Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-05-31

Example OF the United States.
The last number of the Westminster Review
contains an interesting article on the Admins
rative Example Of the United States The
writer deals with the evils of the centralized sys-
TEN of administration i'll England with merciless
candor, and, after CHANGING cursorily at the mis-
cradle failure of every effort to adapt English
Constitutionalism to the protection of popular
liberty in Europe, he excaims: s.Hencetorward,
it is no longer England, but the North american
Republic, that has become the pole-star to which,
from all sides, the eye of struggling nations
turns" SO
The writer then proceeds to contrast the Eng
lish with the American system of administration,
awarding to the latter the merit of immeasurable
superiority. He also meets the objections raised
to the American system, that it is not SO favora-
BILE to efficiency in diplomacy or war as that
which places almost irresponsible power IN the
hands of the Executive authority, by referring to
the great facts in the history of the American
Republic, which utterly disprove the assertion
that under mere democracy energetic diplomacy
and warlike success impossible. In the war
of the Revolution, though the American colo
nists were ultimately triumphant only by the I'M
sparing aid of France in men and money, yet,
animated by liberty, they performed wonders of
valor and perseverance,, and nobly earned their
independence.
Again in 1912, continues the Reviewer, 'they
assumed the aggressive against England, because
we established blockade on Europe against their
ships, and took sailors from them by force. In
that they were still greatly unequal to us;
yet in all separate combats they had decided adj
vantage by the superiority of their gunnery--a
striking proof that a free system produces higher
skill than one of routine, for England at that
time had been for eighteen years at war with
France; had three times destroyed the French
fleet, besides the Danish and the Spanish; had
most highly-trained crews and distinguished
officers; while the Americans were wholly raw,
having had peace of twenty-seven years, and
military and naval system economic to penurious-
ness"
Then the energetic demands of Gen. Jackson
on Louis Philppes government for payment of
debts due to the United States caused the French
government to show to the insult, !" and pay the
money Next came the Texas and Mexican
wars and of these the Reviewer says:
"ln neither was any military error committed,
great were the difficulties; and in the Mexican
war one knows not what is most to be admired ;
the facility with which an army of volunteers
submitted to discipline; the perfected of their
weapons-new inventions of America, handled
with skill previously unknown; the goodness Of
their commissariat, in wild and vast country;
or the flexibility of their mechanical adaptations
as to reporting, printing, and communicating
homeward. For fifty years past, the merchant
| ships of the United States have VIGOROUSLY been
far better built than those of Great Britain; and,
as in 1912, our gunners were very inferior to
theirs, SO at the crisis Of the Mexican war, into
which they plunged after long peace, their prac-
tice in small arms was UNNECESSARILY superior to
anything which the trained British regulars had
at that time attained. =
The reason of all this is acknowledged to be
the free institutions and the free use of arms
which America enjoys. In England, on the con-
trary, arms are now purposely withheld from the
nation, and all drilling of troops, except under
royal officers, is made unlawful. In England,
therefore, the central government is made des-
potism, and the nation now groans with a sense
Of its own degradation.
A MARSHAL OF THE UNITED STATEs.-Among
the Americans who attended the late ball gwen
at the Hotel de Vile, Paris, was Jack Spicer, Of
Kentucky. Jack rushed the dress somewhat
| strong, and sported epaulettes on his shoulders
large enough 10 start four major generals in bust
ness. Jack was the observed of all observers,
and got mixed up with party that his friends
could not account for. Wherever the morshals of
France went, there went Jack; and when the
marshals sat down Jack did the same, always
taking the post of honor. The day after the ball
Jack called on his old acquaintance, Mr.. Mason,
our minister to France, v no started up little
conversation in the following manner:
:" hear, Jack you were al the ball last night q
al was, sir, and had high old timen
For which you were indebted, | suppose, TO
the high old company you got mixed up with !?
Dy thc way now came you dssOcldltu win the
marshals ?n
!" How? by virtue of my Office; they were
marshals of France, while am nothing else than
marshal of the Republic / showed my commits
sion, and took post accordingly"
BY what right Of Office what do you mean 81
" Read that and see."
Here jack presented Mr. Mason with Whitley.
brown paper, with seal big enough for a four
pound weight.
What IN the name Of Heaven is this ~
My commission OF marshal; received il
IN 1850, when assisted in taking the census in
Frankfort"
You don't mean TO say that you travel on
this ~
al don't mean anything else. That makes me
marshal of the Republic, and intend TO have
the Office duly honored"
Mr.. Mason allowed that Jack was doing large
business on very small capital. We should not
wonder If the reader think the same. A census
marshal of Frankfort mixing in with the marshals
OF France is certainly rushing matters in a man.
ner that requires as much brass rs epaulettes
Jack, We are happy 10 say, is equal to both the
requirements