The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-08
DIR. BAILEY'S COSMOPOLITAN LOVE OF
LIBERTY AND HUMAN PROGRESS.
WHITE PLANS, N. Y, August, 1875!

WHITE PLAINS, N. Y, august, 1859.
TO the Editor Of The National Era:
/ hope it is not too late now. to pay just
tribute to the memory of the late Or, Bailey
i have something / would fain sag of him.
His contemporaries among American jourtfai
lists have dwelt upon his courageous advocacy of
Anti-Slavery principles. This no doubt was the
most prominent feature of his public life; but
there is another standpoint from which love
to contemplate him, which American Journal
lists have, believe, passed over in silence.
allude to the position taken by DIR. Bailey on
the late war in Europe between the Gar OF
Russia and the Sultan of Turkey, together with
his allies. In that episode of his life, claim
that he showed the exalted and sterling moral
courage which distinguished his career in do.
nestle politics. Let me endeavor to recall the
situation. While the Russo Turkish imbrogio
was in the stage of diplomacy, the leading Re
publican journals vehemently denounced the
course of the late Gear Nicholas, and took occa-
sion loudly to censure the Governments of Great
Britain and France for their alleged lukewarm.
ness in opposing that course. This was in 1853
but by the middle of 1854, when diplomacy
had made way for actual war, they had changed
all that. They became ardent and daily parti
sans of the aggressive policy of Gear Nicholas
according to which he hoped to subvert the in
dependence of Europe by the weight of 10000
ignorant and superstitious "bayonsts." In
this course our America Russo-R Republicans
were cheerfully aided by the Democratic and
Pro-Slavery organs and politicians. By excl
ting the national hatred of England, by con
slant suppressions of the truth and suggestions
of the false, public opinion in the free States
became effectually Russianized. By 1855, so
thoroughly was this the case, that the special
organs of European opinion in New York city
French, British, and German-withdrew, ex-
hausted, from hopeless conflict with an over
whelming torrent Of public opinion.
At this time broad gulf lay between Euro
pean and American public opinion--a guilt
whose existence was extremely pernicious to
the health of the American mind. we'll re-
member the bitter modification with which l,
a Republican Briton, used to listen to piercing
appeals to the principles of morality, civilization,
and universal liberty, delivered in behalf of
Kansas, followed by jealous invective against
the same cause in the Trans Danubian Princi-
struggle and much philosophy and forbearance,
to heartily sympathize with the Republicans of
the free States, while these very men we're sup
plying from their ranks the most perseyering
defamers of the course held dear by me and the
European Liberals generally. At that time
declined, in consequence, to take out my natu-
ralization papers.
This painful and shocking incongruity on
the part of his conyreres and fellow-partisans
was quickly recognised by the keen intellect,
and still more by the bright, unsullied sensitive
moral perceptions, of the late revered editor of
the Era. And this fine moral nature, unblunt-
ed by the hard uses of the world, was accom-
panied and fortified by an equally rare degree
of courage. Not only was DR.. Bailey one of
those who would refuse to follow multitude
to do evil-even a multitude Of friends-but
he was precisely one of those lofty and intrepid
natures who would dare confront that multi
tude of friends, and rebuke them (more in sor-
row than in anger for their derelictions. Per
ceiving persistent course of wrong doing on
the part of his co-partisans, and no rebuke
thereof, DIR. Bailey did not hesitate to break
the silence in behalf Of an unpopular cause,
and in opposition to q majority of those with
whom he was accustomed to act. On May II,
1855, Dr. Bailey commenced a series of mas
terly and exhaustive articles on the merits of
the European contest. Those admirable arti-
cles lie now before me, and are religiously pre-
served in my scrap book. tgl sd q o.
OF all the prominent journalists of the Uni
ted States, DIR. Bailey was the FIRST TO denounce
Russian Americanism, the first 10 combat an
urtimely and unreasonable hatred Of the Eng.
fish, the first to recall TO view The plain first
principles of international politics IS spplics-
Bile to that great war. This clear, cogent
voice from Washington seemed to reanimate
the dropped spirits Of, European Liberals in
the United States. The Courier des Flats
Ueis once more resumed its trenchant crit.
cisms of the New York press, which had been
for months discontinued in despair and dis
enlargement; DR.. Solger was emboldened 20
blow his potent blasts through the indspeSd.