The Washington bee., 1888-12-01

controversion of the strongest prin-
ciples of natural justice and hence
are overthrown. At any rate we
find that to be an institution of the
ancient Romans for their laws gave
validity to the right Of property
in the persons of men. When feu-
dalism swayed a great part of
Europe, were not niefes and vas
sails governed with oppressive rig
our? Did not the latter term be-
come one of opprobrium; so far, the
veritable lords of creation conlrOll-
ed the entire being of their slaves.
Look into the law on the marriage
OF female slaves you will perceive
it took away one of the inalienable
rights of man. Not long ago it pre-
vailed here; and we find it to be a
feature of South Amrrican coun-
tries, lately, however, the BRAZIL
ian government has taken steps
toward the emancipation of their
slaves therefore, We conclude as
nations advance in Christianity,
the inhuman institution of slavery
will be eventually Obliterated. In
Africa it still exists, but as the
country advances in Christianity,
we are sure she will follow in the
steps of others and thus be welcom-
ed into the sisterhOOd Of nations.
The enslavement of Africans by
their countrymen (excepting, how
ever, Arab traders) is unattended
with the horrors and extreme bru-
tality which accompanied Negro
slavery in America, as they do pay
respect to the inviolability and
sanctity of the matrimonial union,
whenever occasion occurs; and We
mean by whenever occasion occurs,
when they are permitted to marry,
and that operates to enfianchise
them to the extent which we have
mentioned, namely: to require of
their owner to keep the tie sacred,
which he voluntarily does upon the
cons 'deration of the virtue of such
a state. When one becomes free
no social prejudice is fOstered, no
fighting in the arena for political,
social and civil equality, thraldom
sinks into oblivion and the person
who was once a slave unmolested
by any breaths in pure atmos-
phare- Fully two hundred and
sixty years have elaSped since the
beginning of the enslavement of the
Negro; the ravages of the nefarious
trade are still visible in africa, for
it was no longer than in 'S4 IN our
travels that we came across the foul
msans by which the Spaniards pro-
cured their plumber.
But when we return to the eman-
cipation Of the Negroes in 1868
after a prolonged cruel bondage of
more than two hundred years we
Can say it marked an important
event in the advancement of civil,
cation, especially in the history of
the United States; it gave lustre
and reflected credit upon this peo-
ple's national character. Still,
after all, where stands the Negro
to-day? Some of us, perhaps, ow-
ing to blood-royal have not lost the
racial instinct. The masses, how
ever, owing to their enslavement,
and being from the congenlal at
mOsphere of our ancestral home,
have, to certain extent, that in.
stlnct crushed again, to establish
the above, their present environ.
mentS are such as not to facilitate
their normal growth. We wish you
would bear III mind the losing of
this instinct is from no inherent
cause, therefore, we assign the
above, for, if there be any people
who holds the preservation of the
race sacred, it is the African at
home.
Rev. J. Aspinwall Hodge, DID,,
in the annual discourse delivered
on the occasion of the Seventy. First
Anniversary of the American Col
onization Society, Washington, D.
c., said, in speaking of the Ameri-
can Nngro: ''Their continued isola.
tioh is no wrong to them. 1t is
not the result merely of antagon-
ism, prejudice or difference of con.
dition, but of loyalty to race. For
reasons not clearly understood by
us, God has divided men into races,
and through all times He has kept
these great families distinct This
is the utterance of an American
white man. and he evidently con
veys the idea that "loy atty to race"
is the cause oil the separation of the
two races as they are in this coun-
try. We agree with the doctor,
voice his sentiments and pray God
that the people may not be cor
ruptiOns of or reducible to neither.
But let US examine into the situa-
tiOn in which we are placed while
here. Since we are under one gov