The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-22
People. We knoc many Of its amillion read.

the beginning OF the Eastern controversy, 'ub-
lie Sentiment in the free States was We mly
on the side of Turkey, and upbraided the Lies
for not being more prompt to arrest Ru sian
aggression. Opinion in the South was or
time divided, but it soon became united ag inst
the Allies. The reasons were plain. Russia
holds serfs, the South, slaves-in each i an
aristocracy resting upon the ownership OF La
Dor by Capital. Russia, as arbitrator on {. ne
gro question, had once decided in favor Of the
claims of Shareholders. The South wanted
Cuba: Russia had no interests conflicting with
annexation: England and France had. Rus
sia, triumphant, the Slavery Propagandists had
nothing to apprehend; Russia, humiiated, they
might be restrained through apprehension of
the Allies. When the prospects of the English
and French in the Crimea were gloomiest, the
Southern papers insisted that that was the hour
for the Administration to strike for Cuba as
the Allies had their hands full in saving them.
selves.
We recollect the time when, for writing
pro-Russian article, one of the editors ~f the
Union was obliged to retire. That was iefore
the Russian sentiment was developed n the
South. After the Slave Power had taeen its
position, the tone of the Union changed, and it
was Understood everywhere that the sym} athies
of the Administration were with Russia. From
that moment, its organs at the North ply I'd the
same tune. Russian civilization, pows, and
Iiberality, were magnifed-the Allies re de-
nounced, and the most sinister design were
imputed to them.
This was the rise and growth Of tn, Rus
sian sentiment in this country. 1t began in
the South, pervaded that region, and extend
ed to the North, through Administration inAu-
ence, where it has received accessons from the
Celtic hate of England, and from the editorials
and correspondence of the New York Tribune,
and few other Metropolitan journals.
The "million readers" of the T-ibsne, we
presume, are not generally partisans of Russia.
They subscribe for the paper because it is a
champion of Freedom and Progress, and salts
fies so many of their legitimate wants, at a
cheap rate Those who dislike its sopSistries
about Free Trade, or its proRussian articles,
find enough else in its columns to please them.
But many, we fear, having no special Interest
in the controversy in the East, no particular
motive for examining into its merits simply
imbibe without thought the opinions a,,l sym
pathies of the Tribune. Were it a | actical
question, like that of Slavery, they wou be on
their guard against error.
Now, we cannot reach this class OF minds,
| but it is in the power of the local pres in the
toto tn ct Oh, "a,
Of the Tribune. Mischievous, we sa! for in
| England and the United States the ne wspaper
| press has power greater than that of thrones.
The unfriendly relations of the Govern lents of
| the two countries, and the ill-blood st fred up
recently between their Peoples, are s;gely at
tributabe to the conduct of such pape,s as the
London Times, the New York Trib me, and
Washington Union. How can the pc; ulatons
of two countries regard each other vita friend
ly feelings, when the newspapers on beth sides
are continually defaming and denounc;ng each
| other?
In the Tribune Of November 18th, we find
another pro-Russian editorial, in whica occurs
A. c~llnu,;nn
When the war began, we were thought het.
erodox by some of our more sangune friends.
for declaring our disbelief in any good it would
do to the cause of popular Freedom. SO far,
however, the event has justified our skepticism"
The less reference the Tribune ma,aes to its
opinions when the war began, the be.Ser We
showed last June that in the beginni5s it was
hot advocate of the war, and as ferta against
Russia as it is now friendly to it.
December 7th, 1853, it longed for Ne Turks
to succeed, chronicled with exultatiot the dis.
asters of the Russians, and exclaimed:
"Let us hope that such may be its history to
the end, and that the Russian Govern nent and
People may be taught by it to restrain their
ambition and arrogance, and mind their own
business hereafter"
December 9th, 1853, deprecating a project
ed revolution in France, it says:
"The moment is not we'll chosen for the pro.
cess. just now he is representing the interest
Of Democracy in general, by resisting the og-
gressions Of Russia"
On the side of France, aye, even for Napo.
leon himself, against the Gear, eighteen months
ago!
January 9th, 1854, it wrote:
Let us never forget the truth, that if a gen.
eral war must follow, it has two causes, name
ly: the wicked and uniustifabe pretensions of
Russia, and the timid, base, hypocrit;cal con-
duct of the British and French Governments"
February 2lst, 1854, it wrote:
Still there is no evil without its attending
good; and if this war should force the Cars
to mind their own business in future. it will be
a gain to Europe worth some part, at least, of
the expenditure it will cost. There is reason
to hope that such may be the result. He chal-
lenges world to deadly combat" &c.
For our own part, We hold now the same
views in relation to the war; which the Tribune
held in its beginning. 1t was provoked by the
ambition of Russia; it was and continues to be
war of defence against its aggressive policy
Neither Its causes nor objects have changed.
The Allies do not seek, as they could not hope,
to reduce Russia to a second or third-rate Pow.
er. The idea of the T5ibnne that the suprem.
acy OF the Gar must be maintained, as the safe
guard of the smaller States of Europe, is about
as reasonable as would be proposition to con-
sign flock of sheep to the providence of
wolf The other notion of the Tribune, that the
Allies, having accomplished their purposes in
the East, may then threaten the peace of this
country, is even more absurd. The Allies, who
are now spending between three and four hun
dred millions on the war annually, will be in no
plight on Its completion for quixotic enterpri-
ses. Possibly, too, the fact that for large
portion of her revenues, and the means of meet
ing her Indebtedness, England depends upon
her immense trade with this country, might at
least admonish her not to commit suicidel As