Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-07-12
Ihs sanuIna Yankaa.

hs6enSins Yankee.
There ssoag points in the Yankee character.
Not very Anable to be surO-Out still strong, marked
aud decided and which argue the vigor Of the original
stock and the PECULIARLY Of the breed 10 all their his
tory and under all conditions these strong points crop
out and bear testimony to the primitive granite. Envy,
insiure, magnity, cOnceitednsss, intermeddling,
tyrAnaca and bigOted disposition aud aAbsOrbiDg
love Of money, have distinguished them from their 6rt
appslrancs in the fens Of Lincolnshire to the present
day They le England prosessedy for love of religious
freedom but really because they no. permitted to
tyrannize over ashers They went to Holland, and net
being allowed there torture Others to the bert OF their
incnatOos and to accumulate as much money as their
aSires craved, they betook themselves to Plymouth
Rock. Not finding in the 'salvSges of The wilderness
enough su ecs for the exercise Of their inveerae aad
Ingraued prOclvities tyranny, they very soon fell
stOa.of one another Some they drove to the sIders
Mss to be buchersd by the Iudanssone they tortured
at home and Others they forced ntOrsesn and 70 the
eoous zion of Rhode Island. In al their operations
~as the sans narrow, bgoed snVious grabbed nature
accompanied With the ntensest esgerness for Estiy gsr
Thsy carried their tyranny into every mans household,
and % the minutest details Of manners conversation aud
domestic economy. a va not permitted to kAs
his wife except in pursuance of certain regulations
Their love Of petty tyranny only riTalsd By ihi'
love Of gain.
The era of their history which they with mos.
prde Is that which ushered in theRsvOluton. raen for
The first aud las. time they gave birth to who SEEM
"a 10 Dc formed on grand and comprehensive scae--
The number Of these small, and subsequent events
proved tha, they parOok Of the nature Of tho nsuos
and contracted rse from which they sprang In al that
stirring time they prSdssd not one really great elsrAe
Ter either a. Statesman or Esrrior. Old Sam Adams
vas the neares. approach the Ccre and Gen Greene
TO the latter Since that time the csteet O their char
acter have been sggravSsd and multiplied By he state
of their society and the nature Of eir pursuits. cyan
kss tricks de1teEous eontrivAne for driving bargains
the accumulation Of money BY adding cen. to cent
have absorbed their every energy for the last 50 years
To th5 end they have cultivated their capacity for me-
chAncs and 10 that department Of human industry they
have been very successful But this required very Nigh
order Of intellect Indeed mechanical skill possess
% in more eminent degree by semibarbarous people,
the Chinese whom in many respects lie Yankees great
" resemble. The cultivation aad development Of this
tasn, for base mechanics has A5Stsd any aptitude they
nav have originally possessed for any higher role They
are Epeas cheap devices fer manufacturing on build
ing aad uor Jog steam engines and all sorts OF ueshat
cal eontrivancss: on organizing magnificent hOel on
tAievish principles, uaSjuK wooden clocks and wooden
nu.ness and "norOns" generaly; Slt when you comet
s.atesmAnshp aud Generaship-iAs eapaC.y tor enpre
--thats beyond their bend. The word sharp or iSsir
vernacular cute correctly describes their genius
UnHasmeTsd BY moral scruplss, they are exceedingly
keen in AbrieAtng vcrthsss vsres ARd still kssner in
getting them of others a. exorbitant rates.
We have had our thoughts turned to these Yankee
characteristics by readirg the in the Northern
papers Of the wholesale pundsr which the people Of thai
region committing on their GOvernmOnt. Tn,
has been seized upOn GOdssnd. No logger ab
70 s-adle the South with their Pine-shaVng shoes and
Kindred articles, they redress themselves BY pryng
upon one another and their Government
Tais IS nothing in their history In the great Rev
dictionary struggle, they animated by the
spirit fully testified by no less authority than Wash
iDgton himself when at Boston in l775 aboring day
and night for the public liberty and when everything
stake be thus expressed bis opinion Of the sordd
Yankee race, BY whom he surrounded. We copy |
che letter. fed it in Irving'J Life Of Washington
col 9, p. 81. The italics are our own:
Saeh Isarth Of pubic spirit aud such oanl Of rir
tus. s1eA stock o56i.g and fertility IN all ths Os
Srts obtain advantage Of kind another il
thS great chaage OF uintary arrangement aeveT sac
before, and pray Gods rasrey that may Be
"sisnSss 70 sgais. What will be the end Of these
"rolVres Il beyond my scan. trenbls at the prof
" pseL We have been till this time NOV PSI snlisiing
a. shout $500 men. To engage these, l have been
- obliged to allow faroughs far fifty to the
d" regiment, and the officers, persuaded, indulge
q many mere. The Connection, troops will be pre-
Z" vailed upon 10 stay longer than their term, sAvir
" those who have enlisted for the next campaign, a.
" mostly fHrleogh; and such .nsresHary 'pirit
q psrSaSsI s phOls that should not be surprised
s. any disaster that may happen. Could /
81 haze rssssa nhat hlVs sipsrisesd and Likely TO
. sxpsrsnes no confederation vpOa earth should have
'iAGaesd me to accept this command"
Gen Greene himself Rhode lIlAnder, writing at the
SINE time aud sbOu. the same people, speaks in tems
a. emphatic. he nays
"Ths common people are exceedingly ayaricious.-
Toe genius Of the people commercial from their lOrg
intercourse with trade. The sentiment Of honor TIE
true characteristic of soldier has not yet got the bet
- Ter Of interest
These are the people, Who, With their stock obbing"
and slow arts and nercenAry spirit" aAtter themselves
that Asy can conquer The South and asp re to universal
dominion Better conHne their efforts to the low ars
In which they eIeeli