Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-11-15
LETTER FROM SWEDEN.
KALNAR, Sept. 16, 1856.

IF any of your readers in the present campaign
should be tempted to use the talk about America
being the model for all nations" and to speak OF
our "Republic as a light to the oppressed people
of the Old World" they may as well at once
stop-it is not true.
The European nations understand our matters
far better than they did five years ago. They
know very well the struggle going on within our
borders, and which principle thus tar has con-
quered. The bloody history Of Kansas, the bru-
tality in the Senate Chamber, and the greater bru'
taliiy of the South Carolina constituency, are
trumpeted through the whole Kingly and Corser-
vative press of Europe. America has become any
thing but a 'model," or, if one outwardly, like a
Partisan artiste-least Of all q model of virtue or
decency.
The public opinion in Europe about America
has fallen fifty per cent. since | was here SIX years
ago. The mass of the people of course cannot
distinguish between the fruits of Despotism in
the United States and the fruits of Freedom. They
tumble them all together. Brooks represents at
least a wealthy class of gentlemen in our country,
and a large party they hear approves him. South
Carolina speaks for certainly much of the Union
and the crying injustice Of Kansas-such as no
German or scarcely Italian petty despot has yet
attempted--are sustained, and may be continued,
by an immense political organization, which has
beer supposed to hold by far the majority OF
American people.-ls it to be wondered at that,
with such appearances, America has lost hei old
fame here-nay, that she is now a scott and n re-
proach with every friend of tyranny and kingly
rule?
She represents now, not Liberty to the oppressed
of Europe, but Slavery. The coarseness, the law
lessness, the cruelty Of slavery-its bluster apd
dishonesty and greed are the prominent american
traits to the world. The advocates Of the king
and aristocracies know how TO use this. American
republication is openly declared a failure ; self
government, as it is in Kansas and Virginia, il
thrown in the teeth of the Liberals. They poin
10 the ballot-boxes in Kansas, the bludgeoEs il
Washington, the tyranny of press and speech il
every slave State. and say, 'There is your Liberty
your universal suffrage, your Democracy! Viii
you have that"
1t cannot be imagined how all this has crushed
down Republican aspiration in Europe. Often ant
often this summer has it been said to me person
ally by European Liberals, "Y1u are running u
in America! =" slavery there is defeating Il
here" The noble and free-thinking of ever.
nation on this continent have mourned over Amer
lea during these late events. "lf the American
Republic goes down, Humanity is down" on
hears. People watch us,as friends on shore watc
o costly ship f~reighted with the hopes and wealt
of a thousand families, p~Iunging f~earfully throug
scurrying storms close on black lines Of rocky rect
Yes. more-as a truth seeker, beguiled, might Sc
the Faith Of his childhood and the Hope Of al
his future, disappear before him, and only a blanl
Of disappointment and insanity left.
We bear with us the ideals of mankind. If W
wreck, or if this order of things continues and W
are simply a wreck of Southern chatelism, i
seems to me the friends of liberty throughout tn
world will hide their heads-not happily doubtin,
of fnal and universal liberty, but sadly owning i
is not for them OF their times.-Charles L. Brdc
in the Tribune.