The old military despotism is gone, and in its stead there comes a Constitutional Monarchy, proposing to use its vast powers only for the protection and elevation of humanity. Hand in hand, Russia and America are crossing the threshold of the new era, the Great Powers of the future, while Western Europe is plotting against both, and threatens and fears them. This book has been written, in the hope that it may help to explain the policy of France and England, and what we have to hope or fear from them, to set forth the resources and mission of that great nation, which alone has remained our friend, and to show the probable future of this New, Free, Christian American Nation. AUTHORITIES CONSULTED IN PREPARING THE WORK. BARON HAXTHAUSEN'S NOTES ON RUSSIA. EHRMAN'S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. OLIPHANT'S SHORES OF THE BLACK SEA. ALLISON'S HISTORY OF EUROPE. RUSSEL'S MODERN EUROPE. BANCROFT'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. PRESCOTT'S PHILIP II. KINGLAKE'S INVASION OF THE CRIMEA. STANLEY'S GREEK CHURCH. KAY'S SOCIAL CONDITION OF ENGLAND. HUNT'S MERCHANT'S MAGAZINE. LONDON QUARTERLY. FOREIGN QUARTERLY. EDINBURGH REVIEW. NORTH BRITISH REVIEW. SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN. NATIONAL ALMANAC, 1863 AND 1864. UNITED STATES SERVICE MAGAZINE. REPORTS OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. REPORTS OF THE ORDINANCE BUREAU. OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS OF THE AMERICAN AND ENGLISH GOVERNMENTS HON. CHARLES SUMNER'S SPEECH ON OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS. TABLE OF CONTENTS. |