Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-02-16
YANKEES.
A Few Good Words from One of
2 Our Devoted Enemies Du-
. ring the War.

FROM the LOnuOn AeieeIhph, OeS. iJ.l
g A highly imaginative transatlantic
geographer has lately informed the world
that America is, or shortly will be, a
country bounded on the north by the
Arctic Circle, on the south by eternity,
on the east by the rising sun, and on the
west by the day of judgment" There
are a set of bitter and bilious gentle
men, chiefly of the Tory persuasion, to
whom this kind of patriotic imagery is
gall and wormwood They are misera-
Bile because America is big, and because
she uses these laughably big expressions.
The real reason why they hate her is be-
cause her Government is so free, and the
success of it so wonderful. But since it
does not do to confess these facts they
are always grinning at her faults OF
manner and style-a practice which
is about as useful as to rail at the Al
Iegheny mountains for being huge and
craggy. For our part we experience
no more surprise or vexation at the by
perbolics OF our descendants beyond the
Atlantic than we should at seeing likely
lad split his trowsers in-growing, or
fine, healthy baby reach his plump palms
out for the moon. The thing is natural
and even satisfactory with the young
giant that we have bred; and England,
the mother of empires, ought to be
heartily pleased and amused at the glo-
rious gasconades OF her mighty child.
Is she to be an elderly coquette, and vex
herself because her sons outstride her,
and her daughters shoot up with beauty
and yigor that remind her how she ages :
She ought, if she we're honest and hearty,
to be proud of youngsters, the like OF
whom history never knew, to knit them
to herself in bonds of firm love, and aim
at making out of them an Anglo.Saxon
family of empires which should girdle
the world, with the language of Shaks-
peare, and the happy influence ofthe little
matron island. We like to read these pom.
nous sublimities wherein our imperial
cockerels crow themselves well nigh off
their legs with lustiness around the old
Brittanlc hen. What bird the Amer
lean chicken will be when all the feath.
ers come, if it can scratch and crow, and
flourish its spurs like this in an epoch
when it is but going through the barbar'
ism of new civilization, and has the
best part of its hackles to shoot. And if
bigness justifes big words, We should
like to know who is to blame these in
yentiye and flowery patriots? f? Has any
other nation 100000 square acres of
fat corn ground for lack yard, which
will grow six quarters to the acre, as
long as you like to plow the old crop in 7
1 al mn nj
solid iron to make plows of, like Pilot
Knob, in Missouri, or seas of oil under
the ground, aud shores Of solid copper
along the lakes2 Does any other ma
ton double its population every
twenty years, and suck in the
emigration of Europe without count
ing It, or carry eargoes 1000 miles along
one river; or venture on the impudence
of Monroe doctrine; or fight a war with
,00O, 900 soldiers, and have them all
home again, like boys after school, with
in year2 Or what other people col
lects a revenue OF els, 900 sterling
and, with e20,000,O00 in gold at q time
in its exchequer, laughs at a debt Of
e50O. 900, 600, and engages to wipe 1t out
in ten years Mr.. Artemus Ward says
he never knew a Yankee who didn't talk
about the Rocky mountains except one,
and he was deaf and dnmbj but even he
wrote book about them. Who is stupid
onsagh 10 laugh at that 1t is the ma
iure Of the people; the youHg giants
must have gigantic topics, words, poll
cies. schemes and sayings; and 1t we
laugh, let it be with hearty good nature,
and az old folks DO at the brag and bun
combe of the youRg ensg, whose strength
and health are so beautiful and iqll Of
the promise of noble days and works.