PHYSICAL HISTORY OF THE JEWISH RACE. * 
The title of Munk’s work is a sufficient indication of 
its comprehensiveness. Placed as he is, in “Za Bibli- 
otheque Royale”—the finest library in the world—with all 
the facilities around him which could be desired, and en- 
joying a reputation as a linguist of the highest order, 
much was expected from him; and the manner in which 
this work has been received by the savans of Europe 
would seem to show that their expectations have been 
fully realized. The following extract will exhibit the 
spirit which has guided him in his labours : 
“ Simple historien, nous traiterons l’liistoire des Ilebreux, leurs 
institutions, leurs religion, et leurs monuments litteraires sous un 
point de vue purement rationnel. Notre role ne sera ni celui 
de theologien qui ne voit que le dogme, ni celui du sceptique 
philosophe, pour lequel le doute lui-meme est un dogme non moins 
etroit. Notre but sera de rechercher la verite historique, l’en- 
chainement naturel des faits, sans nous preoccuper des consequences 
* 1. “ Palestine—Description Geographique, Historique, et Archeologique: 
Par S. Munk, employee au Department des Manuscrits de la Biblio- 
theque Royale. Paris. 1845.” 
2. “ A History of the Hebrew Monarchy, from the administration of Samuel 
to the Babylonish captivity: (Anonymous.) London. lSiY,” 
3. “ Christian Researches in Asia, with Notices of the Translation of the 
Scripture into the Oriental Languages. By the Rev. Claudius Buch- 
anan, late Yice-Provost of the College of Fort William, in Bengal. 
Cambridge. 1811.” 4 
qui peuvent en resulter, soit pour le theologien ou pour le philosophe. 
Selon nous, l’idee divine, deposee dans la Bible, les sentimens grands 
et genereux que respirent les paroles des prophetes, sont places hors 
des atteintes de la critique, et l’examen des faits ne saurait jamais 
nuire au vrai sentiment religieux.” 
The second work of our caption, on the “ Hebrew Mo- 
narchy,” is conceived in a similar spirit. While the au- 
thor “ desires his book to carry on its front his most in- 
tense conviction that pure and undefiled religion is the 
noblest, the most blessed, the most valuable of God’s 
countless gifts,” he yet marches steadily forward in search 
of historical truth, with a courage that shrinks not from 
questions the most embarrassing, and with a calmness, 
talent and learning quite rare in England, where, “ if the 
Hebrew history has hitherto been nearly a sealed book, it 
is because all the academical and clerical teachers of it 
are compelled to sign thirty-nine Articles of Religion be- 
fore assuming their office.” 
Our present design and the space allotted to us will 
permit us, here, to do little more than recommend these 
two works to those who are really thirsting for know- 
ledge on these absorbing subjects. They will prompt 
study and satisfy investigation. 
The work of Buchanan was remarkable in its day, and 
deserves to be valued in ours. It is full of important his- 
torical facts, which can never lose their value, and which 
he has done much towards rescuing from oblivion. We 
shall use them freely—and we make the declaration in 
limine—wherever the necessity shall require in our argu- 
ment. Let us now pass to our immediate subject, which 
is kindred with that of these volumes—though not ex- 
actly the same—the Physical history of the Jewish Race. 
What a mingled crowd of associations cluster around 
the very name of Judea ! And, with what a feeling of 
solemn and painful interest does the mind travel back, 
through four thousand years, over the dark pages of 
Jewish history, to the epoch of Abraham, the patri- 
arch, who formed a covenant with Jehovah! There is 
an attraction about all antiquity ; but, what a different 
chord is struck within us when the name of Judea is 
pronounced, along with the names of her cotempora- 
ries—Egypt—Persia—India—Greece—and Rome ! 
The Israelites are emphatically an extraordinary people. 
It is true that they were never, as a nation, able to achieve 5 
the highest point, even of the civilization of their day; 
but this arose from their isolated position, their repeated 
civil wars with, and their oppression by, foreign powers, 
which prevented the cultivation of letters at home, and 
the exchange of ideas with other nations. Yet the his- 
tory of Judea, as a nation, and the history of her oppress- 
ed and scattered people since, throughout the world, attest 
the fact that, in intellect, they must be ranked among the 
first of the human family. In every nation, since the de- 
struction of the Temple by Titus, and the dispersion of 
the Jews—under all forms of government—in the ex- 
tremest oppression and misery—their Caucasian heads 
have never lost their size and proportions, and they have 
never failed to show their full measure of intellect; a 
sufficient proof that, a truly great race, when unadulte- 
rated, can never sink to the level of an inferior one. 
Though, as remarked, the Israelites, as a nation, never 
achieved the highest point of civilization, yet it is to them 
that we owe those great impulses that have led to the 
boasted civilization of the present day. What would 
now be the condition of Europe, had Moses or Christ never 
appeared on the earth? The crusades were wars of 
opinion—of faith—of religion ; wars between Christianity 
and Mahometanism. * The tide of Mahometanism, which 
rolled with almost resistless force from Asia westward, 
well nigh engulfed Europe itself; and if it had done so, 
what would be the condition of Europe now ? But there 
were strong arms and stout hearts to roll the current 
back, and the line between the two faiths, is the boundary 
between civilization and barbarism. Christ taught love 
to all mankind, peace on earth and good will to man— 
Mahomet carried the sword in one hand and the Koran in 
the other; and his followers claim the right to murder 
and plunder all but the faithful. Time and experience 
have fully solved the question as to their relative influ- 
ences on the march of civilization. 
The history of the Jews affords many instructive les- 
sons to the philosopher, and we propose now to examine 
it in relation to a question of deep interest and practical 
importance, viz.: what light does it shed on the question 
of the common origin of the human species ? Our space 
is limited, and we will proceed at once to the point. 
* See Guizot’s History of Civilization. 6 
It is conceded, all things being equal, that those races 
of men, or animals, which are least mixed with others, 
preserve best their original types ; and we shall therefore 
hasten to the examination of the following propositions, 
which we hold to be true, however much they may be 
questioned. 
1st. That, from the time of the Patriarch, Abraham, to 
the present, the Jewish race has preserved its blood more 
pure than any other of antiquity ; and that, consequently, 
its original type ought to he the same now as then. 
2d. That the original type brought by Abraham from 
Mesopotamia, four thousand years ago, has been substan- 
tially handed down to the descendants of the present day. 
3d. That, although the Jewish race has been subjected, 
during this immense extent of time, to every possible va- 
riety of moral and physical influences, in the four quar- 
ters of the earth, yet, in no instance has it lost its own 
type, or approximated to that of other races. 
4th. That, if this race has thus preserved its type un- 
changed, for four thousand years, and under all known 
influences which could change a race, it follows, as a co- 
rollary, that no physical causes exist which can transform 
one race into another, as the negro into the white man. 
It would seem wonderful, even amongst the many won- 
ders of the nineteenth century, if it should be made to ap- 
pear that such questions as these, questions which have baf- 
fled bygone ages, should have been reserved to be solved at 
this late period; yet, true it is, that we now possess data far 
more omplete, for writing the physical history of mankind, 
than existed in the time of Herodotus, in the fifth century, 
B.C., or at any subsequent time. Even Moses, whose epoch 
was 1500 years B. C., and who, we are told in Holy Writ, 
“ was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,” is now 
a comparatively modern historical authority. If we are 
to believe such authorities as Champollion, Rosellini, Lep- 
sius, Bunsen, Birch, Pauthier, &c., (and who will read 
and doubt them ?) the long silent monuments of Egypt are 
now speaking for the history of generations which pre- 
ceded Moses some 2000 years. Nineveh and Babylon, 
too, are just waking from their sleep, and unfolding the 
wonders so dimly shadowed forth in the Old Testament. 
But, as many of the authorities alluded to might be ques- 
tioned by those who have not kept pace with the researches 
of modern archoeologists, we shall endeavor to place them summarily before our readers. We commence with the 
history of the Hebrews, as laid down in the book of Ge- 
nesis, which will be found amply sufficient for the esta- 
lishment of our first proposition. 
There has been much diversity of opinion amongst 
theologians as to the strict historical accuracy of the book 
of Genesis; but, after making all reasonable allowance 
which can be fairly asked by the most liberal, we think 
that no unprejudiced mind can deny that the family his- 
tory there given of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the ac- 
count of the migration of the Israelites to Egypt, and 
their return, after several generations, to the Land of 
Promise, together with subsequent events, have too much 
the semblance of truth not to have, at least, a historical 
groundwork for all its details. 
The history of Abraham, and his race, opens in Gene- 
sis, chapter xi., where we are told he is descended, in a 
direct line, from Shem, the son of Noah. Only ten gene- 
rations intervene betwen Shem and Abraham: and, the 
names and ages of each individual being given, we come 
very easily at the epoch of Abraham, which, according to 
the Hebrew text, was 292 years after the Deluge. We 
may safely infer that Abraham inherited the type of his 
ancestors through these comparatively few years ; and 
no doubt would remain, if it can be shown that his de- 
scendants, at the end of 4,000 years (about 125 genera- 
tions) have preserved his lineaments. 
The country of Abraham’s birth was Mesopotamia, be- 
tween the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates, not very 
far from the site of Nineveh ; and, after his marriage with 
Saria, his history thus continues : 
“ And Terah took Abram, his son, and Lot the son of Haran his 
son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife ; and 
they went forth with them from Ur, of the Chaldees, to go into the 
land of Canaan, and they came unto Haran and dwelt there, and 
the days of Terah were 205 years, and Tarah died in Haran.” 
“ Now the Lord said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country 
and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land 
which I will show thee.” “ And I will make thee a great nation, 
and I will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shalt be 
a blessing.” 
Accordingly, Abram and Lot, with their families and 
their flocks, journeyed on, “ and unto the land of Canaan 
they came.” 8 
“ And the Lord appeared unto Abram and said, unto thy seed 
will I give this land.” 
They were soon driven to Egypt, by a grievous famine, 
to beg corn of the Pharaoh who then ruled over that 
country; but, after a short sojourn there, they returned to 
the Promised Land, and pitched their tents again on the 
very spot from which they had been taken. “ And the 
Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled there in the land.” 
Abram and Lot soon separated; and “ Abram removed 
his tent, and came and dwelt on the plain of Mamre, 
which is in Hebron, and built there an altar to the Lord.” 
Sarai died at the age of 127 years, and was buried in the 
family cave, which Abram had purchased in Canaan ; 
and, wishing then to dispose of his son Isaac in marriage, 
he said to his eldest servant, “ And I will make thee swear 
by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, 
that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters 
of the Canaanites, amongst whom I dwell; but thou shalt 
go into my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife 
unto my son Isaac.” And, accordingly, the servant went 
back into Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor, and 
brought Rebecca, the cousin of Isaac, whom he married. 
The next link in the genealogy is Jacob; who, after 
defrauding his brother Esau of his birthright, retired, 
from prudential motives, into the land of his forefathers, 
and there married Leah and Rachel, the two daughters 
of Laban. Isaac lived to be 180, and Jacob 147 years old ; 
and they were both deposited in the family cave, or mau- 
soleum. So tenacious were they of their customs, that 
Jacob, as was afterwards his son Joseph, after being em- 
balmed with great ceremony, was carried all the way 
back from Egypt to repose in the same family burial- 
place. 
Here closes the history of those generations which pre- 
ceded the departure of the Israelites for Egypt; and the 
evidence is clear, up to this epoch, as to the extreme par- 
ticularity with which they preserved the purity of their 
blood, as well as the custom of “sleeping with their 
fathers.” 
* The Canaanites were clearly a Semitic stock, and there is every reason to 
believe were identical in type with the Hebrews, and probably an earlier mi- 
gration of the same race; they spoke the same language with Abraham’s 
family, and were probably the same in type, as we see no allusion to any 
physical distinction; other reasons might be adduced for this opinion. 9 
Let us follow this peculiar people through the next re- 
markable page of their history. The whole family, amount- 
ed to seventy in number, viz : Jacob and his twelve sons, 
who, with their families, by the invitation of Joseph, migra- 
ted to Egypt, and were there settled in the land of Goshen, 
apart from the Egyptians. Thus secluded, they must have 
preserved their national type unchanged up to the time of 
the Exode, when they carried it back with them to the land 
of Canaan. Under the command of Joshua, the land of Cana- 
an was conquered and divided amongst the twelve Tribes, 
and, from that time, down to the final destruction of the 
Temple by Titus, 70, A. D.,—a period of about 1500 years— 
this country was more or less occupied by them. They 
were, however, almost incessantly harassed by civil and 
foreign wars, captivities and calamities of various kinds, 
and their blood was more or less adulterated with that of 
Syro-Arabian races around them, the type of which, how- 
ever, did not differ materially from their own. 
We shall not impose on the patience of the reader, by 
recapitulating the long list of evidences which are found 
in history, both sacred and profane, to prove the compara- 
tive purity of the blood of the Israelites down to their dis- 
persion, 70, A. D. The avoidance of marriages with oth- 
er races was enjoined by their religion, and the custom 
has been preserved, in a remarkable degree, through all 
their wanderings and under all their oppressions, down to 
the present day. 
But, while all must agree that the Jews have, for ages, 
clung together with a steadiness and perseverance un- 
known, perhaps, to any other people, and that their linea- 
ments have, in consequence, been preserved with extraordi- 
nary fidelity ; it must, on the other hand, be admitted that 
the race have not entirely escaped adulteration; and it is for 
this reason that we not unfrequently see amongst those pro- 
fessing the Jewish religion, faces which do not bear the 
stamp of the pure Abrahamic stock. We have only to 
turn to the sacred records of the Old Testament, to find 
proofs, on almost every page, that the ancient Hebrews, 
like the modern, were but human beings, and subject to 
all the infirmities of our nature. Even those venerable 
heads of the Hebrew monarchy, whose names stand out 
as the land-marks of sacred history, were not untarnished 
by the moral darkness which covered the early inhabi- 
tants of the earth. It was not till the Messiah came that 10 
this cloud could be dispelled, and that man could behold 
the fair light of heaven in all its brightness and purity. 
The history of the connubial life of the patriarchs, 
Abram and Jacob, presents a picture of morals quite re- 
volting to the standards of our day. After the promulga- 
tion of the Mosaic laws, the Israelites were expressly for- 
bidden to intermarry with others ; and yet the injunction 
was often disregarded. Abraham and Joseph had both 
taken wives from among the Egyptians ; and Moses mar- 
ried an Arab—(a Cushite.)—David, the man after God’s 
own heart, long after the promulgation of the law, not 
only had his concubines, but so far forgot himself as to 
commit adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, the 
Hittite; and, after murdering the husband, married her, 
and she became the mother of the celebrated Solomon. 
Next, on the throne, came Solomon himself, whose career 
opened with murders and other crimes. He also married 
an Egyptian (a princess,) and had, besides, seven hundred 
other wives, and three hundred concubines. Even the 
noble hearted Judah, the “ Lion's Whelp," the last column 
of the twelve which stood erect in the sight of Jehovah, 
and whose especial mission it was to regenerate and raise 
up the fallen race in purity and power, even he, not only 
married an impure Canaanite, but was tempted to crime 
by his own daughter-in-law, disguised as a harlot, on the 
road side ; and, so far from repenting the sin, he had two 
children by her. 
We might thus go on and multiply examples, of similar 
import, from Jewish annals, but that we find it a much 
more pleasing task to draw the veil of oblivion over the 
depravity of those primitive days, and dwell upon the no- 
ble moral precepts bequeathed us by the kings and pro- 
phets of Judea. These, however, are historical facts, 
having important bearings on the subject before us, and 
must not, therefore, be passed over in silence. They show 
clearly that the ancient Israelites were restrained by no 
moral force which could keep their genealogies pure ; but, 
in comparison with every other people, there is enough 
to justify us in believing that they are to be fully relied 
on, for a long series of generations, at every period in 
their history. 
Making ample allowances for the adulterations of the 
race to which we have referred, and which were mostly 
from Syro-Arabian races, which resembled them closely 11 
in type, we think our first proposition is pretty fairly 
made out, on the principle that “ like begets like.” Those 
of the Jews of the present day who have preserved what 
is regarded as the national type, have preserved their 
blood pure ; while those who have not, must be traced up 
to foreign alliances. We shall, therefore, pass to the 
consideration of our second proposition. 
What, then, let us inquire, was the physical type of 
the original Hebrew stock ? It would really seem a 
hopeless task to determine, at this late day, a question, 
such as this, which requires us to call up from the tombs, 
as witnesses, those who have been sleeping in death some 
three thousand or four thousand years; and, yet, the evi- 
dence which such witnesses afford is indispensable, and, 
to our mind, appears equally clear and conclusive. We 
have seen, in the magnificent collection of Dr. Morton, in 
Philadelphia, the mummied head of an Israelite, taken 
from the early catacombs of Memphis, in which the na- 
tional type is so perfectly preserved that you would take 
it, without hesitation, as a characteristic specimen of the 
Jews of the present day. This head is the more striking, 
as it is one of more than one hundred from the same 
source, sent out from Egypt by Mr. Gliddon, and stands 
in strong contrast with the heads of Egyptians, negroes, 
and others, from the catacombs, of pure and mixed races. 
Who ever saw a well-marked Jewish head where there 
was not Jewish blood ? Other specimens of the same 
character, are to be found in European museums, from 
the catacombs of Egypt. There is no want, indeed, of 
specimens. 
Let us next look to the monuments of Egypt. Here, 
dating back from two thousand to three thousand years 
before Christ, we have innumerable painted and sculp- 
tured representations of different races of men. Amongst 
others, it is generally conceded that we have portraits of 
Israelites, antedating the epoch of Moses. For these facts, 
we have the authority of Rosellini, Hengstenberg, Os- 
burn, Ivitto, besides many others of no less note ; and we 
are pleased to add to this list of authorities, the name of 
the distinguished Dr. Hawks, of New-York, as decidedly 
expressed in his late interesting work on the “Monu- 
ments of Egypt.” 
All the written descriptions, of early times, which re- 
late to the Jewish race, concur in establishing the perma- 12 
nence of their type. We are informed, by modern travel- 
lers, that the same features are common in Mesopotamia, 
their original seat, and also scattered through Persia, Af- 
ghanistan, &c.; the direction in which, we are taught by 
history, the ten tribes were dispersed, after the Assyrian 
captivity, in the eighth century before Christ. In short, 
the Jewish features are met in almost every country un- 
der the sun; and it is worthy of especial remark that 
Jewish features are found in no region where history can- 
not trace them, and rarely where they do not acknow- 
ledge their origin. Nor will the fact be questioned, I 
presume, that the well-marked Jewish features are never 
seen out of that race; although it has (as we shall 
show) been contended that Jews, in certain climates, 
have not only lost their own type, but been transformed 
into other races. 
The number of Jews now existing in the world, of those 
who are regarded as descendants, in a direct line, from, 
and maintaining the same laws with, their forefathers, 
who, above three thousand years ago, retreated from 
Egypt under the guidance of their inspired lawgiver, 
Moses, is estimated by Weimer, Woolff, Milman,* and 
others, variously, at from three millions to five millions. 
In all climates and countries, they are recognized as the 
same race. 
Weimer, whose estimates are lowest, gives the follow- 
ing: 
Africa.—They are scattered along the whole coast, 
from Morocco to Egypt, besides being found in many 
other parts. Morocco and Fez, 300,000 ; Tunis, 130,000 ; 
Algiers, 30,000 ; Gabes or Habesh, 20,000 ; Tripoli, 12,000 ; 
&c. Total, 504,000. 
Asia.—In Mesopotamia and Assyria. The ancient seats 
of the Babylonian Jews are still occupied by 5,270 fami- 
lies, exclusive of those of Bagdad and Bassora. Asiatic 
Turkey, 330,000 ; Arabias, 200,000 ; Hindostan, 100,000 ; 
China, 60,000; Turkistan, 40,000; Province of Iran, 
35,000 ; &c. Total, 738,000. 
Europe.—Russia and Poland, 608,000; European Tur- 
key, 321,000; Germany, 138,000; Prussia, 134,000; Ne- 
therlands, 80,000 ; France, 60,000; Italy, 36,000 ; Great 
Britain, 12,000 ; &c. Total in Europe, 1,918,053. 
* See Milman'a History of the Jews. 13 
In America, Mr. Milman estimates them at 6,000 only ; 
but this was certainly very far below the mark, even 
when his book was published, and they have been in- 
creasing, with immense rapidity, since. We should think 
that an estimate of 100,000, for North and South Ameri- 
ca, would not be an exaggeration. 
This rapid and imperfect sketch will be sufficient to 
show how the race has been scattered throughout the re- 
gions of the earth, and many of them, previous to the 
Christian era, in climates the most opposite; and, yet, 
in obedience to a law of animal life, they have preserved, 
unchanged, the same features which the Almighty stamp- 
ed on the first pairs which he created. It may be well to 
state that it is a vulgar notion that the features of the 
Jews are attributable to a subsequent miracle, and that 
God has put a mark upon them, by which they may be 
always known, and for the mere purpose of distinguishing 
them from other races. If we are correct in carrying their 
type back to times preceding the Exode, this notion must 
fall to the ground. He has, no doubt, well individualized 
all of his races, from the beginning. 
It is admitted, by ethnographers of all sides, that man- 
kind are materially influenced by climate. The Jews, for 
example, may become more fair at the north, and more 
dark in the tropics, than in their native land; but, yet, 
the limit of change stops far short of other types. The 
complexion may be bleached, or tanned, in exposed parts 
of the body, but the Jewish features stand through all cli- 
mates, and are superior to such influences. 
But, it is stoutly contended, even at the present day, 
that Jews have, in various parts of the world, been trans- 
formed into other types. Several striking examples (so 
supposed) have been heralded forth to sustain the doc- 
trine of the Unity of the Species. We have examined, 
with care, all these supposed examples, and have no 
hesitation in asserting that not one of them has any evi- 
dence to sustain it, while the proof is almost conclusive 
on the other side. 
The most prominent example, thus instanced, is that 
of the black Jews in Malabar; and this has been confi- 
dently cited by all the advocates of the doctrine of Uni- 
ty, down to the Edinburgh Review, of 1849. Mr. Pri- 
chard, in his great work on this subject, has dodged this 
point, in a manner that we are really at a loss to un- 14 
derstand. In the second edition (1826) of his “Physi- 
cal History of Mankind,” he states the facts with suffi- 
cient fairness; while, in the last, he suppresses them en- 
tirely, and passes them over without giving one word 
of evidence in support of his assertions—merely saying 
that there is “ no evidence” to show that the black Jews 
are not Jews. We shall here introduce testimony to 
prove our position, which certainly cannot fairly be 
questioned, though well known to our author, and eluded 
by him with most ominous silence. 
Under the protection and patronage of the British go- 
vernment, the Rev. Claudius Buchanan, D.D., late Vice 
Provost of the College of Fort William, in Bengal, well 
known for his learning, fidelity, and piety, visited and 
spent some time amongst the white and black Jews of Ma- 
labar, near Cochin, in 1806-7-8; and the testimony given 
in his “Asiatic Researches” is so remarkable, and the 
subject so important, that we will venture upon a long 
extract, even at the risk of fatiguing the reader. The 
“Jerusalem, or white Jews,” he tells us, live in Jews' 
Town, about a mile from Cochin, and the “ancient, or 
black Jews," with small exceptions, inhabit towns in the 
interior of the province. 
“ On my inquiry ( continues Dr. Buchanan) into the antiquity of 
the white Jews, they first delivered me a narrative, in the Hebrew 
language, of their arrival in India, which has been handed down to 
them from their fathers; and then exhibited their ancient brass 
plate, containing their charter and freedom of residence, given by a 
king of Malabar. The following is the narrative of the events re- 
lating to their first arrival: 
“ ‘After the second Temple was destroyed, (which may God speed- 
ily rebuild!) our fathers, dreading the conqueror’s wrath, departed 
from Jerusalem—a numerous body of men, women, priests and Le- 
vites —and came into this land. There were among them men of 
repute for learning and wisdom; and God gave the people favour in 
the sight of the king who at that time reigned here, and he granted 
them a place to dwell in, called Cranganor. He allowed them a 
patriarchal jurisdiction in the district, with certain privileges of no- 
bility ; and the royal grant was engraved, according to the custom 
of those days, on a plate of brass. This was done in the year from 
the creation of the world 4250 (A. D. 490;) and this plate of brass 
we still have in possession. Our forefathers continued at Cranganor 
for about one thousand years, and the number of heads who go- 
verned were seventy-two. Soon after our settlement, other Jews 15 
followed us from Judea; and among them came that man of great 
wisdom, Rabbi Samuel, a Levite, of Jerusalem, with his son, Rabbi 
Jehuda Levita. They brought with them the silver trumpets * 
made use of at the time of the Jubilee, which were saved when the 
second Temple was destroyed; and we have heard, from our fathers, 
that there were engraven upon those trumpets the letters of the 
Ineffable Name. There joined us, also, from Spain and other places, 
from time to time, certain tribes of Jews, who had heard of our pros- 
perity. But, at last, discord arising among ourselves, one of our 
chiefs called to his assistance an Indian king, who came upon us 
with a great army, destroyed our houses, palaces and strongholds, 
dispossessed us of Cranganor, killed part of us, and carried part into 
captivity. By these massacres, we were reduced to a small num- 
ber. Some of the exiles came and dwelt at Cochin, where we have 
remained ever since, suffering great changes, from time to time. 
There are amongst us some of the children of Israel ( Beni-Israel) 
who came from the country of Ashkenaz, from Egypt, from Tsoha, 
and other places, besides those who formerly inhabited this country.’ 
“ The native annals of Malabar confirm the foregoing account, in 
the principal circumstances, as do the Mahommedan histories of the 
later ages ; for the Mahommedans have been settled here, in great 
numbers, since the eighth century. 
“ The desolation of Cranganor the Jews describe as being like the 
desolation of Jerusalem in miniature. They were first received into 
the country with some favour and confidence, agreeably to the te- 
nour of the general prophecy concerning the Jews—for no country 
was to reject them; and, after they had obtained some wealth, and 
attracted the notice of men, they are precipitated to the lowest 
abyss of human suffering and reproach. The recital of the suffer- 
ings of the Jews at Cranganor resembles much that of the Jews at 
Jerusalem, as given by Josephus. 
“ I now requested they would show me their brass plate. Having 
been given by a native king, it is written, of course, in the Malabaric 
language and character, and is now so old that it cannot be well un- 
derstood. The Jews preserve a Hebrew translation of it, which 
they presented to me; but the Hebrew itself is very difficult, and 
they do not agree among themselves as to the meaning of some 
words. I have employed, by their permission, 'an engraver, at Co- 
chin, to execute a fac simile of the original plate on copper, f This 
ancient document begins in the following manner, according to the 
Hebrew translation: 
“ ‘ In the peace of God, the King, which hath made the earth ac- 
cording to his pleasure—To this God, I, AIRVI BRAHMIN, have 
* It is well known that in every considerable town in Judea there were Ju- 
bilee Trumpets. 
f “ Now deposited in the public Library at the University of Cambridge. 16 
lifted up my hand and have granted, by this deed, which many hun- 
dred thousand years shall run—I, dwelling in Cranganor, have grant- 
ed, in the thirty-sixth year of my reign, in the strength of power I 
have granted, in the strength of power I have given in inheritance, 
to Joseph Rabban—’ 
(‘‘ Here follow several privileges, Ac.) 
“ What proves the importance of the Jews, at the period when 
this grant was made, is, that it is signed by seven kings as witnesses. 
(The names are here given.) 
“ There is no date to the document, further than what may be 
' collected from the reign of the prince, and the names of the royal 
witnesses. Dates are not usual in old Malabaric writings. One 
fact is evident, that the Jews must have existed a considerable time 
in the country before they could have obtained such a grant. The 
tradition, before-mentioned, assigns for the date of the transaction 
the year of the creation 4250, which is, in Jewish computation, A. 
D. 490. It is well known that the famous Malabaric king, Coram 
Perumal, made grants to the Jews, Christians, and Maliommedans, 
during his reign; but that prince flourished in the eighth or ninth 
century.” 
Speaking of the black Jews, Dr. Buchanan thus con- 
tinues : 
“ Their Hindoo complexion, and their very imperfect resemblance 
to the European Jews, indicate that they have been detached from 
the parent stock, in Judea, many ages before the Jews in the west, 
and that there have been intermarriages with families not Israelitish. 
I had heard that those tribes, which had passed the Indus, had assi- 
milated so much to the customs and habits of the countries in which 
they live, that they sometimes may be seen by a traveller without 
being recognised as Jews. In the interior towns of Malabar, I was 
not always able to distinguish the Jew from the Hindoo. I hence 
perceived how easy it may be to mistake the tribes of Jewish de- 
scent among the Afghans and other nations, in the northern parts 
of Hindostan. The white Jews look upon the black Jews as an in- 
ferior race, and as not of pure caste, which plainly demonstrates 
that they do not spring from a common stock in India.” * 
The evidence of Dr. Buchanan can scarcely leave room 
fora doubt that the white Jews had been living at least 
* In the 2'7th (March) number, 1850, of the Asmonean, a Jewish paper, 
published in New-York, may be found a full and interesting article on the 
Jews of Malabar, which coincides fully with Buchanan and Woolff. This ar- 
ticle first appeared in the “ Archives Israelites,” Paris—was copied into the 
London Jewish Chronicle, and is from the pen of a Rabbi of Cochin. We 
thus have the evidence of all those parties as to the light in which the black 
Jews stand amongst the Israelites every where. 17 
fifteen hundred years in Malabar, and were still white 
Jews, without even an approximation, in type, to the 
Hindoos; and that the black Jews were an “ inferior 
race”—“not of pure caste”—or, in other words, adulte- 
rated by dark Hindoos—Jews in doctrine, but not in 
stock. 
But we have another authority, of no less note, to the 
same effect, namely, that of Woolff, a converted Jew, 
who travelled in this country, and whose authority is 
quoted in all places where modern Jews are spoken of. 
He assures us, in his “ Missionary Researches,” page 308, 
that the black Jews are converted Hindoos, and at most 
a mixture only of the two races. Similar opinions have 
been expressed b}r every competent authority we have 
seen or can find quoted; and even Mr. Prichard, in his 
ponderous work, while he passes over all these facts with 
the simple remark that there is “ no evidence ” in favour 
of Buchanan’s opinion, ventures to give not a single au- 
thority to rebut him, and offers not a single reason for 
doubting his testimony. And we say it with regret, that 
this is but one of Mr. Prichard’s many unfair modes of 
sustaining the doctrine of the unity of mankind. We 
may add, also, that the opinions of Buchanan and Woolff 
are those of all the Jews of our day, as far as we have 
been able to ascertain them. Mr. Isaac Leeser, the learned 
and estimable editor of the “ Occident” in Philadelphia, 
in answer to our inquiries, thus writes: 
“You may freely assert, that, in all essentials, the Jews are the 
same they are represented on the Egyptian monuments; and a com- 
parison of 3500 years ought to be sufficient to prove that the inter- 
mediate links have not degenerated.” “The Black Jews of Malabar 
are not a Jewish race, according to the accounts which have appeared 
from time to time in the papers. They are most likely converts to 
Judaism, who, never having intermarried with the white Jews, have 
retained their original Hind o complexion, and, I believe, language.” 
There has doubtless been some intermixture of the two races there, 
as has often occurred in other parts of the world, particularly in 
certain Mahommedan countries, where the Jews have been cruelly 
-oppressed. Dr. Buchanan justly remarks, ‘ that small portions of 
the Jewish nation melt away, from time to time, and become ab- 
sorbed in the mass of the heathen world.’ ” 
Though this letter of Mr. Leeser was written in haste, 
and not intended for publication, his well known respec- 
tability and talent give so much weight to any thing he 18 
would say about his race, that we cannot forego the 
temptation to give yet another and longer extract from it. 
He says: 
“ In respect, however, to the true Jewish complexion, it is fair ; 
which is proved by the variety of the people I have seen, from Per- 
sia, Russia, Palestine, and Africa, not to mention those of Europe 
and America, the latter of whom are identical with the Europeans, 
like all other white inhabitants of this continent. All Jews that 
ever I have beheld are identical in features ; t hough the colour of 
their skins and eyes differ materially, inasmuch as die Southern 
are nearly all black-eyed, and somewhat sallow, whilst the Northern 
are blue-eyed, in a great measure, and of a fair and clear complexion. 
In this they assimilate to all Caucasians, when transported for a num- 
ber of generations into various climates.* Though I am free lo 
admit that the dark and hazel eye and tawny skin are oftener met 
with among the Germanic Jews than the German natives proper. 
There are also red-haired and white-haired Jews, as well as other 
people, and perhaps of as great a proportion. I speak now of the 
Jew, north—I am myself a native of Germany, and among my own 
family I know of none without blue eyes, brown hair, (though mine 
is black,) and very fair skin—still 1 recollect, when a boy, seeing 
many who had not these characteristics, and had, on the con-rary, 
eyes, hair and skin of a more southern complexion. In America 
you will see all varieties of complexion, from the very fair Canadian 
down to the almost yellow of the West Indian—the latter, however, 
is solely the effect of exposure to a deleterious climate, for several 
generations, which changes, I should judge, the texture of the hair 
and skin, and thus leaves its mark on the constitution—otherwise the 
Caucasian type is strongly developed ; but this is the case more empha- 
tically among those sprung from a German than a Portuguese stock. 
The iatter was an original inhabitant of the Iberian Peninsula, and 
whether it w;>s preserved pure or became mixed with Moorish blood 
in the process of centuries, or whether the Germans contracted an 
intimacy with Teutonic nations and thus acquired a part of their 
national characteristics, it is impossible to be told now. But one 
thing is certain, that, both in Spain and Germany, conversions to 
Judaism during the early ages, say from the 8th to the 13th centu- 
ries, were by no means rare, or else the governments would not have 
so energetically prohibited Jews from making proselytes of their ser- 
vants and others. I know not, indeed, whether there is any greater 
physical discrepancy between northern and southern Jews than be- 
,* Mr. Leeser is here mistaken. A sun-burned cheek is never handed down 
to the child. This fact is admitted even by Prichard. The white Jews are 
white at the end of 1500 years ; though their faces are tanned, their children 
are born fair, and would remain so in a temperate clime. 19 
tween English families who continue in England, or emigrate to Ala- 
bama; I rather judge there is not.” 
Mr. Leeser professes not to have paid any special at- 
tention to the physical history of the Jews ; but still his 
remarks corroborate very strongly two important points: 
1st. That the Jews only undergo those limited changes 
from climate which are admitted by all ethnographers, 
and 2d. That they do occasionally mingle in blood, to 
considerable extent, with other races, which accounts for 
much of the diversity of type amongst them. 
We think we have shown satisfactorily that the “black 
Jews” of India are not Jews by race. Other examples of 
transformation have been given, but they are even less 
of credit than the preceding, which we have ex- 
amined. The Jews of Abyssinia, or Felashas, as they 
are called, may be noticed. They do not present the 
Jewish physiognomy to any extent, and are, doubtless, 
composed of mixed bloods and converts; and so of their 
descendants. We have before us a pamphlet of Charles 
F. Beke, Esq., P.H.D., F.S.A., F.R.G.S., London, entitled 
“ Remarks on the Mats’ Hafa Tomar, or Book of the Let- 
ter,1” an Ethiopic manuscript, from which we take the 
following extract, referring to this people. This essay 
was read 8th Feb., 1848, before the Syro-Egyptian Society 
of London, and Mr. Beke’s standing as an orientalist is 
too well known to require comment. His information 
was obtained from the Felashas themselves. 
“ There is, however, no reason for imagining that these Israelites 
of Abyssinia, who are known in that country by the name of Fala- 
shas, are, as a people, the lineal descendants of any of the tribes of 
Israel. Their peculiar language, which they still retain, differs en- 
tirely from the Syro-Arabian class to which the Ethiopic and Amha- 
ric, as well as the Hebrew and Arabic belong, and is cognate with, 
and closely allied to, the existing dialects spoken by the A’gaus of 
Lasta and the A’gaumider; a circumstance affording a strong argu- 
ment in support of the opinion that all these people are descended 
from an aboriginal race, which has been forced to give way before 
the advances of a younger people from the opposite shores of the 
Red Sea—first in Tigre, and, subsequently, in the countries adjacent 
to Bab-el Mandeb. 
“It is not till about the tenth century of the Christian era that 
we possess any history of the Israelites of Abyssinia as a separate 
people; and even then, the particulars respecting them which are to be gathered from the annals of the country, as given by Bruce, must, 
in the earlier portions, at least, be received with great caution.” 
Bruce, in the second volume of his travels, gives an 
interesting account of this people. He regards them 
really as Jews; but expresses strong doubts, and says, 
the question must be determined by future philological 
researches. These researches have been made since his 
day, and the opinion of Mr. Beke is given above. Even 
Prichard does not credit Bruce’s account. 
The history of the ten tribes affords also a conclusive 
evidence of the influence of intermixtures with the other 
races. In the 8th century B.C., they were conquered and 
carried captive by Tiglathpi lesser and Shalmanesser into 
the north-eastern parts of the Assyrian empire, and their 
places supplied by foreign colonists from that country. 
These, with the remaining Israelites, formed the Samari- 
tans of after times; and the ten tribes have been scattered 
across Asia, and most of them lost by amalgamation. 
On this subject, see the History of the Hebrew Monar- 
chy. 
“The AfFghans, as before remarked, bear strong marks of the 
Jewish type, and are doubtless descended from the ten tribes.” “The 
AfFghans have no resemblance to the Tartars who surround them, in 
person, habits or language. Sir William Jones, (and this opinion is 
now prevalent) is inclined to believe that their descent may be traced 
to the Israelites, and adds, that the best informed Persian historians 
have adopted the same opinion. The AfFghans have traditions among 
themselves which render it very probable that this is the just account 
of their origin. Many of their families are distinguished by names 
of Jewish tribes, though, since their conversion to the Islam, they 
conceal their descent with the most scrupulous care; and the whole 
is confirmed by the circumstance that the Pushto lias so near an 
affinity with the Chaldaic that it may justly be regarded as a dialect 
of that tongue. They are now confounded with the Arabs.” (.Ency. 
Britan.) 
Most other points have been so fully discussed by others 
that it did not form a part of our original plan to travel 
out of the physical history of the Jews, in illustrating 
that of mankind ; but the gypsies offer such curious ana- 
logies with the Israelites that we will indulge a few pass- 
ing remarks on that race. 
“Both have had an exodus; both are exiles and dispersed amongst 
the gentiles, by whom they are hated and despised, and whom they hate and despise, under the names of Busnees and Goyim; both, 
though speaking the lauguage of the gentiles, possess a peculiar 
tongue, which the latter do not understand, and both possess a 'pecu - 
liar cast of countenance, by which they may be, without difficulty, 
distinguished from all other nations; but with these points the 
similarity terminates. The Israelites have a peculiar religion, to 
which they are fanatically attached; the Romas (gypsies) have none. 
The Israelites have an authentic history; the gypsies have no histo- 
ry—they do not even know the name of their original country.”* 
The history of this singular race is involved in much 
obscurity and mystery ; though, from their physical type, 
language, &c., it is conceded that they came from some 
part of India; but, at what time, and why, cannot now 
be determined. It has been said that they fled from the 
exterminating sword of the great Tartar conqueror, Ti- 
mur Beg, (Tamerlane,) who ravaged India in 1408-9, 
A.D.; but there will be found very good reason, in Bor- 
row’s work, for believing that they might have migrated 
at a much earlier period north, amongst the Sclavonians, 
before they entered Germany and other countries, where 
we first trace them. We, however, know with certainty, 
that, in the beginning of the fifteenth century (about the 
time of Timur’s conquest) they appeared in Germany, and 
were soon scattered over Europe, as far as Spain. They 
appeared in France on 17th August, 1427, A.D. Their 
number now, in all, has been estimated at about 700,000, 
and they are scattered over most countries of the habitable 
globe—Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and some 
few in North America. “ Their tents are pitched on the 
heaths of Brazil and the ridges of the Himalaya hills, 
and their language is heard in Moscow and Madrid, in 
London and Stamboul.” “ Their power of resisting cold 
is truly wonderful, as it is not uncommon to find them 
encamped in the midst of the snow, in slight canvas tents, 
where the temperature is 25*to 30 degrees below the 
freezing point, according to Reaumurwhile, on the 
other hand, they are found in Spain, Africa and India, f 
What insuperable difficulties does the history of this 
race offer to the advocates of the unity of the human 
* Borrow. 
f Our quotations are from Borrow, (“ Gypsies of Spain,”) whom we quote 
in preference, as he has devoted twenty years to studying the history of the 
gypsies, and visited them in various parts of the world. He spoke their lan- 
guage also, which gave him great advantage over other writers. 22 
race ? Here we see the gypsies living certainly 450 years 
(if not longer) in open tents, exposed in every possible 
way to the extremes of climate, want and human misery; 
in a word, subjected fully to all the causes which are said 
to act on man, inducing physical changes ; and yet re- 
taining, like the Hebrews, their peculiar type, habits, 
customs, and even more, their peculiar language. Unlike 
the Hebrews, they have never taken any part in the ad- 
vancement of civilization, but have everywhere kept 
themselves isolated. Like the Hindoos, the gypsies have 
much smaller heads than the Hebrews and other Cauca- 
sian races who have played a part in this great work, 
and their life is a simple response to the organization 
which the Almighty has given them. The efforts of mis- 
sionaries and statesmen to civilize and christianize them 
have been utterly futile. If 450 years, which would give 
some fifteen or twenty generations in wandering tribes of' 
this kind, has not transformed these Indians into Euro- 
peans, or Africans, what ground is there for expecting' 
radical changes in the future ? It is a well known law. 
that those changes which do take place in animals, from 
climate, are brought about in very few generations. 
“Wherever,” says Borrow, “they are found, their manners and 
customs are virtually the same, though somewhat modified by cir- 
cumstances : and the language they speak amongst themselves is in 
all countries the same, but has been subjected to more or less modi- 
fication ; and their countenances exhibit a decided family resemblance, 
but are darker or fairer, according to the temperature of the climate, 
but invariably darker, at least in Europe, than the natives of the 
countries in which they dwell—for example, England and Russia. 
Germany and Spain.” 
Again, speaking of the Gypsies of Spain, he says, 
“ Their complexion is by no means uniform, save that it is invaria- 
bly darker than the general olive hue of the Spaniards. Not unfre- 
quently, countenances as dark as mulattoes present themselves, and. 
in some instances, almost of negro blackness.” 
It should be remembered that the present population of 
Hindostan presents the remarkable phenomenon of all tints 
from white to black. The gypsy eye is spoken of as one 
of those peculiar features which can never be described, 
mistaken, or forgotten. Though, by their mode of life, 
exposed in a manner which makes other races hideously 
ugly, Mr.Borrow tells us this race is by nature perhaps 
the most beautiful in the world, and amongst the children 23 
of the Russian gypsies are to be found countenances, to 
do justice to which would require the pencil of a Murillo. 
Their great exposure and hardships, however, destroy their 
beauty early, and they become often extremely ugly in 
old age. 
The Magyars, who have played so prominent a part in 
the late struggle of Hungary, belonging to the Tartar 
subdivision of the great Caucasian family, detached them- 
selves about the year 880 A.D., (1000 years ago,) from 
their Asiatic connexions, and, advancing into Europe, 
under a chief named Arpad, conquered and formed the 
present kingdom of Hungary. In 1842, according to 
Schatfarick, the population of Hungary stood as follows: 
Total, 11,692,000; Sclavonians, 6,342,000; Magyars. 
3,500,000; Germans and Wallachians, 1,820,000. Here 
we see the remarkable fact, that a comparatively handful 
of Tartars, who have always been classed with the Cau- 
casian race, (and differing less than the Hindoos from 
the white races,) surrounded by and intermingled with 
millions of other families, still retain strongly their origi- 
nal type, and that, too, in one of the finest portions of 
Europe, where the very fairest complexions are to be seen. 
We have thus hurriedly gone over the physical history 
of the Jewish race, with as much detail as our limits 
would permit; and, though the argument is very far from 
being exhausted, we think enough has been said to satisfy 
any unprejudiced mind, that this race has preserved its 
peculiar type from the time of Abraham to the present 
day, or more than one hundred generations ; and has there- 
fore transmitted directly to us the features of Noah’s fam- 
ily, which only preceded that of Abraham, according to 
the Mosaic account, by ten generations. 
Our fourth proposition seems to follow naturally, as a 
corollary from the foregoing facts. If the Jewish race 
has preserved the type of its forefathers for four thousand 
years, in all the climates, and under all the forms of gov- 
ernment of the earth,—through extremes of prosperity 
and adversity,—if, too, we add to all this, the recently de- 
veloped facts, (which cannot be denied) that the Mongols, 
the Negroes, the Hindoos, the Egyptians, and others, ex- 
isted, two thousand years before the Christian era, as dis- 
tinct as now ; where, we may ask, is to be found the sem- 
blance of an argument to sustain the assumption of a 
common origin for mankind ? 
From the earliest dawn of history, these various races 24 
have differed no less in their moral and intellectual char- 
acters and adaptations than in their physical characters, 
and what reason is there to believe that any effort ol’ 
man, however, well directed, can reverse the laws of God. 
and raise an inferior up to the standard of a superior race ? 
We would remark that arbitrary terms, without ade- 
quate reasons, have been coined to designate certain 
groups of races, as Caucasian, Negro, &c., and it has 
been assumed that each of these groups has a common 
origin, laying aside the question of unity for all. We are 
not prepared to admit these assertions, as many types are 
included under the terms, Caucasian, Negro, &c. We 
have no chronology which will allow us to press all the 
so called Caucasian, or so called Negro races into com- 
mon origins; nor will the natural history of the different 
races justify such conclusions. But, even admitting these 
forced divisions, Dr. Morton, of Philadelphia, in his recent 
published catalogue, establishes the fact, beyond cavil, 
after the careful measurement of nearly nine hundred 
skulls, that the Negro race, compared with the Caucasian, 
has about nine cubic inches less of brain ! This relative 
difference, we may add, we are shown by the pictures on 
monuments of Egypt, and the mummied heads in the cat- 
acombs, to have existed, precisely as now, at least four 
thousand years ago. Is there a single well authenticated 
fact in history, to prove that the “ Ethiopian (except from 
disease) can change his skin,” or that one cubic inch 
be added to the size of the brain ? We have looked with 
impartiality through the histories of ancient nations— 
have pored over volumes of mental philosophy—have 
read histories of civilization,—and yet can find nothing to 
prove the oft repeated assertion that the brain can be en- 
larged by cultivation from one generation to another. 
The heads of each race are the same in all ages and all 
places. 
It has been asserted that history can point to no barba- 
rous race which has been civilized, till an impulse came 
from without. The Hebrews borrowed from Egypt, as 
did the Phenicians and Greeks; Rome from Greece; 
Gaul and Germany from Rome, &c. This may be all 
true; but when, and where, did the true white race ever 
fail to respond to the call ? As soon as the elements of 
civilization are brought within their reach, and a good 
government protects them, the march of civilization is begun, and a century or two works wonders. What 
could Peter the Great have done amongst Negroes, or 
American Indians ? 
Look at the masses in Western Europe, two hundred 
years ago, when the distribution of races was much the 
same as now follow them on, from the time of Julius 
Caesar to the extinction of the Feudal System, and see 
how master minds sprang up whenever their fetters were 
stricken off, and knowledge placed within their reach. 
They only followed the instincts of their organizations, 
when they seized the proffered boon. On the other hand, 
while the Caucasian races were seizing with avidity the 
civilization of Egypt from the North and East, behold 
the dark skinned Africans, though in constant intercourse 
on the South, stationary for thousands of years. Not a 
monument of their own to tell their story, and always de- 
picted on those of Egypt as slaves and barbarians. See, 
too, the millions of Indians in America, dwindling away 
in contact with civilization for three centuries, as if there 
was poison in the very atmosphere of the superior, to the 
unperforming, or mere pioneer people, whom they su- 
perseded. 
Very important modifications of races, both as to moral 
and physical characters, are produced by crossing them : 
and yet this important fact has been strangely neglected by 
writers and talkers on these subjects. The negro races 
always have been, and probably always will be, inca- 
pable of progressing alone in the march of civilization. 
Look at Africa—look at the West Indies, and especially 
Hayti, where, just in proportion as white blood has been 
expelled, has degradation advanced. Witness the Em- 
pire of Soulouque, which is fast sinking into natural Af- 
rican barbarism ! 
We look with painful anxiety to Liberia, as the last hope 
of the Negro as an independent race, and most devoutly 
wish for the entire success of this dubious experiment. 
But the destinies of individuals and of races are in the 
hands of the Almighty, and unless the organization of 
the negro can be changed, it requires no prophetic eye to 
foresee that the experiment must fail. Keep away that 
fostering influence of the whites, by which it is sustained 
* See North British Review for a very able article on the “ Slavonians a ad. 
Eastern Europe.” No. xxii, August,. 1849. on all sides, and the incorporated white blood within the 
colony, and the Republic of Liberia, like Hayti, would 
soon be a thing of the past. It is a vain struggle against 
fixed laws of nature. 
Flattering accounts are constantly coming to us of the 
marvellous progress of civilization in Liberia. Meetings 
of the Colonization Society are held in Washington City, 
from time to time, where enchanting pictures of her 
past, present and future are drawn; and these represen- 
tations come from gentlemen whose honesty and philan- 
thropy we shall not question ; but we have reason to be- 
lieve that these pictures are drawn by enthusiasts, who 
deceive themselves in degree with their desires, and who 
will not long succeed in deceiving any body else. 
Seeing such flattering notices of the leading men in Li- 
beria, by their friends, we wrote to a scientific correspon- 
dent at the North, and also to the Hon. A. P. Butler, of 
South-Carolina, requesting them to ascertain, if practi- 
cable, what blood predominated in Liberia, and, particu- 
larly, what was the pedigree of President Roberts, who 
has been figuring so much of late in European courts. 
From our Northern friend, a gentleman well known in 
the scientific world, we received the following reply : 
“ You asked me if I knew any thing of President Roberts, of Li- 
beria ? Two gentlemen were at my house on Sunday evening last, 
who have often seen him ; and they inform me that he is three- 
fourths white blood, with a rough, florid complexion, red hair, and a 
most disagreeable physiognomy. He was a black-smith in Vir- 
ginia, and is a shrewd, active man, who appears to have turned his 
position in Liberia to his personal advantage.” 
We will take the liberty of introducing two notes from 
Mr. R. R. Gurley, who has been much in the African col- 
onies, and takes great interest in them. We feel much 
pleasure in stating that we have every reason to believe 
that Mr. Gurley is an amiable and intelligent gentleman, 
and actuated by the most philanthropic views: 
Washington, 13th Feb., 1850. 
My Dear Sir:—President Roberts is a mulatto, but a 
very intelligent self-educated gentleman, originally from 
Petersburg, Va., and I believe born free. 
The Vice President, Mr. Brander, is of the unmixed 
African race ; a very sensible man. 
The first Secretary of State (who has since resigned) is also an unmixed black man, who has been in Liberia, 
since his childhood, and derived all his education from the 
schools of the Colony and from his own studies. He is 
a man of great worth and good sense. 
Gen. Lewis, the Secretary of the Treasury, is a mu- 
latto, altogether educated in Liberia, and a very enter- 
prising man. 
Judge Stephen Benson, who may probably be hereafter 
chosen President, is unmixed and very black, but a man 
of very high character. He went to Africa in childhood, 
and is one of the best specimens of what freedom and 
favoring circumstances will do for the negro race. 
The Chief Justice of Liberia is a mulatto, from the State 
of Georgia ; a gentleman of a high order of natural talent, 
very considerably improved by education. His name is 
Benedict. 
I have the honor to be, 
Sir, with great respect, 
Your friend, &c. 
R. R. GURLEY. 
Hon. Judge Butler. 
We will add another note, enclosed us by Judge Butler, 
from the Hon. W. K. Sebastian, relating to the Indians of 
the Western frontier. Much has been said about the civili- 
zation of the Creeks, Choctaws, and Cherokees, and, after 
numerous and well directed inquiries, I find that all the 
evidence confirms the observations of Judge Sebastian. 
“I have lived in Arkansas since 1835, and have had frequent 
opportunity for observation upon the subject of Indian civiliza- 
tion. The local government amongst the Indians is almost 
universally entrusted to the half-breeds, or those having the 
blood of the white man preponderating in still greater proportion. 
These half-breeds generally occupy the places of trust and influ- 
ence amongst them, and are at the head of the schools and institu- 
tions of learning. So far as I have observed, the educated persons 
and missionaries among them have been found among the half- 
bloods. Yours, &c., &c., 
“ W. K. SEBASTIAN. 
Hon. A. P. Butler.” 
We do not doubt that individuals of inferior races, as 
Indians and negroes, are capable of receiving education 
and attaining to what might be termed a respectable 
mediocrity, when compared with the whites; but this 28 
gives no proof that their masses can ever achieve civiliza- 
tion, or sustain well-organized governments. When we 
look at the history of these races, and reflect on the diffi- 
culty with which the highest races are kept from anarchy, 
the prospect for their future advance is not very encou- 
raging. It will be the mind and labour of the white that 
will make, or save them from, their destinies. 
We have not only already consumed more space than 
intended, but have somewhat wandered from our original 
plan—so full of ramifications is this interesting subject of 
Man. We shall, therefore, close with a few words which 
we think due to ourselves, and due to the cause of science, 
which is the cause of immutable truth. We have been 
charged, not only with ignorance and infidelity, but with 
garbling facts to find an apology for negro slavery at the 
South. We disclaim this charge, from the bottom of our 
hearts, and do not hesitate to declare, ( even at the risk of 
shocking Southern feelings) as our conviction, that every 
race, capable of self-government, has a right to liberty, 
and that no one has the right to withhold it. Nay, more : 
Though living at the South, and a slave-owner, we shall 
not hesitate to avow ourself an emancipationist whenever 
it can be clearly shown that the present condition of our 
slaves can be changed for the better. But, with the natu- 
ral history of the races before us, and with the plain 
teachings of the history of the negro races, from remote 
antiquity to the present time, we shall follow the dictates 
of experience and sound philanthropy, which alike forbid 
all reckless experiments, whether of politicians or enthu- 
siasts, in defiance of the obvious laws of man and nature. 
J. C. N. 
Mobile, Ala,