The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-10-22

tue sAety Oh our gallant llttle army Inc par
ticuars of the victories achieved by our troops
are intensely interesting, and will be read with
most absorbing attention.
This days Herald includes all that has yet
come to hand. When we receive any further
news from the same quarter, we shall give it to
our readers as fully as we can.
What we publish to-day, may be relied upon:
The Military Spirit Of the American People
The Progress or Republicanisn.
Notwithstanding the facts of our history, ever
since we first became an independent people, and
in spite of the evidence of several successful
wars, the people of Europe, until lately, held us
in great contempt as military people. This is
perhaps not surprising, considering that, until
within few years past, the distance which Sc
parated us from Europe was IN reality SO. much
greater than 1t now is. The salient points of
our history, and the events of our world, lost
much of their interest in Europe, and excited
but little attention, because when first reported
there, they were already comparatively old and
past.
Another almost sufficient reason why Eu-
rope thought contemporary of us as mill
tary people, was the fact of our enterprise
and skill in tn. pursuits of commerce. Calling
that word having become synonymous with
"keen dealer" and skilful shopkeeper, they
settled down into the notion that Americans
were people generally destitute of genius
and enthusiasm, and so wholly absorbed in
the pursuit of money as to be incapable of any
other ambition or any other pursuit
The events of the present war with Mexico,
related as they now are in the salons of Paris
and London almost as soon as they reach us In
New York, are beginning, very considerably, to
open the eyes of Europe to better understand
ing and more correct appreciation OF Ameri-
cans and American character. 1t is, In
sober truth, of very little importance to US
to obtain the name and fame of being war
like people, nor do we mean to desire by these
remarks, that our fame in the world should rest
upon such basis and such superstructure.
All we desire is not to be mistaken and not to be
belied; that the truth should be known and
recognized.
Now the truth is, that since the heroic times
of ancient Greece and Rome, there has not been
seen in the world people SO decidedly martial,
or eminenty qualified fo- military achievements,
so soldierlke ard spirited, in and for battle, as
the American people,
We speak the sober conviction of our minds
from what we have known-frOm what we have
seen--from what we daily read and hear SO far
from the assertion of this fact deserving to be
called bombastic, as Europe Is accustomed to
treat our Just claims to what is due to US, the
fact itself is as natural and as inevitable as 1t ID
true 1t cannot be otherwise, because since the
bright days of Greece and Rome, to which we
have referred there has not been in Europe or the
world people endowed with the same institu-
tons, animated with the same spirit, or impelled
by the same motives, until we first appeared as
nation on the great theatre of the world. There
have been republics since those days; there have
been republicans; but there have been no demo-
cracies in the world since the days of Leonidas
and the Thermopya until now with US in Ameri-
ca This explains the secret; we are demo-
cratic people; and such people, in the nature Of
things, must rule and prevail and shine and sue
coed above all other people. TACT Of the
great military spirit and enthusiasm of the Ame-
rcans can never be denied by any one who has
seen the simplest parade of volunteers, even
in citizens dress Such martial bearing
such a military abandon-such confidence,
cheerfulness, and vigor, stamped on every
brow, depicted in every movement, stirred
up in every breast, as they march along at the
sound of the drum, Is to be seen no where but In
Amer The European soldier is slave-the
American free man. The European is a ma
chne-the American is spirit and life. The
words. IN which the author describes the ami
nation of female beauty, may with a little atera-
ton be applied to the American soldier" War
Is in all his steps, fight in his eye. In all his mo-
tons military spirit"
1t is the fashion in the present time to decry
and abuse many necessary and useful things,
and, among these, war. That war is sometimes
necessary, no one will deny. II it is necessary,
it must be useful. Since war is necessary, and
often unavoidable, then that martial split
by which alone it can be carried sue
cessfully, is something to be envied and ad
mired by men. Such is the spirit which dis
tinguishes, in ere-eminent degree the American
people AS proof of the existence Of this spirit
among us, if proofw wanting, we beg to refer
our readers to the extract from Kentucky paper
given in another column of this days Herald.
The perusal Of that article calls to ones mind
the scenes such as Thucydides, Xenophon and
Livy have described them in ancient history.
There is, in fact. feature of our own history,
strong and marked, and possessing remarkable
similarity with the same scenes which occurred
so many ages ago, when the bold Thebans fol-
lowed Epsminondas to the field, or the hardy
Spartans assembled for certain death under the
co mmand of Leonidas. Indeed, there are in
existence anecdotes which we have heard Of
the most romantic description; similar little his
tories are known to every one, and occur In every
corner of our great country, ATTENDING to show
the military spirit. capacity, energy and devotion
OF the American people. Many Oh these anec-
dotes of high chivalrous bearing, Of noble enthu-
siasm, and patriotic devotion, will doubtless be
lost to history, and not be gathered up In the
fully equal, in devotion to country, and In pain
full selfsacrice to the best feats recorded OF the
heroes of antiquity
We should like to see these histories collected,
which are scattered in rich protusion up and
do wn the country. We should like to see re-
lated the conduct of Yell of Arkansas, of Pierce