The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-07-10
Lettering in London.

this random way, you don't want of me
either any news or opinions upon cur
rent events The only event of impor-
tance that has happened since our party
got over Il wonder if they did do it in
honor of our arrival, leastwise, it occur
red the very day after y was the change
of administration in France. Strange
to say, neither Mcmahon nor Theirs has
thought it worth his while to communi-
cate with any of us, and therefore, hui
initiating as the confession is, | must
own that | know no more than other
people. Just one guess and will drop
the subject The republic in France is
a success. Gambetta is the winning
horse for the long run. He is the com
ing man. The faction fight that is 60
ing on among the monarchists will in
the end prove fatal to them. There is
no Napoleon Of courage and genius to
take the lead. The march of republi-
canism is forward Gambetta has
brains and daring, and, more than this,
he represents the natural aspirations of
the present age, the present generation
of Frenchmen, and, if he lives, he is
sure to win. France republic, Spain
republic (and CASTELAR, is as great Il
man as Gambetta,) what next? No man
is n prophet, but any man of ordinary
capacity can see that republicanism is
fixture in Europe The United States
is at this moment the greatest influence,
and, in many respects, the greatest pow
er in the world. If there be any discon-
tented American citizen, north or south,
who regrets the circumstance, let him
come over here ; let him see the vii
lainous class distinctions which every.
where manifest themselves let him
conceive the villainous prescriptions,
political, social and individual, which
they denote; let him compare the most
abject phase of life in America with the
every day forms, customs and phases of
life in this country, and then, as an hon
est, God-fearing man, let him go home
if he dares, and say he is not proud of
his nationality, proud of its place among
the nations, proud of its institutions,
with all their shortcomings and imper-
fections; proud Of its gloryand prestige
and grateful to its flag, because, in the
midst of expressions which, in free
land like England are accepted as the
common-places of life by intelligent
people, it can throw over him its folds
making him to all intents and purposes,
what Mr.. Gladstone, their own prime
minister, is not, the equal Of my neigh
Dor, the Marquis of Westminster. and
my little friend over the way, the Duke
of DevOnshire. | say, as a man who
respects the English people, who be-
lieves them to be the best governed peo-
pie in Europe, and who comedies them
to be the most lovable i'll the world,
that with all their advantages over us
in point of precedence and culture,
they are less happy in their situation,
in their natural spirit, in heirinstitutes,
in their habits, customs and ideas, con-
sidcred politically, than We are; and,
revering their antiquities, and rejoicing
in their literature, declare that would
rather be, what am, an obscure ex-cOn-
federate, out of power and out OF favor
at home, nay, u citizen of Louisiana,
than be well-to-do citizen of London,
living under the shadow of Mr.. Burkes
coeval towers, and of that constitution
which is so girt and fenced in by limi-
tating statutes as to deny fair man a
fair chance in his own country. II is
the sheerest CANNON to talk about En-
glish freedom. The only freedom they
have in England is begot by fear in the
upper classes, in the cabinet, in the
parliament. Though more agreeably
enslaved, the people are as much en-
slaved as the people of Poland en-
slaved to prejudioes, predictions and
conventions, which their masters have
fastened into laws. The ball of revolu-
ton, successfully set going in Spain and
France, will presently come this way /;
and then you may look for Lord Ma
caulay's Australasian sitting among the
ruins of st. Paul's, for of all the cities
of the world, as Blucher first suggested,
London is the one city that seems to
have been meant by God and nature for
sack and pillage, fire and sword, the
civilized tomahawk and the scientific
torch.
But desist. spar you. I began
to sing a song about the pleasant things,
the fine ladies and the gay places, the
solid mansions and the roast beef,
touching upon the young Lady of Clos
ter, and our old acquaintance, the ITCH
borne claimant, and not meaning to fall
into q sermon ON government. L dare
say You have had enough for one sit
ing. At all events, I will end abruptly
by promising in my next to give you
more particular account of the friyoli-
ties and follies of the metropolis.
"MR. SPEAKER" exclaimed member
of the Arkansas Legislature, "my col
league taunts me with desire for fame.
scorn the imputation, sir. Fame, sir |