Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-01-06
TITLES.

~ TITLES.
When the United States separated
from Great Britain, our forefathers
were SO jealous of political equality as
to abolish all titles, as well as the pow
er of comforting titles of nobility, and
making the penalty for accepting one
bv an officer of the United States, e.
quivalent to the loss of citizenship and
perpetual Punishment. Yet in the face
OF law, and in despite Of our love of
equality and republican simplicity, the
passion for titles is one Of the most pc
culiar and ridiculous characteristics of
the American people. None of us are
allowed real titles, but we all seem
willing to take up with spurious ar
ticle, and to deck our plain names with
some portion of the stolen plumage of
the peacock.
We bear with exemplary patience
the ridicule of native, and the sarcasms
Of foreign writers; and though we in
,dividuslly blush at the degradation Of
apins foreign titles, the passion still
remains as mildew upon the national
character. t.
We have no Lords nor knights, nor
even mimic ones; and the only title
that we have heard of, which is at
tached to and conferred by the posses
sion of property, is that Of PATRON, a
venerable relic of foreign barbarism,
which is still given to the head of one
family in New York from respect, and
to another from contempt.
Military titles are the natural dis
tinctions and designations of military
rank; and although SO common as to
appear ludicrous, are seldom given to
any but those who hold or have held
the designated rank in the army or mi
litia.
But the title Of Esquire has become
almost universal, more especially a
mong the snouveaux riches brokers,
bank directors and the aspirants after
opulence. The legal profession also
have assumed the right of comforting
the brevet title Of Esquire upon its
members. This is an immemorial Gus
tom, and if the attorney be an honest
man there might be no objection to his
brevet gentility. But would it not be
better to confine this distinction to the
magistragy so as to make justice more
imposing by outward forms and marks
of respect and veneration? This prac-
tice Of clubbing every individual with
the quality of Esquire has been carri-
ed to extravaganza extremes. Nova
days if letter is addressed to any
member of our democracy, no matter
how humble, his name ON the back of
it must be Mustered or Esquired, or
his republican, blood takes FIRE at once,
and he feels his dignity insulted and
trampled upon. The writer Of this ar
ticle was once placed in an awkward
predicament by an accidental omission
of this appendage to the dignity of a
crier of goods sold at auction; and it
was only by pleading the hurry Of bu-
siness as an apology, and a habitual for
getfulness Of etiquette that he evaded
an invitation to render sthat s0tisfac-
ton on account of wounded honor
which one gentleman has right to
demand Of another under similar cir
cumstances.' 1t is high time that this
corruption of plain republican simpli-
city and violation of the Fundamental
principles of our government should
be put down. It's an innovation upon
our democratic institutions, which only
serves TO render us contemplate and
ridiculous without comforting any rea
or substantial benefit. If a mans sim
fple, unadorned name is not respectable
from the qualities which the object
it designates is known to possess, il
will not acquire weight or dignity, by
attaching to the end Of it, all the title,
that royal bounty ever conferred OF
servile adulation received. Let u:
be content then to be called by our pro.
per name, restraining the apellation o.
Esquire to those to whomlit properly
belongs, viz:-to magistrates and al
judicial functionaries, thereby giving I,
meaning to the title whenever it is
used, and doing away with practice
which has been abused to our nationa
reproach and discredit.
New Orleans Bulletin.
MEXICAN OUTRAGE.
1 We are indebted to gentleman Of
this city for the following information
! obtained from Captain Biscoc, Of the