Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-04-07

u We are idebted to the kindness of friend
Tor the following translation from an editorial
IN that very able and influential French paper,
IN New York, the Courier des Eats Unis..--
We cannot help thinking the best joke in it is
the Eitor's assertion that we Yankees are supe-
rior to the French in loguacity' We should as
soon think of comparing bob.o-ink with a
crow.
A meeting of the French residents of New
York city was holden at St. Johns Hall, on the
22d March, in honor of the recent Revolution in
France. Among the transactions at this meet
ing we notice that the titles Monsieur and
Messieurs were suppressed, as anti-republican,
and replaced by that of Ctoyens. On this SUBJ
ject the editor of the Courier des Eats Unis
has the following sensible remarks -
Zone scene ut this meeting appeared to us particu-
larly deporable 1t was that in which some persons,
who make their repubicanisln to consist in words,
shouted their anathenns against the first speaker who
had the politeness to make use OF the Messieurs
and required that this aristocratc nppeation should
he replaced by that OF Cuoyens baughabe incidents
resulted from this ridiculous innovation; all the speak
ers pronounced al each instant from force OF habit,
the fatal Msseurs; but, being called at once to order
by their xorabe auditors they recovered themselves
very quickly, like school boys who have made blum
der Their tongne alas turned back to their repub-
licanism of the day before This ptiiu borrowing
from the vulgar and prosac traditions Of our ancient
revolution is, we repeat it, deporable
We love and we desire fraternity among men, but
It is the fraternity OF Education and that equality
which tends to elevate, rather than to depress them
Now the word cifoyen, convenient and beautiful in
certain cases. but ridiculous when it becomes a con-
straint and is set I, every sauce from this word sys-
tpn,n irn hmm he
sanscuoes of 1893 il is but too easy matter to free
ones self The proof OF this given at ST. Johns
Hall for the tenn citoyen had no sooner been de-
creed by the assembly, than one of the members of the
committee cried out to another: Citoyen, pass me
my overcoat.
Do the Americans, our masters in democracy, give
US Ii Ike examples. Among them, is not poieness
allied with the mos, absolute equalityl Do even the
most radical LocOioos believe that they flaw their
tongues and their patriotism by pronouncing the words
Master, sir, and Gentleman, which, grammatcally
are words far more trstocratic than our noiiensive
Messieursi
The Americans haze understood equality in seek
ing to elevate all to tfe dignity OF gentlemen Let us
not construe it into t necessity OF descending all
the quality OF blnckguads Let us commence by equal
ing our hosts in the pratice oil things before wishing
surpass them in the Prudery Of words. Let as not
sport tcith republicanrm let us comprehend it, and
practise it seriously, ifpossble Let gain applause
among the people at whose hearth are seated, and
excite their rdicu as we have done by our debut
Of the respectable wtrd citOyeRS we have made q
quollbet with which he Journals have commenced
TO pursue us and will pursue for long time to
come In the name OF cur personal dignity and of that
OF our country let us abandon these unhappy mistakes
They are calculated to inspire foreigners with sad fore
bodlngs as to the future OF France for il ice present
ridiculous and disordery example, We who live in
the midst OF republican people and who should have
served at their sides our apprenticeship i'll liberty what
may be prophesled Of those OF our citizens who
are passing at once rom relative bondage to absolute
independence 1t is lot them ourselves only French
men OF America, TINT we compromise, but also our
brothers OF the natal soil. Our honor, our cons!-
Grafton belongs to them let respect these them if
not on our own account at least for their sakes, "
1t is stated that the honors of the evening
were borne away by Mr. Brisbane. an American,
who, in an address in French, rendered homage
in the bappiest terms to the devotion of France
to the cause of liberty. The editor says thus:
" In general we Frenchmen) should he sparng of
public meetings We have neither the habit nor the
discipline suited for them, and our self love loses more
than i gains in this sort of exhibitions. When we
have delivered ourselves, sweating blood and water,
OF little discourse which have nprudenty under
taken, an American an lrishman mounts the tri-
bune, as was the "Wednesday evening, and his
acIle alert, transporting sloquence makes at once
painful contrast with tsr embarrassed and heavy
praseology. Our inicrorrv in matter of ouuacity is
placed in light yet painful, when il happens
it did on "Wednesday night, that foreigner an Amer
lean, makes, in our language, an address better than
and worknen in New York, but we are in return, as
orators, bad enough Let US acknowledge this with
out committing our seli-lOve and before we produce
ourselves public let endeavor il possible to make
a better figure there.
This will come Tor the French genius is one of those
precious mines which contain in themselves all riches
but gold itself must be worked and polished before at
tanning its full splendor.''