It would seem that they, of all the ancient world, were only second to the Eomans in that commanding national influence which begets life in distant quarters, starts enterprise in new regions, and reproduces its own force and energy among other peoples. Of course, it follows legitimately from the above, that the whole Hamitic family are under no Divine doom to perpetual ignorance or endless moral benightedness.
2. The history of the Canaanites serves to show that the "principle of chattelism" is not the correlative of the curse of Canaan; this was neither their doom nor their destiny. Neither in sacred nor profane history do we find them bought and sold like cattle. Driven out of Canaan, they themselves traded in "the bodies and souls" of men, but not so others with them.[1] The nearest approach to any thing of this character is the condition of the Gibeonites, who deceived Joshua; but their condition was that of servants.[2] Although subjugated and humbled, yet their personal and family rights were preserved intact, and none of the aggravations of slavery were permitted to reach themselves or their children. When set upon, at times, by lawless and ruthless men, both Divine and human power interposed for their protection and preservation.
3. This examination nullifies the foolish notion that the curse of Canaan carried with it the sable dye which marks the Negro races of the world. The
