Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-09-30

ly adverse to their declaration. that
all men are born free and equal, etc"
But" said DR.. Mitchell, Il very
much doubt whether according to the
laws OF nature. the Africans are not
formed to be subject to the Caucasian
race. From my own observation l am
satisfied that nature has formed an
essential difference between the two
races and much to the disadvantage
of the Negro race (Here. we are
told, the doctor went into an analyt-
ical discussion of the subject, using
the same stereotyped arguments still
in vogue among a certain class OF
ethnologists and scientists. who pro-
fess to believe that the Negro is ac-
tually inferior to the Caucasian. The
doctor maintained that if Mr. Wirt's
position that all men are born equal
is politically true. it is physically
false.)
"As regards personal rights said
Mr. Jefferson, 1t seems TO me most
palpably absurd that the Individual
rights of volition and locomotfon
should depend on the degree of intel
lectual power possessed by the Sindi-
vidual. l should hardly be willing 10
subscribe to the doctrine that be-
cause the chief justice has a stronger
mind. or a more capacious and better
formed brain than l. that therefore lie
has right to make me his slave"
But. doctor" continued Mr. JefYer-
son, may not the diet and exercise
bodily and mentally OF a child, pro-
duce some effect on the size. shape
and quality of the brain? l will sup
pose that my friend Dexter has two
sons, the eldest Of whom Rhall he six
years old. rs 18uNzfiysE11l1te-SB<Nr <Nrcth0tA
OF the age OF five or six generally are.
Suppose the younger to be transferred
to rice plantation in South Carolina.
placed in a Negro cabin and brought
up with field slaves. associating only
with them: and that the elder should
be continued in Mr.. Dexter's family.
associate with none but highly intel
lectual people. then let his education
be completed by four years residence
and tuition at Cambridge. Look at
the heads and faces of these boys
when they shall respectively arrive
at mature age. and then at phrenol-
ogiet, DR.. Spurheim If you please. pro-
nounce upon the mature Intellectual
power of each. Do we not all know
that the difference would be immense?
But to do justice to the Negro
race. and in order to carry out the
experiment fairly, we ought to sup
pose tha. The younger has married
Caucasion slave: and let DR.. Nit
chell dissect and compare the heads
of the great grandchildren of that
issue with the great grandchildren of
the issue of the elder brother. | ask
what would be the result of that az
periment?"
Il do not mean to advocate slav-
cry" said the chief Justice. Il wish
from my soul ii was abolished: but
when we calculate on political results
we must look at society as it is.
do not found my opinion on the per-
petuity of slavery upon any natural
inferiority of the Negro. You are all
well aware that nearly every man of
the South who possesses any infiu-
ence at our elections is slave holder
and hence our legislators will be
slave holders. or under their infiu-
ence Probably nine-tenths will he
actual slave holders. You have then
a pecuniary influence to contend with
which you cannot overcome except
by force. Slaves are by law property,
and do you expect that man will
voluntarily and without consideration
surrender his property to individuals
or to the public? The British Parlia-
ment may. and probably will, abolish
slavery in=t:ie West India islands.
but suppose nine-tenths Of that Par
lament should be composed OF the
planters OF jamaica when. then,
would slavery be abolished in ia
maica!
Mr.. Dexter will. | presume, admit
that banking is monopoly, and that
monopolies ought not to be tolerated;
but will MIR. Dexter give up and sacri-
flee his bank stock. tell you. sir,
you may as well expect that the farm
ers OF Virginia will burn up their title
deeds and give away their farms ms
President, ascribe too much virtue
you suppose the disposition to eman-
cipate the Negroes is increasing. You
must recollect that at the commence
ment of the Revolution, Chancellor
Wythe and yourself we're deferred
from Introducing bill into the legis-
lature for the abolition OF slavery. be-
cause you became sAtisded that the
time had not then come when the
public mind was prepared for the
adoption Of that measure; but you
then anticipated that It would soon
be reviewed moro favorably BY the
community, Your expectAtioas, how
Coatinusd q Last Rage