CORRESPONDENCE WITH DR. HOWE. 599 



from presenting to me a natural solution of 

 our difficulties, the idea of amalgamation is 

 most repugnant to my feelings. It is now 

 the foundation of some of the most ill-ad- 

 vised schemes. But wherever it is practiced,, 

 amalgamation among different races produces 

 shades of population, the social position of 

 which can never be regular and settled. From 

 a physiological point of view, it is sound policy 

 to put every possible obstacle to the crossing 

 of the races, and the increase of half-breeds. 

 It is unnatural, as shown by their very con- 

 stitution, their sickly physique, and their im- 

 paired fecundity. It is immoral and destruc- 

 tive of social equality as it creates unnatural 

 relations and multiplies the differences among 

 members of the same community in a wrong 

 direction. 



From all this it is plain that the policy to 

 be adopted toward the miscellaneous colored 

 population with reference to a more or less 

 distant future should be totally different from 

 that which applies to the pure black ; for 

 while I believe that a wise social economy 

 will foster the progress of every pure race, ac- 

 cording to its natural dispositions and abili- 

 ties, and aim at securing for it a proper field 

 for the fullest development of all its capabili- 



