Chinese vs. Negroes as American Citizens: Mr. Scottron's Views on the Advantages of the Proposed Negro Colonization in South AmericaScottron, Samuel Raymond
History
Chinese vs. Negroes as American Citizens: Mr. Scottron's Views on the Advantages of the Proposed Negro Colonization in South America
Scottron, Samuel Raymond
African Americans; African Americans -- Colonization -- South America
The minds of the American negro and the American Indian, considered
as adults, were the only maiden minds among all those present in the
early days of the colonies and the formative period of the republic.
By maiden minds I mean blank minds; minds never before impressed with
any phase of civil government; minds ready to receive new impressions;
ineradicable impressions. The American negro has never known anything
save those things distinctly American. We may have various opinions as
to the desires of the forefathers of our republic, and we may differ
on many other points, but it may be very safely asserted that we will
all agree that, notwithstanding their desire for the preservation of
religious freedom, it was, nevertheless, their aim and hope, and it
is the aim and hope of their children and grandchildren to found and
perpetuate a government immovably fixed upon Christian principles and
philosophy. Has it ever occurred to our friend’s mind that the presence
of the negro is threatening to that central thought? On the other hand,
what of the Chinese?
As we have said, the negro came with his mind a blank, with no
preconceived opinions as to forms of government, no attachment to
a foreign flag or institutions. No flag, only the American flag;
no home save America. The faith of the fathers is his faith.
Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and Grant, his highest conceptions
of human greatness. Concord, Lexington and Bunker Hill the shrines
of his patriotic pilgrimages. Christ his only refuge in religion.
The Sunday of the forefathers his holy day, the Fourth of July his
highest patriotic reverence. Christmas and Eastertide his hours of
holy reflection. The machinations, seditions and conspiracies of the
socialist, communist and anarchist his greatest aversion.
Religious freedom is the law of the land, and yet the most superficial
observer is aware that our whole fabric, our whole structure is builded
upon Christian philosophy. It is stronger than the written law; upon
it is founded the whole law and order of society. It was the faith of
the forefathers and upon its philosophy and reasoning was and is based
every act, every constitutional engagement, every personal property
and public right. These institutions could not have been evolved from
minds immersed in centuries of Buddhism, nor can they ever be more
than dimly perceptible to its children. Has any one ventured to indict
the negro for lack of sympathy for the Christian faith? Of all the
people possibly the negro lives nearest the faith of the founders of
this government. Of the 50,000 Chinese settled in the City of San
Francisco for many years, upon how many has Christianity made the least
perceptible impression? There Buddha and Confucius still live.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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