The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-10-13
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
IK0Sbtn Oton Dcfober 4 1S5:
THE REVIEWS AND SLAVERY.

The quarterly Reviews of Great Britain
number among their contributors many of the
best thinkers and writer's of the age. Their
articles are often not only commentaries upon
books, but substantial contributions to the lite
nature of the times. In this country they find
their readers among those who would keep
themselves well advised in regard to all i'm
portant movements in the departments Of lite
nature, science and politics. They circulate
freely, too, at the South, among the planters,
and as the patronage they receive depends
upon their republication without mutilation,
the reading class among Southern men have
an opportunity of examining dispassionately
and coolly in their closets the views of able and
impartial foreigners upon the question of Sla-
very. 1t is easy to see how much Anti-Slavery
sentiment may in this way be disseminated
throughout the South. The stakeholder is ad-
dressed privatel y-his reason is appealed to
when his passions are sumbering and no cir
cumstances exist to arouse his combatveness
He reads as philosopher, not as a partisan :;
and called upon for no reply, does not attempt
to fortify himself against conviction by elabo-
rating Pro-Slavery argument Anti-Savery
men abroad may find through these Reviews,
therefore, access to the minds of those upon
whom specially devolves the responsibility of
the Slave system. But to accomplish any good,
they must fully inform themselves in relation
to American Slavery before they venture to
enter the arena Of discussion. They must
reason with shareholders as men, not anathe-
Matte them as outcasts They must treat
the question in q broad, philosophical, and tole-
rant spirit, and not dogmatize. They must
avoid invdious comparisons calculated to
arouse the jealous spirit Of nationality, and
they must cruelty that selcrighteousness that
led the old Pharisce to stand up in the mar
ket-place, and thank God that he was holier
than other men.
We have seen in these Reviews, articles on
the subject of Slavery, as wise in spirit and
manner as they were sound in principle and
| powerful in argument; but we cannot say
this of On article on Free and Slave Labor, ir
the last number of the North British Reuipu
The writer does not manifest sufficient friend
ship for country whose evils he undertake
to correct. He is as much Anti American q
he is Anti-Slavery. He commences by arraign
ing the Americans for their self-conceit, as
they were sinners above all others in this n
spect. He reminds them that their exemptio
from many Of the ills that afllct the Oh
World is to be attributed merely to the MOI
favorable circumstances in which they al
, placed, carefully abstaining from the conce
, sion that they have made even creditabl
, use, on the whole, of these advantages. Nov
, whether this theory of American characts
| and prosperity be true or false the promulgs
ton of it by the writer in the beginning of
discussion of one of the features of their socis
! condition, can hardly progresses the mass {
, American readers in favor of his conclusion,
He next travels out of his way to exp lod
what he calls :" a fayorite popular fallacy" i
this country-that is, the comparing of tn
''most tdpordbly situated portions Of the State
, and their most ereditable aspects" with tn
least tauorably situated portions of Europe, an
their least ereditabe aspects" This suppose
, popular fallacy" is a mere illusion of tn
Reviewer. We make no such comparison,
we are acquainted with no writer of respect,
bility among us, who has been guilty Of an
such foolishness. The United States nee
} shrink FROM comparison with no nation in tn
: world. Take them, as whole, under any al
pect and compare them with any other ns
ton, as whole, under u corresponding aspec
! and, making fair allowance for difference
circumstances, the result will demonstrate tn
}. superior bene6cence of Democratic Institu
y tons. We shall not claim that American
, are pre- eminently good, wise, an energeti
o people but we do claim that Democratic Ii
|, stitutions, as they exist in the United State
/. despite the antagonistcal influences of 81,
u very, are more beneficial to the masses of h,
to man beings, as it respects every important il
% terest than any other institutions. Nor do v