The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-05

clatlOIb. we HusI recO1ecC, nOJWlbnStanulnB,
that it is confrmatory of previous reports,
has been made public before a very large
audience in way to invite criticism and chal-
lenge contradiction, and was given as the first
of a series of lectures on similar themes that
will afford an opportunity for close scrutiny.
1t seems on the whole, but too certain that
Bazaine proved false to bis trust at one of the
most trying emergencies in the history of his
country, and that the terrible disasters which
have since overtaken her are thus, in a mea-
sure, to be laid at his door. Unless a better
defense can be offered in his behalf than any
that has so far appeared, hardly man has
ever carried the baton of a Marshal of France
whose name will go down to posterity asso-
ciated with SO dark a stigma.
ARISTOCRACY- THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
From the N. Y. Sum-
Pride of birth is a natural feeling, in which
men of every nationality partake, out in diff
ferent degrees. A man conscious of having
had respectable ancestors has stronger in
ducement to do honor to their memory by
reputable conduct than the son of nobody or
one whose parents have bad character.
But in this country we have, thank God! no
aristocracy, or, at least, no order of society
that corresponds with the landed aristocracy
of England and the continent of Europe.
1t is true we have Il spurious kind of aris-
tocracy, founded on money, whose character
istics are lavish expenditure, extravaganza,
and tawdry display. But people of culture
and refinement laugh at their pretensions
Then we have in some of our large towns,
especially Boston and Philadelphia, an aris-
tocracy of talent and education, which is not
to be laughed at. But society is not so di-
yided among us, nor are the lines of demar-
cation so distinct, to prevent classes of
people nominally separated by some social
differences from running into one another
SO that 1t is difficult to determine which is on
the most elevated social plane. There is also
here and there an American family which can
boast of an illustrious lineage but people of
this sort are usually indifferent to ancestral
distinctions, and never obtrude their claims
to social eminence. Persons of similar
tastes, and about the same degree of intelli-
gence and refinement, naturally seek each
others society, and usually without inquiring
whether blue blood or the common fluid ran
in the veins of their ancestors.
There has been a great pretense of high
birth and eXclusiveness among the descend
ants of the Kuickerbockers, as the Dutch
beers and burghers are called who came from
the Old World and settled New Amsterdam.
Probably, if they were familiar with the his
tory of their ancestors, and knew their social
status in Holland, and the circumstances
under which they came to this country, these
Knickerbockers would come to more
accurate appreciation of their own claims
to aristocratic descent than is now enter
tanned among them. Indeed, the idea has
generally obtained that there was strain of
The best blood in many of those who came
here from Holland. The truth is altogether
otherwise.
The separation of New Netherlands from
the mother country took place more
than century earlier than that which took
place between the colonies and Great Britain,
or about two hundred years ago. Soon after
the change of dominion all family intercourse
ceased between the two countries. There
was, it is true, considerable inter-
communication for a few years after the
English conquest, but upon the decease of
those then living correspondence between the
members of the families on the two sides of
the Atlantic dropped off, and finally ceased
altogether.
The American Dutchmen, therefore, con-
| stitute a body totally severed as regards
| social relations from their brethren in Europe.
| They may regard Holland with flial, pious
love, as the home of their ancestors. They
may cherish pride in the military achieve
ments of the mother country. The CONNER
cial enterprises, the prudent thrift, the laws
| of freedom, all of which distinguished the
early days of the Dutch republic, they may
| dppIOpIldIo 10 themselves I'd a pdrb Vi IuoI
| patrimonial inheritance. But this feeling of
attachment is not at all reciprocated or under
stood by the Hollander. The people there
have no relationship with ours. They have
no pride in our growth and prosperity. They
are generally ignorant of our history, and
those who know something of the ancient
colony of New Netherlands are wholly indif-
ferent in regard to this country. The out
RACES, lynchings, and general immortality
which our newspapers report to their readers
are reproduced in the journals of Paris,
Brussels, and London, with abusive com.
ments, and thus form the staple of informa-
tion on the United States to be found in
Dutch newspapers.
The simple truth is that the great majority
of the Netherlandefs who settled perma
nently in America belonged to the so-called
lower or laboring classes. They were farm
ers or mechanics. The most distinguished
Knickerbocker families-those whose ances
tors filled the most important positions in
the new settlement, as well as others-were
from the great body Of commsn people.
The ancestor of Peter Stuyvesant was 6
humble clergyman in Friesland. The only
PATRON who settled upon his estates on the
Hudson was diamond-cutter OF Amsterdam
Although the republic of Holland conferred
no titles, it protected the old nobility in thei
estates, and they and their families were con
tent TO leave distant enterprises In the hand
of the other classes and remain at home.
1t may be asked, not unreasonably, how
men of inferior position and devoid of wealth
or influence in Holland could obtain grant
of large tracts of land from the Government
The answer is easy and complete. The obiec