It is to the general history of the mixture of the human races, what our experiments in the workshop and laboratory are to the great natural phenomena. It affords us an explanation and understanding of its laws.

In 1789, nine sailors of the English ship "Bounty," having mutinied and deserted their commander, established themselves at Pitcairn, with six Tahitians, whom they purposed to make their slaves, and fifteen women, who could hardly be called their wives. So far as concerns antecedents, it was, as we see, conquest with all its abuses; it was what still too often takes place.

The results were just what they should have been. A war of races broke out. Five whites perished; the women assassinated the Polynesians. In 1793, there remained at Pitcairn, only four whites, ten Polynesian women, and some children. They lived there in a state of absolute polygamy. Subsequently a quarrel broke out between the four Europeans, and two were slain.

The two remaining Europeans finally profited by the lessons of the past. They lived in peace, and exerted all their efforts to govern the little society born in the midst of the outbreak of all their passions. One of the two soon died of disease, and Adams alone remained to continue the work, having no other guide than a Bible, which had by chance been carried there.

In 1825, when Captain Beechey visited Pitcairn, he found a population of sixty-six persons, remarkable for their beautiful proportions, their muscular power, and extraordinary agility, their keen and quick intelligence; their earnest desire for instruction, and their moral qualities, of which he narrates a touching instance. Most unquestionably, this society, entirely a mixed race, was superior at least to the very great majority of the elements which had given birth to it. But it reached that point only by passing through its mean age.

At Pitcairn, this decisive period has been short. The duration is in proportion to the number of elements which must be eliminated or softened down. In France and Europe it has lasted much longer, because these elements were infinitely more numerous and complex, and because in many respects the work had necessarily to be many times repeated. In America, the period of the invasion of races is still going on. How, then, should these raees be fixed, and how could they manifest their true characteristics?

America, in general, and especially the Spanish and Portuguese settlements therein, are in their full mean age. This fact, evident enough to me, explains why the reproaches made against these people are so well founded. The differences which are seen in other respects between the south and the north, could be easily explained, if this

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were the place to engage in that work. What sort of a civilisation will arise out of this immense field of experiment, where all the nations of the earth are mixed, and amalgamated together? It seems presumptuous to attempt even in the most general way, to reply to this question, and yet the past warrants us in casting a glance at the future.

On this point I am happy to agree exactly with M. Maury, when, taking into view the ethnical origin of peoples, he sees civilisation born and developed into greatness by the contact, mixture, and union of races. I am happy to think, as does my colleague and predecessor, M. Serres, who sums up his opinion in these words: "The greater the number of elements entering into the composition of a race the higher its development; . the greater the number of special characteristics the longer is its life." These great social facts will nowhere be brought out in so perfect a manner as in America. Wholly differing, then, from those savants whose views I have previously combated, I see in the concourse which all the peoples of the globe are bringing in to the formation of the future American races, a pledge that these races will be more perfect than any of their ancestors. In that fact, there will be on the whole a prime cause of superiority; and as in the past, it will without doubt be manifested in new forms by the very fact of the mixture or crossing.

Moreover, we learn from history that civilisation in the progress of descent from their predecessors never retrogrades in this respect; that while they are perchance weaker on some points they more than make up for it on others. Even the most fleeting civilisations, like those of the Arabs in Spain, have had, so to speak, their specialty, and have made progress forwards. Now no one civilisation will have had for its point of departure a foundation so large as the future American civilisation. Everything, then, tends to the presumption that it will far outstrip us.

Conclusion.-In the course of the lectures delivered at the Museum some twenty years since, and of which a resumé has been published by M. Esquiros, M. Serres insists upon the future result of the crossing of the human races. Firmly admitting the perpetuity of actual characteristic types, he believes in the unification of races. Without going to so great a length, M. Maury thinks that everything tends towards uniformity, and that the time will come when a mere variation in character will take the place of the old diversity of races.

Now, while freely acknowledging there is some truth in the opinions of my eminent colleagues, I cannot go to so great a length as they. Without doubt, in the great movement which has engaged the attentive study of all three of us, the civilised white man plays the most

important part. It is he who everywhere seeks out the inferior races, at one time by force carrying them away with him and compelling them to undertake forced migrations, at another obtruding himself upon them and occupying their own soil, at still another exercising an influence and attraction against which he strives in vain to defend himself, but always mingling his own blood with that of the inferior races, and thereby elevating their position. But the mixed races will differ in proportion as the ethnical elements to which he allies himself differ. One only of the parties will be elevated out of the distance which before separated them, and a common element will be established between them in relations where none previously existed. In addition to this prime cause, which will tend by itself to maintain a distinction of races, even were they placed in identical circumstances, we must besides add the influence of other causes. So long as the earth remains what it is, so long as there shall be an equator and poles, isles and continents, an old and a new world, so long as the conditions of existence shall remain as varied as we now see, so long will distinct races exist, and continue to form themselves, and that, too, exclusive of the phenomena of crossing. Only, and here is the point, it is principally the white race which emigrates and populates anew other countries. Consequently these races will be more nearly allied than those that we found occupying their places; for these last were the result of a series of operations, continuing for centuries, and which will never again be repeated.

The civilised white man will not be unmindful of the paths which he has opened up to himself. Were he obliged to remain where he is for lack of means of transportation, he would still pursue his course, he would none the less continue to extend his migrations. These relations between populations established under the most varied means, would of necessity bring about marriages. His aptitude for acclimatation would be enlarged. The phenomena which now obtain almost alone in the case of the Jewish race, would become universal. The races of the future will receive at birth an aptitude for sustaining the operation of the most varied influences; they will become in advance, as it were, either wholly or partially acclimated.

Thus, by virtue of events so linked together and of a self-imposed necessity, the future human races will be largely renovated with an infusion of white blood, that is to say, with the ethnological elements which thus far have carried to its highest degree the development of human intelligence. Consequently these races will become more intimately related to each other, but they will not for all that be either alike or equal. The same causes which have been at work in producing diversities among the members of the great human family,

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will none the less continue to be active. There will always be dissimilar races, there will always be races superior and races inferior. But on the whole, humanity will be advanced, its means of control over natural phenomena will be enlarged; at the same time its power of resistance to those events which thus far have sometimes controlled it, will be increased. Nothing, then, warrants us in thinking that the civilisations of the future can in any way be inferior to those of the present day, but on the contrary we even go so far as to predict that in some direction yet unknown, they will far outstrip them.

THE NEGRO AS A SOLDIER.*

By SANFORD B. HUNT, M.D., late Surgeon U. S. Volunteers.

ETHNOGRAPHICAL causes have always been active in the production of wars, and the existence of slavery was undoubtedly the ultimate cause in the war of the Rebellion. Yet, though it involved the deepest problems of race, it was not in itself a war of races. It was a struggle between two geographical sections of the same race and nation as to the just status of a foreign element which had become domicilated among us by the act of our ancestors and which, in itself powerless, had by mere bulk and magnitude acquired a controlling importance in national affairs. During this struggle the negro remained passive. His ideas of the struggle were not revolutionary, but religious. He believed and waited, his simple mind filled with the grand metaphors of Holy Writ, and his doubts all silenced by an implicit faith that in the Lord's good time his deliverance would come. When it was decided by Government to employ him as a soldier, he cheerfully enlisted as he found opportunity. But when, by accident of locality, he was unable to reach our lines, he remained a faithful and quiet slave. In no instance did he assume leadership, in no instance did he organise to strike a blow for his own liberty. Yet, in all instances, he was patiently loyal to his own race and to the cause of the Union.

This passivity is a moral element which might well create many doubts as to his efficiency as a soldier. Aside from the intemperate

*We are indebted to Dr. W. A. Hammond, late Surgeon-General U. S. Army, for a copy of this valuable report to the U. S. Sanitary Commission.

THE NEGRO AS A SOLDIER.

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opposition of negro-haters, many of his calmer friends could only look upon the experiment as one involving serious risks of failure. Had he the physique to endure hardship? Could he acquire the manual of arms and perfect himself in tactics? Had he the necessary physical courage? Would he not, when his savage blood was up in the fever-heat of battle, entail disgrace upon our cause by acts of outrage? Was not the profession of the soldier in its essence too noble and manly for this pariah of the land? All thinking minds acknowledged these doubts, and with many they became at once convictions.

The scepticisms entertained as to the capacity of the negro for the duties of a soldier found voice even in the Acts of Congress authorising his enrolment. The first Act only impliedly makes him a soldier. In the Act of Congress approved July 17th, 1862, we find the following:

"SEC. II.—And be it further enacted: That the President of the United States be authorised to employ as many persons of African descent as he may deem necessary and proper for the suppression of the Rebellion, and, for this purpose, he may organise and use them in such manner, as he may judge best for the public welfare."

A little later another Act was passed exhibiting the same spirit of hesitancy. We quote :

"SEO. XII.—And be it further enacted: That the President be and he is hereby authorised to receive into the service of the United States, for the purpose of constructing intrenchments, or performing camp service or any other labour, or any military or naval service for which they may be found competent, persons of African descent, and such persons may be enrolled and organised under such regulations not inconsistent with the Constitution and Laws, as the President may prescribe."

Even here, the name of soldier is not employed, and the precedence given to his employment as a labourer expressively indicates the hesitation felt by Congress and the people. And with a just sense that in thus employing the negro they opened the way to questions of deepest moment that might lie beyond and incurred obligations which would change the political status of four millions of human beings, they enacted another section conferring freedom on the negro, his wife, his mother and his children, who should serve in our armies, provided always that the master or owner of the negro should have enlisted in the service of, or in some way have aided and abetted the cause of the Rebellion.

Men looked at this startling innovation with different eyes. The earnest believer in a common humanity rejoiced; the careful statesman hesitated; the prejudiced denounced; and the pure scientist