New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-05-05
A National Name.

considerable attention, owing 10 It's Introduction
before our Historical Society. We are glad II has
been SO introduced; for whether the name proposed
for the Societys consideration De finally adopted
not, the discussion will lead to thorough sitting
Of the matter, and TO Snal choice by the people
Of this country either of suffering themselves 10 be
nicknamed anything ignorant or hostile foreigners
may choose, or OF agreeing among themselves upon
some exclusive national designation On this sub
jec; we have something 10 say, and may as well
say it now.
And first VIC say, that the people of this country
have now no such exclusive national designation
True there are people who say we have, and when
We ask them whatitis, they say americans y Now
We answer tha.it isnotsxcusiyely ours Whether
it might be made SO or no, is another question But
at presentit is not so man must be blind not
TO see that every where IN own country as well
as in the res; of tie world "America and ''Ane-i-
can" s applied Unfortunately to the whole coun-
Try and TO this part CT il. A venezuelan Is an
American and will call himself an American, IN
spite of you, and wherever you and he meet. YOU
will find him using the same word to designate The
continent 10 which he belongs as you do 70 desjg-
nate the country to which you belong.
This being the case, we think it highly desirable
that we should have some patronymic exclusively
to ourselves. We think SO for great many rea-
sons not the least OF which is that it would act as
q Union band that might prevent any OF the paris
OF our coniederacy from flying of from the rest,
and disro5ing themselves of the name as well as
the glory of our country. Wa think SC, because II
We do not get one, the world viii give nick
name. Already Yankee Is almost current. II we
wait much longer, we shall see the Yankee minis
ter, the Yankee feet, announced IN foreign jour-
nails, Just as we see Dutch minister and fleet The
question Is, whether we shall choose name our
selves, or le, enemies do i, for US
What name shall we have! That requires con-
sderaton, and we may return to the subject again.
Our present impression is, that we should choose
one of these alternatives either TO assert and main
tain our exclusive right 10 the words "Amerca"
and "Amcrlcan" by remaining the continent
Columbia or to take the word Alltghanla, or
some other derivation OF that most remarkable
natural feature OF country the Al!eghanlan sys-
TEN of mountains.
We close our remarks to-day with the following
massage from letter of Washington Irving pub
shed in 1899:
eve want National name. We want i POLITICALLY.
and we it politically With the poetic necessity OF
he case shall not trouble myself leave II 30 our poets
IN tell how they manage that coocation OF words
The United States Of North America down the s"ei!e
tide of sons and float the whole rat oui upon Tue sea {"
heroic poesy speaking Ct the mere purposes OF
cor,,pnu life How is citizen Of this Republic 10 deSe-
nate himself As American: There are Two Americas
each subd!vded into various empires rapidly rsig ID M
,otancc As citizen ef the United States IL is CUM
sy Numbering title, yet still It is not distinctive; for we
have now the United States of Central America. and
heaven knows how mary United states may sprins up
under the Proteus changes of Spanish America
This NAV appear of small Government: but
ary one that Travelled III foreign count les mus be con-
sous of the embarrassment and circumocuton sometimes
by the of perfectly distinct and explicit
Sstional a,pellaton In France VIII II have announced
yself as an American have been supposed TO belong TO
belong 10 one Of the Franch colonies IN Spaia &c be from
Mexico or Peru Other Spanish America country
Kepeatedly have found myself IN geographical and po-
litical definition OF my National ioentiiy.
1.-The title OF American may serve 10 tell tire quarter OF
the worli TO which belong, the Frenchman or
an Engishman may call himself European but want
nv own peculiar national name 10 rally under want an
anpelatio that shall tell and in way not 10 be
mistaken that belong this very portion OF America.
geographical and political which II Is my PRIDE and hap
pincss TO belong / OF the Anglo saxon race,
which founded this AngloSaAOn empire IN the wilderness
that have no part or parcel win any other race or
empire Spanish, French. or Portuguese III either OF TIE
America Such an appellaon would have magic In IL
II would bind part OF the conederacy together as
with KEY It would be passport 10 the citizen OF
our republic, throughout the world.
1--WE have 1t Ia power TO furnish ourselves with
such national appea,iOn. from one OF the grand aud
eternal &C our country from that mob chain oil
mountains which form ed back bsnc and through
The old confedcracy when frs; declared our national in
dependence aude the Apalachlan of A!le:Aany
Mountains. We nigh; do this without any very nconve-
u,ent change in present titles. We might the
phrase The United Observation-Disclosures Apaaciia or
Alerhanin q should prefer the latter In place Of Amer'
ca. The title of Arainchian or Aleshanisn would sui
Announce us as Americans but would specify us rs citizens
of the Grea, Republic Even old national cypher OF
L s A. might remain unaltercd, designating THE CSirED
STATES OF ALLEGHASiA.