The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-08-24
CARL SHURZ AND GERMAN-ANERI-
CANS.

IF it be Just to discriminate among the
many good things uttered by Senator
Scurz, in his speech to the Germans at
Farewell Hall, on Saturday evening, we
might say that the last ten minutes of
his oration was the best. That is the
passage wherein he talks to his auditors
as Germans, and endeavors to trace their
duties and responsibilities as adopted
citizens of the American Republic.
Carl Schuz is, beyond question, better
entitled than any other man to the dis
tinction of being acknowledged as the
foremost German-Amerlcan OF the cOuH-
try; and fortunately his record is such as
to reflect honor upon the two natlonall-
ties which he cpreSents-the mother
and the BRIDE ( as he himself expresses
it of his patriotic devoirs. Senator
Schurz may be pronounced the model of
the true German American citlzen-a
citizen than whom there is no higher Or
der existing. What is his career, and
how has he deserved this distinction?
In the first place, Schurz proved his
love of liberty by fighting for it in I'm
perial Germany, where a large portion OF
the liberty which he considers inaliena-
BILE from man is denied to the subjects of
the Kaiser. 1t may be noted, in pass
ing, that the revolution of '4S, in which
Schurz bravely joined, was against the
same family whose triumph the Germans
have lately been celebrating. The cause
of liberty failing he fled for refuge to
our hospitable shores Being in America
he resolved to become all American, as
behooves those who ask for the benefit
of our institutions and the protection of
our strength. He would become no
shoulder Struggling. halfway American,
merely tolerat:ng our laws and customs
consenting to make money in this barbar
Gus country, and warming to patriotic
fervur only while talking of dds ldter-
land, he would, rather, adopt America
as America adopted him-for better or
for worse. He came here, evidently, be-
cause this Government. this country,
this people. this field Of material harvests
suited HIM, on the whole. better than
those which he had left behind. He was
henceforth not to be German with
American accidents. but an American
with German antecedents.
The result is shown in Senator Schurz'
distinguished career. Being a politician
of the higher type-that is, who dealt
! with principles rather than manipulated
ward caucusses, and who was a straight
patriot rather lndt1 SlTdlgu9 pdit itl>dDs
he identified himself with the party
whose creed suited best his liberal ideas.
and with the profession (journalism) IN
which politics could be dealt with from
the highest standpoint. But, whatever
he did, he did as an American. lie
learned the national language SO perfect
ly that he has now no superior IN orator
ical style IN the Senate-his language
being as smooth, direct, and ldiomatlc
as his thoughts are clear, strong, deep,
and swiftly sweeping. He chose not to
hinge his personal advancement upon
the more than questionable occupation
of publishing an organ whose main OBJ
ject was the banding together of the Ger
mans in clan or league. and the agita-
ton of their minds upon topics in which
they could only be interested as Germans
and not at all as Americans. He loved
the associations of the Fatherland (all
except the Kaiser), and was doubtless
proud of his nativity, as every man
ought to be, whether born on the top of
plymouth Rock or in the heart of Daho-
mey; but, as the philosophical Samuel
Gcrridge would say: "he didn't howl
about IT. In short. Mr.. Schurz de-
| meaned himself much the same as we be-
lIeve the great mass of Germans who
| come here from abroad expected to do