Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-02-19
quite diverting, I assure you; an 'onour to the

quite diverting, I assure you; an onour to the
hairystocracy
| In the second volume much space is taken UP
with a resume of Confederate diplomatic mat
ters in 1861, 1862, some sketches of Southern
and English statesmen, and some admirable re-
marks in just condemnation of the fippant and
caricaturing spirit in which English travellers
in America have written upon the subject of
Transatlantic matters. Colonel Peyton re-
marks -
1T is also special misfortune that this mode
OF writing In England has grown into a habit
and a CUSTOM 1t has become en- regle; it is
| called in modern slang, the right thing it ex-
cites laughter, and sells book as certainly as
the worn out stock conventionalities of the Eng
llsh stage in modern adaptations from the
French, tend to fill a London theatre Men
who have no original wit rejoice in thus vamp-
ing up old jokes, and the careless masses, who
have no time to think, ask no questions about
their novelty.
1T seems hard to believe that mere banter
Of travellers should rouse bad blood, as if the
jokes were not opposite, why should they
rankle? We must not, however, forget, that
it is not always the joke that gals, it is the an
mas with which it is reiterated that excites
anger. AS DR.. johnson once said to satirical
friend Sir, it is not that what you say hurts
me, but it is the intention that see in you Of
giving pain.
1t is the unmitigated, rever-ebbing current
OF vlrulent and arrogant satire that makes an
American dislike the English writer of travels
The calmer and more temperate men are too
few to soothe the wounds of our national vani-
ty, and moreover, not falling into the groove of
public opinion, their works seldom excite much
attention in England, and therefore neither be-
come sufficiently national nor popular to serve
any useful purpose as anodynes for the old sores
The English, proud, long established, and
| immovably self-confdent, are themselves, per-
haps, almost contemptuously Indifferent to the
| comments Of strangers. Abuse melts from their
burly chests like hail drops They are cased
| In armour OF ice, and neither read nor care much
for the travellers of other nations. They, there
fore, perhaps, imagine that ephemeral satire
falls equally. harmlessly on Brother Jonathan,
who has little Of the Indians quick blood,
and little of his memory of insults, something
of the Puritan brooding recollection of wrongs,
and the thin skin and eXctable nature of a hot
ter and more fiery climate. There is, perhaps,
little sef-distrust in our tall talk, and the
| mystery OF our national future leads US often to
| somewhat extravagant dreams, which though
we scarcely believe, we dislike to hear ridiculed
| We know best our vigour, elasticity, adaptive
ness, and power of growth; and when we talk
too loudly Of these gifts, we are hardly con-
scious how we are often hurting the pride Of
the venerated mother country. 1t is our way,
| living in public as we do, and accustomed to
freedom Of opinion, and universal interest in
such things among equals and fellow citizens,
to thus discuss our prospects, without caring
| who hears u.s. We know well just what dis
| count to take off this popular talk but stran-
| gers who Go not are at once mystifed and irri-
| tated by it. Nor am [ sure that the dry under
current of American ironical humour, often
| laughing at itself, is by any means always un-
derstood, seen through, or appreciated by Eng
lshmen. The English have their own kind of
fun, and plenty of it, and we have ours.
Il have no hesitation in saying that, be it
natural or unnatural, the writings of satirical
English travellers have had the effect Of crea-
| ting vaster amount of ranking ill-feeling be-
tween the two nations than it certainly ever
ought to have done, OF than it could ever have
been supposed it would do. No sneer wounds
SO much as the sneer Of a friend whose love we
cOvet and whose esteem we desire; and no
sneer is ever so well aimed, because no other
person so well knows the weak joints in our
harness-the joints which lie nearest to the
heart 1t is the warmest and most precious
blood that oozes through such wounds. Every
pang that we Americans feel and own is but q
proof of the love that we feel for those who
have inflicted it, Jealousy is only love turned
sour. The French might abuse us, and we
should be needless; but the arrows all come
from the mother country, and her pastime is to
| wound her sons who once tore themselves from
her with sorrow and with tears"
In the last chapter our author expresses
many moderate and conservative views, upon
the present political situation of the United
States; and it is sad to think that so little at
tention is paid to the wisdom of such counsels.
In speaking Of President johnson, he thus
expresses the sentiments, we think, Of all calm
and dispassonate friends of the Great Republic
and it's present chief magistrate =
''The newly installed President contrary to
all expectations, was soon found to be calm, dis
passionate, and moderate in his tone and policy
his elevation to office seemed to have Modified
him, and all his acts SAVIOUR of deep sense of
the duties and responsibilities Of power. He
retained in Office the entire Cabinet of the late
President, and adopted Mr. Encoln's conserva-
tive policy of dealing with the Southern States
Taking the constitution for his guide, he has,
as the executive head Of the nation, very prop
erly considered himself as the representative
and guardian of the constitutional rights of ev-
cry section, especially Of that one which is un-
represented In Congress, and by policy of JUS
tIce and moderation sought to reconstruct the
Government upon the basis Of equal rights to
all men and all sections, as the only hope of es-
tablishing harmony between the two sections of
the country, and insuring in the future its peace,
prosperity, and happiness at home. and its
power and prestige abroad" :"