The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-15

V
II will serve a good purpose TO contrast the
condition of the negroes in Africa, who Tor
the last 200 years have been brought under
The ciyilizng influence Of European CONNER
cal nations with the negroes in slavery IN
tho Southern States and the condition Of the
negro in Central Africa, in Jamaica and IN
Jayti where he has been a freeman for
hundred years.
In the March number Of the Eclectic Maya
zinc. 1880. is published an article by Mr..
Thompson setting forth the elect upon the
,,e,,rocs of the western coast of Africa OF their
intercourse during the past 200 years win
commercial. civilized. enlightened Europe
which means the effects caused by the trade
20 ENGLAND France Holland. SPAN ana GOr-
fural with the western const Of Africa upon
4le natives of that country. lie tells ms tnat
fne Portuguese carried the Christian rehel9h
along with trade one great object sought by
+ho Roman Catholic Church IN lnsttutng
t-ode connections being % spread the benin
cont effect, of religion. But this latter design
was frustrated boy the English. who drove the
Portuguese away and monopolized the trainc'
GIN, RUN AND TOBACCO.
The articles Of trade on the part Of civilized
ruropo were and aro chiefly gin, rum and to-
h,rc6 Gin being currency IN addition to
IAN, an article Of barter. for. at the end OF
fha week the negroes are paid of IN That
article Stacks Of gin cases indicate that trade
h0urshcs. Degradation ana wee mas nus IN
creased He further tells us OF the lament
able failure Of Christian missionaries 10 INTRO
,luco and spread the Christian religion. What
other result WAS possible when GIN, rum and
tobacco were offered 10 a set of sayages,
What chance had the priest with theBlOle 10
compcto with the trader with gin, rum and
tobaccoe All the time 1t was proclaimed that
along with trade went the teaching of moral
itv and the Christian religion. For the pm
lauthropists of England. France, Holland and
the United States southern slavery was the
sum of iniquitv because OF heresutlhg deeIA-
fation Of the African I'm the Southern States,
while ships from New England, Old England,
France and Holland periodically left
their ports frcightcd with gin, rum
and tobacco 10 clylhZe the natives
of The western coast Of Africa, getting IN le-
turn ivory. oil and other valuable articles,
fin. no tho same time defraudlng, cheating,
c.ruptiug md degrading the negroes. In the
,r..ntir9c the South was held up for the
c1.-mtion Of mankind. while thev made
broad their philacterles, thanked God they
were not ms Southoruors. and posed before the
world u- the peculiar and special friends OF
fh.rr-ro uce. being invested with an the
e.frtlr attributes which ad0rn the noble aud
vr'uuu- II Is idle words 10 say that they
were ignorant 81 the abuses and Nllames al
the trade for Sierra Leon Is g British colony,
and Siberia am Anc0-Amencan Kupubhc.
F0r during many years missionaries have
boon sent 10 Africa and frequent reports
must have been made OF the state OF that
country and the causes of failure must have
been SOY forth 20 those who sent them abroad.
Mr. Thompson tells rs that the Mohame-
dan religion spreads more readily among the
negroes in Africa than does the Christian re-
lgiou which be attributes 70 the more plastic
nature Of that faith. It's greater adapiaoilty
- savage people. that the dogmas OF Chris
lauity are more unbending and moro difficult
a. be understood boy the ignorant. But
rather attribute us success 10 tho TACT that
gin and rum are prohibited by M0homeinn,
Who thus did not have 20 contend with the
twin devils On the other hand, in the South
the slaves free from the degrading effects Of
gin and rum, were usually memsers OF some
Christian church.
THY NYGEo IS AFRICA.
let US penetrate into the interior Of Cen
tal Africa along the Congo uver, which
furnished so large proportion of the negroes
brought % the southern States. Doubtless
here We will find the people, III mighty con-
trast 90 our slaves, endowed with all the at
tributes which distinguish treemcn. Here we
will learn what great crime has been COM
mitted hv reducing their fellows 10 slavery,
and be prepared 20 repent In sackcloth and
ashes to do penance and devote our lives
and the little property left us by the crusaders
10 elevate them 10 their pristine condition. I'm
mighty contrast we will find them TO the de
graded slave in the Southern States of
America After such fashion speak after
dinner orators and neCrophillsts who would
impress upon us our duty tothe doWn-irodden
negroes among us.
NATIVES OF THE CONGO.
Mr. Ward, one of the recent explorers of the
Dark Continent gives as an account of the na-
tiyes Of tins, the Congo part of Africa accom-
panied with pictures OF individuals as types
81 that stock Of the human race II were
permitted ! would reproduce these pictures
and place alongside portraits of negroes IN
Virginia and the South at tins time, when
doubt If one could tell which represented the
Congo negro and which the Virginia negro
We nave the word of Mr.. Pike already quoted
that at the desks in the Legislature Of South
Carolina sit men whose types II would be
hard 20 find outside of Congo" But can as
sure him that the same types are 10 be found
Virginia, and ! doubt not IN all OF the South
eru States.
Let us see what Mr.. Ward SAYS Of the Congo.
Aatiye and TO the manner born when we can
contrast HIM with his brothers IN the south,
and Judge Of the effects which slavery has
caused. At Isanglnlo the natives are lazy
and iudOlent aud their only ambition seems
g. be 10 scrape together a few grOund-nuts
and palm-kerneis 10 sell for trade rum, a fiery
spintuous poison. prepared IN Europe solely
for the African trade. The
Bekongo of the region are intensely supeTsti-
uous. When there is a drought they attribute
% to the white man. They have playful
habit of kidnapping people, and Keep
ing them bound hand and foot close
prisoners. until the rain comes. The Batakes
are indolent. cunning and utterly devoid Of
tho elements of civilization. The
chief Of the BabanCi. Ibinda. IS an old man,
generally TO be seen lying back on log,
smoking long bateki pipe, with bent metal
stem. the bowl resting on the ground. The
old chiefs face IS generally adorned with
paint and with white chalk on his eye-llds
aud yellow and red stripes and spots down his
arms and his breast. his moustaciie IS shaved
from ms upper lip with the exception OF two
ends over The corner of the mouth, standing
ont Ike bristles his beard Is plated over Il
string about SIX inches long DC.
MANY of the villages on the Upper Congo
consist mainly OF fiityor sixty log huts. Two
thirds Of the population are women. In many
districts women are considered as currency,
their value increasing as they attain greater
degree Of corpulcucy These Central Africans
are very particular in all items in connection
with their toilet. shaving of their eyebrows,
putting out the eye-lashes. cutting their nails
down 10 the quick and besmcuing. their
bodies with mixture Of palm-oll and cam
wood OF the BaTbangl.
HORRIBLE BAEBARITY.
Upon tho death Of a chief, a human sacri-
fee takes place Should lac leave twenty
Insle and twelve female slaves. eight or nine
az the former will be bcheaded and four or
ID ,i..1