The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-04-16
J. FoErId I'm. - We have selected this ter

which Isl perhaps, less euphonious and classi
cal, dcimminated .stoadyism,' to denote spe
cies Of folly which characteristics, to a great ex
tent, the American people, aad for which, TIM
after time, they have been made to smar
Z under tha caustic structures of a Maryatt, Hall
Dickens and others, who manifested their ap
probation Of the Inequalities bestowed upol
1 them, BY showing up in their light our weak
ness and sycophancy --aye, they drew. thei
pictures in tie broadcast and most ludicrou
style. tuk wemust own that there was llucl
truth ii them At the time Dickens was ira
A versing the northern and western portions ofou
country, and being carried about from city K
city and seasted and toasted by soft-pated men
who shoYed their extensive acquaintance will
literatura, by their knowledge of those produc
tons of which the author himself was mos
ashamed, high minded Americans were never
before 50 heartily sickened at the seryility and
ftoadyism of any performance of which theil
countrymen had been guilty. Next following
the furorSn regard to Fanny Elssler, and Their
The triumphant march, hurrahs, and showers
of dollars on Jenny Lind. It makes one laugh
ieyen to think of such fantastic things. Only
llet it be known to certain class, who have not
merit enough to rise by their own talents and
efforts, or who do not possess independence
enough IL think and act for themselves, that
some st:nguished novel writers patriot-who
pirates about liberty, but instead of taking up
arms tc fight for the independence of his ma
tive land; slopes from it-be he English, Irish,
French German, Italian, or Turk, is about to
visit our chores, or that some prince, count, or
don, or itnaun, sheik, or cast-of mistress of
some grand duke, is going to condescend to
come te Us, and the would-be literat and self
constituted aristoeracy of our large cities areon
the qui viae for their arrival, and the competi-
ton Of WHO shall make themselves the most
ridiculous in getting up a display, is great be-
yond description. Again, only let intelligence
reach our ears that certain artists and artistes
are coming from Italy, or elsewhere in Europe,
to startle lis with their performances, or enliyen
us with tlseir strains, and those who would be
connosseurs are filed with rhapsody at the
thought, and talk Of .fne conceptions truth
full delineations,' wonderful compass and pow
er, highest contralto and lowest soprano,
nightingale sweetness, heavenly voice, with
such Auency as would lead one to suppose that
they were experts in the drama, understood all
about muse; when, in ninetynine cases out of
a hundred, it is all Arabic OF Chinese 10 them.
Indeed many Of the class Of artists above spe-
cited, having no honor in their own country, |
like prophets ofolden time the newspaper puffs
which gave them notoriety at home, and her
aided them abroad, having been written By
and paid for at therate Of a shilling
aline--seek this land Of promise. this paradise
for challatans, to gain q reputation no! we
should lave said, to secure goEslen honors, for
All ahe cel.at they may receive here will not be
worth a penny to them, should they return
home to laugh At the gullibility Of the yankees
BuG the remark does not apply to artists alone.
Great statesmen, great philosophers, great pa
triots, great authors, great lawyers, great ply
sicians ard great diyines, are only with these
toadies, about whom we were speaking. great
as they have /. foreign extraction. With such
the wonderful ssenchantment' Of distance
makes them loom up above tile rest Of their
class, As The giant pyramids Of the Nile, which
rise and cast their mighty shadows over the
hurnble tents Of the jewellers on the plain Just
as though there was somethingin London, Ok
ford, Paris, Rome, Vienna, Dublin, OF Cairo,
50 peculiar and exclusive in its nature, that ge-
MUS and talent can only exist and be developed
u these localities. Out upon such grogelling
Americans.
This oserWeening admiration and partially
for what is foreign, and the gross sycophancy
which raanifests itself for whatever comes
among tls foreign extraction, with bombastic
tiles ard TIC prestige Of royalty o. European
lotofiet:s5, that prevails to such sickening
sxtent especially in our cities, to the ignoring
# all American OF native genius and talent, has
proven not only a barrier to progress, but by
he Introduction and cultivation of principles
md customs antagonistic to republican institu-
ions, has proven an unmitigated curse to our
country, ind the Sooner we scout such preten-
ions ana,assert eur independence thebetter-
The old Eroverb holds true when applied to
nation as well as individuals, that ssunless we
aspect ourselves we shall not be respected by |.
others, = and hence the boastful assertions OF
British travellers and European writers of our
1igaolalee" and '.want of good breeding, .
we're insults provoked by our self-degradaGon (
md fawnlng. That point however, beyond
which fofbearance ceases to be a virtue, has in
ome degree been passed and many of our coun-
rynien have, by the force of their genius and
alent, taught these selfconceited gentry bet
er manners and checked the tone of their in
oieHt boasting. As the american patriots of
I'D taught the British statesmen and soldiers
hat there was an inherent skill and bravery in
'ur arms adequate to all the emergencies of
I ~