Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-05-18
THE V7RGINIAN.
LyNCHBuRG. MAY IL, 1870.
CAPT. BASIL hALL.


excite the admiration Of his readers or 10 tickle
Che vanity of crcdulous John Bull. The term
a Tfarsnsr', tales, has passednto a b9e.word Of
reproach--and we almost always read their mar.
natives with suspicion of their truth, which
most materially dim aishrs their interest No
nation has been mnre rnisrepreseuted than the
United States, in their power, reyourees. form
ofgnvernmc Z, manners and customs by British
book makers discovered that tho mos, req.
dy way il urn penny TO account was 10 depict
our govero nentss amobocracy, our resources "a
coniemri ~. our manners rs rude and clown
ish. aal cur morals as nj the lowest state Of de.
rrada,ios. IL was believed, however, thgi as
We had, / ng the last war, given the British
government aud people prdtttcnl proofs of the
false estimate which their sagacious travelling
book makers nad formed uf our strength, skill,
aud prowess n battle, aud since the war given
evidence that ne /: ossess all the elements which
70 10 constitute people who shall rival ia art.
aud arms the greatest nations OF ancient OF
modern times. VIC sso.ll see no more such non
sense issued from the lress--or. thai il we did,
il would be treated Wit rdieule aud contempt
Bu, we are disappointed
First comes " the Hon Frederick do Roos. OF
'be Royal Navy travels q distance OF $500
,plles IN aboo, ninety days--reiutns home
ami write. book OF travels, protesting to give
. faithful account o. our manners aud cuti oms
as a people. cf,he operations OF our govern
ueni, Of our soil. climate. agricultural products,
manufacturing eAnbli shmrnis--iu short, OF
matters aud things which a ten yesr's residence
you'd scarcely have enabled the honorable"
serig Of nobility to comprehend Aud for this
a,serabs uass oi falsrhood and sbsurdity, he
IS pulled by the English Journals, even by the
learned Quarterly Rewe,p, applsuded by the
Admiralty aud promoted in rank So easily
- John Bull goiled, ind so greedy does lie liz
ten, when attempts are made to dcprcoiate our
aaicnsl character. The Brnish writers should
rCeolleet that this enkindling ofnstional hatred
~ their taunts and sarcasns. amounting TO
seorn, previous TO the wear of 1912, is moi unrca-
sonably supposed 10 have hurried. IL il did moi
essentially contribute TO prodnco that event.
And they have not forgotten how dearly they
Maid for their scorn. both on thu ocean aud the
iaod. They should prof by experience.
At length, however, another tourist appear.
ed among us, already celebrated by his Marin.
lives Of travels in other countries--he came
with honicd words upon his lips WAS taken by
the hand, as he journed through the country,
by our most distins uished men partnok of
their hpspitable cheer; avaied h. mself Of iheir
as be asked cor and sas even invited IN a
public dnerr - Richmond This was Basil
Hail Now. II was thought, the British people
viii be favored with faithful narrative of our
taught properly TO appreciate the ISLANDERS OF
Halls predecessors, and learn TO regard Amer.
cans as not less ehivhlrous and polished than
Themselves. Our public journals teemed with
isudatory paragraphs, in advance. Basil HoH
was to write our history-and who would draw
our features in manner more laltering to our
national vanity } Had we not presented to
him our best traits, and endeayored 20 ingra
tiate Ourselves into bis favor by unwon,cd hos
pitality and the most assiduous personal atten.
tions Il could not be expected that he
would fall into the track of Welsh, Fearon aud
De Roos, aud SANDER people at whose FIRE.
aides he had sat- and at whose boards he had
partaken. But Basil Hall will be like the rest
Either the British Government still listens with
pleasure TO the vulgar abuse heaped upon our
institutions aud character, or the British people
are yet no, sufficiently enlightened on the sub
iect to render the truth pslatable to their ears
or profitable to the author. A desire to graiiiy
bis government, or To administer TO the vanity
of,he people or sordd avarce, perhaps all.werc
TOO powerful temptations even for Capt. Hall
and, although he has not yet published his
book, he has clearly indicated what It's charec-
ter will be, in the following pa ragraph, copied
from Speech recently delivered by him al
Edinburgh, a, a meeting in favor OF Catholic
Emancipation:
~ am jus, returned from America. h, thai
country there i, far less freedom, than in Britain,
---iess freedom ofhs press-len freedom of
SPECIFICS freedom Of thought. Aud this I as
crihe 10 the principles of their government
unirersalspfrare and the 0ani Of an established
church. But l have written my observations
on the subject, and will tell you all about il by
and bye. concur in the present petition be.
cause the measure which i, supports is caicula.
ted TO secure the blessing of an established
chuvch--and because it Is TO he accompanied
with the abolition of the forty shillings f,eehol.
ders--and thereby To restrain the greatest curse
10 any county, democracy"
We shall make but single remark on Capt.
Halls ridiculous comparison between the free
dom Of the press, of speech. of action, and
even of thought, exercised in this country and
Great Britain How he was enabled TO ascsr.
tain the extent OF the freedom Of thought in this