Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-11
For the National Era.
GERMANY AND ENGLAND-N0. 8.

| 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 selesame one
sided English reading has been the main OBJ
staclo. Il is the great barrier to law reform
this day, as il 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 slightest desire to offend,
whether it has not been the stumbling block of
q certain powerful party in the United States,
that they hankered after English notions Of
Government Where did they get their bane-
full class and special legislation where nine
tenths of their notions? Was it not and is it
not now, most grievous political error one
that must lead us astray continually, to take it
for granted that our Government sprung from
the British, and that ii Is like il; and that,
therefore, to understand ours, we must study
theirs had supposed that eye-tceth had
been cut enough by this time, 70 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 abstrsctly from the experiences Of
many nations, gave us Government with few
well-de6ned powers. They were misers in the
storehouse 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 it in
England. would but suggest, that it might
be profitable to American statesmen, to read
little moro Of German history than they have
been in the habit Of doing, and can but prom
ise them that 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 yet to be set
tied, presented in somewhat familiar form, and
likely TO shed light upon the subject
Why is it that nearly every German coming
form Of GovGnment7 Why do they. with few
exceptions like III Why are they, almost
unanimously, States Rights men,
WHY, on the other hand does almost every
EngIishman, instinctively, dislike our form Of
Government? Why arc nearly all our Gov
ernmental operations rcpugnant to his feelings?
These questions pondered over without pre-
JUDGE, must shed much light upon the Issue
have presented. They are not put forth o.
mere invidious comparison.
| have presumed upon former personal ac-
quaintance with you, Mr.. Editor-with whom
to differ, or to agree politically, makes no break
in friendly relations--to send you these sug-
gestve views Of mine. You will bear me wit
ness, that cannot be charged with neglccting
English reading, and that have not written
the foregoing with view 10 disparsge or un
dervalue the services which many an English
man has, in former and more recent times
rendered to tho progress Of rational freedom.
| have always read with pleasure, land profit,
| trust the standard Eoglish authors. But
must frankly admit that one great drawback
herein has been, the over-present self laudatory
assumption, that England is the paragon in
Governmental progress--an assumption not
warranted ia truth. From such one-sided rec
ords, love to return to the history Of the ma
ton within which has ever beat Europe's in
telligent heart, and whore liberty and national
justice, and pre-eminently the latter have been
practical household words.
may have given TO the words Of your cor
respondent meaning he did not intend to
convey. Ifso, shall regret IT, | shall follow