The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-02-10
UNCLE TOM. ARCHBISHOP wHATELY, Ann
LORD DEEHAM

UNCLE TOM, ARCHBISHOP WHATELY Ann
LORD DEHHAM
We learn from the New York Euening Post
that the able article on Uncle TOMS Cab,
which appears in the North British Rsuiev
and to which we referred last week. is from
the pen of Richard Whately, Archbishop Of
Dublin. The same paper has the following
notice of an admirable dedication to Mrs
Stowe of series of papers on Slavery by Lord
Denman, late Chief Justice of England Il
says:
Since this article was printed. Uncle Tom
has received compliment from an English
dignitary, no less eminent both by his services
and honors, than the Archbishop of Dublin.
Lord Denman, the late Chief Justice OF Eng.
land, has lately been discussing and critcizing
in series of papers contributed 10 the Lon.
don Standard, the pro-slavery articles which
have recently appeared in Household Words
and the London Times. The Chief Justice
defends Uncle Tom most efficiently, and admin.
listers telling rebuke to MIR. Dickens and to
the reviewer in the Times.
These papers six in number, have been re-
published IN pamphlet by the Messrs. Long.
man & Co., of London, with a dedcatory pre-,
face from their illustrious author to Mrs
Stowe. Through the kindness of friend we
have been favored with an early copy of this
dedication, which we make no apology for
giving in full. We desire to prefix to it the
simple remark, that no American book has
ever yet received such distinguished attention
from the English people as this touching con-
tribution
ITO MRS. HARRIET BEECHBR STOWE.
MADAM: Some of the friends to the extinc
ton of slavery imagine that the cause may be
promoted by publishing some occasional pa
pers recently sent by me to the Standard Lon.
don newspaper | venture to inscribe the col.
lection with your honored name
"Not that you can doubt the complete success
Of your noble work but wish to bear wit
ness that the feeling excited is not merely
ephemeral emotion. | dannot doubt that it
will gain strength and consistency, as it COM
mands more attention and leads to deeper re-
Election. have been delighted to find it ma
king its way in France as surely as in Eng
land-a translation, furnishing the feuillete Of
one of the most popular Partisan journals, and
its subjects the common topic in public car
riages. France appears to say OF 1t what one
OI DcT uIl6SJ DOttS sdiu vi buc ClOQutuDt vi ou'
of her greatest orators
'Ce n'stait point un foadre qui s'egare,
C'etait un glaiyo mains do In Vertu.
But in England there are symptoms calcu-
ted to mislead First, the open defence of sla-
very by some of our most popular and intiuen-
tial writer's For the unaccountable part thoy
have been induced to take in the great process
now going on between mankind and the own
ers Of and traders in slaves we, the public
feel the deepest grief but no alarm as to the
ultimate result The influence which has been
found paramount in so many cases is in this
powerless, rs the withe twisted around the
strong mans arm.
ave owe thanks to Lord Carlisle for bring
ing to your notice the only error las far as
know that your book contains. You have fully
repaired the injustice which you had done to
some OF our English institutions; but hope no
will forgive me expressing the great surprise
felt at his comparing your important work
with some tales of fiction popular among our
selves, which claim no higher end or aim than
the agreeable employment of the vacant hour
Who but rather turns
To heavens broad fire his unconstrainsd view,
Than to the gmmering of a waxen fame
Who that from Alpine heights his aborng eye
Darts round the wide horizon, to descry
Nilus or Ganges with its wasteful tide
Through cities, States, through Empires black with
shade,
And continents of sand. would turn his view
To mark the windings of scanty rill
That murmurs at his feet?
Still less should have reckoned the pres
ent fit occasion for eulogizing the works OF
writer's who are working hard for the mainte-
nance of slavery.
/ believe that few will think with his lord
ship, that your characters are borrowed from
any other novelist He admits indeed, that one
is original If the reader exclaim with aston
ishment, What only one!' am disposed to
answer, No, not one' Not only Topsy, but
Eliza Harris who incurs every pain and dan
ger to save the child from slavery, and the hap
less parent who plunges both her infant and
herself in the deep waters to escape that fate
worse than death, and the agonies of Uncle
copies, but faithful ones, of the great original,
Nature.
Perhaps it is wrong to ascribe the import
ance do to the efforts of PrO-Slavery writers;
but cannot record without deep and bitter
grief-a grief proportoned to my respect ioi
their general great merits-my disappontmep'
At the line they have so unexpectedly taken,
and think of tho remorse they themselves
would feel if they should be the means OF pro,
onging the life of slavery one hour. NAV
single hour might give birth to thousands Oh
slaves who might have been born free, ana con-
denim them to life of enforced labor and dee-
radiation, and the death Of Uncle Tom.
lone Of the most extraordinary topics on
which English writers have chosen to diia'e,
IS the difficulty which American Shareholders
would encounter in the attempt to emanciPa.o
the men and women whom they now hoiu y,
if those difficulties were the result
Of discoveries made in London, and had whohy
escaped notice where they are most known--o'
If it were necessary to dissuade the miser from
parting with his money, or find reasons tor con
yincing the usurper that he ought not " 10y
down his power OF all the many thouSanJe
English who have risen from the perusai =.
Uncle Tom with the fervent hope that " nsJ
speedily effect the extinction OF slavery, not Oh.
believes that it oan be effected-few think /"
ought to be MISREPRESENTATION the supreme
authority of the United States.
1.-The great obstacle to is abolition LIES III
the fact that it has so long existed and been
IL has now sufficiently lost its hoid
upou our habits TO be estimated at its re"i
worth and that Is 10 plainly revealed TO US "
vour sober and truthful delineation, that w'
cannot in conscience suppress our sincere con
yictions and honest wishes. | trust all barriers
will ere long be carried by those great pow"eu,s
which command my warmest admiration, VIII
their employment engages my most corula. ~
spect and reverence pfSsAS
- Me- Dee IgA2D