The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-01-28

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THURSDAY mooMuD. i. .JAuuA1Y g, ~
wAS1sS 81 =. s: h -, &C = ~;
oOT1on ANp LINEN kAoos - hsgs - snAi
\ Ysaae Ce1nsy.
II b an unfortunate thing for the educs
ton Of . young country IKE the United
States that wide ocean separates II from
the civilized world. A young country 10 u
many respects IKE young individual
Il must have good models 1t hand to fashion
itsslf after, and fair opportunities Of CON
parison with other individuale, else 1t be-
comes % eccsntric, selfconceited, and die
tAtoriAl, that ell the rest Of human kind
eschews it, companlonship. boy ought
always 70 20 to school, In preference to
home education, In order to have chips
knocked OF his shoulder and the ANGULAR
ties Of his nature knocked of by contact
with other boys. And youthful nation
must 70 through the same process, or 1t will
bscome % inflated with . sense Of its own
impogtance, and 90 intolerant towards every
body else, tha& It will become necessary for
somebody to take It down, and make 1t very
ridiculous In it, own eyes and In those of
the world.
Even tho marvellous agency of steam Las
mot been able to bring Europe and America
near enough to give America the advantages
Of good education. The travellers across
the great highway have seen but small pro.
portion Of the whole nation, and most OF
them vert commercial travellers, not always
the most discerning and philosophical of the
human species. America was young; in
many respects, 'veV young" and the At
lsatic vas too immense for her to 60 across
70 school The consequence has been that
intolessble selfconceit which arises from ex-
freme juvenility and the absence of . proper
opportunity Of comparing herself with the
rest of the world. Hence, she was always
talking of herself and her doings in the su'
,perlatives and exaggerations common to I'M
tssored boyhood. Her orators were far
ahead Of Cicero, her warriors Of Hannibal,
har statesmen the first in the world, her PEG.
nile the most intelligent and virtuous of man
kind. Europe was mere collection OF be
nirhted and down trodden masses, outside
barbarians, whom it was the mission Of
America to reclaim to civilization and reli.
gton. Such immeas urable egotism and van
itv would never have arisen in nation hav
Ing the advantages of contact with the CHIEF
centres Of knowledge and power The At
lantic Ocean has great deal to Answer for.
1t was reserved for the present war to teach
the United States that first lesson Of humil.
ity which all self-conce,ted stripplings must
learn sooner or later-to have its enormous
rretensions thoroughly exposed, and its ig.
norance and imbecility made the laughing
stock of "all creation" Europe could never
have taught her that lesson, for the inevita
bile Atlantic was as much in the way Of Ea-
rope a. America. The little South, not one
ourth her size, has been the chosen instru-
ment of puncturing the colossal gas bag of
final collapse Even If successful, after three
years of war, In overunning sparse popula'
fion, what commentary on the inordinate
self esteem which began the war with the
confident conviction of ending it in ninety
days! Even If successful, what will become
of the wisest Constitution that the world
ever saw, Of the freest people, of the model
Republic of all ages But if unsuccessful-if
the big BOBBY, who has gone so far for
hght. and jumped 80 ferociously upon his
antagonist, is sprawled In the end by few
cool shoulder hitters, snch a. King admi, is
tered to the late Heenan-in what corner Of
the earth will discounted Yankee vanity
hide its diminished heads
IL We we're citizen Of the United States
We should be thoroughly ashamed Of such q
rider 'ons count Not mat we should es
u ---.~.--s .e-,.a' - rfH .ss-
t.onai CRIMES and follies, but the idea Of
being found out must ill the whole nation
With remorse. We trust that, after this war
10 over, 1t will place moderate estimate
upon its own capacity and reputation among
the nations. 1t is still young, very young,
and the black eye and broken ribs 1t is get.
ting In this contest are not too late TO
improve Its manners. BY the time Mr.. John
Ball Llttimer has given 1t . few more lessons
u diplomacy, and Lee, Johnston, and
Beauregard have punched its head a few
more tines. 1t will be ready to begin the
world again, and be . wiser, though sadder