Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-11-29
Yl.scH AND AMERICAN cHARAcrER.

E88uC0 AMI AA1AASAN S0AAASee.
III. Jales Jsrnin, u Frenchman who e
considered scif.conceited cvcn by his own
countrymen, who passes for impairment
even in Paris, where he edits dramatic pa
persrnlAte,y read or wrote homily 10
Rachel on the great sin she was committing
BY shying 80 long among the barbarians OF
this country. and depriving Frenchmcn, who
alone are capable Of approaching her genius,
of their legitimate enjoyment In the
cousSe ..ef his homily NJ. Jarnin says a
great many things sbou, the msnners and
customs Of the people ofthis country which
he Intended to be very severe but which are
only very lbsuid Spirilicn. the accom-
pliahsd Psrisisn correspondent ofthe Boston
Asles. although he Gays that he-remafks
aad. strictures Of the Freedman are be-
neaah contempt. that they will excite no
usa's anger and cannot even raise scorn,
yet makes them the theme OF one Of his let
tiers, the conclusion of which runs the iol-
lon Ing contrast between French and Ameri-
lean character. Il 10 easy TO perceive that
although Epiridion Affects very philosoph-
cal caimness, he is considerably exercised
BY the mendaciiy or malice of the Partisan
critic -
.We confess Fremhmen are our supe-
riors: Ia the polka to be taught, is hair TO be
cusled, are corns to be cut. ure frogs to be
cooked, is soup to be served, are psntaloons
10 be made, are patent leather boots desired,
is lady's bonnet 10 be ribboned and be
lowered, is perfdy to be made science,
are women to be betrayed, is government to
BE- overthrow, is religion TO be outraged,
are sRumpets to be deifed-we yield the
palm to Frenehmen--,hey do beat US hol-
low.
The truth is, we are hum-drum sort Of
people-we are merely practical folks. Our
genius scars no higher than the easily dis
armed thunder cloud; it reyels only in oP-
position to the vulgar winds and waves
here impelliug the moving city with fore
seen certainty across the Hackiess ocean;
there teaching the mariner where best TO
spread his canvass wings, what currents TO
foresake ;--it is at home, but in the humbiest
labors Of the cotton field, preparing its snowy
Aakes for the comfort OF the world, and in
the golden harvest which it gamers before
the horizons cloud deluges the plain, and in
the crowded factory, where il saves labor
that children may train their minds, as it
with iron and steel supplies their fingers'
places and gathers and sewers the many col
ored ,hrong Of threads, until the carpet be
completed;--it is freest, in the begrimed
smthy. torturing the black metal with FIRE
and with pinchers, until il consents to DO
ten mems du,y, and to enable one army 10
be more effective than ten were form Ty;
itis gsyest in the vast shipyard. as il passes
it, sensitive, cunning hand over the con-
Rested wilderness, and endues it, canvass
vested az il is, with the speed of steam
it hath most magic when il toys with the
battery and wire. as il distances Ariel and
keeps pace with thought;--it il most vigor
ous in reconciiing the conflict of laws, and in
exhibiting the zenith OF Spanish grandeur
and tracing the weird story OF golden Mexl-
co and silver Peru to their dark, fantastic
darn, in colored narratives scarcely inferior
In an to Livy's painted page;-in founding
public schools, and public hbraries;-in
planting fourishing cities and blooming
Rsfdens where dreary continents fvegeta-
ton housed but proving beasts of prey;-
ininforming the most secluded recesses with
the busy hum Of men,