True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-02-17
q. Raglan, Editor and Proprietor,
Literature 4 Miscellany.
UFity q Language in our Country.

The following article IS copied from
the Jefferson Journal. and contains a
statement Of the true policy of our coun-
try:
The rules and regulations ofno country
or community can be brought into any
state Of regularity or uniformity, without
a uniform language. The Constitution
and laws Of all countries, it is necessary
to promulga,e in language common or
known to all; now, this has 10 be done
either in multitude of languages, and
bG consequently defective, or in an esta.
blshed language, which is fixed as the
only recognized language of ahe country.
That uniformity Of language can be
established, even in the conglomerated
Babel of foreign tongues introduced in
our country, we know has been tried and
succeeded. In the State of Pennsylvania,
a large amount of original settlers were
German or Dutch, for many years they
retained their distinct nationality and Ian
guage the State encouraged this by pro-
mitigating their laws and legislative enact
ments in both languages, and permitting
them to establish and keep up schools, in
which nothing but their own language
was taught; the consequence was that
they remained in state of deplorable ig-
norance and made no advances in all that
was necessary to make intelligent citizens.
Beside the extra expense to which the
Slate was put in printing in two langua-
ges. Becoming weary of this stale Of
things, the laws, ETC., were promulgated
in only the standard language, and schools
were required to be established in every
district teaching the American language,
and rigidly carried out The effect sur
passed expectation, and the German has
disappeared and general intelligence in-
creased accordingly.
Ohio adopted similar rule. and now
our language is spoken in all the German
and other foreign settlements in that
State. . ..u ..r. ...
This State should entirely cease pub
fishing any Of their public enaclments in
more Than one language, and schools es-
tablished, and we would soon cease to
have our ears panied with the unintelIigi'
BILE iargons so common, composed OF
mixture of language and forming none ;
beside the enormous expense would be
saved. How many languages are spoken
in our whole country, we cannot tell, but
they are numerous ! German and French
are The most common there are large
settlements Of Norwegians, Swedes, Poles.
Russians, Hungarians, Greeks, Turks
and other minor nations; now if it is pro-
per to publish in two languages, it is jus
as necessary to do so, in all, to do all
similar act of justice. But we utterly
deny the necessity of it in any case.
We have established pure and correc
national language easily acquired and ont
that may be spoken with ease and unifor
nifty throughout the country. This i
the American language. TO give a unit.
of,houghi and action throughout our pop
ulation-mixed as it is, requires that al
should be we'll and thoroughly acquant
ed with the institutions of the country
and the only practicable mode Of so do
iug is by requiring knowledge Of tn
language of the country. A uniformlt,
of speech naturally produces reciprocit
of feeling and action, A variety of ian
gusges spoken in one country, producin
many distinct nationalities, was gres
cause of the failure Of the Hungarian re
yolulion, and has been of many Others
Where there is not a common means
social ntercommunication there cannC
be common course of action. Uniform
i.y will do away with foreign feelings.
,iFhe grand principle of Repubicanisn
which our Government has established
and which il is aboring to extend owe
all countries, which it acquires, either b
annexation, purchase or otherwise, is bl
one principle and cannot be subAivide
without destroying it; it is therefore nj
cessary that its extension should be a
companied by the only language founde
uton The freedom of thought, produce
by that principle, otherwise, it will be to
tured into every language that each ado
ter Of Repnbllcanism Will understand
only as often mistranslated into his ow
language. The consequence must inev
tably be its total misconcepton and mi
conslruction. We saw an instance of tn
inLafayeIte (now Fourth District Ne
Orleans. A learned German had tran
lated the Constitution Of the Unite
States, and the State of Louisiana, in
the German Language; after pnbllca.lo
heread it tou and we. scarcely cou
recognize any article; they were entire
changed in sense, yet he was very lear
edn German and English. Such W
always bethe case.
iIHow can we produce uniformity
language 3 Let each State publish b
Constitution and Legislative enactmer
in the language Of our country! Esta
lish schools in every District in which
shall be requirement that a teacher
American language shall impartla a know
edge of the language to each pupil, a
the desired result will soon be attained