Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-12-12
Written expressly for the Dayton EmpTe
4 SU NJ MER In EUROPE.
NO. XII
THE COUNTRY rARsoN. -

THE COUNTRY rARsoN
While walking along Great King Street in
Edinboro one evening, the residence of Rev.
A. X H. Boyd, the Country Parson,' whose
"Recreations,' have delighted so many house
holds in America, was pointed out to me, and
obeying the impulse of the moment, | rang
the bell and requested the servant who an
swered it, to say to Mr.. B. that if he was en-
tirely at leisure, young gentleman from
America would be glad to pay his respects.
study, at the door of which Mr.. B. met me
with an open and extended hand. | apollo
gized for the intrusion by saying that his
books had furnished me and mine with so
many pleasant evenings entertainment, that
felt under obligations to call upon him and
thank him. He replied fran ky and cordially,
that Americans have treated him with much
undeserved kindness, and that it afforded him
unmixed pleasure to see all of them who had
any desire to see him; and sitting down he
began the conversation in most fluent and
spirited style. He spoke about Edinooro'
Scotland and Ireland, their beauties and pecu-
larities, and soon mentioned the ''sad condi-
ton of America" eve in this eouutIy do not
know how TO think or how TO act in REGARD to
America, said he, "or to which side we
ought to give our sympathies. We cannot
fully sympathize with the North, because we
don't believe she is carrying on the war for
the destruction of slavery Mr. Lincoln has
issued Proclamation of Emancipation it is
! true, but that only abnlishes slavery in States
that as yet he has no power over, and leaves
! il in the border States where he could abolish
it il he would Besides the North is the
stronger party, and some of its Generals have
been guilty Of atrocities which excite our hor.
ror and they are still retained in command
We are repealed from the South, because we
consider her fighting to perpetuate slavery
her Viee-President calls II the cornerstone o
the COnfederacy-and because We think she
went to war without sufficient reason. At the
sametime, however, her gallantry and devo
ton to her cause, bad though it may be, have
won our unqualified admiration, At the be
ginning of the secession there we're some
among us who, fearing that America was be
coming too great and powerful for the peac,
Of the of the world we're rather pleased to see
: it divided into two nations, but | don't thnl
there are any such now. We are all so horri
fed at the continuation of war so bloody anC
terri BILE, and so amazingly unproduetive o
results, among men of our own race anC
tongue, our own kinsmen that we are proud
, Of that believe all classes would most heart
D lily rejoice at peace, even if America we're i'm
medately to become greater and stronger
than ever. | confess we more earnestly de
{ sire peace in your country than the success o
| any party or eithersecton, but we see nothin,
that we can do to bring that about, and so w
. remain quiet, resting upon that last great
=. est, best and only real consolation that tn
Lord God omnipotent is ordering it ALL an,
shaping human plans to accomplish his owl
Q good ends
t He thought it hardly right to hold the entir
/ British nation responsible for the utteranee
X of the London Times, but said that it was a
= once leader and follower Of public opinion
. and that there is a very large and inauentia
class in the nation to whom the Times
v something like the. Westminster Confessio
v is to Preshyteraus, or the Pope's bulls to goo
Catholics.
. had some photographs Of distingushe
,. Americans with me, which he serutinize
!. with much interest, commenting briefly as h
looked over them, upon those he knew "N
Il G. Bryant he said is one of your greatei
# poets and his Thanatopsis is equal TO anytbin
4 in the language. Fennimore Cooper was
great man but of most irascible temper :
y He hated England and Englishmen, but !
v was gentleman in his enmity, and his talen
are recognized and as fully appreciated pro
8 ably in Great Britain as in America IrviA
n was more Of an Euglishnan than an Amer
e esn-more at hCme in Bracebridge Hall thu
ia the Western prairies.
I.Ongfellow and 0. w Holmes are trt
o poets They must be immensely popular
Ameriea-they deserve to be at least ~
10 Marvel he loved and wondered we heard
n little Of him now-a-daya. ~ r Willis
Ia clever, but gives yonr people most unplen
ant impression Of US. One would fhink fro
readingof his books, that we were all ttad
III over here, A few days ago sat next to the fir
a.