Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-10-09
Mike Walsh in London.
ENGLAND AND THE ENGLISH.

Everything an American sees on landing in Eng
land--always excepting the juvenile shoe-blacks-
unfailiDgy reminds him of sowness and solidity
The clumsy forms Of the people, and particularly of
the laboring classes and the still more clumsy mode
in which they are clad-the mammoth appearance
Of the horses, the reality.of which far exceeds all
my preconceived notions of them--the stupendous
frowning walls with which every place seems to be
surrounded the private mansion, alike with the
docks, and the hospital, inirmary and cemetery,
no less than the prison and arsenal--these, and
thousand other things which everywhere m, ct
your eye, are SO different from what we bave been
accustomed that they necessarily challenge the
attention of the stranger. You are at loss, while
looking at the sluggish, cumbersome appearance OF
the men generally, TO divine where the extraordi-
nary activity and feetness Of the English prize.
tighter and professional runner came FROM but a
few weeks experience--f you are pretty lively
traveller-will solve the mystery. Itisthe almost
universal love Of money which exists here. Moth
ing short Of the prospect of pocketing supply Of
tin" could ever induce a full. .blooded Enpshman
TO go through the severe drilling and selfdenisl
indispensaby necessary TO all who attain eminence
in those pursuits. Tho horses are more like ele-
plants than horses, and they walk along without
any seeming effort, with loads which appear really
incredible.
NIKE ATTENDS A DEBATING socIErY.
Does the human race spring from one pairf"
crime p 1900 -
"Is the faculty Of reason confined to man -
Are the people politically prepared for an exten.
sion Of the suffrageT
The latter was the one thon under consideration,
and my sturdy-lunged friend, who had just sa.
down, bad been sustaining the affirmative side of
the question in reply, as learned, to tall Scotch
tailor, who was smoking pipe on the left of the
chairman A little sbrivelled fellow. with keen
eye, and armed with most formidable pile Of doc.
uments and elaborate notes, next entered, In oppo-
sition TO the extension. lie had evidently read
great DEAL but did not seem 10 understand his sub
ject. Nearly all bis Illustrations though seemingly
conclusive, were easily turned against himself and
after very tedious discourse In which he made
the most sweeping misstatements against our peo-
pie and government, he closed by saying that al
though fully conscious that his positions were un-
assailable, he should have no objection TO hearing
his strange friend (referring TO mel make the at
tempt Accepting the almost despairing friends of
the suffrage, and believe me- IL ever came down
on any one with deserved and withering severity,
did 80 on this occasion. As proceeded, our sido
became gradually flushed with exultation. Scouts
we're sent out TO bring In the faithful and ere had
got through, the whole hail. stairway and lane II
front, were filed with attentive and enthusiastic
listeners, and as | closed, such a shout--so long
and so deafening-was never heard before in the |
region Of LnIekiln lane. Even the old windmils |
re-echoed the prolonged cheer Of triumph, which |
rent the air. Finding all excuses utterly useless
accompanied large detachment Of my delighted |
adherents into tavern close by and, much against
my wlll emptied some half dozen pots Of the worst
beer have tasted in England before could get |
away.
EHGLIsH COURTS.
The courts meet here, and have been much |
amused during my visits while they have been in |
session. The barristers, as they style themselves |
aud the judges wear great clumsy white horsc-hair
wigs and long, black clerical looking and white
neck ties precisely like those worn by our Episco-
pal clergymen, but In all other respects there
seemed TO be no essential difference between them
and our Tombs" and small civic court pettifog-
gers. The same awfully impressive" Remember,
sir, you are now testfying under the fearful soem-
nifty Of an oath and that unless you confne yourself
gidly 70 the truth, you may jeopardize, aye, even
ruin, your immortal soul ~ q Do you wish, man,
TO be understood as swearing to thatf" and 30
forth. There we're one or two fellows who car
ricd this sort Of business TO most ridiculous ex
tent, while another tall, pug-nosed chap exhibited
marked perseverance, and captiousness in splitting
hairs about the merest triflcs. should gladly
have parted with few guineas for the pleasure Of
seeing our Peter Mulvey handle this party for nm
hour or two, on buning and technicalities. Peter
would soon take the conceit out Of them. At the
adjournment Of the court there is q sudden mus