The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-10-20
For the National Fra.
THE MISSION OF THE ANGLo-sAxoN RACE


No. H.
Henry the Fourth of France, and his great
minister Sully, animated by cosmopolitan prin-
ciples, contemplated plan for the general con-
federation Of the States of Europe One of the
great objects was to prevent wars, by establish
ing a court of arbitration, to which all disputes
between different kingdoms should be referred,
and settled in terms of amity and honor. Ii
was further contemplated TO establish code of
international Law, to regulate foreign COM
merce, and frame system Of extradition in
the case of criminal fagitves from justice But
the age was not prepared for the reception of
scheme 30 wise in its tendencies, 30 compre.
henslve in its operation. Men yet believed in
the doctrine Of natural enemies and hoped
to enrich themselves by running their neighbors
1t was supposed that the geographical bounda-
ries OF rivers and noun tains were designed to
isolate nations from each other, and they who
overstepped them were regarded as trespassers
actuated by hostile feelings. These preiudices
were embittered by theological controversy
and thus the human race, instead of being q
united family, were .arrayed against each other
in bitter factions, eager for mutual destruction.
For very long period after the death of Henry
the Fourth, these pernicious dogmas prevailed
and even when David Hume published his
ESSAY on the JEALOUSY OF TRADE, the follow
ing passages were condemned by leading au-
tnorities, who still chung with pertinacity to
exclusionst principles;
"Were such narrow and malignant politics"
says Hume, ito meet with success, we should
reduce all our neighboring nations TO the same
state of slOth and ignorance that prevails in
Morocco and the coast Of Barbary But what
would be the consequence They could send
us no commodities they could take none from
US; our domestic commerce would itself lam
guish, from want of emulation, example, and
instruction, and we ourselves should soon fall
into the came abject condition to which we had
reduced them. shall therefore venture to ao.
knowledge, not only as a man, but as British
subject, that pray for the flourishing condi-
ton of Germany, Spain, ltaly-even of France
itself am at least certain that Great Britain
and all those nations would flourish more, did
their sovereigns and ministers adopt such en-
larged and benevolent sentiments towards each
otherO
| The reflective reader will not fail to observe
the almost timid Ihraseology in which Hume
expresses himself 9 venture to acknowledge"
is evidence that he was self-conscous of enun.
ciating an unpalatsble truth, almost approach
ing political and economical heresy. He was,
indeed, one Of the earliest and ablest pioneers
OF free trade and, in our days, his sentiments
have been more frequently quoted than &C
knowledged. Hume attacked prejudice wher-
ever he found 10 obstructing the path of pro-
gress; and if some of his doctrines are unten-
able, ne must be recognised as great leader
OF public opinion in an age when liberalism
was secuted as bordering on treason There
was nothing in him superficial or conventional,
he dug deep to secure the foundations of his
philosophy, and rear upon them lofty and
enduring superstructure and he succeeded !;
for the seeds he sowed have given birth to Wig.
orous plantations of thought. In the passage
we have cited, he displays himself as COS
mopolite and if we admire him for teaching
that different races should live in friendship,
how much more applicable are those principles
to the English and the Americans, springing
from the same stock, speaking the same Ian
guage, cherishing the same traditions and ami
mated by the same love of rational liberty !!
They must be united in feelings and in pur.
pose, before they can execute their mission.
One Of the first preparations for such an
union is mutual forbearance. There has been
too much vinegar infused into the ink manu-
featured on both sides of the Atlantic and no
good or wise man approves Of the spiteful,
sneering, and narrOw.minded tone in which
the peculiarites Of each nation are held up to
ridicule. Both may learn much from each
other and to point out what is valuable with
view to mutual improvement is the true duty
OF the publicist. IL should be remembered
that the common herd Of scribblers never ex-
press the sentiments of the public mind but
only the ignorance and caprices of CLIQUE.
| In England, the aristocratic classes are rich,
and the women among them are great readers
OF novels. With them, success is certain when
America is abused, and hence the book is
adapted to the market Il must suit the Gus
toner, to extract his coin and possession of
the coin is the sole object CONTEMPLATED by
these panderers to the press They have no
solid pretensions to literature, and their pro-
auctions only enjoy an ephemeral existence
They are the little insects described by Ed
mund Burke, hatched in putresoent soils, who,
in summer evening sting and goad the noble
cattle of the field There are also tourists who
make flying visits, live at inns, and converse
with walters and porters, and return home
fully convinced that they have seen country
and studied people and yet these aspirants
could not write decent dissertation on the |
inner life of their own countrymen. Il 10 in |
decd most obvious that such persons can only |
draw rash conclusions from hssty external OBJ |
servations; they cannot collect copious materi- |
ais for reflection, and have no opportunity of |
making any minute analysis. Oflaws and in. |
situations, and how these determine national |
character, they know nothing albeit they pro.
nounce Judgment with orscuiar voices, and the |
facts which they detail are drawn from their |
own imagination. Now, scribblers Of this
character have grossly offended Americans by |
their slanderous msrepresen tations; but il is q |
great error in Americans to suppose, for one
moment that intelligent Englishmen treat such |
crudities and inanties with any other feelings
than contempt and scorn. They are too well |
known in their vocation Of doing dirty work |
for hire. II is a pity that they should even be
noticed by sensible Americans, for they derive
their sole Importance from fancying they have
produced irritation
But this miserable spirit Of invective and de-
nunciation is equally rife in America against
England. Some Of its writer's, who have been
received into the best British society, have vio
lated the sanctuaries Of private life, by disclo.
sing scenes that ought TO have been held sacred.
He who receives courteous reception from the
stranger in strange land, is not justified 10
driving traffic out Of hospitality yet this hes
been the case with an American writer, whose
name need not be mentioned. His book ere.
sted disgust in England and it was argued
that If his countrymen patronzed this descrip-
ton OF trading literature, compiled at dining
tables and in drawing rooms, their taste and
feelings must be as coarse ~ those OF the au-
thor In this kind Of resentment whole ma
ton soon participates; and resentment quickly
takes the form Of hatred. II 10 also urged
against the Americans that they are too much
addicted TO swagger That they should think
highly of themselves, il not only eIcusable, but
lsndsble; but there is little sense in attempting
TO assume Titanic proportions, for no other
purpose than to dwarf the Britishers. OF
course visa mon laugh at these political tune.
factions but they profoundly irritate the
people, They kindle desire 70 como 70 blows
a. too frequently happens among individuals