Shem and the huts of Ham. He feels towards Contrarius Albo as the
game-cock regards the dunghill-fowl. Displays of this sentiment on the
part of the white population must be repressed; but this should be done
fairly and without passion.

I do not for a moment regret our philanthropical move, despite its awful
waste of life and gold. England, however can do her duty to Africa without
cant, and humbug, and nonsense about the 'sin and crime of slavery.'
Serfdom, like cannibalism and polygamy, are the steps by which human
society rose to its present status: to abuse them is ignorantly to kick
down the ladder. The spirit of Christianity may tend to abolish servitude;
but the letter distinctly admits it, and the translators have unfairly
rendered 'slave' and 'bondsman' by 'servant,' which is absurd. England can
fight, if necessary, against a traffic which injures the free man, but she
might abstain from abusing those who do not share her opinions. The
anti-slavery party has hitherto acted rather from sentiment than from
reason; and Mr. Buckle was right in determining that morality must be
ruled by, and not rule, intellect. We have one point in our favour. The
_dies atra_ between 1810-20, when a man could not speak what he thought
upon the subject of slavery, ended as the last slave left the West African
coast; and yet I doubt whether the day is yet come when we can draw upon
the great labour-bank of Africa and establish that much-wanted
institution, the black _ouvrier libre_.

There are several classes interested in pitting black man against white
man. An unscrupulous missionary will, for his own ends, preach resistance
to time-honoured customs and privileges which Niger has himself accepted.
An unworthy lawyer will urge litigation; a dishonest judge or
police-magistrate will make popularity at the expense of equity and
honour; a weak-minded official will fear the murmurs, the complaints, and