The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-07 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-LAST EVENING.

The SPEAKER took the chair at two o'clock.
The house then went into committee on the Contagious
Diseases Prevention Act, which occupied the whole of
the morning sitting.

The house resumed at 9 o'clock.
In reply to Mr. AKROYD,
Mr. AYRTON stated that the correspondence on the
subject of proposals for a reduction of the wine duties, in
connection with negotiations for treaties of commerce with
Spain and Portugal, was not complete ; but when it had
arrived at such a stage that it could be presented he would
be happy to do so.
Mr. H. RICHARD called attention to recent proceed-
ings of certain landlords in Wales towards tenants on ac-
count of the free exercise of the franchise at the last elec-
tion. He moved, " That, in the opinion of this house, the
recent proceedings of certain landlords in Wales towards
tenants, on account of the free exercise of the franchise at
the last election, are oppressive and unconstitutional, and
an infringement of the rights conferred by Parliament on
the people of this country."

Mr. 0. MORGAN seconded the motion.
After some observations from Mr. T. LLOYD and Mr.
WHAT.T.vy,
Mr. BRUCE said the course taken by the hon. member
for Merthyr was, under the circumstances, a very proper
one, but as he had not given notico of his resolution he
hoped it would not be pressed.

The motion was then withdrawn.
The other business was disposed of, and the house
adjourned. .

AMERICAN FREEDOM OF DISCUSSION.

We publish the letter of a Dresden authoress to
a New York journal, forwarded to us by an Ameri-
can gentleman, we presume because it contains
severe strictures on Americans abroad. These are
answered by the correspondent at whose request
the letter finds a place in our columns, who is almost
as well known in Germany as in his own country.
Although lengthy for pages that can hardly con-
tain the weekly summary of American news, we the
more readily respond to this wish of a highly valued
friend, as it illustrates a trait in the American cha-
racter on which Miss BOETE has not touched. It is

often said, more especially by themselves, that of

all nations the English most systematically dis-
parage themselves, accepting abuse with unruffled
composure ; and complacently, even joyously, repro-
ducing the animadversions of others. The words Mc-
KEN'S puts into the mouth of one of his American cha-
racters, "We ai'reanation that must be cracked up,"
are accepted throughout Europe as characteristic of
a people believed to be extremely sensitive ; boast-
ing in extravagant language, resenting unfavour-
able comments, and persistently viewing their own
bright side only, while through the German lady's let-
ter may be seen some such notion. Arrogance, an of-
fensive affectation of superiority, a vulgar liberty
which loosens the restraints indispensable to good
training and good society, shown most in the rear-
ing of children ; these are the characteristics of Ame-
ricans, according to Miss BOETE. We do not intend

to controvert her position, as our correspondent has
already travelled over that ground, nor do we wish
to disguise the fact that A merican children have so
availed themselves of the liberties their fathers won
in battle, as to run, if not into license, at least into
irreverence. While recognising that what checks this
is beneficial, our object is to show that whatever be
the shortcomings of Americans, no other people
I ought to know their failings better, for no others so
widely circulate the opinions of foreigners detri-
mental to themselves. They do this as if they only
desired to extract the truth however uncomplimen-
tary, and when people not only bear with unplea-
sant remarks, but gratuitously circulate them
throughout their country, leaving the inhabitants
to extract the genuine from the malicious for their
reflection and improvement, they cannot be in a
very bad way. It is a fact which ought to be known
in England that every question arising between the
countries is debated as well from the English point
of view as from the American, the English side re-
ceiving full attention. That this is so in the United
States to a far greater degree than in the United
Kingdom is sufficiently shown by the Alabama con-
troversy. It is said that the English had no notion
of the feeling prevailing in America on this subject
till their eyes were opened by Mr. SUMNER, and
the action of the Senate on the Clarendon-Johnson
Treaty. When England responded in a fury ; when
her press breathed a spirit of defiance and war ;
when America was lampooned by the comic papers,
satirized by the satirical, denounced by the in-
dignant, and reasoned with by the argumentative ;
when statesmen made speeches and lawyers piled
up cases of practice and precedent, the position was
as follows :—Senator SUMNER'S speech had not been
read by one Englishman in a thousand who censured
it in unmeasured terms—it had not been published in
a single British paper; the arguments by which Ame-
ricans supported their grievances were little known,
indeed the attitude assumed was never explained, and
could not be understood. The speeches made in Ame-
rica and the articles published by the American press,
were alike ignored in England, even while the atten-
tion of the nation was almost exclusively given to the
Alabama question. But the case widely differed in
America, where everything of material importance,
every article of the Times, letters coming from per-
sons in a position to throw light on the subject,
were all copied into the American papers ; nor that
only. Americans assembled to hear Englishmen
lecture on the question in their own country, every
word of which was spread throughout the land ; not
an argument was delivered from a platform, spoken in
a legislature, or embodied in a pamphlet which did not
receive pointed attention ; even the lampoons of
the English comic papers being reproduced. Thus
the Americans bad the benefit of hearing both sides,
and if they are altogether wrong it is not from
want of knowledge, but from an incapacity to ap-
preciate the adversary's case. In such matters, we
maintain, that Americans are eminently just, and
liberal to a degree never before reached by any other
people. It is said that the New York Tribune
represents a section of the Republic which would, if
it could, shut out everything English ; hating the
country so strongly as to desire, if possible, to change
the language in which it is printed. Yet no paper
could have done more complete justice to the English
side, while persistently maintaining its own view. If
that view be unjust, while admitting it to be ex-
treme, we fail to see it; and even the most bitter
enemies of the Tribune must allow the truth of our
remark that its fairnes
the co
aulrgudnmoetnbtes
o f h
exceededteother
ienr
publishing in its columnsg
s. freely
fhuarbeiigt
noef reproducingraisgood;furte llintgheahgoasitnilset
real faults it tends towards their correction, though
raising bnt a smile of contempt when manifestly
untrue. Besides, it has an excellent effect in letting
men know what is said of them behind their backs,
which, perhaps, is beneficial in proportion to the
pain it gives ; for it neutralises what is objection-
able in vanity, and wearing out sensitive feelings
thickens the skin so as to enable individuals to bear
with calm unconcern bitter remarks against their
country when they know them to be unfair. No-
thing more impresses others than the dignity with
which unjust aspersions are received and the mode-
ration with which they are answered, for the un-
moved manner is indicative of strength and of the
knowledge of a secure position, which has done most
to uphold and perpetuate the British aristocracy; the
quiet assurance, so imposing on the crowd. Yet
another good point in the freedom with which the
American press discusses not only all questions, but
all sides of those questions, is that it takes away the
power of an agitator to raise commotion. The people
are neither to be startled into surprise or panic, nor
roused into fury, by anything the press can do.
The most apt illustration of the latitude allowed