Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-07-29
Speech of Thos. A. Floyd, Esq,

Have wrough. the glory OF our lands.
Speech Of Thos. A. Floyd, Esq,
OF NEwDERRY, BEFORE TIE
PINE PLEASANT DEMOCRATIC CLUB,
On the llh July, 1868.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND FELLOW. CITIZENS:
must congratulate your noble old District io
the high ground she lately took, and tena
ciously adhered to, in refercncet to one of the
most vital and dearest principles, at stake in
the issues Of Our day.
IF were going to raise my feeble voice to
some of the people of our Dis.ric-, might
Introduce my remarks by . personilied anec-
dote I once read, which ran somewhat as
follows: Once upon time. Water and Oil
got into broil; Soda, standing near, over.
heard the embodiment and stepped in be-
tween them. The result was the formation
of soar, wlieh male a good sabs.ance to
purge out tie filth and dirt from all objects
Applcat;on.-We as people are struggling
with evil, ti!;hy elements, and / am sorry to
s.y some CT cur people are getting rather
dirty aid smutty. Instead OF soda, the inter
yen.ion oil light is needed to make another
kind of soap to purge, wash, and cleanse il
minds ard mc,alG- -
Mr.. Chairman, The critically serious sitna
tion under which We labor as people, and
the calamitics and misfortares which bcset US,
have brought with them problems that feel
would take ADLER brains than nine to grap-
Pile with and handle properly. However, ac-
cording to uy reflections on our situation, they
resolve it more into the grand, and 10 US nc
less vital, problem Of Elhnology than that Of
Politics. To make the term plainlo my hearers
Ethnolosy is . word from the Greek language
derived from ctltaos-race, and logos-de-
scription; treating of the different races o.
men, their distinctncss from each other, anc
their comparative merits, physically and
mentally.
According to my knowledge Of this science
the ablest ethuologists claim that at present
there exist three distinct races Of men, tEt
Caucasian, the Indian and the Negro. Some
Of the natural sciences, especially Geology
and Historical Relics, have developed tht
fact that other races hare existed and passed
away, probably before the existence of th'
present races. feel satisfied that the old ant
| 1trite doctrine Of the unity of tie races is ex
ploded. Twenty years hence this idea vii
not be entertained.
am believer in the plurality of the races
believe the Indian and the Negro were ere
ated before Adam and are pr.-idamite Faces
Every race which God created, he placed heit
to fulfill it's own peculiar mission. AS to tht
uission of those obsolete races, we nigh
speculate upon it, but it is sufficient for US tt
know God had purpose in creating them
and that purpose is with Him. When thai
purpose was fulfilled lie saw proper TO remoV'
hem and create others.
| AS TO the mission Of the Negro, he is here
his history, so far as known to the Caucasian
can speak for itself. In his native land hi
condition i. gross mental darkness, depravit.
and heathenism there be lives on scant
patches, spontaneous fruits Of the earth, m
! wild game. This has been his condition ther'
since the dawn of his history; but here If
the Western Hemisphere, especially in IT,
Southern States, under The government, imme
diate command, compulsion. aud management
of the White Man, he has been strained to
somewhat higher status. He was made tt
produce in abundance the great staples Cot
ton, Tobacco, Rice and Sugar, which clothed
fed and luxuriated the world, and poured
wealth into the laps Of the Caucasian whicl
wealth served as means and medium t.
mature discoveries, develop inventions, ant
increase generally the grand march Of civil
z4tion. But this misii,n ofthe Negro is nov
ended, and conGdc it to time, tie touch
stone of truth, to tell the tale of his mean
choly future.
As to the status Of tie Indian, it is some
What similar to taat of the Negro in his ma
tive wflds, subsisting by scanty patches
spontaneous fruits and wild game; but th
Iudian is superior to tie Negro in mental az
ti.ude and thrift, and as warrior. A 70
mantic race, his mission apparently was t
supply the bold Caucasian adventurer tn
food of bis scanty hospitality, and to attrac
and stimulate his SEARCHES after valuable fur
and precious minerals and messl0.
But when the ailwise and beneGcint Cres
tor, in his own due ti're, saw fit to illumin
the earth with civilization, He also saw tit
create g race of superior organism, texture
and capacity Of brain, as medium throug
which to accomplish this purpose. +Vhep =
sav fit to adorn the earth with tbe brigh
CJ. cow A. - -hnekr,x