country--this being made the pretext as a matter of _policy_ alone--a
fact worthy of observation, that wherever the objects of oppression are
the most easily distinguished by any peculiar or general
characteristics, these people are the more easily oppressed, because the
war of oppression is the more easily waged against them. This is the
case with the modern Jews and many other people who have
strongly-marked, peculiar, or distinguishing characteristics. This
arises in this wise. The policy of all those who proscribe any people,
induces them to select as the objects of proscription, those who
differed as much as possible, in some particulars, from themselves. This
is to ensure the greater success, because it engenders the greater
prejudice, or in other words, elicits less interest on the part of the
oppressing class, in their favor. This fact is well understood in
national conflicts, as the soldier or civilian, who is distinguished by
his dress, mustache, or any other peculiar appendage, would certainly
prove himself a madman, if he did not take the precaution to change his
dress, remove his mustache, and conceal as much as possible his peculiar
characteristics, to give him access among the repelling party.

This is mere policy, nature having nothing to do with it. Still, it is a
fact, a great truth well worthy of remark, and as such as adduce it for
the benefit of those of our readers, unaccustomed to an enquiry into the
policy of nations.

In view of these truths, our fathers and leaders in our elevation,
discovered that as a policy, we the colored people were selected as the
subordinate class in this country, not on account of any actual or
supposed inferiority on their part, but simply because, in view of all
the circumstances of the case, they were the very best class that could
be selected. They would have as readily had any other class as