Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-03-24
InlrvILlr. March 1N. lsGO.


LondOn Iot.
IDLEvILLE, March 10, 1860
MESsRs. EDIToRs: There il ND disputing
the ability Of the English press The finest
minds Of that Kingdom do not disdain to en-
ter the fields Of newspaper literature, to dis
cuss questions Of interest or importance.
Often, indeed, do VIC meet articles In the lead
| ing jOurnAlS that are models of English cOiil-
position, In expression, Sty!r, extent OF re-
search, and grasp Of thought There is ono
subject, however, that throws John Bull com
plvtely of his equilibrium, the bare mention
| Of which bereaveS him Of his natural reason,
and 'leprivrs him Of all benefit Of experience
or acquired knowledge. That subject is Ame-
RIGA. On most other subjects Englshmen can
speculate, and discuss with calmncSS and equa-
nimity; but when America is the subject,
they are too jealous to be just, too preudiced
and ignorant to be right. Indeed, the fact is,
Nil classes Of English society know less about
the United States-its history, people and in.
stituiions-than they do of about any other
country or people in the world. This, from
the established fact of near relationship, of a
common literature, and thousand ties of
commerce and interest. would seem TO be a
parndOx-but every well informed person
knows it to be true. Errors in geography, a
cOnioundn2 Of National and State legislatures,
are everyday Glunders Of the English press,
in our affairs.
] candidly own there is some excuse for
this ignorance; there is little pleasing to an
EhgIi>hman in our history-scanty food for
his qualification. The very being Of this Re-
public otFends his pride. 1t isa standing re-
bukc to the hanght and insolcnce Of his nation
The period Of its birth contains his bttcreSt
memories. His country met her saddcSt re.
verses On this continent-herc was she hum
hied in the dust AZ she never was before
The date Of our birth rs distinct people in
,licates the beginning Of the era Of her decline
Is it, then, any wonder EngShmen cannot
stomach our history?
Had this not been the case, the Singularity
Of cur history, and the astounding brilliancy
of our career, would have been for Englshmcn
a theme Of wonder and admiration. II would
offend the pride Of a modern English scholar
10 dnubt his knowledge Of Grccian history.
6ThemiSt0ccS, AlcibiadeS and LeOnidas arc
household words with him. lie knows all
about the Persian invasion and the Pclupon.
nchian war; aye, and even to the petty strnS.
giles and jcaluu>ics Of the Spartans and Athe-
nians. R0me-hrr institutions and history
/ are "n his tongues end. but Of the foremost
people of the present day-thcir institutions,
their real nature aud tendency, he is Supremacy
ignorant.
/ II this were not 80, surely the sentiments
at the head Of this communication would not
'manatr from journal 80 prominent md in
tlucHtial A. the -I.aI.dan- IAD~t- How little do
! they understand of our republican institutions,
az their effects upon orr people. when, even
81 Al.
that, in the event Of dissolution Of the
ni"n. British power and influence could here
tind n Judgment, and that Capada, and the
other frozen regions north Of us, would afford
basis for this Influence Surely, nothing
more ridiculous was ever dreamt
Here Mc>srS. Editors. have wc an inkling
Il the feeling with which Britain regards us.
The "h hoary tyrant is actually anxiouSly
watching fur the decline or the disruption Of
our Republic. and thereby prc,licating a re-
IL wal "f her blighting dominion.
! Bat how wofully gnornnt are the British
Of the spirit and power Of our People-for,
were the Union split up Tomorrow, we have
the capacity to form three Republics, each Of
whom would be able to cope with Great Brit
ain.
/ The power Of England or England's mon.
arch, in the United States is gone, and gone
forever. Under no possible circumstances
eau it be- revived. Our hatred Of tyranny and
monarchy is too deep for that.
| Even should diSunon come, habits Of self.
. government and ORDER are so deeply imbucd
+ III the American mind-the product Of free
institutions anarchy could not ensue each
! part would soon gravitate toward that center
With which il had most in common.
! M, though such constellation as our
! Cnl"n should drop out Of the political frma-
nent--though drSolaiicn should follow in its
trail-it will in no wise prove the weakness ol
republican institutions, or our capacity for
cif.Sovcrnment. State sOvereignticS will still
| remain, that form Of government under which
| American liberties were won, under which
I British power met disgraCcfnl and disastrous
defeat State governments will still rcmain--
those admirable inner works of our Republic
to show that We are polite people, to show
that We have reduced the science Of human
government from a chaos Of incnngruitieS to
a system Of purity, order and harmony But
our glorious Union will not go down. The
Republic will stand, an enduring monument
If the wisdom Of it's founders, Of the genius
Of frecdom-W stand to show that the gov.
eminent Of cOmpulsion is ephcmera, and that
Of freedom eternal
We can thus afford TO let Englishmen who
cannot understand our political system, in.
dulgc in their absurd revcrrs. We know
and prize what we possess; for them a free
and unclOgged government is associated in
their minds only with the dawn Of some polit
ical millennium. 4 WILD FRESHMAN.