Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-07

10 Try sslfgovsnmsnt are great strokes Of immense ~
form and prodgous progress, grand and brave expert
ment Three Of the wsest Of its original esssysts LATER
SON had no doubt, Hamilton had many Of its success
while washington who vowed to make the trial. should
it his le had he lived to witness the
and marvellous development since he bequeathed his
blessing on it. must have reoiced that 1t goes no
further bengnant miracles have been already worked for
the happiness Of all mankind bright era to I'LL edifyng
pages Of historical renown. tt85R
Although still experimental, aud, as some fear the
great reforms obsucted by superficial changes yet
is no organic rerograde Transient excesses restless
changes bad practices defling good principles faction
befoung party which is the vital element of progress
politicians supplantng statesmen pgmes, giants, and
pothouse seminaries of learnnghese lamentations
to surge up from human nature The unworthy viii Of
ten rule people too happy and busy like healthy men,
be careful Of their welfare But many if every crisis
past rallied the good and palsed the bad and in oil
liability always will again
Foreign commerce as extensive any nation, manu-
features OF nearly want all the useful arts -four
ishing the polite and elegant in rapid creation discove-
ries and inventions, improved architecture, painting
statuary and music, comforts multiplied for the needy
and luxury for the rich with their numbers greatly in
creased the whole physical and social condition of these
United States is theme for neither unpleasant unpro
ftable expatation.
But after the few cursory views submitted all the rest
is pretermited conclude with glance ut the mental
clement home literature the transparent amber in which
recollection and representation of the whole crystaz
ed for admiration animadversion and preservation Of
science, properly speaking nothing need be said Its
American excellence is recognised and it begins
be acknowledged also that America determined and well
begun to have literature of her In that greatest
OF all the acu les of authority and fame with which little
Greece outshone Rome, with all her conquests
and several centuries before Rome attempted any thing
the sort, America is than beginning to have ma
tional literature Of her own.
From the commonest journalism through every stage
periodical printing up to the highest ranges of bogra
ply and history, till we reach the empyreum of poetry
there is not shelf without respectable American occu
pants; many Of them known, requested and admired in
Europe American literature exported does yet equal
foreign literature imported but the balance is every day
vibrating this way. Ton loads Of American books ore
shipped continually from Boston, New York, Phadel-
Pha and other seaports; and weighing quality against
quantity perhaps the odds for lots Of trashy
romance and OF history almost fabulous exchang
ed for American school books law books medical books
and church books of which the American editions are not
only more numerous but often accredited than those
Of Great Britain, France Germany Italy Three thou
sand volumes day are published by single house in
Philadelphia that is eleven hundred thousand yo
tunes year. Twelve hundred thousand is the annual
edition Of Websers spelling book and of his dictionary
many that the assgnees keep profound secret lest
their great gains should be divulged
10 appreciate American progress in literature it is
necessary to compare the almost nihy forty years ago
Of American books in Europe with their numbers now
and to contrast the comparative paucity even ten years
ago with the present abundance home Immense in
crease has been constantly immensely progressive The
catalogue of books published in England from 1916 to
1851 both inclusive thirty five years. contains
thousand titles of works The catalogue of books pub
shed in the United States from 1920 the first year when
we can begin to count to 1852 thrtytwo years inclu
sive, contains more than twenty thousand titles of
works. or these two per cent. are translatons and
twenyeght per cent reprints that seventy per cent
were American literature; and than fourteen hun
dred titles of works have been added the American
catalogue within the last twelve months.
In quantity of books the American product has been
than twothirds that Of the English within the last
thirty years. 3a
Quality is matter of TASTE American scientific profess
sona and ecclesiastical works equal if they do not excel
the European. Spe ing efficiently, because gnorantly
poetry and there not American poets and
noyests IN as great vogue ct present i'll England any
OF theirs in this country AS to history nothing but the
lingering remains of colonial submission misleads to
circulate Ahsons malignant absurdites concerning our
Institutions, or Macaulays still more unpardonabe how
ever captivating calumnies of Penn Ramsey with Stan
hope Smiths continuation Marshaps Washington, even
old Robert Prouds history of Pennsylvania are editions
Of reliable historical truths though less pleasing styles
unknown almost by to many American readers and
to schools colleges but much worthy to be ac
cepted classics than several recent British historians
IL IS said that the American agent lately sent to Europe
procure articles from various countries there for exh
bton at the New York Crystal Palace display admi-
raby vndicatng American proficiency in elegant well
as useful arts-apped for of the old pre-
served in the Tower at London The Foreign Secretary
accedng to that rather bold request graciousy added
" that ar'nor as yours weU ours" Such answer
denotes an English gentleman bearing classical English
y
1t denotes, too the spirit of national kindness which
has superseded the contumelious arrangement when
it was sarcastcally said "who reads an American
book Let us meet that revusion, at least half way
IN efusion of kindness and profusion of books. For
Great Britain in all the immensty of her might can
not and none of her wise would exclude America
from inheritance in her ancient gores intellectual and
physical Their terature is too We are partners
and rivals in Of Shakespeare and Bacon Milton
and Locke America, in good English will carry English
poetry science history and romance, with English law
md ORDER to regions than Shakspeares su
perhuman fancy ever imagined peopled by British off
spring more numerous than Millions sublimated verse
could soemnize Vaster regions brighter skies unver-
sol education, ntenser liberty will famiariEe them to
hundreds of millions Of Americans
Contemplation even reverent of such posteriy is as
rational and impressive recollection of any ancestry
10 rghtful share in the gories of the past America
'uperadds the delightful prospect Of their enhancement
~ still more glorious future, when literature and free
iom, science and suffrage will be every Americans COM
mon inheritance.
THREE NEW TERRITORIES
Tha Gp,st AL, II