Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-02-12

The New " rk Mirror has brief notice OF
another abusive book on this country which has
recently appeared in England, from the pen of
traveller who styles himself ''Rubio." The re-
suits of his observations are contained in VOL
ume entitled 'Rambles in the United States and
Canada during the year 1915, with short ac-
count of Oregon
The gentleman's emulation appears to have
been to produce connection of the abuse and
vulgarity of Trollope, Marryatt and Dickens, and
judging from extracts published in the reviews Of
the work, he has quite succeeded, for in these
Two qualities sRubo' goes far beyond any previ-
Gus writer upon the habits and pecuarities of the
Americans. We cannot resist giving. some of
the choicest specimens of the authors style. OF
the American people he says:
"The men are sallow and the women tallow; the
women are wanting in all that makes feminine ma
ture beautiful, and their efforts to supply such
deficiency by art are totally wanting in the great
artistic quaifcatlon--celdre arfem-in which the
French excel. The men are merely long, lanky
Yankees, lathy and uncouth, with narrow napes
TO their necks like women. They never have
any boyhood, and never live to grow old. They
are sour and gloomy, not from constitution, but
habit; have no faith in the power Of street music
the senses and open the pocket, their whole
souls being wrapped up in the pursuit Of 'auo,her
doliar;' they have neither Imagination, nor fan
cy, nor taste.
.'They are truly vulgar, ignorant, braggjng
splitting, melancholy, sickly people. Passing
their lives in state of mental excitement, some
kill themselves with drink, and some with tobac-
CO; some are hurried to the ever yawning gates
OF their cemeteries BY excuses in religion eX-
cesses iq politics; excuses in commerce eX.
cesses in speculation (; or trbulations of mind
induced by complication of these causes. But
calamity is not of long life in America for the
men are soon dead and soon forgotten. Duels
and assassinations also help to thin their ranks,
for, strange as it may appear, it can be proved,
that, famous as Italy, Sicily and Spain are for the
stiietto, there many more assassinations and
stabbng in the slave States Of America than in
all those countries put together. This is a me-
lancholy truth; but as the minds of the masters
In the Southern States insensibly become degrad-
ed by the mere contact, not to say association
with beings so degenera ted their slaves, the
moral sense becomes blunted, they care little for
assassination or murder, and nothing for stabbing
and manning"
r.
81 certainly will not go so far as French
friend Of mine, who had resided twenty five years
in the States, and gives it his opinion that the
next best speculation, after Tom Thumb, would
be to ind complete American gentleman--that
rara apis in terfis--and exhibit him in London
and Paris at shilling head.
'Americans are generally vulgar but why
they should be hypocrites in the northern States,
rcgues in the middle, and rufIians in the south, is
not SO easily accounted for"
'Rubio' has a very mean opinion Of our great
men,-apd not even station induces show of re-
spect. He calls Captain Tyler 'Hs Acciden-
cy, and asserts that he saw him scombin his hair
with a filthy comb tied up by piece of string in
q steamboat, and washing himself with jack
lowell used in common with fifty other dirty
passengers Polk he describes as village
lawyer Edward Everett, as a Unitarian Minister,
and VIM. Marcy, Secretary of War, he says
'sports gingham umbrella
The following is Of the richest bits extract
ed, and makes one DESTROYS Of becoming acIuaint-
ed with the contents generally--indeed we are
surprised that none of enterprising publishers
have yet reprinted the book, which would be sure
to find ready sale:
The Americans, says Rubo are shabby and
ungrateful people, leaving their most deserving
patriots and beneiactors TO starve ; thew are a
grossly dishonest people. The slave properties
Of the South mortgaged 10 The .abolttionisis OF
New England, in order 10 purchase sIoyes. and
they are about forming railroad Of A., 1856 miles
in order to steal Oregon, at an expense of Eco
100000 sterling, while their debt is ESQ, 600, OOO
two thirds of which is repudated, and they re.
fuse to pay even the interest on it. They have
swindled Mexico out Of Texas, and are about 10
juggie her out of California, under mask of a
threat to England Of taking Oregon, which, says
Rubio, they may have for three-haf pence an
acre. II they choose to pay for it at that rate a.
bout g5 100000 sterling