Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-09-27
ALEXANDRIA, Cd. CO.
FRIDAY MORNING, SEPT 81. ls3
NATIONAL Comfy.

Perhaps there is hardly an intelligent and edu'
Gated American who does not often adopt IN MS
own mind the words of the British poet Eng
land! with all thy faults love thee STILL" HE
natural feeling is respect towards, and often at
tachment for, the land from which we derived
our language, our laws, and the very principles
on which are founded all our institutions, social
and political. We are disposed to share T the
glory OF a common ancestry, and congratulate
ourselves upon the destiny, which has made Us
descendants of that long line Of great and good
men whose names adorn the pages of English
history. This feeling may and has been often
deadened or perverted by jeaIousy-by dissen
sions-by war-by animosItes engendered IN
consequence thereof: yet still, through all obsta'
ces it has struggled, and whenever opportunity
presented a proper occasion for It's exhibition,
it has shown itself active aud furnishing.
To preserve and perpetuate this honorable tri-
butte g from the daughter to the mother" cor
responding degree OF respect and kind feeling
must be extended from across the Atlantic. We
have also our claims upon England, which we
cannot overlook, and which the people of that
great nation ought not to neglect.
We have been led to these observations BY re.
flectng upon the.contrary sentiments which may
be called up by the harsh and iDjudicious crili-
cisms of tourists and reviewers. We have seen
with regret the volumes Of late published by
British travellers in this country after their re.
turn home. For the most part, they are crude
masses of partial observations, often made under
the influence of passion. They deal out, in too
many instances, much SANDER and many calum-
MES against our country. They are calculated
to make the English people think meanly of US,
and of course to make Us dissatisfied with their
bearing towards us.
Now we hold that it is as much to the advan.
tage Of our brethren over thewaer as it is for ours
that NATIONAL Comfy should be maintained.
Both countries have. every thing to gain by a
course of peace and friendship. Why should
national antipathles be excited? Why should
bitterness be mixed with the cup7 Depend upon
it that hereafter, it the tocsin Of should ever
sound through our borders, and distant, far
distant be that dsy!-and we should be called to
arm for another struggle against the power of the
/" mother country," all these things will be re-.
membered and called up in judgment against
her. In the words of an American, written in
warm times and whist his blood was up, How
ever dsspicable these attempts may be, they will
sink deep into the heart Of America, who will ue
yer believe in professions Of friendship from the
British Government SO long as writer's under its
patronage pursue this system of Irritating war.
fare. These men in vain attempt to keep down
the ever growing energies. the awakened spirit.
the sprnging intellect Of this country; they will
do nothing after all but keep alive spirit that,
at some future period. will ride like Death on
his pale horse over the bodies Of millions of vic.
tins to national antipathies, excited not more by
injuries than by insulting irony and affected con-
tempt. They will make an everlasting enemy,
where kindness and consideration might have
made an everlasting friend"