254 THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. 



the vapourings of the planters of Jamaica, heard any discussion of 

 the probability of our islands in the West Indies passing into the 

 power of the United States. These are the opinions of Colonel 

 Murat : 



" The British possessions upon the Continent and the West Indies, are 

 organized provinces, having their legislatures and their laws. To unite them 

 to the Union, nothing is to do but to admit their Senators and Representa- 

 tives to the Congress. But, God preserve us from them ! The augmentation 

 of influence which the southern interest would receive, would be far from 

 equalling the proportion which would accrue to the States of the north. In 

 the present state of the Union, it is the only chance of dissolution which 

 menaces it." 



Among much profound observation, we are astonished indeed at 

 encountering these strange notions, and our readers will probably 

 not form a very high opinion of the political sagacity of the gallant 

 colonel, who deliberately advances that the probable acquisition of 

 the West Indies and of Canada, forms the main danger which 

 threatens the stability of the Union ! 



The fourth letter is the most remarkable in the work : it treats upon 

 the subject of slavery, upon which question we have never yet en- 

 countered sentiments so tyrannical and truly ferocious as those of 

 citizen Murat. Whilst the advocates of the slave holders in general 

 confine their defence to reasons of the expediency, utility, and legal 

 authorization of the system ; the writer before us dwells, upon the 

 other hand, upon the extreme propriety and justice of man holding 

 in bondage his fellow-man. The system of Colonel Murat would 

 appear to banish from the world all justice, humanity, and mercy 

 towards the weak ; for the strength to capture and to hold the negroes 

 who were originally imported from the coast of Guinea, is here made 

 the foundation of the present rights of the proprietors of slaves. 



" All labour," (says Achilles) " deserves its price. Merchants went to 

 the coast of Africa, and there purchased slaves from nations that had no 

 compact with theirs ; these slaves were sold either in virtue of their society, 

 which considered slavery a legal punishment, or, because they had been 

 taken in war, and appropriated to the use of the conqueror. But the mer- 

 chants might have taken them for nothing, as that would not have affected 

 their right. If I catch a wild horse in the plains of Missouri, the trouble of 

 taking and taming him, and the risk that I run of his escaping, are all con- 

 siderations WHICH CONSTITUTE THE PRICE I PAY. The intervention of 

 society is limited to satisfying itself, that none of its members had an ante- 

 rior right to my booty." 



Such robber sentiments as these we have not seen for a very long 

 time, and suppressing our own abhorrence and disgust at their 

 perusal, we will satisfy ourselves to quote the remarks of the author 

 of the Note upon Negro Slavery which is subjoined to the volume. 



" The spirit of kingcraft is evidently still strong within the bosom of this 

 writer. The Tories would do well to import him into England, to preach 

 this doctrine of castes and of passive obedience. He would doubtless be a 

 strong opponent to the Reform Bill, and a decided advocate for the patriar- 

 chal despotism of the Duke of Wellington. Dionysius, when he lost his 

 power over men took to keeping school, that he might have boys to punish ; 

 and even so M. Achille Murat, when turned out of the two Sicilies, buys 



