George Ticknor, Life, letters and journals of George Ticknor
George Hillard, Ed.

[403] to our present position and contests, they divide, and both fall into grave errors according to their respective parties. The liberals demand the abolition of slavery, much in the same sense in which Garrison demands it, and if this cannot be effected, would gladly see the North separated from the South, not at all comprehending the consequences of disunion to the whole country, or its fatal effects on the slave. Their philanthropy, from the days of the French Republic, has been an important part of their political judgments and systems at home, though not always a wise or consistent part of them, and they carry it now vehemently into their opinions of us, whom they have been accustomed to look up to with more admiration, perhaps, than we have deserved, as regards our form of government and our institutions as desirable and practicable to introduce throughout Europe. But our slavery is a great trouble to them. They have always felt it to be such; but since the immense success of ‘Uncle Tom,’—which is still acted, I am told, in the popular theatres in many parts of Europe, and was certainly acted in Rome last winter when I was there, --and since the bearing of slavery on our union and destinies has been discussed in Congress, and by our Presidents in their messages, the liberal party, throughout Europe, have everywhere taken it up in earnest . . . .

The opinion of the aristocracies and governments of Europe—excepting always Russia, who, for obvious reasons, is our natural ally against all—at least is simple and inevitable. They acknowledge our power, but they do not like it and never have, and they wish to see it diminished, which they know it would be, inevitably, by disunion. They can, as they see plainly, manage their affairs better with America divided, and weak by division, than with America united, already strong and growing stronger. They can, too, better oppose liberal and disorganizing opinions at home, when they can appeal to such a failure as disunion would be of our grand experiment of a free government in the United States, which has always been a main support of those opinions in Europe. You will find abundant traces of this feeling, even in England. The English like our growing rich so far as it leads us to buy their fabrics, but they do not like to have us growing very strong, lest we should claim a high place among the nations, and make trouble in the world. Multitudes among them cry out very honestly against our slavery, and take part with the North, to help put it down by force of the world's opinion. But, when once we are separated, they will make the best treaties they can for their own interests with both parties. In doing this, philanthropy