The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-27
re eermans IS a People.


There are paculiarities IL tie Ger
man character. which it Is impossible |
TO fail to admire. IN no other people |
Is the philosophical and the practical 50 |
completely confined, as in the trans
Rhenic population of Europe Among |
ua, It is the prevailing opinion that !
thinkers, and particularly dealers in
distractions, are incapable Of bringing
their minds down 10 the minuti@ OF
rractical business. But it is not the
case with the Germans; the same who,
IN business transactions, eyinee a
shrewdncss equal 10 that Of the most
successful merchants OF other parts Of
the world who, in agricultural pursuits
are successful in making the barren
hll-sidcs blossom as the rose; who in
mechanics are constantly startling the
world with new inventions; who ia
science are indeianea5le in Analysing
the elements, and noting their conpo-
nent parts; are, in the parlor, in the
cafe, and the club, Tia ablcst Of gen.
eralizsr5- The deepest oi thinkers; and
polite society finds beneath the un-
ooQth gar5 Of peasant a peer in taste
for al that Is fine and elegant in art,
The Germans are q segregating peo-
pie; they penetrate 10 the banks Of the
Danube, and the Ural; arc gradually
encroacLing On tho 9claye, and the
Scandinavian; are regulating the
mountain. regions Of the Middle, and
the prairie lands Of the Western States;
are penetrating the quartz layers Of
California digging gold in Australia
and leveling the forests Of Brazil; yet
wherever they arc found, their leading
chaGacteristics-iudustry, integrity, in
telligence, and love Of the arts-are re
tanned in al the vigor with which they
lour;shed on the banks Of tho classic
Rhine.
Wherever they are settled in 4 COM
munity Of few hundreds, the newt
able music haI, for amateur perform
ances, and for themeeting of the trades
Unions, together with the schoolhouse,
are seen; and tho local newspaper is
not long in making its appearance. In
their ability 10 amuse and enjoy
themselves, they strip labor of half
its onerousness. One peculiar trait
in the German character Is, that
the men do not enjoy themselves alone
Tie husband and father attends the
theatre, the concert, and tho pleasure
garden, accompanied by his wife and
children; and thus it is, that inter
course between all classes, Is Invested
Of that stiffness and iormaii;y, whicE is
the bane OF society.
The German, too, is natural lover
Of liberty. THERE'S not q nation which
has ever been engaged in a struggle
agains. tyranny and tyrants, which has
not had the sympathy, and in most in
stances, the active aid of Germans.
Who viii forget tho noble response of
these true lovers Of freedom, to the first
call of the President for men to crush
out this unholy rebellion? There is
not bloody field, from Bull Run to
Plymouth, but tho German has been
seen nobly, manfully, contending for
his adopted country, and bis country's
honor.
The language OF q people is the out
growth Of their character; and there is
not modern 5ngue 50 rich in expires
sion, so comprehensive as the German
not even excepting the English of to-
day. AS the arabic IS the language of
poetry, so IS the German the language
Of philosophy
An immigration Of Germans has al
ready set in, toward Tennessee 1t
should be encouraged. The climate is
similar to that OF central Europe; and
its productions are rot dissimilar.
Therefore they are peculiarly adapted
to this State, and VIII speedily render
It an earthly paradise