William G. Allen to Frederick Douglass, May 31, 1852
Frederick Douglass:
Dear Sir:—
Several persons, in reading my last article in your paper of the 20th, remarked to me that some of my statements seemed at variance with each other. Now I have not the vanity to suppose that what I write is of so great importance as to make any very great impression either way; nevertheless, what I do write, I should be glad to have understood, and to set the matter beyond a doubt, I therefore address you these lines. The discrepancies, whathever they may be, which the article contains, are seeming, not real.
In alluding to the Luca boys, I claim for them, that "for whatever of genius they possess, (and that is unquestionably great,) they are not indebted to one drop of the blood of the 'superior race.'["] Farther down, alluding to African nationality, I assert that, "if the peculiarities of the African race were drawn out without intermixture, they would develop a civilization very good indeed, indeed so good as to be almost good for nothing," "that nations, worthy of the name, could only be produced by a fusion of races.["] The discrepancy (only apparent) vanishes, if the distinction between races and nations is kept in mind. The African race, in musical gifts, is superior to other races; but what sort of a nation of mere musicians, however superior, be? The African race is superior to other races, also, in kindness and religious tendencies; but what sort of a nation would a race of mere kind, religious folks, however kind and pious, be?
The Anglo-Saxon is superior to other races in calculating intellect and physical force; but what sort of a nation would a race of mere calculating intellects and physical men, however superior, be? No fact stands out more clearly in the pages of history, to those who are willing to see it, than that nations, worthy of the name, are only produced by a fusion of races. The civilization of the African, unmingled with the civilization of any other race, while it would develop more largely than any other race, the good, the beautiful, the artistic, the religious, would develop too little of physical force, calculating intellect, daring enterprise, and love of gain, to make a nation great, energetic and powerful. The civilization of the Anglo-Saxon, unmingled with the civilization of any other race, would develop too much of the fierce, active, and warlike, and too little of the kind, gentle, charitable, and merciful, to make a nation stable, grand, and truly great. The greatness of the American nation is, unquestionably, owing no less to the various elements of which it is composed, than to its climate and favorable circumstances. Harmony of character, which is the soul of true greatness, is only produced, by a bringing together of qualities of mind and heart which are dissimilar, not antagonistic.
Faithfully yours,
Wm. G. Allen.
McGrawville, N. Y., May 31, 1852.