The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-07-21
Enplish Ignorance of American Affairs.

E0g1sQ 1S uVid1SS VI 11AcASSo1 AAoAAs.
President Fairfield, of Hillsdale Col
lege, Michigan, writes from London to
the Detroit Advertiser, concerning the
feeling of the English people towards the
United States. He says:
"I am sorry to say it; but after month
spent in Great Britain, and eight months
in travel generally, in which | have con-
stantly been brought in contact and
friendly personal relations with English
men, am compelled to believe that envy
of our national success, and hostility to
our national growth, is the controlling
feeling of the English people; and cer~
tainly can count upon the fingers OF one
hand all that have found ii nine months
who were cordial sympathy with US in
suppressing proslayery rebellion which
seeks to establish an empire of which sla-
very shall be the cornerstone. You VIII
understand that have made it no part of
my business particularly to seek out our
friends; but speak of those whom | have
chanced to meet in hotels, cars and else
where, which / think much the fairest
way of ascertaining the general feeling
One who addresses public audiences on
the American side Of the question will
natur ally gather a bout him those of his
own opinions, aud will be likely very
much to misjudge as to the attitude OF the
great mass. And the general ignorance
Of the people, p0t cDly Of the questions at
issue between the North and the South
but even of the simplest facts OF Ameri--
can geography, is most amusing Is
Maine oDe of the Northern or one OF the
Southern States . asked talkatiye Eng
! lishmaB, the other day, when alluslon was
made to this boundary State between our
country and the British possessions In
North america 'Ohio, believe. is one
of the largest cities of New York, IS it
not?' was the sagacious inquiry OF anoth-
err. | cannot tell you how many times |
have been asked when saying that came
from Michigan is that in North Amer
ica or South America 2 Certainly more
than twenty.
"Scyeral Englishmen were speaking
with each other few days ago, and one
of them. in expressing his large concep-
ton of what progress had been made ln
the States, asserted, 4 suppose that rail
roads are now built as far as six hundred
miles into the Interior
Several Americans and EBgli>hmeD
met at table few week. ago. The ~
mcrican war WAS the subject, when one
of the latter, Il member Of Parliament,
said to the Americans Il am surprised
that YOU should object to a separations
from the South You were never mado
to be one. Only see a mere neck OF land
of insignificant Dimensions connecting the
twop And he drew his fingers into shape
to indicate the Isthmus which connects
North and South America And what IS
still richer, | have related this story to
several parties Of Englishmen, and not one
of them has as yet detected the joke +!
Roger Ascham said, long time ago,
The schoollnaster is abroad. Ii so, he
has either enligrated from England, or he
is sadly deficient in American geography.
[ verify believe that if the statement
should be made in the Times that this
was a war between North America and
South America, not one in ten of those
who read that newspaper would detect the
mistake; aud if it were so declared to n
mass meeting, embracing high and low
those who read and those who do not read,
not over one in twenty would know 9TH
erwiSe.