The New York herald., 1872-09-21
DIR. Livingstone's Epistle 10 tho Ameri-
cans-A National Tribute.

| Among the letters carried 10 the coast by
Mr.. Stanley, the HERALD correspondent in
| Central Africa, was one from DR.. Livingstone
| to an American gentleman, Mr.. w. F. Stearns.
It will be recalled that this gentleman kindly
letters of the great explorer of which
we presented fac-simibs. On the receipt of
this latest letter from Bombay (where he
formerly resided) he handed it to the HERALD
for publication, and we present it in our issue
of to-day Accompanying it was letter from
the Doctor, dated Manyema, Central Africa,
November, 1870, in which especially
honorable mention is raade of the
American Geographical Society, and requesting
him to furnish that body with extracts. He
admits in the later letter that as he gained
additional knowledge of the subject since
writing, some of his views expressed in the
earlier communication, may have changed.
It is gratifying to note that DR.. Livingstone's
high appreciation Of America and Americans
antedates by long way the extension of
aid to him through the HEIALD expedition.
The remaining of the large lake, Chebungo,
after Americas great murdered President,
Abraham Lincoln. is another instance Of this.
In the reference to the HERALD's claim on
his gratitude he knows that be is addressing
an American, and, therefore the acknowledge
ment comes with double force and
grace He puts the matter in the very sense
in which we have always wished it to be un-
derstood, namely, in national sense. When
he says, 81 have been among the Philistines,
my dear fellow, but am now strong and well,
and, thanks to the Americans, completely
equipped for my concluding trip" he puts the
question outside of individuals and extends his
recognition to the entire American people.
The contrast which it cannot fail to suggest
between his treatment by those Of his native
land and foreign nation seems to find CHEEKY
allusion in this phrase when compared with
his remark on the easy belief of
the Consul at Zanzibar, DR.. Kirk, in
the matter Of sending him supplies We do
not care to go into this contrast further.
| Our idea Of finding Livingstone or solving
the mystery of his fate was not based on any
thing so narrow as his nationality or race; it
was as one of the heroes Of humanity-a man
who, by his devotion to what is of interest to
all civilization, is or should be the especial
care of every intelligent being in the world
We have heretofore given some attention to
the doubling Thomases in this matter, who
successfully shifted their ground from scof to
bubble, from quibble to shrug and from shrug
to the nod of assent. The testimony of MIR.
Stearns' letter is fortunately not needed to
convince anybody now; but it is complete
pulverizer of the last vestige of incre-
dulity that may roost on the conscience
of the sceptic. It is amusing to notice that
this grave breed of wiseacres was found even
under the sun of Hindostan. "Doubts were
suggested" we learn, that letter also carried
by Mr. Stanley, and directed to Doc
tor Wilson, was genuine. The '.fancyo-
grapher'' blossomed there, too and took
an alleged confusion between the names
of Unyanyembe and Kazeh to indicate faulti-
ness of geography. The fact is that the Clancy
ographer'' was, as usual, in the dark Kazeh
is the place mentioned by Burton in his
book on the country of Unyanyembe,
where he rested. This place, or at
any rate the name, has disappeared.
1t probably, as Stanley suggests, was the name
of on enclosure, or tiernbe, and called so only
temporarily In the midst of the Legitimate
doubts built upon such stuff DR.. Wilson
wrote to the Times of India, on
the 7th ultimo, as follows:-"I have
not particle of doubt about the letter.
It is in the handwriting of DR.. LIVINGSTONE
with which am perfectly familiar, and there
are illusions in it to matters known only to
DR.. Livingstone and myself in the form in
stone as clearly marked in it throughout as
if he were sitting before me at this moment"
Straightway the bag of incredulity collapsed
and Hindostan breathed more freely.
| In all that concerns the work Of that great
and good man, David Livingstone, we shall
ever take deep interest. He has laid out
two heavy tasks before hlm-one in the
cause of science, the other and greater in
the cause Of humanity-the discovery of the
sources of the Nile and the suppression of
the African slave trade. The first has been
the problem of ages; the second must be the
task of civilization while it is worthy of the
name Every word, every piece Of in
formation that may drift towards us
from DR.. Livingstone will be eagerly
looked for by millions Of people.
While he, then, is pursuing his dangerous way
among the trackless lands of Africa, let oil the
governments and peoples who claim voice
in the tones of progress not stand idly by
He wants for nothing personally, but he
has shown how deeply his great soul
sickens at the horrors of the slave trade, and
how he yearns to see an end to it. To prevent
the expectation Of slaves from the East Coast
is what he asks the British government to do.
Will it be done effectually, promptly and in