The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-03-27
WAR AND SLAVERY.

Senator Brown, of Mississippi, in the course
of his speech on our difficulties with Great
Britain, gave great prominence to an inAam-
matory editorial from the London Telegraph, a
portion of which we reprint:
ave are afraid there is but one way to set
tie this dispute, and that is at the point of the
bayonet. The aggressive spirit of the people
of the United States requires an humbling,
and it is for us to perform the task. England's
mission is to complete the great work COM
menced by her in 1884, when she liberated her
slaves. There are now over three million
human beings held in cruel bondage in the
United States; fellow-creatures who are pre-
pared to go through fire and water, even to the
very gates of death itself, to escape their repub
hcsn task-masters.
"If, therefore, the United States Government
deny and is resolved to question the right of
Great Britain to her Central American posses
sions, we, the people of the British Empire, are
resolved to strike off the shackles from the feet
of her three million slaves. And there are
those amongst us who will sanctify such glo-
nous cause. The people of England will deny
themselves every luxury to assist their country
in a contest more sacred and more glorious
than ever formed the watchword of the Crusa-
ders Of old, when combating the infdel hosts of
a Saladin. If we have not Richard Coeur de
Lion, we have one name which will carry lib
erty to millions, and the emancipation, by
force Of arms of the slaves of the American
States, will be connected to the end Of all time
with that rallying word of Freedom-Victoria."
The London Telegraph is a newspaper of
comparatively little weight, and it must be ad-
mitted that its tone is neither Christian nor
conciliatory. 1t seems to have appetite for
blood-its philanthropy is rather of the Moloch
order.
Senator Butler, of South Carolina, thought
that, atrocious as such words are in foreign
prints, they are more tolerable than the Ian
guage of an American newspaper, a copy of
which had been sent to him. In that newsps-
per similar sentiments were proclaimed, and it
was said
"That one result would be, that the Virginia
capes, the Carolina shores, and all the South
ern coast, would be open to the enemy's ships;
that there could not be found ten thousand
fighting men among the effeminate owners OF
slaves but that fifty thousand well-armed,
trained, and disciplined soldiers could be
brought together in short time, to put down
their masters, and thus effect the liberation of
this class of people,"
1t is not worth while for Senators to be ex-
cited by such speculations. People will talk,
and so will the Press. Pride and Folly will
have their orators on both sides of the Atlantic.
American newspapers dwell upon the deca-
dence of British power, the loss of its military
prestige, its absolute dependence upon this
country, the disafection among its operatives,
he M,n,o nlt.t,o tha
throw of its aristocracy, that might result from
a war with this country: at the same time, they
magnify our own resources for attack and de-
fence beyond all calculation, and entertain not
the slightest doubt that the Canadas would fall
easy prey to our militia, and, not unlikely,
Indies. English newspapers, not to be out
Dragged, point to their well-trained armies,
their immense fleets, the tried loyalty of the
Canadians, our defenceless seaboard, the sec.
tional discords that agtate and weaken us, and
the ready access opened by Slavery to the very
vitals of our Union. War with us, cries Broth
er Jonathan, would end in the overthrow of
your aristocrscy: war with us, retorts John
Bull, will involve the destruction Of your Sla-
very. And so they rail and denounce, growing
illnatured, boastful, defiant, each exaggerating
his own prowess and ability, and dwelling con-
temptuously on the meanness and weakness of
the other.
Now, would it not be as well for the People
Of both countries, leaving points of honor and
etiquette to be settled by their Governments, to
cultivate kindlier feelngs--to quit Boosting,
elimination and recrimination. Suppose, in
stead of calculating how much mischief we
could do each other, with IMMUNITY. we should
estimate how much good we are now doing, in
state of peace, for ourselves and the cause of
Civilization.
Let us take it for granted that each is I'M
conquerable by the other--that neither can
put period to the progress of the other-that
each has pluck, and bone and sinew for any
struggle, however protracted. Let us suppose
that an invasion of Canada might fail to secure
its annexation to this country, and that de.
scent on the South might fail to enrol three
million of slaves under the banners Of enamel
patton, provoking, instead, a war of races result
ing in the defamation, if not destruction of the
feebler and less intelligent race.
The People who speak the English language,
and understand municipal institutions, occupy
a larger portion of the world than any other
People, and are doing far more for Civilization
and Freedom than all other nations put to-.
gether. Wherever they go, they plant the
genius of self.sustaining, free, progressive COM
munities, consecrated to Freedom of Thought,
Will, and Action. Alike devoted to material
and spiritual development, under their inhu-
ence Earth brings forth fruit abundantly, and
Man grows into the image Of God. The two
branches of this great Family have been at
peace for forty years, period almost long
enough for the oblivion of the bitter animosi-
ties which provoked, and were aggravated by,
the war of 1872. Their energies have been
directed to Science, Art, Literature, Religion,
Social Reform, all peaceful Enterprises, end
their growth has been unprecedented.
Now, light the torch of war between these
Peoples, and who but a devil could rejoice ?
The accumulated results of the peaceful devel.
opment of nearly half century converted into
engines of butchery and destruction! Religion
set at naught, Humanity trampled under foot,
Hate deihed, Science and Art dedicated to
Death and Havoc, Cities burnt down, Com.
meree annihilated, Men dragged from the field
and workshop to kill and be killed, Enormous
Debts and Taxes ON Industry created and per.
petnsted, Orphanage, Widowhood, Pauperism,