American watchman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1822, 1822-03-01
MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES.
AMERICA.


Extract from the Preface, (written by Mr. Campbell,
the Editor0 TO the December number of the
London New Monthly Magazine
Whilst the Editor delares himself deeply con.
scious of being answerable for thesgenera charac-
ter and moral tendency fthe work which he COM
ducts, he must also remarks that his responsibility
is not to be too rigidy interpreted as extending to
every shade and expression Of opinion which the
publication may contain. 1t is impossible to give
exact harmony and consistency to the sentimentsof
la numerous and changing body of contributors SC
the spirit and originality of amusing paper might
often be more injured by pruning its eccentrcities,
than by suffering them to remain.
Under this plea the Editor hes no desire to ex-
cuse himselfior one article, which has given offence,
rather too unlustly, the other side Of the Attain
tic. He inserted it without reflection but had OBJ
served its unairness and felt dissatisfied with him
self for having published it, long before the fair and
temperate reply which Mr. Everett made to it had
reached him. In adverting to this paper he will
have occasion for once and he hopes only for once,
10 touch upon politics but it shall be but gener
tally, and nothing but the necessity of self defence
shall make him resume the subject-With reluc-
lance, but from of duty, he must criticise
paper in his own work, communicated to him by
valued friend, to whose taste and sentiments he
would defer, perhaps on any occasion but the pre-.
SENT But when his friend deprecates our literary
teuds with America, he applies in the Editors
IopinioD, the most faulty method of appeasing Them
He denies, and it is to be hoped we all deny, any
systematic hatred towards the Americans but he
lcharges the large majority of that people with being
vain, vulgar, and boiserous, and full of national
| preudices which, when they come to this coun-
FRY, take the form of Hnmeasured hatred and rude
Iness.--Hard words these land perhaps, very use
essly uttered even if true. But if they be not true
If this sweeping computation Of the toerable or
intolerabe character of whole nation can be even
suspected ofexaggeraon, how unfair and how dam
Igerous TO have made it. For his own part the Ed'
tor can say, that he believes lie has known more
Americans than the writer ofthe paper Possibly
in the course of his life, not less than an hundred
men OF various vocation, characters, and degrees OF
education. He has argued with them, and heard
them argue, on national subjects but he can safely
declare, that he never thought them more bolster
GUS than other men; the contrary rather distin-
gushed, in general, by GOODNESS and selfpossession.
Exceptions of warmth as among the people of all
countries, when their preudices rufied, he may
have observed; but unmeasured hatred, or rude
ness never.
| FIVE dislike the American manner (our own, the
world says, is not perfect) we should not rake up
its imperfections when we protest our wish to put
an end TO paper war with that people. 1t is an
useless jar in the tones of our harmony to talk of
their disagreeable peculiarities at the moment of
ISohSsaihb tluSC tduto nave uot S"sSh Tit
heart and substance of their national character, and
after quoting travellers, who attest 'fhe galantry,
high feeling and humanity ofheir froois and the gem
eral religion and hospitality of their people" But
the Americans are told they should be satisfied with
our full Acknowledgements of their virtues. And so
they would have been no doubt, if the compliments
from our press had not come to them SO bedaubed
with inconsistent aspersons, to resemble oranges
that have been dipped in the kennel. For in test-
flying their humanity, we parenthetcaly bemoan
their ferocity. We reproach them, and yet say we
are willing to be well with them. We hold out to
them the olive branch, and whip them with it as a