Digitalphilologie

Titel

Another example of ’Freedom of the Press’ in America – Mutilation of Humboldt’s Works

Jahr

1856

Ort

Albany, New York

Nachweis

in: Albany Evening Journal 7:8049 (6. September 1856), [o. S.].

Sprache

Englisch

Typografischer Befund

Antiqua; Spaltensatz; Auszeichnung: Kursivierung.

Identifikation

Textnummer Druckausgabe: VII.108
Dateiname: 1856-Insel_Cuba-28-neu

Statistiken

Seitenanzahl:	1
Zeichenanzahl:	4221

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|Seitenumbruch|

Another example of “Freedom of the Press” in America—Mutilation of Humboldt’s Works.

The following letter from the venerable philo- sopher Humboldt explains itself :— “Under the title of Essai Politique sur l’Isle de Cuba, published in Paris in 1826, I collected together all that the large edition of my Voyage aux Regions Equinoxiales du Nouveau Continent contained the state of agri- culture and Slavery in the Antilles. There appeared at the same time an English and a Spanish translation of this work, the latter entitled Ensayo Politico sobre la Isla de Cuba, neither of whom omitted any of the frank and open remarks which feelings of humanity had in- spired. But there appears just now, strangely enough, translated from the Spanish translation, and not from the French original, an octavo volume of 400 pages un- der the title of The Island of Cuba, by Alexander Hum- boldt; with notes and a preliminary essay by Mr. J. S. Thrasher. The translator, who has lived a long time on that beautiful island has enriched my work by more re- cent data on the subject of the numerical standing of the population, of the cultivation of the soil, and the state of trade, and, generally speaking, exhibited a charitable moderation in his discussion of conflicting opinions. I owe it, however, to a moral feeling, that is now as lively in me as it was in 1826, publicly to complain that in a work which bears my name, the entire seventh chapter of the Spanish translation, with which my essai politique ended, has been arbitrarily omitted. To this very portion of my work I attach greater importance than to any astronomical observations, experiments of magnetic intensity, or statistical statements. I have ex- plained with frankness (I here repeat the words I used thirty years ago) whatever concerns the organization of human society in the colonies, the unequal distribution of the rights and enjoyments of life, and the impending dangers which the wisdom of legislators and the moder- ation of freemen can avert, whatever may be the form of government. It is the duty of the traveller who has been an eye- witness of all that torments and degrades human nature to cause the complaints of the unfortunate to react, those whose duty it is to relieve them. I have repeated in this treatise the fact that the ancient legislation of Spain on the subject of slavery is less inhuman and atro- cious than that of the Slave States on the American con- tinent, north or south of the equator. A steady advocate as I am for the most unfettered ex- pression of opinion in speech or in writing, I should never have thought of complaining if I had been attack- ed on account of my statements; but I do think I am entitled to demand that in the Free States of the conti- nent of America, people should be allowed to read what has been permitted to circulate from the first year of its appearance in a Spanish translation.

ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT.

Berlin, July, 1856.

It is hardly creditable to what an extent Slave- holding intolerance exercises censorship over the American press. This is but one instance out of a thousand. Humboldt fares as Cowper, Milton and Jefferson have fared before him. Even from children’s School Books, Readers and Geographies, every paragraph rellecting against the peculiar institution of the South is carefully expunged. Our Government journals are muz- zled. Our Magazines are silenced. The Pulpit is forbidden to speak. Nor is “expurgation” the only means taken for the suppression of opinion. We look on without remonstrance while one Mob destroys a Printing Press in Lawrence as a “nuisance ;” another drives booksellers from Mobile for sell- ing anti-slavery books, and another arrests and condemns to ten years imprisonment the Cler- gymen and Lawyers of Kansas for daring to “write, print or speak,” against Slavery! Yet we have a Party among us professing a horror of such intolerance—a party whose Fillmores and Brookses weep diurnal tears over the persecution of Galileo, and the atroci- ties of the Inquisition, three hundred years ago, three thousand miles away! But for the Gali- leos here under their eyes they have no sympa- thy, and for the Inquisition here at their doors, no remonstrance!

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