among all nations, in every 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 subordinates in the country, as the colored people, but the condition of society at the time, would not admit of it.  In the struggle for American Independence, there were among those who performed the most distinguished parts, the most common-place peasantry of the Provinces.  English, Danish, Irish, Scotch, and others, were among those whose names blazoned forth as heroes in the American Revolution.  But a single reflection will convince us, that no course of policy could have induced the proscription of the parentage and relatives of such men as Benjamin Franklin the printer, Roger Sherman the cobbler, the tinkers, and others of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  But as they were determined to have a subservient class, it will readily be conceived, that according to the state of society at the time, the better policy on their part was, to select some class, who from their political position—­however much they may have contributed their aid as we certainly did, in the general struggle for liberty by force of arms—­who had the least claims upon them, or who had the least chance, or was the least potent in urging their claims.  This class of course was the colored people and Indians.