The Daily Dispatch: April 30, 1862., [Electronic resource]

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Charles MacKAYay, the Scotch poet.

We understand that Dr. Charles Mackay, the poet, is on a second visit to America. He is now at the North, and very unpopular there, on account of his Southern proclivities. He will probably visit the South, and we hope he will meet with the reception due to a truthful, high-toned gentleman and distinguished scholar. 'Tis true he is both an anti-slavery man and a socialist; as which of the European literati is not? But in his book of Travels in America he gives a fair and truthful account of the condition of Southern slaves; admire Southern character, and despises New England character. Besides, in the conclusion of his book, he gives an account of the condition of the classes in Scotland and Ireland, and, unwillingly, shows that they are infinitely worse situated than Southern negro slaves. Let any one carefully read his book, and he will find it (though not so intended) one of the ablest defences ever written of Southern slavery by a European author. Indeed, most of his poetry is socialistic — a sort of wall or lament over the intolerable sufferings of the white laboring classes in Europe.