The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-02 00:00:00

THE SLAVE POWER AND THE SECES-
SION WAR.

(From the National Review.)

The most striking and weighty phenomenon in
the history of the United States of North America
during the 19th century is the rise and growth of
the slave power. The sympathy expressed so loudly
in England on behalf of the Southern Confederacy
has its origin in loose and inaccurate notions of what
the Southern Confederacy has been, of what it is,
and of what it would be, were it permitted to de-
velope itself unmolested in obedience to its in-
stincts and unavoidable tendencies. The bare fact
that it is a slave power—that is, a power with
slavery for its " corner stone"—and the other fact
that this slavery is of a kind entirely new
in the history of the world, ought to have
made the public writers and public speakers of
England turn with dismay from the mere thought '
of lending their support to such a power, and pour-
ing out their sympathies on its behalf. It is diffi-
cult to account for this strange perversion of whole-
some British opinion. It is difficult to understand
how, with the history of the past accessible, the
facts of the present patent to all eyes, the prospects
of the future unclouded and unveiled, any one
could be content with the shallow explanation that
the present contest is for empire on the one side
and independence on the other. No doubt some '
have been led away by a blind hatred of democracy;
others have been irritated by the reckless violence
of Northern newspaper writers, and the mad
speeches of hack politicians; others, again, have
desired success to the South because they think it
better for the world that there should be more na-
tions than one within the enormous territory,
stretching from ocean to ocean, owned by the
United States ; and there are not wanting those
who have Southern sympathies because they have
accepted Southern hospitality. It would be useless
to deny the force of these influences ; they are
around us in full operation, and their fruits are
visible every day. But it is strange that such in-
fluency; should have been adequate to blind thought-
ful men to the true character of the contest, and
the immense issues it involves. It is strange that
our public teachers should contemplate with some-
thing more than indifference, in many cases with
absolute approval, the rise in the heart of America. .
of an overshadowing slave power, and should visit
on the heads of those who are attempting to break
and bind that power their unmitigated censure,
and comment on the progress of the attempt with
The fact is
continuous and envenomed hostility.
the more remarkable because we have rid ourselves
of slavery ; although it was not with us, as it is
States,
and has been with the United
the canker at
the core of their political and social institutions.
We can
only account for thmepfaatchtibseyrsthheasvueppboesein
sy -
tion that our Southern
blinded by the
superficial influences we have men-
tioned to the teaching of history. And 'were it not
that opinion, in a country where publicity prevails,
rectifies itself rapidly and effectually, we should
look with considerable apprehension for the future
of England upon the recent manifestations of Eng-
lish opinion on the side of a slave power.
Professor Cairnes has done good service, not to
the Federal Government, but to truth, by the pub-
lication of the volume the title of which we have
placed at the head of this article. His book will be
found to be, not a speculative commentary, but a
logical demonstration. The facts on which he bases
his arguments and conclusions are probably familiar
to the bulk of our readers, for we have repeatedly
indicated the character of the Southern Confederacy;
but in no other work exists so methodical and for-
cible a delineation of its origin and growth, and
especially of its essential attributes and designs.
The strong convictions of an ardent thinker are ex-
pressed in the measured and temperate language of
a philosophical historian. The reasonings and con-
clusions rest upon the solid ground of unquestion-
able historical, physical, and economic facts. The
volume, in short, is a compact and truthful analysis
of the structure, functions, and necessary tendencies
of the power which
is now seeking by force of arms
to establish its baleful domination over half a con-
tinent." Whatever," says Professor Cairnes, "we
nst
may think think of the tendencies of democratic
tions, or of the influence of territorial magnitude on
the American character, no theory framed upon
these or upon any other incidents of the contend-
ing parties, however ingeniously
inflict) to conceal the fact that it ie slavery constructed,
whichwill