Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-15
PROF. AGAssIz ON THE NEGRO.


Anew weeks ago the Scientific Press, Of
San Francisco, published what purported
70 be an extract from recent lecture Of
Prof. Agassiz, in which that distinguished
sayant was made to say that be bad
'.pointed out over q hundred specific diff
ferences be, ween the bonal and nervous
systems OF the white man and the negro :"
THAT stheir frames are alike in no particu
arr" that ''there is no bone in the negro's
body which is relatively of the same shape,
size, articulation, or chemically Of the
same composition as that OF the white
man," that ''Lhe negro's bones contain
far greater proportion Of cacareous salts
than those Of the white man," that seven
the negro's blood is chemically very diff
fareut fluid from that which courses in
The veins of the white man." that
.s,be whole physical organization OF the
negro differs quite as much from the white
mans. as It does from that Of the Chin
panzee-that is, in his bones, muscles,
nerves and fibres, the chimpanzee has not
much farther to progress to become white
man." and that ''this fact science inexora-
blr demonstrates" This ex ract has been
very extensively published of late, and in
recent debate In the Massachusetts House
Of Representatives, on a proposition to
make an appropriation for the benefit OF
,be Museum OF Comparative Zoology, q
letter was read from Prof Agassiz which
sets this oft.repeated story at rest. The
letter is as follows:
CAMBRIDGE, May 6, 1s73.-Desr Sir: l
am truly grateful TO you for calling upon
me and giving me an oppor unity of rebuk-
mo anew a SANDER which has already been
several times brought up sgainst me, not
vitbstanding my positive denial of the
CHARGE. Some six or seven years ago de-
Iivered a lecture upon the races of men,
burlesoue report Of which app AIRED in some
amer. from which it was wholly copied.
While in Washington, applying 10 Congress
for relief from taxation for alcohol used for
lcisntifc purposes, the absurd statements
# that report were brought against me In
The Senate, when L requested our Senator,
The Hon. Henry Wilson, to resd written
answer then made against these RIDICULOUS
imputations. The very same story is now
Brought up of my having said that SHE olooo
ofthe negro is chemically very different
fluid from that which flows in the veins OF
white men, aud other nonsense. Every ed
ucated man in the country knows that am
not chemst,and that for me to make such
an assertion would simply make me the
aughing stock of the learned world. Other
parts of the renort, about bones, etc, are
unite as absurd. These insinuations, how
,ver, had an object with those who made
!hem, and cannot better meet the whole
than by stating that have been wishing all
nv life for the better education Of all my
fellow creatures, men and women, without
,cgard to color or TO position IN society. l
lelieye that there are few men who have
,ducated gratuitously as many of their fel-
low men as have, and l can afford to de-
Mise the wild and malicious remarks which
~ This respect are circulated against me.
Very respectfully yours,
LIS AGAssIZ.
To the Hon. Joshua B. Smith, member
Of the House Of Representatives