Polynesian., 1855-03-18
From the London Times.
England and the United States.

England and the United States.
| History supplies but few instances of many
States politically distinct yet linked together by
perfect community of race, of language, of customs
and social institutions. Those few instances, how
ever, have been very remarkable. The most pro-
minent, if not the only, up to modern times,
have been the Greek and German races, both of
them under some mysterious law, which made a
common character itself the stimulus of separation
and dispersion. Each of these races has performed
a great part in the economy of civilization, which
would not have been so well performed had their
genius tended more to political unity, to perfect
uniformity of laws, to conquest, or any other form
national and successful, have endeavored time
after time to construct out of the copious and
splendid materials around them Greek or German
unity, but the grander the attempt, the more con-
spicuous the failure; and Greek and German to
this dav remains the name of race, not of States.
! Both these great instances seem likely TO be
eclipsed by one which bids fair to occupy the same
prominent place in the history of the whole world
as the Hellenic did in that lesser world which
was limited to the shores of the Mediterranean.
The English language, carrying with 1t no small
part of the genus and traditions of this country is
the dominant tongue of North America, of Aus
tralia, and many other regions which may one day
be the seats of populous and powerful States. At
present no other language and national character
present the same Appearance of diffusion and propa-
CATION. German and French, not to speak of less
er nations, are absorbed and assimilated into the
great English staple of the United States The
day is not far distaut when the language speak
will be the chief medium of communication
throughout the Atlantic, the Pacific the Indian and
the Southern Oceans; and wherever the weary
emigrant seeks to rest the sole of his foot, he will
find himself compelled to change the language OF
his fathers for that of Queen Victoria and Pres-
dent Pierce. Disappointed then as we are of
unity AMI conquest, at least sure of seeing
our race the most numerous, the most dtfused, the
most powerful in the world, and of exercising an
influence far beyond the scope of Emperors and
Cars, beyond the reach of Cabinets, and the or
ganization of armies. Whatever may befal the
community that peoples these little isles it will be
consolation that wherever we GO, whether follow
ing gain flying oppression, we shall every
where find our own countrymen, hear our language
in every port, and everywhere discover that we
have changed the cline, but not the generous free
dom, the industry, the literature, the worship of
our own native land.
1t is the prospect of these expanding and
Strengthening affinities that mparts SO much in
terest to the mutual hospitalites shown by British
and American citizen to the diplomatic representa-
tves of the States. We have lately seen not only
the British Minister, but also a distinguished mer-
chant of this metropolis, magnlhcenty entertained
at than city of the United States, and IT Is
now grown up into CUSTOM not easily to be broken,
that the American Minister should receive here
like welcome at our own principal seats of COM
merce and manufacture. London, Manchester
Liverpool, Birmingham, and other cities, occa-
sion may offer, afford the American Minister an
opportunity of hearing and returning the express
ions of that confidence and friendship, and that
sense of common interest which are felt by ev-
cry rational person on both sides of the Atlantic.
Nor would these festivities be so popular, or the
i II LII l.
interest were it not for the almost business char
acter of these occasions. A mere interchange of
political sentiment between two nations with little
to bind them beyond mutual respect and affection
might have poetical character, but would never
grow into a custom. 1t is that business character,
that evident prospect of advantage, that constant
reference to commercial affairs, which depnves
these festivities of a sentimental character but
also gives them far, sensible and enduring sgn-
ieance. In truth, these international banquets
celebrate not sentiment, but fact: rot name
bat substance not an historical recollection, but
future full of promise. Ever since the epoch, so
deplorable in the eyes of politicians, which yio-
lently removed the United States from the legal
pride of this realm, the actual connection between
the mother country and her Transatlantic colonies
has been closer and closer. 1t has now attained
to a pass that our Georgian statesmen never
dreamed Of The relation of England to Scotland
Of lTeldDu Vi uiCtiOPOliS " lbC PAOFihOCSs VI
towns to counties, is not more intimate and bene-
fetal than that of the British Isles to the United
States The vast and fertile territory there brought
under civilization by our kinsmen supplies our In
creasiug population here with the materials of la
Dor and the means of existence, without which they
must have long ceased to increase and multiply
We contribute the bone and sinew, without which
the planter and the colonist would never have had
encouragement to penetrate the interior TO cut
down the forest, to drain the swamp, and cover
half continent, in one brief generation, with
net work.of railways and telegraphic wires.
It used to be said that if Athens and Lacede-
mon could but make up their minds to be good
friends and make common cause, they would be
masters of the world. The wealth, the science,
themaritime enterprise and daring ambition Of the
one, assisted by the population, the territory, the
warike spirit, and stern institutions of the other
could not fail to carry the whole world before them
That was project hostile to the peace and pros
&c. outv IN