The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-18 00:00:00

ANGLO-AMERICAN PREJUDICE.

Undoubtedly a strong prejudice against Americans

is general in England. The enlightened and highly
educated, and the large body of the working classes
are exempt from this feeling, but it certainly exists
more or less through all other grades of the nation.
It has, in its turn, begotten a dislike to England on
the other side of the Atlantic. This prejudice has
largely influenced the national policy of both
nations, and may yet work disagreeable effects to
the world. It is a curious fact that such a senti-
ment should exist,-considering the relationship *nd
the relative positions of the countries. England is
a grand old historical monarchy, whose parentage
might well be claimed with pride by any offspring.
The United States is the most rising nation of the
world ; now a first-class power, and with a future
which threatens to overshadow all other powers
combined. This yoang nation has attained to the
highest eminence in arms, arts, letters, industry, and
commerce. To boast of such an offspring any nation
might be excused. That Americans are proud of
their English descent, that England is proud of the
expansion of her race on the new continent, is true.
How, then, can this extraordinary and unnatural
feeling be accounted for? This inquiry has never
received the earnest and careful research to which
its importance entitles it. Some are content with
shutting their eyes and assuring their hearers that
they cannot see such a feeling. Others accept it as
the natural—the common order of things. Many
fasten it all on one side, and talk of Yankee hate to
everything English—or the Britisher's dislike to
everything American. An American is apt to be-
lieve that JOHN BULL remembers his defeats in the
War of Independence, and in thatof 1812, with a cer-
tain amount of bitterness that in a measure excuses
dislike. In this he is wholly mistaken. The ave-
rage of Englishmen know nothing of either War,
and those who do, generally rejoice in the result of
the War of Independence, which, had it gone the
other way, might have nearly touched their own
liberties. What amount of jealousy enters into this
feeling? We believe very little. There.may be a
certain degree of fear on the part of England, as she
becomes more impressed with the idea that Ameri-
can policy is grasping and unscrupulous in the
means of exerting its enormous and increasing
power. If England did not fear for herself, she
wpuld rather rejoice in the prosperity of the
Great Republic. The interests of the two peoples
nowhere clash, but, on the contrary, are closely
allied. They interchange commodities to a vast
extent ; they have a common language, literature,
laws, and religicm ; they have a common origin ;
they are prowl of each other,—still, with no clash-
ing interests, there is a mutual dislike. Discuss

America with any Englishman, and after a free ac
knowledgmen t of the splendid qualities of his Trans-
Atlantic cousins, and of the vastness of their re-
sources, he 'often ends by. the remark that-he " does
not like the Yankees." Yet, when asked why?
many are .puzzled to reply. " They are so con-
ceited, so bumptious, so opinionated, so full of brig."
But most take refuge in the to quoque—" because
they hate us." It is clear that the individual
American carries within and around him the elec-
tric fluid by which he communicates antipathy to
the common type of JOHN Bum.. Now what is
this undefined feeling by which the American un-
consciously creates this sentiment in the English
mind ? We believe it is generated from the contact
of things new with things old—from manners
formed under wholly different circumstances and
influences, begetting on each side a strong spice of
aversion. The denizen of the desert feels
a contempt for the occupant of the city ; the hunter
looks down on the quiet plodder of the village; the
colonist who has forced his way in the untrodden
wilds of nature by his own right hand, to a position
of affluence, elbows the throng in the streets of
Loudon with a strong sense of superiority. The
very confidence and self-sufficiency of the man, gives
him an offensive air, which those around resent.
The feeling communicated by an American, is by
an Australian colonist communicated in a still
greater degree ; and the colonist is therefore quite
as much disliked. Let Boston be invaded by an
inroad of men from the Far West, there will be an
antipathy generated between the two—the contact
of things new with things old. Let Bostonians
penetrate to the Far West, they will be received
with a certain patronising air of superiority
.and
protection by those they regard as their inferiors,
developing as strongly the same antipathy. Thus
they can learn the source of the feeling that makes
Englishman, as a general rule, dislike Americans,
and the origin of the self-confidence and superiority
assumed by those who have through life trusted
more to themselves, being thrown more on their
own resources, and less restrined by the circum-
stances and conventionalities of older communities.

suers ; but the record of the issue must be left to ------- - - -
H there exists between the highly civilised Eastern
some future historian. Then the turmoil and strife
States, and the more wild and natural Western
subsided for a moment, but only to burst forth anew
communities, a certain antipathy where their insti-
with increased intensity. The battle was renewed,
tutions and nationality are identical, this feeling is
each Conservative having to defend himself against
pretty certain to be extended in even a stronger
half a dozen of the brave Reformers. Capt. Dawson
degree to the old country, separated by ocean
Damer, seeing one .gentleman maltreated at front,
—monarchical and aristocratic in its tendencies--
back, and flank, gallantly went to his rescue, and
andinsular and prejudiced in all itsinotions. Uncon-
was himself severely wounded in the mouth by a trolled individual liberty will create a freedom of
ruffian who.leant over the gallery to strike the blow. manner, repulsive to those who have been trained
Mr. Mantle, too, did not escap© unscathed, but re-
under greater restraints, while the very convention-
ceived some measure of condign punishment for the ali .
ttes are regarded by the former with contempt as
violence he continued to exhibit from the very out- fetters to which the latter are mere slaves. And to
set. Again " the music of sweet sounds" was in- a
n
certain extent the unrestrained of free
yoked as a pacific, but again to no avail, for its tones dom is right in considering the Ensg°lishpaana-
were drowned by the loud grating screams—for
slave of conventionality. The 'very hat an AmeH-
such they were—of the Reform minstrels. Again
can wears may beget a prejudice. If his long hair
the anger of the swaying crowd appeared to be
falls over his shoulder,
assuaged, but again its impetuosity was renewed. if he speaks through his nose,
and uses expressions unfamiliar to the English ear,
Now the police arrived, and drove the greater
the prejudice may arise, while the Englishman may
number of the . then occupants of the plat-
as unconsciously be creating a feeling somewhat
form back into the body of the hall, but the only as unconsciously be creating a feeling somewhat
akin to:
effect of this manoeuvre was to intensify the excite-this in the American's . mind. Those ini-
ment. Mr. Fowler and his friends, seeing the futi- hued with this prejudice, who in books and in
the columns of newspapers give their ideas
lily of their efforts, then left, at seeing which the the world, continue to fclter and make nationalto
Reformers literally chanted a rman of tri-
umph. " God save the Queen" was then their own impressions. Hence, to a cdrtain
.degree,
played with great vigour on the but • organ,When an Eng-
it has been unfortunate for the two countries that
its their language should be common. 1
swell was lost in the sustained clamour which ,
prevailed. At last the gas was turned down, and lishman and an American meet as strangers they
are sensible of a difference, and yet there is so much
then a rush was made to the doors, the Reformers similarity that it sounds strange when each speaks
shouting the while for Langley and the League. of the other as a foreigner. If they truly regarded
Outside, after the meeting, groups hero and there mai other as
.foreigners, they would allow and be
remained energetically discussing the policy of the
better prepared for the dissimilarity, but their in-
two bodies which took part in the demonstration,
tercourse takes more the form of a chance meeting
and at times it was apprehended that fresh disturb- of a high Tory and a Radical; and though the Eug-
ances would ensue. They gradually dispersed, how- lishman may be liberal in his ideas, and the Ameri-
ever, and so ended the eventful scene. That the can conservative, the one assumes a Tory guise, the
result was a triumph to the League in a physical other that of a Republican. Thus they meet on
sense no one can deny, but whether it will conduce terms quite distinct from those of other nationa-
to the increase of its moral influence, or insure for
lities, and feel instinctively, unless they have mixed
it a larger share of political judge. It seems power, is a question much in the society of their class in each other's
which must be left to the public to
country, that in the minds of both, there is an
to us that its executive were afraid that the -case-of , Anglo-American prejudice,—Angto-AmericanTimes

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER.
The adjourned half-yearly meeting of this com-
pany was held pro forma yesterday at the Victoria
station, with a view to a further adjournment;
Lord Harris in the chair.
Mr. Brooke, the assistant secretary, having read
the notice of adjournment,
The CHAIRMAN said that under the circumstances
of the bill being before the committee of the llouse
of Commons it was better to defer any discussion
on the half-yearly report until more was known as
to the future position of their affairs. It was there-
fore intended to postpone the discussion until they
could ascertain the result of negotiations that were
now going on. They hal reasm to hope by the
time they proposed to meet again that they
would be able to report something that would be
acceptable. lie then moved that the meeting be
further adjourned to the 27th inst.

Mr. V. KNIGHT wanted to know why the direc-
tors still went on with the proceedings in Parlia-
ment, the great cost of which he believed nearly
consumed all the net profits. He was told that the
solicitors had sent in a bill for £98,000, and he
therefore thought they should at once stop all Par-
liamentary and law proceedings.
Mr. lIARTRIDGE moved as an amendment that
the consideration of the half-yearly report of the
directors be postponed until the shareholders at the
special meeting had considered and determined the
course to be taken by the directors in respect to the
bills now before Parliament affecting the company.
He was willing that the meeting should be ad-
journed, but before they went into the considera-
tion of any bill the directors should be allowed to
call the committees of the various interests together,
and endeavour to come to some arrangement with
them. lie, for one, could not concur in the direc-
tors' bill.

Mr. TURNER seconded the amendment. fie
thought the discussion on the half-yearly report
could not be finished in an hour as proposed, be-
tween 12 and 1 on the 27th inst., and that the ad-
journed half-yearly meeting ought not to be held
on the same day as the IVharneliffe meeting, be-
cause it would be impossible to discuss both ques-
tions properly.
The CHAIRMAN said they could postpone the dis-
cussion on the report, or they could go on with it
until they concluded the business of the ordinary
meeting. They could then proceed with the busi-

ness of the Wharncliffe meeting. It was a mistake
to suppose the discussion on the report would be
confined to an hour; there was no such intention.
Mr. HODGKINSON, M.P., a director, said it would
be very unfair to absent shareholders to proceed at
present with any discussion, as it was fully under-
stood that the meeting was to be further adjourned
for 10 days, till the 27th inst., when there would be
ample time to discuss the report and accounts and
dispose of the bnsinsss. With regard to stopping
all Parliamentary proceedings, as proposed by Mr
Knight, the company's bill was now before the com-
mittee of the Commons, the greater portion of the
expense had been already incurred, and as the ob-
ject of the bill was to enable the company to stay
law proceedings and to settle their affairs, it was
evidently a less evil to go on with the bill in Par-
liament than by stopping, as proposed, to imme-
diately encounter 46 Chancery suits.
The amendment was negatived.
Mr. TURNER then gave notice for the next meet-
ing that in the event of the select committee of the
House of Commons reporting the preamble of the
London, Chatham, and Dover (No. 1) Bill pro-
moted by the directors proved, he would at the
meeting on the 27th inst. move that the bill be not
agreed to by the shareholders, and that no authority
be given to proceed with the same ; that in the event
of the committee of the House of Commons report-
ing the preamble of 'the London, Chatham, and
Dover (No. 4) Bill promoted by the committee of
main-line shareholders proved, he would move that
the directors be requested to instruct the company's
solicitors to co-operate and use their best efforts to
get the same passed in the present session.
The meeting was then adjourned to the 27th inst.
WOLVERHAMPTON AND WALSALL.

A Wharncliffc meeting of this company was held
yesterday at the Weaermiuster Palace Hotel, for
the purpon of considering the provisions of a bill
now before Parliament to authorise the company
to make a deviation from their authorised railway
at Walsall. The Earl of Lichfield was in the chair.
The Solicitor read the heads of the bill, from
which it appeared that the deviation would be two
miles seven _el►ains in extent, and, while being a
great improvement on the line originally laid out,
would afford more accommodation to the public.
The London and North-Western Company had
power to appoint two directors.
The bill was unanimously approved, and a vote of
thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.

MAURITIUS.
The traffic returns on the Mauritius Government
lines, 66 miles in length, amounted, for the five
weeks ending May 12, to £4,731, and for the cor-
responding five weeks last year to £6,336, showing
a decrease of £1,605.

MELBOURNE AND lIOBSON'S BAY UNITED.
The traffic returns on this company's line, 17
miles in length, amounted for the four weeks end-
ing April 18 to £6,493 for passengers, &c., and
£2,134 for goods, &c. —total, £8,627 ; and for the
corresponding four weeks in 1866 to £10,374, show..
ing a decrease of £1,747.