The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-07 00:00:00

YOUNG AMBRICA.

We have Young England, and Young France,
and Young Italy, and other youths of note and
pretension in the Old World. They are, however,
but the bright hallucinations of old or middl = age.
Young England is nothing more than the old buck
who, with a wig and false teeth, with white
trous'rs, light coat,'and white hat, dreams of
perpetual youth, and, -so dreaming, is knocked
over by a sudden return of his old gout or rheu-
matism. There is only one really new nationality
in the world, like Young Greece, or the sturdy
and mutinous rabble that Romulus gathered round
the Palatine. It is Young America. It is the
lion's cub—strong, clumsy, playful, and harmless
till provoked, when savage nature shows itself
rudely and unpleasantly. Young America is
the young gentleman just come to bis pro-
perty ; with an abundance of anima spirits,
with health, with much money and credit ; with
all the elements for a good start. His future,
even on this side the grave, is infinite and inex-
haustible. Do what be will he can never get through
bis money, his time, his friends, his vigour,—every-
thing. He may for the present do what he pleases.
A few years' riotous indulgence, a few madcap
adventures, any number of questionable friends of
all sorts, any rate of expenditure, will leave a re-
mainder ample for the purposes of ordinary life.
It will be time to be wise ten years hence, or twenty
years hence. What, too, if he has to pay for it at
forty, or fifty 1 That is very remote. So, let the
future take care of itself. This is the calculation
on which many a young lord commences that bril-
liant career which forms so frequent and so pro-
minent a feature in Briiish social life. How he
blazes and flares for ten years ! What a jolly life
he leads How he rises from scrape to scrape,
still unscathed, exciting the hopes of his friends,
and baffling the auguries of the cynical ! He is a
cat of nine lives. Nothing harms him. With
what stamina he meets illness, loss, hostility, and
even disgrace ! But meanwhile he is steadily and
surely drawing upon his capital. He is draining
his stock of money, health, strength, credit, time,
and friends. This is his opportunity, and this his
way of using it. In ten or fifteen years at the
latest he awakes from his dream to the saddest of
certainties. He has wasted the spring of his
life, and there ren..ajp a barren slime.,
an unprofitable autumn, and a 'hoary winter. For
50 long years, if he haply live so long; he will have
to brood on the bitter recollections of a wasted
youth. This is the too common career of Young
England in its personal and individual sense. What
if it should be the career of that Young England
denominated from its estate Young America ?
We owe, indeed, an apology for this warning.
We are told that England and America are no
longer mother and daughter, but sisters. Well, we
are at least the elder sister, and, as we cannot give
ourselves all the airs of youth, we may as well
claim the benefit of seniority. So, listen to us,
Mr. Dallas. Be advised, Young America. We
admit that your position and your prospects are
splendid. We admit that for a considerable time
you are likely to have it all your own way, and
that you may do a great deal without being called
to account for it. You have now, it appears, got
finally rid of that remnint of your tutelage, the
lic;ht, of Vibit, as well as the li,,uc se4rch. This
is a great emancipation. Young Hopeful will now
have a latch key ; his letters will not be opened
or his boxes overhauled. He will not be asked
about his friends, his bills, his amusements, his
occupations. Young America will now take or
lend his flag all over the world. From z)ne to
zone, and Pole to Pole, the Stripes and Stars
will proclaim perfect freedom to every trade
or profession that may choose to assume
them. Slavers, pirates, or any worse' trade, if it
can be discovered, may now carry " the grand
principles of American independence, conquering
and to conquer, all over the world." Wherever we
go, across the vast breadth of the Atlantic that glo-
rious banner will proclaim a sacred immunity. As
for the ulterior designs avowed by thore who fol.
lowed Mr. Dallas at Monday's festivity, they do
not rest on the candour of this or that convivial
orator. We know well enough what Young Ame-
rica wants, and we know also that where there is a
will there is a way. The present object of our ad-
miration is the newly-achieved triumph of Ameri-
can independence, and the inexhaustible opportu-
nities and resources of this unequalled child of for-
tune.

With the greatest respect for Mr. Dallas, how-
ever, with the most brotherly affection for Young
America, and the most cordial wish for her real im-
provement and legitimate progress, we regrtt some
•
omissions in this important declaration, as it seems
to be considered. The description of Young Ame
rica's position and prospects is confined to her terri-
rial, material, and political improvement, and the
pro babilityof herpolitical principles extending over
the world. Not a word of her duties and obligations.
Not a word of her readiness to do nobly for herself
that which has been hitherto intended by the clumsy
and annoying interference of Old Euglaud. Is
Young America wholly indifferent to the moral
pbaraeter of her flag, and to the nature pf the