The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-03-22
The British Reviews for January.


Republishek by L. SCOTT Co., "a Gold ST., New York.
Our acknowledgment is due to the en-
terprizing publishers for the promptness
with which they forward TO us the invalu-
able British publications reprinted by them
in New York We have now before us
Quarterlies for January, furnishing us with
an amount and class of reading matter
which we could obtain in no other way
except at ten times the cost of these pub
locations. The best talent of England is
employed upon them and although the
circulation ofsome of them is actually less
in Great Britain than in the q. S, they
are the organs of the advanced opinions
within their several spheres of influence,
sounding depth of profound thought com
paratively unknown to our literature, and
pursuing abstract and practical investiga-
tons to point seldom attempted by Am
ercan critics and reviewers
As may be supposed, the present trou-
bles in America have not escaped the at
tention of these astute critics, and we have
accordingly an article on the American
They are all characterized by great acute
ness, and display au intimacy with the pc.
lical history and geography of our country
immensely above the British daily or heb
domadel press but while we accord them
this credit, the general unfriendliness and
illiberality of their tone towards the Wa
shington government, illustrates with sad
force how ingram the hatred of the NIGH
ty Western Republic really is with the
aristocracy of England, by whom, and for
whose delectation these articles are mainly
indited. Viewing The American contest
from the most varied and even opposite
stand points, all bring up at the same
inevitable conclusion, that the Union is
done for, and that the sooner our govern
ment accept the fact the better. The
clearness and precision with which the Sc
cessiou argument is presented, that the
Union was but voluntary confederary Of
independedent sovereignties, dissoluble at
completely the Yanceys and other seces-
sion emissaries have succeeded in pTepos-
sessing the minds of the upper classes of
Britain with their pernicious doctrines.
How the President, consistently with this
doctrine, could be expected to take an
oath TO enforce the constitution and laws in
all the states, said constitution and laws
afiording him no escare from the obliga-
ten save through a convention Of the
states, is a difficulty these secession pan
der. maks no effort to grapple with.
So these reviewers also greedily catch at
that other secession pretense, that 1t is not
true but the oppressive Yankee tariff,
that constitute their chief grievance Sla-
very the secession emissarie. in E. gland
affect to be very indifferent about-wou!d
even treat abont its abolition; but those
odious yankee tariffs are uubearable-haye
utterly impoverished the south. IF such
is the case, why Is it that the people of
the south, who are engaged wholly in aGri-
'bihb'!ii pursuits anu "iip>t AiIl't ~" .'tt
finds a free market all over the world. have
become impoverished, while the North
western states, whose people are also ayr
culturists, and whose staple products are
taxed 10y nearly all the world. have, under
these same Yankee tariffs enjoyed I'M
exampled prosperity? The truth l., ex-
cept the present insane Morrill, tariff there
never was tariff law in force in this coun-
try for two years but was passed through
Congress by southern votes; and II is also
true, tina, for 5 years before the secession
madness eliminated at the South, she
was advancing in wealth and enjoyed a
degree of material prosperity unexampled
in her history. In population alone was
her progress behind the North est. and
that can surely be accounted for by other
causes than northern oppression
New volumes of Backwood and the Bri-
fish Reviews, as we have frequently re-
minded our readers, commenced with ia
nuary, SO that the present is still favora-
bic time to subscribe. For terms, &C, see