The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-02-23
For the National Era.
GERMANY AND ENGLAND no. 3.

| trust you have borne in mind the general
idea ! started out with, to wit: feeling of
complaint at one-sided English reading and
attempts to make England alone the predeces-
sor of our Institutions
am sure, that to an experienced politician
as you are, it must have frequently occurred,
that in all efforts for REFORM this selfsame one
sided English reading has been the main OBJ
staclc. Ii is the great barrier to law reform
this day, as it was to Jeferson's strict construc-
ton doctrine, and as it was to Jackson's views
ON the currency, and to many other liberal
views. Nay, let me ask you, very humbly in
deed, and without the slig htest desire to offend
whether 1t has not been the stumbling block of
certain powerful party in the United States,
that they bankered after English notions of
Government? Where did they get their bane-
ful class and special legislation where nine
tenths of their notions Was il not, and is il
not now, most grieyous political error, one
that must lead us astray continually 10 take it
Tor granted that our Government sprung from
the British, and that it is ike it: and thai,
therefore, TO understand ours we must study
theirs | had supposed that eye-teeth had
been cut enough by this time, to let the i'm
portant truth spread beyond the Atlantic, that
the United States Constitution must ever be
viewed comparatively, but weighed abstractly
Its mother was Necessity its cradle New
World and its godfathers were men who look
ed beyond narrow national circles, and who,
reasoning abstractly from the experiences of
many nations, gave us a Government with few
well-defined powers. They were misers in the
s:orehouse OF political power.
have no wish to charge upon them that
they copied from Germany the confederative
Idea, only | am sure they did not get il in
England. would but suggest, that it might
he profitable TO American statesmen. to read a
little more of German history than they have
been IN the habit OF dong, and can but prom
ise them tiat such study will widen the
circle OF their thoughts, and that there they
will find many knotty questions, which we have
either passed over or which are vet to be set
tied, presented 10 somewhat familiar form, and
likely to shed light upon the subject.
Why is it thai nearly every German coming
to the United States falls so easily into our
form OF Government! Why do they with few
exceptions, Ike it9 Why are they. almost
unanimously, States Rights men
Why, on the other hand, docs almost every
Englehman. insiinctively, dislike our form Of
Goyernmentf Why are nearly all our Gov
ernmental operations repugnant to his feelings!
= These questions pondeied over without pre-
iudice, must shed mSch light upon the issue
have presented. they are not put forth as
mere iuviciuGs comparison.
have presumed upon former personal &C
qnaiDtance with you, MIR. Editor-with whom
60 differ or to agree politically, makes no break
In friendly relatiOns-tO send you these sug-
ges.ive views Of mine. You will bear me wit
ness. that cannot be charged with neglecting
English reading, and that | have not written
the foregoing with view to dsparage or un
dervalue the services which many an English
man has, in Former and more recent times
rendered to the progress Of rational freedom
/ have always read, with pleasure land profit
| trust the standard English authors But
must frankly admit that one great drawback
herein has been, the ever present self Mandatory
assumption, that England is the paragon in
Governmental propess-an assumption not
warranted In truth. From such one-sided rec
ords, love to return TO the history of the ma
tan within which has ever beat Europes in
telligent heart and where liberty and national
Justice, and pre-eminenty the latter, have been
practical household words.
may have given TO the words of your cor
respondent a meaning he did not intend to
convey. 80 Il shall regret it. shall follow
his articles with due attention, and, following
mp the ideas have suggested, may give, here
after a brief historical outline OF the old Ger
manic institutions.
Much rather, however, would | see some
ADLER pen than nine undertake this task; and
to such a one bespeak your readers kind at
tention. 1UIsKo.
IMPORTANT DEcIsgON.-The United States
Court, at Washington, has affirmed Judge
Spraguc's opinion, gwen in the Circuit Court,
at Boston, in 1852, in which he decided that
N..G Norcross's Rotary Planning Machine does
not infringe the Woodwork Machine.
Mir. Nurcross resides in Lowell, Mass. The
case was ably argued by VIM. Whiting, Esq,
of Boston.
Charles p. Cooper of Savannah, has aban-
doned the bar for the pulpit.