The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-04-20
Our 0liu.
From Appleton's Journal.
The American in England.

There are many thugs with which
English people are SO familiar that they
look upon them us something quite
necessary to the order OF nature, but
which strike an American traveller with
greater surprise than anything that au
Englshmau sees to blame iG the Uuited
States.
An American, for example, on reach
ing London aud walking along any oi
its streets, is painfully asGouished at III
wretchelness aud rags that are cuu
stantly before his gnze lie is annoyed
by ragged aud even by well dressed
beggars that meet him everywhere
not ouly in the streets, but in the hotels,
dining rooms, theatres, aud places OF
amusement. Everywhere, too. by night
aud by day he meets with drunken men
aud women, aud dirty, ragged children
The number OF public houses aud
drinking shops seems enormous. The
newspapers every day contain numerous
reports OF cases OF drunkenness aud its
consequences, aud philnuthropists de
plore the excessive drinking habits OF
the people Yet no successful attempts
are made to redueu the lumber II places
licensed to sell intoxicating liquor.
The number OF policemen also seems
extraordinary. Disorder eud crime
must abound when so many officials for
their repression are required.
The hoIel.keeper is expected To
charge for attendance ia his bill; yet
well dressed beggars, in the shape ol
walters, demand additional money from
the guest who is leaving An Amerl
eau learus that there are ia the world
strong, able bodied meu Ebo actually
pay moueJ for, aud work hard 10 SIT
uatlons, III order to obtain opportunities
for be .glag, 1t is the same Ia theatres
aud places Of amusement, Payment is
made for the entertainment; bat re
specially dressed beggars, ia the shape
ol box keepers Asd othcr attendants.
are not ashamed 10 beg oa their own
account 1t Is the saaIa "a traveliug;
the guards aud ra,lw-y portets beg lor
money, u not IN wv,ds, by sigas equally
auteiiigl6ie, aud, Il act satisfied, vii,
give "uly grud gag -ttend iacc Even
in churches III sHaiiat systrm oi be-:
sing IRON strangers Is practisod
On seeing the uuHseS al bhud aud
other afflicted people in Lbe streets, a
foreiEacr Is astouist'eS 60 learu that the
Natioual government, which is 30 lavish
oil IT'S moHey 10 many who seither dc
serve nor ueed 1t, gives avthlng toward
erecting or supporting asylums for the
biiud, the deaf aud dumb, aud others
hopelessiy aud helples,l afflicted There
are hospitals sustained by voluntary
contr'bu lous protesting 10 give rviri
to the poor, but, with very few excep
Tons, II hi with the utuIcst difficulty
that aay bepe6t eau be derived lrun,
chem. AccIaeSts are attended to. bur
other Cases o distress eau obtain relief
oniy througk letters Of recommendation
aud Troubles ONE processes oI canvassing
aud Psting. Criminals are treated in
prieoely way, but the honest poor have
hard lives.
Ihe English bankruptcy laws, aud also
the marriage laws, seem scaudaIous aud
disgraceiul to any foreigner who has the
misfortune to acquire the slightest
knowledge OF them They seem made
Tor the express purpose of giving bad
men the legal right to wrong their fel
low creatures. Wheuau American sees
10 the public reports of the proceedings
'oi the Bankruptcy Court a case headed
lu Re-, because the bankrupt is
loo highly connected to have hls name
appear before the public-wheu he
learns that much of the crime 10 the
land is committed by men whose time
ior previous convictions has not vet OK
pired-and when he sees that great
crimes, such as theft, wife beating aud
Hhe adulteratiou Of food, are but lightly
Punished, while such trlaiug otfeuses "a,
au aged pauper refusing to work iu the
"orkhouse is punished with inhumau
severity, he reads with u smile Of con
tempt the criticisms OF "0ur own Cor
respondent OF the Loudon papers.
Han intelligent Englishman should
know Of family named Smith, who 10
their own opinion mouopolized all the
virtues OF England, who were ever ap
py'ng the family name to every quality
good and great in human nature, aud
VINO were ever speaking of "true Smith
courage" "Smilh houor," "Smith gen
'erosity," "Smith love of fair play" aud
so on, he would be nearly as much
unused as foreigner is at hearing
whole nation do the same thing, aud
assuming to itself all the virtues OF the
civilized world, by the boasts oil Eng
,ish courage, English honor and English
love of fair play,
a foreigner, while amused at the idea
oi all the virtues being thus qualified by
che word "English," also observes that
many crimes are stigmatized as sun
English" and that this is often the case