The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-07-29

creatures fall drew from the crowd. /, heert
that afterwards three more bulls and six horse
were killed, and that an addition had beer
made to the usual entertainments of the plaza
with which the people were not well pleased
A class of combatants appeared, called pega
dores, who literally took the bull by the horns
allowing him to toss them in the air, and on,
of them was much hurt by his fall. sit is
Portuguese innovation" said my friend Dor
Pedro, rather innocently, as it seemed to me
sand it is horrible sight for MS Spaniards
We do not like to see a man tossed like dog
DIR. JOHNSON on TIE AMERICAN RHv0LU
TON.
Mr.. Bancroft, in the seventh volume of hi
History of the United States" just published
is very severe upon DR.. johnson, for the Tory
pamphlet he wrote against the American Revo
luton. The following paragraphs will give m
idea of DIR. Johnson's treatment of the subject
and of the historians treatment of him.-Eds
Trans
"While such was the state of angry opposition
between the citizens and soldiers ct Boston
Lord Howe at London finally broke off his ne
gotiations with Franklin, and the Ministry used
the pen of Samuel johnson to infsme the pub
lie mind. johnson was poor mans son, and
had himself tasted the bitter cup of extreme in.
digence. His father left no more than twenty
pounds. To bury his mother, and pay her little
debts, he had written 'Rasselas.' For years he
had gained precaxious support a. an author
long, from not having where to lay his head
be had escaped prison for a tribe he owed
by begging an aims of Richardson, had broken
his bread with poverty, and had even known
what it was from sheer want to go without q
dinner. When better days came, he loved the
poor as few else love them and he nursed in
his house whole meats of the lame, the blind
the sick, and the sorrowful. A man who had
thus sturdily battled with social evils, and was
80 keenly touched by the wretchedness of the
down.trodden, deserved to nave been able to
feel for an injured person but he refuses to do
so. Having defined the word pension as Day
given to q state hireling for treason to his coun
try he was himself become pensioner; and
at the age of three score and six, with small
hire, like q bravo who loves his trade, he set
about the work of his taskmasters. In tract,
which he called Taxation no Tyranny he
echoed to the crowd the naughty rancor which
passed down from the King and his Court to
his Council, to the Ministers, to the aristocracy,
their parasites and followers, with nothing re-
markable in his party zeal, but the intensity Of
its bitterness; or in his manner, hut its unpar-
alleled insolence; or in his argument, but it's
grotesque extravaganza.
raj Congress their willingness to resign their
opulent town, and wander into the country a.
exiles. Alas retorted johnson, the heroes
of Boston will only leave good houses to wiser
men. To the complaints of their liability to
be carried out of their country for trial, he an.
swered, we advise them not to Offend When
it was argued, that they were condemned I'm.
heard, he asserted, there is no need of trial;
no man desires to hear that which he has al
ready seem
Franklin had remained in Great Britain for
no reason but to promote Cancellation |; and
with an implscable malice, which was set off BY
ponderous effort at mirth, johnson pointed at
him as the master of mischief, teaching Con-
gress to put in motion the engine of political
electricity, and to give the great stroke by the
name of Boston.
Did the Americans claim right of resist
ance, 'Audacious de6ancel' cried johnson,
acrimonious malignityl The indignation of
the English is like that of the Scythians, who,
returning from war, found themselves excluded
from their own houses by their slaves
Virginia and the Carolinas had shown i'm.
patience of oppression. How is it. asked
johnson, that we hear the loudest yelps for
liberty among the drivers of negroes? The
slaves should be set free they may be more
grateful and honest than their masters
" Lord North inclined to mercy. Nothing
said johnson, can be more noxious to society
than clemency which exacts no forfeiture: =
and he proposed to arm the savage Indians,
turn out the British soldiers on free quarters
among the Americans, remodel all their char.
ters, and take away their political privileges.
Dickinson, of Pennsylvania, had insisted
that the Americans complained only of innova.
lions. We do not put q calf into the plough
said the moralist we wait till he is an OK
This, however, the Ministry babe him erase,
not for its ribaldry, but as unwilling to concede
that the calf had been spared and johnson
obeyed, comparing himself to q mechanic for
whom the employer is to decide Was he
told that the Americans were increasing in
uumbers, wealth, and love of freedom This
tslk,' said he, that they multiply with the fe
cundity Of their own rattlesnakes, disposes men
accustomed to think themselves masters to
hasten the experiment of binding obstinacy
before it is become yet more obdurate.' he
Knocked at the rule OF progression, which show
I'd that America must in the end exceed Europe
IN population. Them said he, in derision, not
knowing how much truth he was uttering, in
century and quarter, let the princes of the
sarth tremble in their palaces.'
Had johnson been truly man of genius,
ne would have escaped the shame of having, in
his old age, aimed at freedom the feeble shaft
which was meant to have carried ruin. In spite
Of the ostentatious pomp of his morality, his
own heart was riveted to the earth. At the last
he co~ed under the fear of dissolution, as though
death were an enemy, scarifying his limbs, in
The vain hope of breathing through few hours
more; unable in the moment of change to fix
nis eye on God, or to grasp eternity-the en-
oiem OF the old political system, which also Law
on Its death-bed, helplessly longing to live on.
aus name Is never breathed as a watchword !;
his writings never thrill as oracles.~