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But Judge Douglas is especially horrified at the thought of the
mixing of blood by the white and black races。 Agreed for oncea
thousand times agreed。 There are white men enough to marry all
the white women and black men enough to many all the black women;
and so let them be married。 On this point we fully agree with
the Judge; and when he shall show that his policy is better
adapted to prevent amalgamation than ours; we shall drop ours and
adopt his。 Let us see。 In 1850 there were in the United States
405;751 mulattoes。 Very few of these are the offspring of whites
and free blacks; nearly all have sprung from black slaves and
white masters。 A separation of the races is the only perfect
preventive of amalgamation; but as an immediate separation is
impossible; the next best thing is to keep them apart where they
are not already together。 If white and black people never get
together in Kansas; they will never mix blood in Kansas。 That is
at least one self…evident truth。 A few free colored persons may
get into the free States; in any event; but their number is too
insignificant to amount to much in the way of mixing blood。 In
1850 there were in the free States 56;649 mulattoes; but for the
most part they were not born therethey came from the slave
States; ready made up。 In the same year the slave States had
348;874 mulattoes; all of home production。 The proportion of
free mulattoes to free blacksthe only colored classes in the
free States is much greater in the slave than in the free States。
It is worthy of note; too; that among the free States those which
make the colored man the nearest equal to the white have
proportionably the fewest mulattoes; the least of amalgamation。
In New Hampshire; the State which goes farthest toward equality
between the races; there are just 184 mulattoes; while there are
in Virginiahow many do you think?79;775; being 23;126 more
than in all the free States together。
These statistics show that slavery is the greatest source of
amalgamation; and next to it; not the elevation; but the
degradation of the free blacks。 Yet Judge Douglas dreads the
slightest restraints on the spread of slavery; and the slightest
human recognition of the negro; as tending horribly to
amalgamation!
The very Dred Scott case affords a strong test as to which party
most favors amalgamation; the Republicans or the dear Union…
saving Democracy。 Dred Scott; his wife; and two daughters were
all involved in the suit。 We desired the court to have held that
they were citizens so far at least as to entitle them to a
hearing as to whether they were free or not; and then; also; that
they were in fact and in law really free。 Could we have had our
way; the chances of these black girls ever mixing their blood
with that of white people would have been diminished at least to
the extent that it could not have been without their consent。
But Judge Douglas is delighted to have them decided to be slaves;
and not human enough to have a hearing; even if they were free;
and thus left subject to the forced concubinage of their masters;
and liable to become the mothers of mulattoes in spite of
themselves: the very state of case that produces nine tenths of
all the mulattoes all the mixing of blood in the nation。
Of course; I state this case as an illustration only; not meaning
to say or intimate that the master of Dred Scott and his family;
or any more than a percentage of masters generally; are inclined
to exercise this particular power which they hold over their
female slaves。
I have said that the separation of the races is the only perfect
preventive of amalgamation。 I have no right to say all the
members of the Republican party are in favor of this; nor to say
that as a party they are in favor of it。 There is nothing in
their platform directly on the subject。 But I can say a very
large proportion of its members are for it; and that the chief
plank in their platformopposition to the spread of slaveryis
most favorable to that separation。
Such separation; if ever effected at all; must be effected by
colonization; and no political party; as such; is now doing
anything directly for colonization。 Party operations at present
only favor or retard colonization incidentally。 The enterprise
is a difficult one; but 〃where there is a will there is a way;〃
and what colonization needs most is a hearty will。 Will springs
from the two elements of moral sense and self…interest。 Let us
be brought to believe it is morally right; and at the same time
favorable to; or at least not against; our interest to transfer
the African to his native clime; and we shall find a way to do
it; however great the task may be。 The children of Israel; to
such numbers as to include four hundred thousand fighting men;
went out of Egyptian bondage in a body。
How differently the respective courses of the Democratic and
Republican parties incidentally; bear on the question of forming
a willa public sentimentfor colonization; is easy to see。
The Republicans inculcate; with whatever of ability they can;
that the negro is a man; that his bondage is cruelly wrong; and
that the field of his oppression ought not to be enlarged。 The
Democrats deny his manhood; deny; or dwarf to insignificance; the
wrong of his bondage; so far as possible crush all sympathy for
him; and cultivate and excite hatred and disgust against him;
compliment themselves as Union…savers for doing so; and call the
indefinite outspreading of his bondage 〃a sacred right of self…
government。〃
The plainest print cannot be read through a gold eagle; and it
will be ever hard to find many men who will send a slave to
Liberia; and pay his passage; while they can send him to a new
countryKansas; for instanceand sell him for fifteen hundred
dollars; and the rise。
TO WILLIAM GRIMES。
SPRINGFIELD; ILLINOIS; August; 1857
DEAR SIR:Yours of the 14th is received; and I am much obliged
for the legal information you give。
You can scarcely be more anxious than I that the next election in
Iowa should result in favor of the Republicans。 I lost nearly
all the working part of last year; giving my time to the canvass;
and I am altogether too poor to lose two years together。 I am
engaged in a suit in the United States Court at Chicago; in which
the Rock Island Bridge Company is a party。 The trial is to
commence on the 8th of September; and probably will last two or
three weeks。 During the trial it is not improbable that all
hands may come over and take a look at the bridge; and; if it
were possible to make it hit right; I could then speak at
Davenport。 My courts go right on without cessation till late in
November。 Write me again; pointing out the more striking points
of difference between your old and new constitutions; and also
whether Democratic and Republican party lines were drawn in the
adoption of it; and which were for and