The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-20
the Memphis Enquirer.
England and America.

England and America.
The Boston journal makes the following re-
marks, which are sustained in their facts by
every observer of passing events and reader of
English books of travels, reviews, periodicals
and newspapers:
"The proclivity of the English papers for
copying and dwelling upon the ARRAYS and MUIR
ders, lynchings and robberies which occur in the
United States, has been frequently remarked.
SO. also has the tendency of British writers to
dwell on the peculiarties, real or fancied, of
American character. bloody affraf in Arkan-
sas is quoted rs picture OF American life; the
rough but cordial manners of the lakewood =
man are adduced as evidence that courtesy and
polteness are unknown traits of character in the
Americans the Reputation Of some thiny popu-
lated State, struggling under a load of debt, is
regarded as an evidence OF the habitual dishon-
esty of all Americans; shrewd, unscrnpuous
Yankee pedlar is pointed out as fair specimen
of the Anglo-Saxon; an isolated case Of inhu-
manity in a stakeholder is quoted in Illustration
of the blrbarous treatment of their slaves by
the Southern planters. In short, individuals are
taken rs types of class, isolated events as fair
Illustrations of life and manners. Such is the
superficial view taken by the English press Of
American life.
"Hhy there should be tendency on the part
of English writer's to look upon The dark side Of
American society, we will not pause to inquire.
Ii we in this country have not become CON-
pletely Indifferent to tese Representations
if we have not grown callous and se-hardened
-insensible to gibes and taunts it is not because
we have not endured them loGg enough. Many
years have elapsed since it became fashionable
for cockneys and braZen-faced female tra, ellers
to libel and triducA American character. Whether
jealousy of the increasing extent power, and
prosperity of the United States is not the main
cause of this intolerance, we leave to our read
ers to determine"
The American people can afford to bear all
these jibes and jars--their unexampled progress
in civilization enterprise, science and literature
her acknowledged superiority in the practical
application of the principles Of government to
the devclopement of the power Of mar, -men-
tally, morally and physcally-and her unexam-
pied prosperity, gives the lie so palpably to the
ISLANDERS of the toadies Of mushroom aristoc
racy, and senseless loyalty, that an American
citizen feels it unnecessary to notice the rawlings
of besottcd and ignorant pretendtrs. Were our
people disposed to retaliatc, it would be easy to
abstract ample materials from the writer's of their
own country, parli lmcntary reports, &c. The
rotten body polite, sends forth fptid smell
which procaims to the world, that the whole
English system is afil cted with gangrene and
must sooner or later prove mortal. late Brit
ish journal speaks thus of a portion of English
society:
"If it were required to draw strong picture
of man, morally and socially degraded by
misery, the savage tribes Of distant zones would
in all probability be selected to sit for it yet
such darkly shaded originals, such painful reali-
L.. .e-l.S i
the street beggar, or the Londjn thief be follow
ed to his home, if he have one) and mankind
will be seen existing in degradation as great
enduring misery as sharp as the South Sea Is
anders and the South Africans in their worst
aspect" ''.
This is picture of English society, drawn by
the pencil of a British artist. Yet these people
saeer at American manners. Alas, for their
sense of modesty. Thousands of these de
graded and miserable beings are annually
shipped to this country. More than half the
crimes committed in our sea-boarl cities, is the
work of these degraded emigrants, but it is all
set down to account Of savage Americans by
British writer's who are as igno;ant Of facts as
they are destitute OF honor and honesty. Such
of these enigrants as are not beyond all hope of
redemption, are soon in the condition of worthy
respected, esteemed and honored as
onrselves-such as British oppression has made
fiends Of are either vagabonds at large, or crow
our prisons, work houses and hospitals. There
must be a something in our laws and society Of
a very preservative quality, for thousands Of
bad emigrants become quite respectable people
here. Tue secret is-here the field Of honest
enterprise is open to all, and the emigrant who
has spark Of self.rcspect left, avails himself Of
the hope and struggles to ascend in the scale of
society.