THE RADICALS AND SLAVERY. 221 



Lynch-law performances on our western border, of which they 

 always get the first and darkest reports, and none of the cor 

 rections and extenuating circumstances that come in later 

 and cooler despatches. On slavery they are usually greatly 

 misinformed, and view it only as an unmitigated and wholly 

 inexcusable wrong, injustice, and barbarous tyranny for which 

 all Americans are equally responsible, and all equally con- 

 demnable, and with regard to which all are to be held respon 

 sible, and everlastingly to be scolded at (except a few mar 

 tyrs, called abolitionists, that obtain a precarious livelihood 

 through their contributions). The Chartists and Radicals, 

 too, are generally down very hard upon an American about 

 slavery, and are commonly grossly misinformed about it. I 

 wish our Southern brethren would send a few lecturers upon 

 the subject to England; the abolitionists have it all their own 

 way there now, and take advantage of it to give the ignorant 

 people ideas about our country which it is very desirable 

 should be contradicted. I wish especially that they could 

 make them comprehend how it is that we at the north have 

 nothing to do with their peculiar institution, and are not to 

 be expected to carry pistols and bowie-knives and fight every 

 body that chooses to attack it all over the world. This is 

 no more nor less than a great many people in some parts of 

 England seem to expect, when they are told that one is an 

 American, and it comes sometimes to be a regular bore to a 

 traveller to have to disappoint them. There is, in truth, a 

 hundred times more hard feeling in England towards Amer 

 ica from this cause, than from all others, and it is unfortu 

 nately strongest with the most earnestly republican and radi 

 cally democratic of her citizens. 



Within this year or two there has been much more interest 

 with regard to America among all classes in England than 

 previously, more hope and more fear of us than ever before. 



19* 



