The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-17
The Social Relations Of the United States and
England.

The Social Relations Of the United States and
England.
One great advantage of this country" says
an eminent English writer. in speaking of the
United States, is that here circumstances are
comparatively powerless that they do not ex-
ercise such an influence on a mans fate as in
Europe that it is more in his own hands,"
This random touch. hastily added at the close Of
a long and interesting letter betokens the eye
Of shrewd observer. Nothing is more charac
teristic Of Americans than their perfect conf
dence that their destiny is in their own hands,
and that il will depend on themselves to rise to
ahiuence or sink to beggars. 1t is to that con-
fdence that theyOwe much of the energy which
| raises them so far above other races of men
| feeling a calm reliance in his own powers. and
| in them alone the Yankee knows no insur-
| mountable obstacle and estimates objections
which would deter a foreigner from further
struggles as mere delays Of greater or less
| duration Succeed he must-and he does How
could he help it? That pale faced man, with
struggling beard and hollow cheek. whose igno-
rance of the conventional usages OF refined So
| cety has shocked you SO much is calmly calcu-
lating over segar whether he cannot build
railroad over the Rocky mountains, or lay
line Of telegraph across an arm Of the sea; if
nothing more promising turns up and ne re-
solves to make the attempt depend upon 1T. IN
nine cases out of ten he will succeed This
other gaunt barcnecked man. whose splay limbs
are in everyone's way. is just maturing
scheme over which he has brooded many an
anxious hour a few weeks hence you will hear
| of his name as the patentee of the famous new
steam boiler No one will know Of his project
until he has secured his patent. Step this way.
Here stand assembled couple of dozen pioneer
settlers Of the far West they require road.
which will cost $4,000: amongst them-and
they are all here-thcy can only collect sl2. Do
you see any signs of hesitation or doubt? Far
from it. One can subscribe provisions; another
boards third his own labor a fourth that of
his team-and so on, each relying calmly on
himself and his associates and the road is
| begun with as little uneasiness as to the final
result as if they had thousands deposited with
their bankers. These are common instances.
They illustrate one of the most striking traits
| in our national character-our independence
thing to chance and nothing to Providence, but
foreseeng every mishap and providing against
every possible accident, has matured within us
a consciousness of power which is Of itself, an
admirable guarantee Of success
| That such is not the rule in Great Britain,
the writer whose remarks we have quoted above
might well regret. There, circumstance is every
| NJ fhn ms or
nothing. Professional men estimate their
chances Of success by the wealth and adhesive
ness of their connexion;" politicians aim at
the favor of some powerful patron, under whose
agis they may creep into notorety and parlia-
ment the only hope Of a man of business is to
step into the shoes of his father or his uncle
who has gone before him. Few, very few, are
was an Eldon. Of course, Cooper, Jones
Lloyd, and others whose names we might men,
ton. who are exceptions to the rule; but their
example is rarely followed. Ambition in
England is confined to narrow sphere. The
splendid talents Of Disraeli. even backed by
the powerful connections Of his fathers friends,
would never probably have raised him to the
chancellorship, had he not flung his weight to
the side of that party whose only claim to power
was wealth and hereditary rank Here, on the
contrary q man can set no limits to his aspira-
| tions The highest rewards in the gift of the
people, political power, princely wealth, regal
splendor are within the grasp of the humblest
citizen. Neither friends, nor patrons. nor an
honored name nor a magnificent patrimony.
will avail him anything. Every American starts
in life with the consciousness that he must
conquer each grade with his unaided strength.
! 1t is to this circumstance more than any
other perhaps, that the practical bent Of our
minds is owing. We aim at results where Eng
lishmen or Frenchmen would spend time over
ways and means. We see every thing possible;
and having set our hearts on grand prize dis
| regard everything which does not directly adj
vance our pursuits. Foreigners have failure
constantly in view. and attach themselves more
| to detail. When an American has resolved to
make a fortune, it matters little to him whether
he is miseraby lodged in an attic in an obscure
street, or whether he is enabled to indulge in
the refining intercourse Of the female sex; his
one aim is constantly before his eyes. and no
thing diverts him from his object. An English
man, on the contrary. may seek wealth with as
much ardor, but he will not evince the same
concentration. The pleasures Of society and
the comforts Of a home are never forgotten amid
the tolls of business his receipts increase. so
does his expenditure. The deeper he plunges
into exports the more does he relish the society
Of the great and the sweets of extravagance. 1t
follows as q natural rule that az he brings less
energy to bear on his great aim. his chances of
success are less in proportion to those of the
American. whose whole soul is engrossed in his
pursuit. After the prize is once gained. the
American is in general far more prodigal of
money than the foreigner; but during the ex-