"American" is to include the United States and the powers that enact
its laws and proclaim its judicial decisions, as we have no
civilization in the aggregate. Civilization contemplates that
fraternity, civil and political equality between man and man, that
makes his rights, privileges and immunities inviolable and sacred in
the eyes and hearts of his fellows, whatever may be his nationality,
language, color, hair texture, or anything else that may make an
external variation.

Civility comprehends harmony, system, method, complacency, urbanity,
refinement, politeness, courtesy, justice, culture, general
enlightenment and protection of life and person to any man, regardless
of his color or nationality. It is enough for a civilized community to
know that you are a human being, to pledge surety of physical and
political safety to you, and this has been the sequence in all ages
among civilized people. But such is not the condition of things as
they apply to this country, I mean the United States. True, we have a
National Congress, State Legislature, Subordinate and Supreme Courts,
and almost every form of government, necessary to regulate the affairs
of a civilized country. But above these, and above law and order,
which these legislative and judicial bodies have been organized to
observe, and execute justice in the land, we are often confronted
through the public press with reports of the most barbarous and cruel
outrages, that can be perpetrated upon human beings, known in the
history of the world. No savage nation can exceed the atrocities which
are often heralded through the country and accepted by many as an
incidental consequence. Men are hung, shot and burnt by bands of
murderers who are almost invariably represented as the most
influential and respectable citizens in the community, while the
evidences of guilt of what is charged against the victims, who are so