The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-02 00:00:00

AMERICA.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

New York, March 18, 1862.
SlR,—Having often read with great interest in
your editorials, observations relating to th 3 affairs
and state of feeling in this country as connected
with their importance to Great Britain and Canada,
I wish, in the first instance, to express my entire,
accordance with the substance of those remarks re-
ferred to. And although my opinion—l.state en'
affectedly—might, under ordinary circumstances,
be of little moment, yet, as it happens that mi
travels and residence have been for more 05
fifteen months in the Northern States and this
city, and having of course seen, heard, and read
much of what may be called the sentiments of thee°
Northern portions of the American Republic
towards our country, I ask you to allow me to state
(it will be in an informal and brief manner, llo'r
ever) some practical matters which it appears to
me, at least, it is desirable for my countrymen t°
know and consider. It would be my wish to cow
dense any prefatory remarks, but I must °beery°
that, considering all that has been said in the edi-
torials and correspondence of the British press 111
general—of course Ido not allude to that small,
portion of it which seeks to disguise its real 005,,
rabidly un-British objects by peaceful and "liberal
affectations—it is really wonderful to behold, IP
to any one who has been enabled to judge fairly cr,
the realities in this-country, the reported speeches
of some respectable American citizens and friends,
proclaiming at dinners and meetings in London that,
there "is an active feeling of goodwill to the 0105
country generally existing in the Northern States
—and more to that effect. It is very possible that
those gentlemen—bishops and laity—wish to be"
lieve in all this " good feeling" they ascribe to
their countrymen, and that, " wishing they
believe," and indeed so far as they could be looked
upon as " matters of opinion," I, for one, would
not dispute what after all might be assumed to bc
an amiable weakness ; but really, when one per'
ceives " Britishers" declaring mach of the same sort
—even in Parliament—it is, to use a homely phrase?
" rather too much." No doubt we all wish, r's
British generally wish, well to Americans—and for
the material interest of both countries, especially
for those of the United States, know peace and
amity to be the best policy—we all, I say, would
wish that amongst every class, at least among",
those who are called and call themselves the " Po'
minent" of all classes in the Northern States, 11
indignant, persevering, unexplained antipathy did
not exist, but all our wishes, so far as I am aVirsill
do not alter the fact that so it is.

Why this antipathy, as a general feeling, Pr 6;
dominates it would be difficult to answer or atterali
to explain partially, even by a long disputatioa
which probably your readers will excuse my inflict'
ing on them. lam myself inclined to agree with
a solution suggested in one of your weekly C°°-
temporaries, to the effect that it was inherent, °c/
far as related to the descendants of the Pilgrip
Fathers. And allow me to remark, en passaA
that whereas these "emigrants" displa3 ed their
own notions of religious tolerance, by banging and
whipping Quakers, etc., and torturing and burnia
" witches and wizsards," probably England 11°'5
reason to congratulate itself that they did lease
their country for their own as well as their oar
try's good. The dregs of the Celtic element--the
reference is only thereto in its political meaning'
which for a long time have spread themselve°
through the land, may be taken into the account'
as well or as bad as the many of the discontented
and ill-conducted of large European cities, consir
tent in one thing, and that is hatred to well ran:
lated constitutional authority in general and that
of Great Britain in particular. This iranll,:
gration in the aggregate will account 1°;
much, but not for all. However, as remarked
dissertations will be eschewed by me, and as it
is thought the progress of real education and 030
progressive increase of social intercourse, conse;
quent on the improved means of ocean and Jan'
locomotion, will enable Americans to judge and
better appreciate the state of feeling in the 0 oPfto
country," and tend sooner or later to general inter'
national amenity, we may hope that future genera'
tions will find that the truth of those theoretiW
anticipations will be developed.
As to the present and next generation, it Wonla
be utterly false if I asserted to my countrymen that
the earnest consideration which, to the best of 01
means and capabilities, has been bestowed upon the
subject, has led me to form any other opinion Or-
f,
that the "politicians" of all sorts and kinds 'll
the Northern States are inclined to be systematically'
pertinaciously, and aggressively hostile, by eel
means in their power, to Great Britain as a nation'
In using the term " politicians" I use it in the
American sense, which means all those person'
(including an elective judiciary) who, in State
Legislatures as well as in the Federal Congress and
Senate, assume to have the directing of the affaill
of this country. Whether the people of Amer'
are represented fairly and properly by these "
poli-
ticians'' is a matter of vast direct import of course
to them, end certainly is indirectly a matter of ill;
teresting consideration to us. Especially in thes
times the domestic politics of the United States of
America are not edifying, in any
• sense, for a Bri-
tish subject to discuss in an informal letter and I
,
must take (and refer to) these politicians "as they'.
are," and as they are, I would earnestly hope that
the people of Great Britain and their Government
will see that the best and the most friendly coal°,
to pursue politically towards the " Great Republic
is to be " civil and strange." This is
mt
oeu
when
e n
aau
one
cfisneeringnntdrsai
are
_mo rabnu
ti np
meant by
oinyrgdinawryali—fe,plottingye s Pa
and
planning evil—helping enemies and threatening
worse—it behoves one not to be led away by a fed
friends of that man—no doubt with the best motives
—coming over to where you are in your Oc
"place," and telling you, " Oh, so-and-so has the
best feeling towards yon, it is only sensation talk'
a temporary excited feeling," and so forth. I for
one would be inclined to tell those " friends," "Whit
did you not raise up your voice in your and tbilt
man's country against the acts and deeds and threats
he committed and made?"
However, my intention is to be practical, ani.A ,
shall in a future letter, with your leave, descri":
some of the acts and deeds referred to—not in 64
accusatory nor antagonistic, but in an explanatory
spirit ; and as explaining why threats such as thOc
f
about " annexation of Canada," and " seizure°,
property of British subjects" within the power °I
the States, in case of any future war between the
two countries, ought to be regarded, not with fear'
but with stern determination of preparation.—l ao'
sir, your obedient servant,
A BRITISH TRAVELLER'