New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-19

rulings and decisions Of Chief Justice
Mexican, in relation to Norman rights of
property, in addition to the free press and
other civilizing Influences at work there.
promise soon to accomplish the work OF
destruction to one of the worst institu-
tons that has ever cursed civilized
country.
CLIMATE---ITs INFLUENCE ON CHAR
ACTER.
1t has been Dramatically decided, from
time to time, by politicians, poets, prudes
and preachers, mostly of Northern birth
that climate has a very serious effect on
character; cold fortifying the moral ana
intellectual faculties, while heat deterio-
rates both. l. this actually so? Has the
Ruler of the universe divided his children
into sheep and goats, and determined
their moral and intellectual status, and
with these their immortal destiny. by
thermic lines is At u fact that thos bora
moth Of certain parallels Of latitude are
blest by nature with moral purity and IN
tellectual activity. a genius for republican
institutions, and general elevation OF
character, while those who first open
their eyes in the less favored regions south
of such lines are INDECENT sensual and
naturally incapacitatcd tor selt-Sovern
ment,
SO say Carl Sch urz, Charles Sumner,
makes this charge in full for. while the
former two treat of the subject simply
from political standpoint, maintaining
the untitpe,s of southern peoples for re
publican institutions, the poet turns his
attention to die moral aspect of the qnes-
ton. attributing to the effect of the in
decent sun" tn prevalent frailtieS of the
flesh thai flourish indigenously in south
ern soil. and ,lrbraiding that orb for thus
leading men INTO irregularities OF an
erotic nature.
In grateful recognition Of the hracing
"
to have so happy an influence upon char
acter. Carl SchurZ uses the following Ian
guage But it mus. not be forgotten
that Anglo-Sayon vigor stands here Ui'on
its own congenial ground from the very
atmosphere it, energies receive their ia
spiration. and by the very necessity #
things. Anglo-Saxon viLor i, her" the Al
sorbing element the assimilating tow.
Now hear Byron
Happv the rl..tlnrs of tu,. moral North
Nhrr. all l. virtue. and the WINTER --t,I
Sends -in without a "a "n. ohl'tEnI i''th. etc.
Not content with maxim, this invldiou,
distinction between Northern and south
ern people, by the effect of birth, it is
still further he'd that the fact of lmlnigra-
ton to tropica! or semi-tropical climates
deprive, the Northtrner of his brthright,
and reduces him, i'll more or less time, to
the leve! of his Leat-degraded neiGhhor.
On this point We again draw from Carl
Schurz' celebrated speech on the an
nexation of san Domingo; III which,
after showing the superiority OF
Northern air in building up 4
vigorous political manhood, be maintains
that this is lost by coming under
the deinoralizing influence of a
tropical atmosphere. where, appear
ing as a mere exotic" the Anglo-Sax-
on will not be the assimilating
force, but will ne overborne by the eff
Terminate natives, and soon sink to their
level An illustration of the facilitating
effect of a warm climate on the human
race was recently brought to our notice in
the form OF Il comparison with that pro-
duced upon a petriied star-tish. While
kept at the North this ichthyologic relic
had been as hard and as firm as a rock,
but shortly after being brought to this
city it began to soften, then to crumble,
until it lost its hardness and form; both
gone, it was star-tish no longer. Thus,
it was argued. do firm, Northern natures
lose their manhood in this enervating at
mosphere.
This is the present theory about the eff
feet of climate on character. The weight
of authorities has 50 decided. Doubtless
it was because the Garden of Eden en-
joyed such a delicious climate that our
first parent, fell from their high estate
Well, if it is 50, we must choose between
such virtue as is compatible with a sun
which will keep baking, broiling, burn
ing on, and emigration to a more braciE g
atmosphere But first let us consider the
point more closely, to see if We can not
find instances enough of intellectual &C
tivity and moral grandeur developed in
southerly attitudes to justify US in remain
ing where nature has placed or choice led
us. If we look for such instances to the old
world, we shall find them in the earlier
history Of Greece, Rome and Spain, all
semi-tropical in climate, and Of so illns-
trious "A character that the record of them
halt fills the libraries Of the world, and
the study Of these forms an important
part of education in every enlight-
ened nation. And if among such
records we find an account of the estab-
lishment of a government like our own,
that is certainly no proof that a semi
tropical climate is antagonistic to repre-
sentative publicanism. As well might
we maintain that because the African race