Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-08-02
AMERICAN TRAITS.

From Fiazcr's Magazine, London.

CIOHt IOAcI o MukuAlnc. LOnuOn.
Nearley every English traveller
has some tale to tell Of the rudcness
and inciyility he has met with from
the lower classes in America; and,
prima .tucie, it would appear that
complaints SO general must be well
founded. But it is not SO. The
annoyances to which these gentle
men have been subjected have arisen
almost invariably, from their failing
TO properly appreciate the difference
existing between the social system
Of the Americans and that of their
own people. @"r
In this country the separation OF
the various grades Of society has
had q marked effect upon the morale
Of what are termed the "lower
classes" The man in fustian can
not understand why he should
render even the most trifiing civility
to the man in broadcloth without
being paid for it. Ii yon only so
much rs inquire your. way Of a man
having the appearance OF a mechan-
ic, and he goes few steps out OF
his path to show you,. he will-fivc
times out of six-even if he do not
ask for gratuity, show palpably by
his manner that he expects one. On
the other hand, gentleman would
scarcely accept the slightest civility
from q man of an inferior class
without payment, even if none were
demanded or expected. lie pays
for it to mark that he does not re-
gard what has been done for him in
the light of an act of courtesy from
man to man, but as a service rem
dered him by a being so inferior to
himself that there can be nothing
in common between them. The
rich man, in fact, exacts, on most
occasions, a servilc Difference from
the poor one-and pays for it; while
the latter has SO little sclfrcspect
that he is only too willing to be
paid.
No inequality Of position or cir
cumstances, however, will make a
native Of any portion of the United
States submit to being dealt with
in the manner, or spoken to in the
tone, which, in this country, the
"man in broadcloth" adopts, as a
matter of course, toward the "man
in fustian." No one, perhaps, has
a kcencr appreciation Of the advant-
ages of wealth and education than
the American; but that the posscssor
Of them should feel justified in using
toward him the language Of a su-
perior to an inferior is vi hat he can
not understand, and will not for one
moment put up with. An anecdote
related of the elder Matthews when
in New York we'll illustrates this
phase Of the national character.
Walking up Broadway one day, he
addressed an individual, having the
appearance of a mechanic, in these
terms: "My good man, l want to 50
to Franklin street" ''Then why
the devil don't you 60 there?'' was
the uncivil reply.
Now I have heard this story
quoted as showing the rudeness of
the lower orders in the United
States. But it was, l have no doubt
the unlucky phrase "My good man" "
and the patronizing tone in which
it may be inferred that such words
would be uttered, that reused the
gall of the individual spoken to, and
provoked discourteous retort.
The inquiry differently put would
not only have elected a civil answer
from ninety-nine out Of hundred
of those to whom it might have
been addressed, but they would
seeing he was forcigner-have
shown courteous readiness to
afford him any information in their
power; and that, too, without the
slightest expectation Of q fee or re-
ward. Indeed, the offer ola gratuity
under such circumstances would be
resented by the poorest American
as an insult.
That the national independence
of character mays occasionally, be
pushed too far, and degenerate into
offensive self-assertion, must, how
ever, be admitted. Thus it is re-
lated of a stage driver in one Of the
Western States that, on entering a
tavern in search of a passenger, he
addressed the solitary occupant of
the bar-room in these terms: care
you the man that's going by this
here stage?" adding, as the reason
for his making the inquiry, "I'm
the gentleman that drives it."
This is ridiculous enough; but
such cases are, in the older States
at least, quite exceptional; and it
would be most unfair to regard the
individual who figures in the above
anecdotc as the representative of
other than limited class in any
section of the country.
So far, indeed, as my observation
has extended, not only is the Ameri-
can of the poorer classes better
hammered than the Englishmen of
the same grade, but so superior is
he in this respect that no compari-
son can fairly be instituted between
them.
Anyone who returns to this
country after having spent some
time on the continent or in the
United States cannot, in fact, but
be struck by the coarseness-I
might almost say brutality-of the
lower classes; at least of snch of
them as the eye falls upon in the
public streets. In the rough practi-
cal jokes, in the "chatf," in which
they SO literally indulge among
themselves, the desire to inflict pain
or annoyance is, almost always, the
basis Of their wit. Treating each
other with habitual rudeness, it
follows that the show Of courtesy
they put on toward those above
them is prompted simply by tho
desire to gain. Their civility is, in
fact, little better than servility.
The American, on the other hand,
however humble in position, has .
keen sense Of personal dignity; no
taste for horsc-play; and, prompt
to resent an impertincncc or an