall BE- found
20 match in double harness, the white man
and the African black will pull together
uuder the SANG regime. 1t l. the grant
error Of eqraIiziny that which is un.q';a',
tara; has lowered tue negro character, and
made the bia.:k man reproaeh.
"Iu ,ks great system Of creation that
ing to mysterious laws, arEor!ioning sre
cia. qualities to each, the Varieties Of The
human race exhibit certsil characters an!
quahfi atoms wh:ch al II, them fpr s:'ec;hc
localities. The ma ursl character Of :!"se
Faces will not rl:or With Il change ot ] ,ca!
i,v, hut the instinct. of eacl, race viii i;r
s:ev-!"red in any country wh' re thy may
tu located. Thus the English are Il. Il,
x'ish in Australia, India, AID A Her;ca, AS
they are III England, aud III every locality
.,ry +fhits., = industry and energy o'
their na,iv' I'D ev.n so the African III
remain ncgr. i, ali Lis IA: ", ins: n "s.
.!lh:'ugh tran planted to other soils; ; an!
those natural instincts i:.:::g ~ love q! idle
ness nd savsgeto:n, lie will assureliy re
lapse into an idle ard savage state, unlrss
specially governed and fvrce'l TO industry
"The h:story Of the regro has proved
the cor: eclnss. Of this theory. la 10 in
.tauce la. ile s.;acsi otIicr than n retro
gression, when orce freed from Restraint
Ike horae uithou: harness, he runs wild
t,u, if isr .essed, 10 animal il mo.c useful
Unferuu. ,.lv, this is co t:ary To mi IL
opinion in England, where the TOR rop"'
a-.umes the tight Of d citation upon r,a.
tsrs aud men in which it has had nu cx;e
,ience. The English in-is upon ts:cir ow
g. weights aud measures as the scales for E'u
,nan excelonca, and i, has bean d.creed b.
the multitude, mex ,'erienc:d in the uegr
personaI.y, thst lie has b>en badly trea
ted brother; tba. he is a worthy tnemhe
Of the hutnan family, placed i'll an infer ie
position. through. the prejudice and ign,
sauce uf tie white nan, with whom /
should he upon equality.
''rbe negro has been, and still is, ilo1
cuchiy misunderstood. However severe
We may condemn the horrible system
slavery, ,he results Of emancipation ha'
proved that the negro does not aiprccia
tho blessings Of freedom. nor does he she
the slightest feeling Of gratitude to Il
hand that broke tie iivcts Of Iii. f-ltel
His narrow mind cannot embrace III
t,eiing in pure philanthropy that e.
prompted England to declare hers
g@ius. slsvery. and lie, only regards Il
sntislavery movement a proof Of
own importance. Ip-ht Smi,ei hor:z!
hs /. himself the impor.sa jet, anil
a,seqnence to lis, ,sef coEctit, Ire irrasit
. ,hc whole world is at ;ssue concerning ,
1lack man. The negro, therefore, Lei
the. important question, must be. an imp
tant person. and he conducts himsrIf
-, eorlihg'y-he IS far too ereats man
~ork. III 'on this point his natural eli
- aetes! exhibits itself most de:erniEet
Accordingly, tie rss;ats any a.,en'p. at
.. ezcieH; being free. lis first impulse il,
claim an equality With those whom lie Il
lyseJved. end so:nshsp q dignity with
sa.d .pre.snsiohs. tha, must iudyi;ably,
sure the disgust Of the ~aite com:nu'
j! sias. tbas engrade.sd. . I,atnd
JEALOUSY established Between the two RI
eon.biueI with the errofa .tl,s. in si,cl,.
as;ens must arise ,npou both s'dss..t
= Ansls Questions rsrnsiua,s, WY. Wa. :.
- u,lqs 6ts, ius+sdueea into OUT :col0ni,
. ~ saeSte Ansrica7 =.