The Portland daily press., 1866-01-10
An Englishman's Opinion of the United
States,

An Engishman's Opinion of the United
States.
Mr. Hardel Gresham, one of the party that
came to this country with Sir. Morton Peto,
in recent address at Bristol said:
Everything in America looks rough and un-
finished. The cultivation is rough, the rail-
roads are rough: all looks like country in a
state of transition and change. You see
springing up in all directions villages built of
log huts, then in a few years you see growing
up wooden houses; these in few years more
have to give place to brick and stone buildings.
and in some Of the older towns granite and
marble are taking the place of brick and stone
To open up the country at all seems to be the
first point of ambition and anxiety with the
Americans; to partially clear the forests to
bring some Of the soil under cultivation, even
roughly, is what they aim at. There is almost
an entire absence of the green lawns, private
parks, and neat green hedgerows that are to
De found In England, and SO there are no old
historic buildings. All is new, Changing and
temporary. The main interest of the country
centres in its future, for though the past NAV
be, and doubtless is, interesting and instruc-
tive, the future is evidently pregnant with i'm
portance to the whole world. Another thing
that strikes stranger in America is the entire
absence OF poverty and want. No one ever
asked me for aims all the time was in the
country, nor did see any one that appeared
10 want bread. Every one can get work. ey-
cry one can earn wages enough to keep them
and their families from want, and every one
seemed to be determined to depend upon their
own industry, and not upon the charity of
others, and it is well to remember that the
2 bumptious and somewhat vulgar class that
you meet in New York and other large towns
In America, in all other countries would be the
crlngng, dependent pauper class who live up
on the labor Of others. would, 1 confess.
rather have the apparent rudeness of the vnl,
gar Yankee, than the cringing. se1vile, de-
pendent tone of the European pauper. a.
Another thing that struck me greatly in the
States was the almost entire absence oil that
stup d ignorance that is unfortunately so COM
mon IN our country. 1t is manifest to the
most casual observer that America is far, far
ahead OF all the nations of Europe in general
inteihgence. L have no doubt that we have
individual scholars superior in scientific and
literary knowledge to any that are tobe found
IN America. But am now speaking of the
average intelligence OF the country, and here
they stand at the head of the world. never
met with boy or girl above ten years old
WHO could not read and write; asked hun
dreds the question, and hardly ever allowed
an opportunity to pass without testing the
matter, and L mus confess that was aston
rles. 4th. Another striking feature among
tne American people, and one to which de.
sire earnestly to call attention, is the almost
universal interest taken BY the whole nation
IN politics. Every one seems to regard the in
tereSt and progress of the country as especial
ly entrusted to his care. Even the ladies take
an interest in politics, aud discuss with deem
interest, and am bound to saw with much
ability, the various political questions submit
ted to the nation. 1 confess was not prepar-
ed for the almost universal attention to politi-
cal questions that is to be seen in America ::
1t was altogether new to me. HI I am
quite prepared also to admit that Il regard 1t
AZ most important feature-I think it is for
the interest aud progress OF all countries tbat
the citizens of that country should take an
mteres: In its affairs-and hence it is that
nave always contended for trusting the people
who are to be governed with the responsibility
ofchoosing those who are to govern them.