The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-02-28
VOL. VII.
STANLEY AND FLIPPER.

Stanley's explorations and adven-
lures in Africa have directed public at
tention to the moral condition of the
benighted land. and, exciting the sym
pathIes of our race, missionaries and
philanthropists will go thither seeking
to Chriatianize and civilizs the CONT
nent. How far this may be successful
remains to be seen. Liberia has accom-
plished nothing. The Independent ne
gro Republic is as wretched failure
as the late African governments of the
South, where the negro lawgiver had
the invaluable assistance of sdroIt and
most patriotic carpet-baggers. Not
only did the American African, trained
in subordination to law by slavery and
servitude, fail utterly and disgraceful-
ly as governing power, but in intelli-
gence he has gained nothing. There
is no steady intellectual or moral pro-
gress. The great body of Southern
blacks, through the past twelve years,
nave rather retrograded than sdvanced.
They are all Blind Toms. This freak
of natufe executes the same compost
tions, rectes the same speeches
and does precisely the same stage
tricks that excited mankind's wonder
when Tom was yet boy. He has
learned Dothing and forgotten nothing
since lie was twenty years of age.
Strangely enough the powers of negro
genius culminate at twenty. There is
no progress afterwards and the negro
of fifty finds his chosen associates
among boys of twelve and fifteen. A
glowing fancy and Ietentive memory
aud rare taste and skill in music often
distinguish African youths, but the
man, rarely or never. Race-features
are not more peculiar than race morals
and intellect, and it is barely possible,
since freedom, as we see in America,
points out no pathway to Afrian civili-
zation and perfectibilIty, that the ma
sions will find it necessary to enslave
or establish 'protectorates" in order to
civilize and Christisnize Africa. Stan
ley, the precursor of reformation on
tne barbarous continent, was absolutely
compelled, in the first lessons admin
istered, TO go beyond this and shoot
the benighted people. British and
German barbarism was swept away
by the sheer force of years and pull
suits of peace, but the story of African
advancement, as told by Stanley, by
the condition of Liberia, by the terri
BILE death-rate of the race in Southern
American cities, and by pictures on
Egyptian tombs and by Blind Tom, is
still the same in all ages and In ali
countries and under all circumstances.
The shape of the skull is everywhere
the same, and while intellectual growth
is suspended with that of the body, free
dom is as fatal to the negro's vitality as
contact with civilization or slavery to
the red race. Perhaps the fortunes
of the African in America, peculiarly
fortunate as they have been, may yet
show that all deductions heretofore
made from the history of this people
are false. To beget this result the
generous and good and intelligent peo
pie of the whole country will cooper
ate in promoting the successful admin
istratIon and conduct of the institu-
ton just founded at Hampstead. 1t is
designed to send out educators of the
race and demonstrate in America that
the only commendable African civih-
cation is that which sprsng from the
womb of African slavery, which be
came, in the process of years, African
servitude, and, finally, African free
dom. Meanwhile, West Point gives
the race a Flipper, who may direct its
educational fortunes in Texas and
serve to show that all history is value
less and that uniform, changeless facts
affecting this race from the worlds ere
alton to this good hour signify nothing
and prove nothing.