as destroyed by fire, and
with it the opening chapters of this work; fortunately a few pages
had been set up, and the impression sent to a literary gentleman,
then editor of a popular critical journal, and were thus saved from
destruction. To him we are indebted for the posthumous articles of
Cooper, wherewith, by a coincidence as remarkable as it is
auspicious, we now enrich our columns with a contribution from the
American pioneer in letters.'

Many readers at the time passed over these papers without the careful
attention which they deserved. Others, who perused them more thoroughly,
were struck with the remarkable prescience which the great writer's
thoughts exhibited on topics which the events now passing before us lend
a tremendous interest. Cooper, it must be remembered, uttered his views
on 'Secession,' 'State Rights,' etc., upward of _fifteen years ago_, and
at a period when the horrors of rebellion, as a consequence of slavery,
were little foreseen as likely to succeed those years of peace and
prosperity. Had these opinions been published at the period intended by
their writer, they would doubtless have been pronounced visionary and
illogical. By a singular succession of events, however, the MS. has been
hidden in the chrysalis of years, until, lo! it sees the light of day at
a period when the prophetic words of their author come up, as it were,
from his grave, with the vindication of truth and historic fidelity.

For the benefit of those who have not read these papers in the newspaper
where they originally appeared, we make the following extracts, feeling
assured that no man interested in passing events, or in the causes which
led to them, can fail to recognize in these passages the astonishing
power and comprehensiveness of the mind that fifteen years ago discussed
these vital topics. Let it be remembered, too, that their author was a
man whose sympathies were largely with his countrymen, not less of the
South than of the North, and that it was doubtless with a view of
warning his Southern friends of the danger which hovered over the
'institution' of slavery, that they were written. Probably had they
appeared in print at that time, they would have produced no effect where
mostly effect was aimed at; but now that they have appeared, when the
small cloud of evil pointed out has spread over the Southern land and
broken into a deluge of devastation, they will at least prove tha