Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-11

large and intelligent audience was in at
tendance at Smith & Nixon's Hall last night
to hear Mr.. Taylor's discourse upon the
prominent peculiarities and specialities of
the American people in their social and no.
liiical characters. This subject, we think,
can not be done full JUSTICE by the speaker Of
last night, although his views aud ideas of
political deficiencies and Teformations and
the general social qualities of our people. az
observed by him, were in many points ad.
miIably conceived, and did not fail to i'm
press his hearers favorablY. His discussion
OF the subject was not animated with his
vivid descriptive powers, and lacked many
essential principles incidental to a close OBJ
servance of the two developing characteris-
tics of the Americans.
The speaker said; "Our Society is the
plant Ofthe Republic-the root is English,
but the tree is no more like its parent than
the majestic oak is like the tiny sprout lust
sprung from the acorn.
The hrst broad distinction that impresses
itself upon visiter to Europe, is a separate
social order, separate and distinct from
wealth and rank. In this country we have
no such social distinction-that is, the man
ners, learning and cultivation do not fix a
mans social position. l assert that after
making due allowance for rank and wealth,
mans position is less affected in Europe
by his political, religious and other senti
ments than with us. / have thought that
the difference between European and Amer
ican society might be expressed in these
words: There, political despOtism and social
freedom here, political freedom and social
despotism, Character should form the basis
of society. -
IAN American possesses singular sensi-
tiveDess IN regard to his wealth. Foreigners
have very little of this ssensitivene5s, An Eng
llshmen will tell you the amount of his in-
come as reason why he can not make a
certain expenditure. A Frenchmsn will
dine on biscuit and glass of water, and
sing an opera air as be shakes his empty
pockets III the face of the world, while an
American will shrug his shoulders and pre-
tend to have just dined. u y
IAN Americans idea of great man is one
who, at twenty four hours notice, can make
speech, preach sermon, write an editorial,
cut off leg, decide cause and put in a
bid for contract especially the latter, In
time OF want an Euglishnan would cry for
bread and beet, a German for bread aud beer,
an American for bread and newspapers. We
are prolific readers, not deep thinkers We
think we have no aristocracy, but we have
always had one of some sort. Before the
days of railways it was tho teamsters on
heavy roads, Low it is our servant girls OF
foreign birth. A gentleman may not al ways
be Christian, but the Christian is always q
gentleman.
"Weprofess MOTTO care what foreigners care
for us, and yet we are perpetually asking
them, What do you think of our country p
For the lest six months we have been con-
planning tnat EoRland expressed no sympa-
thy for us, an expression we had no right to
EXPECT.
ave were too much given BOW, when op-
pressed by tremendous dangers, to meet
which, required concentrated purpose, a
steady eye and unreaxing nerve, to turn
from the tragedy in which we were actors,
and regard the faces of the spectators. IL
was well that we had found out at last, the
hollow heartedness and supreme sefishuess
OF the British Nation. England never sympa-
thized with any body, save as her selfish in
teres's prompted.
"The present struggle has illustrated one
splendid quality which our neighbors do not
understand. AT this time, whea strong
measures are demanded, we have the sub
lime spectacle of twenty million people will
iDgly submitting themselves to be tempora
rily Gepnved of their dearest rights This
is not understood across the water to be
any thing else than the beginning of mon.
acby or an anarchy.
Here no intelligent man has any fears OF
the dangers foreseen by our neigh oors. /
look upon the present struggle as an earth
quake, which shall settle the stones OF our
foundation the more compactly, instead OF
lOosebing them. The shocks the American
people have endured will teach them to sink
al else in loyalty to the American Constitu.
ton"