Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1856-02-20
PUNCH AND THE Il AMERICANS

Nv IL
The London Punch, although it quizzes
and abuses us every now and then, as it does
the English, has an eye to;its interest, and
sets large value on its American
subscription list. So, in the number just re-
ceived, is a preface addressed to Brother
Jonathan, in which "soft sawder" is admins
tered as follows =
"BRoTHER JoNATHAN.-Your friend Punch
makes you the very handsome Christmas Of
fering of this, his Twenty-ninth Volume.0
The best of Friends, will now and then hd kt
little wrinkles of temper; but then a little calm
consideration, little tolerance toward one
another, smooths them on and all is clear
again. So, dear Jonathan, let it be withyou
and me, even with Jonathan and Punch, as
the two representatives of the great Saxon
family, between whom let there be nothing
rougher than Atlantic pillows.
Long before George Washington spun his
peg top, your friend was but bit of living
stirring wood-the real Hgnum vita-in hearty
England. Genealogist's with small envy,
have dated the family Of Punch no later than
the time of queen Anne. l have, hope, a
very proper contempt for this heraldic dis
paragement. | believe the family tree to
have sprung from an acorn, dropt, and most
mysteriously picked up, and as secretly drop
ped again in more congenal soil, from an oak
of the Druids. Be this as it may, the deeds
of Punch have become his ancestors; and
how many of your forefathers have laughed
and meditated, and given their coppers, small
but willing oblations at the shrine, that is,
stage of Punch. You and he, Jonathan,
both speak a common language. When
Punch cries out in the streets does not Jona-
than regard him?
l am most happy to find, dear friend, that
Christmas will close in, and find us heart.
whole and amicable. Pray give hint-and
one of the strongest-to President Pierce tc
put muzzle now and then upon his Attor
ney General. Here has that amable lawyer
been doing his best to blow red Goals between
England and the States, and that too, wher
the hartiest good wishes and best sympathie'
of Jonathan ought to attend upon his rela
tions. Ought, say l? Why they do. Thi
is plain enough; for hardly has the lawye
aforesaid blown off half his steam of verbiag,
than the strong common sense, and good kind
ly heart of America spoke out, and warmed
up, and declared that the very thought O
another war with England was monstrou
folly and huger crime. And so, Mr.. AT
torney General nationally snubbed, becam
suddenly as quiet and as dumb as defunc
raven.
"Among other scandals, it was wickedl
preached, to your discredit, Jonathan-eithe
let me say to your indignation-tha tn
American eagle was to keep company awhil
with the eagle of Muscovy, swooping alike a
the same, ravening alike on the same victims
We should as soon think of seeing the sma
pig tail Of Benjamin Franklin-(a relict {
course, in the possession of the respected M
: Barnum) enlarged and elongated into tn
!, knout of the Czar. We should as 500
believe that the key of Franklin that sui
lined his soul with the conviction that h
Y had drawn down the electric fire from tn
clouds, could be fitted to the lock of dur
geon for the liberty of the human race. N
, no, Jonathan! AS it is sometimes said {
i cocks, so Punch says of the likelihood of til
J, conjoined American and Russian eagles
4 = those eagles won't fight
= Let us, then, for all future time take goo
: ), heed that we be mutually moderate; mutua
= ly forbearing. AS for that matter of Cub
| confess / can hardly see why, if you pal
: for it, you should not have it. | don't thin
it would prove the bargain, even at gift
: land Spain isquite as likely to give as she
+ to pay)-that you in your present exaltatic
believe it. Cuba is called a jewel; neverth
: less is not there little too much black bloc
in the ruby to make il very valuable to you
= self, all Southern circumstances considered
Any, way. Jonathan, let us at this seaso
making long arms, shake hands across t
Atlantic, let our amity remain as green
70 holly leaves, our hearts unspotted by blac
ID as holly berries. and so on to the end, let
asperity be worn away,