Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-14
THE EDINBURGH REVIEW AND THE SLAVE
TRADE

In the American edition Of the Edinburgh
Review" page go we find an article on the
African Slave Trade entitled in the table OF
contents the London Cotton Plant that
being the name Ola pro-slavc trade paper pub
is!.ci in London This essay is of interest to
all Americans, because Of the extensive circu-
la,ion and high standing Of the Review" be-
cause of its yiolcn; assaults upon us and be-
cause of the great interest which the subject
il discusses is now exciting throughout
Ulm;.tcldom. IN article so reckless. false and
contradictory in lis assertions, so inconScquen-
;i.i III IL logic. and so coarse ard vulgar IN It's
abuse. would lao. have been admitted into the
Edinburgh Review" in lis early and ralmy
DAYS. But that Review" is now Il" artie"f0
alJrt;s." its stock of ideas exhausted, its theo-
ries rcfu;ed its philosophy obsolete, and its
rose water philanthropy and speculative per-
iectioniSm the subjects Of ridiculc and contempt
with the religious, the practical, the learned
and the thoughtful. Recent experience has
demonstrated that the morality Of the Old and
New TcSta,ncntS is AZ high and rs pure rs man
can attain TO. and that the attempts to super
ccdc it and suppant it, TO cXpel all human
crime, misery. ignorance and misfortune, by
speculative systems Of tectotalism and per-
ttc;iouisin. such n; those inculcated by Clark.
son and Wilbc.lorcr. by JetirieS, Broughan
and Macaulay. and By Howard, Hannah
Moore and Mrs Fry, are equally presump-
tuo,ls. mi>cl!icyo,is, absurd and proianc The
Edinbur.h Review has been the great organ oil
these visionary theorists, and as they disappear
one by one, and none others arise TO supply
their place i, becomes desperate, reckless and
rcycn.c:Gl. and hcStatcs to adopt no means
nor 10 endorse any statements, in order TO
prop its own waning reputation by bringing
down the reputation Of others to its own STAN
,,ard.
Twenty-Five years since it was actively inf
del, not only in It's promises to S'wpersedc the
Bible by a higher morality of its own inven-
ton. but as the open and industrious eulo-
g>t of German Rationali>m.
Now it affects religion, Or at least would
adopt it among the laboring class, as means
of inducing them to bear oppression, poverty
nakc,,ncs>, hunger and thirst, with mcckness,
patience and humility. lis hypocritical proieS-
sion o; religion is the mere fetch Of the de-
Structiye radical to avoid the social man, which
his doctrines have worked; the desperate
effort TO exercise the popular demon whom its
iacantationS have reused into action. Lord
Brou.harn, oace It's Ajax Tclanan gave spc-
ci.acn Lately OF this ncw system Of strategy, in
Il long. wishy washy, tedious address before
some literary society. in which he paradcd on
the stage the ghost Of the Penny Magazine,
was lugubriously moral ard pious, and threw
dirt at PAYNE and Carlyle.
lie camno; speak too harsh!y of Paine, and
CARLYLE lives to scorn and contenn his "mbel-
l. titan e si0c icty." 1t We're well for that
carly reputation which he has long since sur
vivca that he had preceded Jcifrie, and sgd
ncv Smith in his cxi; from the stage. They
i; is true 10 no, seem 10 the public the intel
lcc,lal Giants ina, they appeared whilst living
but Oh the contrary their literary remains eX
cite in new generation, the reflection 50 vel
expressed by Latin poet: