Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-03-08
John Bull ON Brother Jonathan.

Last week we gave brief extract from
the North British Review, In connection
with the recent news from Europe, and the
whole passage may be interesting 10 our
readers, as showing what the British think
of us. The writer urges bran new reason
for going to war with Russia. He says:
THE Americans, as 10 well known, have
70 special liking for the Russians ! they are
Jealous of Great Britain; they have had
more than one "tiffn with Austria they
are deeply interested in the gallant struggle
which Turkey is now making for her lnde-
pendence; aud above all they sympathise
warmly and enthusiastically with the Hun
garians, and are fully aware how closely
Magyar and Ottoman interests are bound
up together. They long for an opportunity
of striking blow against despotism, and
on behalf of republican institutions; they
are full of zeal for the spread ofliberty and
popular rule throughout Europe; and, i'm
agning they have EMISSION" to fulfill,
they believe that more just, glorious, and
hopeful opportunity was never presented tc
them than the present. The retirement ol
England and France from the scene, tc
leave Turkey to such fate as her own un.
aided resources could command, = would
probably be the signal for the immediate III
reference of our Transatlantic brethren
not perhaps, as nation, but as volunteers
II Hungary were to rise, their intervention
would be certain; and Hungary oould rise
if American aid were known to be at hand
We can state positively that men, money
and arms are all ready-waiting and anx.
ious for an opening. The whole nation, as
is well known, (and the government OF the
United States must soon follow the nation)
is longing to obtain footing in the arena
of European politics and Turkey abandon
ed by her old allies, and left to the mercy
of the great despct of the world, would Of
fer too tempting, too honorable, and toe
just an occasion to be neglected. Nor could
we say them nay; we have pronounced
Russia TO be wrong, and we could not in.
terfere to prevent assistance being offered
to the right. And we may be well assured
that if the Americans did come upon the
stage, their proceedings would be conduc-
ted in very different mode, and gudedby
very different spirit from our scrupulous
and timid policy-always hampered by ira
ditional ideas, always bound down to Off
cial forms, always restrained by the fear OF
too signal a success, always confused,
thwarted, and enfeebled by ulterior consid-
erations. Now, should we be wise to throw
open to the United States such al honora-
bic opportunity for becoming a European
Power, for planting a republican flag in the
Mediterranean, for doing duty from which
we have shrunk, for reaping glory which
ought to have been ours We are accus-
toned to speak Of the Americans as COM
mercial people, always counting the cost
governed exclusively by the almighty dol
lar" This is not so. Numbers among
them have more wealth than they can'use,
and long only for distinction. Asa people
they are essentially ambitious, propagan-
dists, and vain-glorious; military fame, it
has long been seen, is the road to high Of
fee and to public estimation and the ad-
miral, the general, aye or the private indi-
vldual who. should plant the national flag
on the batteries of Sebastapol, or drive the
Russians out of Bucharest, would, beyond
all question, find The Presidential chair rea-
dy cushioned for him when he returned
home. Nor could their success be very
doubtful. They are the best sailors in the
world, and among The hardest soldiers !;
they could soon get together navy power.
full enough 10 destroy that of Russia; they
have boundless wealth and would not spare
it were the national zeal once fairly reused; ;
and. as we once before remarked, they pre-
sent the most formidable combination Of
qualities which it is possible to encounter
the utmost hardihood of savage life with
the most unbounded resources of civlliza-
ton and science. We ought to curb and
battle Russia, therefore, if only to anticipate
America in doing so.