The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-14
against the progressive and enlightened SEN
timents of the age.
CHANGE OF TONE IN THE REPUB-
LICAN PRESS.

From the NJ Y. World.
Since the proclamation of the French re-
public most of the administration papers in
this country have turned, or seem on the
point of turning, complete somersault. We
have no inclination to impugn the motives of
this sudden change. We are willing to be-
lieve that it has proceeded from that prompt
and enthusiastic sympathy with free institu-
tions which has always formed q part of the
American character. SO powerful and ire
pressible is this sentiment that all pride of
consistency and all views of party advantage
have melted away before it; and the same
journals which, two weeks ago, were chant
ing loud peans over the military successes of
Prussia, and counting German votes in this
country, are now earnestly deprecating any
further injury or humiliation of France. We
cannot find it in our hearts to taunt them
with their "change of base" We are rather
inclined to honor them fer the ready express
sion they have given to genuine American
sentiments in conjuncture whose sudden
ness has disconnected all their previous calcu-
lations.
While it was war between two crowned
heads, the American people felt bu5 a ight
partiality for either. Their preferences such
as they had, 'played round the head, but
came not near the heart" What interest
have zee in the balance of power in Europe?
What is it to as whether the Rhenish pro-
vinces are taxed and oppressed by French
Emperor or by Prussian King In the in
terest of humanity we might deplore the
horrible carnage which was q sacrifice to the
unhallowed ambition of their rulers; but the
loss and desolation ought to have affected us
equally whether inflicted by the monarch of
Prussia or the monarch of France. This
would have been the tone of American feel
ing had it not been for the fact that
we have in this country a large body of
voters of German birth. The Republican
leaders fancied they could gain a party ad-
vantage by playing upon the honest national
sympathies of the Germans The consequence
was, that the Republican press was more pro-
Prussian and anti-French than the American
Germans themselves. Disgust at this cajoling
hollowness may have biassed some minds the
other way, although among no class in this
country is there any feeling inconsistent with
genuine respect for our German population.
Democrats have always looked upon the Ame-
rican Germans as q salutary counterpoise to
the narrow, bigoted spirit of New England
Puritanism. In no State where they hold the
balance of power is there any danger of rigid
Sabbatarianism, or intermeddling sumptuary
legislation interfering with the right of the
people to regulate their own habits in diet
drink, or amusements.
They are, moreover, sober, industrious,
frugal, domestic, intelligent; and their pre-
sence among us in large numbers is operating
as q corrective to some of our most unamiable
national peculiarities. 1t has always been q
maxim of the Democratic party that ''the
world is governed too much, and the attach
ment of our German population to individual
and social freedom is quite in the spirit of
this favorite Democratic maxim. With this
bond of active sympathy, the Democratic
party have always been warm we'll -wishers of
the American Germans; and especially here
in the State of New York there has been un-
hr0Iy &c l1I,
some of the most exciting questions of State
legislation.
In the present war, no Democrat, and in
deed no native born American citizen, has de-
sired to restrain the partiality of our German
population for the cause of their Fatherland
We appreciate and honor the ties of birth,
blood, ancestry, and early association. If
Americans were dwelling in a foreign land
they would unhestatingly give their moral
| support to their native country when engaged
in war; and we cannot censure others for
what, in like circumstances, we should most
| certainly do ourselves. We do not expect
| our German citizens to transfer their sympa-
thies in consequence of anything which has
recently transpired in Europe. They secure
| more of our esteem by staunch fidelity and
unwavering attachment to the land ia
| which their eyes first saw the light, and in
| which their ancestors lie buried Forever
| sacred and honored be the sentiment of pa
| triotism, the parent of most of the great
| deeds which adorn the pages of history. But
| our German citizens must tolerate in US what
we respect in them. We, too, have our early
associations, national traditions, patriotic
| attachments, our cherished sentiments caught
in lisping infancy from those who had the
moulding of our minds. AS a consequence
of this training, in which the newcomers
among us have not participated and cannot
| understand, our sensibilities are powerfully
stirred by every movement for freedom, and
especially for freedom in France. Since the
republic has been declared in France, even
demagogues have forborne their trade.
There has been a spontaneous outburst of
applauding public sentiment such as can be
explained only by an American education and
| American sentiment.