Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-07-31
AMERICAN cHARAcrsR.

Perhaps one Of the most difficult
is for a person to understand the
true character Of a nationality other
than that Of which he Is . member.
Some n may answer that il is only
for the citizen or subject to understand
his own country or countrymsn. This
may be so, but it is by no mean difficult
for a man Of any country to become
thoroughly imbued with the prejudices
Of his " nation against all foreigners
and in favor Of all homo institutions.
We are chameleons, taking our hue from
our surroundings. Education does not
remove, but intensi6es, prejudice. It
may make us more courteous in the ex-
preston, but our speech be.rays rs,
aud every man who is worth anything
is less.eosmopolitan than national. The
c~osmopolite may be agreeable, but he is
decidedly less useful than ornamental,
put him where you will. Therefore, we
can most admire q thorough-going Eng.
lishmau, Irishman or American, or any
other "native," whose language and
modes of thought show that he is dyed
in grain. A soap bubble has brilliant
hues, but they are not what the ladies
call "fast colors." But a lump Of clay
and men are elay-kseps its hue,
though you bray it in q mortar. With
these notions we were not surprised to
find a writer in the London Saturday
Reciew expressing astenishment that
emigration docs not change the charac-
ter of Americans. ain spite Of many
minor differences" the Repisw says,
"there is no more pronounced national
type than the American. We recognize
him at a glance, in any European coun.
try, with q certainty which is scarcely
as great in the case Of any other people.
If his outward appearance is not sufh'
GENTLY distinctive, a few words are
enough to bstray him." The writer
then goes on to cite various causes why
this is so-as climate, New England in
| ~luencs and various other matters
which, while they undoubtedly do their
share, are really only accessories
The leading cause the writer has moi
touched. Though the fathers Of our
population wsre drawn from different
sources, they all cams in this country
under similar associations. Our coun.
try is not an empty Void" in which
these various emigrauts preserve oil
their various characteristics. They find
here a public opinion ready made
or several schools of public opinion, al
American, to somc one Of which they
must conform ; and their children are
born Americans, with the distinctive
type" although with some foreign
marks, which soon wear out. There il
no more decided American than your
boy or girl whose parents were emil
grants to this country. The United
States has a history. Never was a cen
tury in q nations life crowded with
more noteworthy events and eircum'
stances, aud all have added, in the end
to the greatness both of the national
strength, and Of the national pride and
to the privileges and prosperity Of the
people. New corners claim their share
Of all this ; and in n generation their
descendants become, as we have said
intensely American. The Saturday Re-
risw we'll remarks that the increasing
emigration becomes every year relative
" less. That is 1.-THE native population in
creasesin q ratio which enables Americr
to Americanize her new arrivals will
greater ease than ever, though the vol
ums ofemigration does steadily increase
We have no fear that America will eve
become less American. The nationa
character is rapidly erystalizing, ant
the new elements thrown in add to th,
" distinctive " deposit. We do not dc
ny that causes are in operation which
will modify our national character. W.
stould be sorry to deny it; for in many
things we need reform. 1t will come,
the o~utgrowth Of circumstances, among
the least of which circumstances is the
influx Of foreigners, as they always
will, whether with set purpose to do SO
or not, come into u fashions, and lido
in America,as Americans do"