The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1873-05-20
Nationality and Free State,

PuWellui words IN reference to our
country;
Among the evils from which the people
Of tho United States suffer, one Of the
deepest rooted IL the lack Of natjo 4al
character 0ur European nations are
also mixed peoples Germany France,
England, have Celuc, Germanic, Romantic
and slavic elements, superinposei in man.
fold strata, md commiuglcd through and
through, But finally they have combined
IN the formation of The main body OF the
nations Restricted within certain limits).
developed u new product and neuralged
the nGtionalilics Of the various peoples.
In the United States, on the contrary, the
caudron boils aud bubbles in consequence
Of the unceosng pouring in of new ingre.
dienls; the mixing forever remains mix
ture, and does not become Il compounded
active whole. The mutual interest in the
common state cannot supply new ma
lionaltty II has, asa toregoue conclusion,
not the strength TO raise the individual
from the narrow range of scGshpess and
avnrice in getting to amy ideal ex.
ertiOn. Where there is no national feel.
ng, neither is there any soul"
Although the above expressions are
somewhat highly cOlored, yet the ssgacous
lhnker-who knows nothing of America
from hia own obserYalion--ist n the main
correct"
With these words l.. Buechner introduces
his fourth letter from the "Laud of Free
dom to Tho "Leipsic Gardenlaube,n and
from his own observation here as a natut-
alisi, confirms the view of the "renOwned
Iheologian' with the eyes Of speculative
enthusiasm from afar, as lin the main
correct" EnpiriCisin and speculation
thus join hands in their judgment of
America, and the verdict is HAT we are
sickly people II heterogeneous, selfish,
fermenting mixture, tho aves of avariGe,
incapable Of ideal efforts, because simply
because we are deficient in national char
acter. 1t 10 ALTO asserted that We have
no soul, inasmuch as we lack national
feelings and emotions The interest of
tie mutual state, which meas alFO inter-
est in the republic OF free States, accord.
ing to the above authority, can not esi.b.
ltsh national interest, which it is to be
Inferred must alone possess the strength
to lit The individual out Of The slough OF
seIishness and ayarIce TO the plane of
ideal cxertion.
This is in truth harsh judgment
which, with single stroke Of he pen,
condemns oar national existence and rs.
signs ny to u iumiliating position far be-
low the yirtuoas, id0alistic, na'onaistic,
whole, s0uled peoples of past aud present
times In this mourufui situation there
remains to us in fact, nothing, except the
forlorn hope of better future in the midst
of the imiluS of European peoples, which
has continued for centuries and is the
same to-day, restricted within certain
limits j unless, indeed, ii could be
stopp d altogether, as the only way ont of
the chaos to clear, national expression,
according 10 the thinking OF Strauss.
Until then we shall certainty be obliged,
according to Mr.. Buechner to content
ourselves with dis: That the "lrish build
our railroads. and that they, together
with "nCgroes and, TO some extent, q so
GerRans constitute the classes of our ser.
wants, attendants, walters, cooks, house
MAZDA, Sc. our "coachmen' 10 WELD the
whip, and our sculiiOns to "burnish our
Americas boots occupations foI wAich
Americans are untitled by their personal
pride and feeling Of freedom"
In this Noticeable mediocrily. of our
presebt characlerless nation, il must he
copsolng to IS to learn trom j.. Geuchner's
letters that SHE Irish element encounters
the smallest difficulties, because it is the
quickest and easiest naturai2cd, and also
that the Germans livngamong Americans
and We add whore else could hey live in
America?) easily and repidy become
a americans, the children Of German fimi
lies preferring to speak English to Ger
man." and that in the great multitude Of
between Americans and Ger.
n ans, the whole household quickly adopt
tho American character
BY this it appears that the 'cauldron
boiling md bubbling" here
and the thinking that forever remains a
presents no such great dunger
after ALL II, Notwithstanding the eyerlast-
ing pouring in, the very Ingredients do
rapidly enter Into the main body Of the
American nationality and 80 soon neutral
ize themselves in new product that "as
foregone conclusion even the first genera |
ton born here Of the immigrated coach
men and bo0t.blacks find it incompatible |
with the personal pride and feeling of the
'Americnns" to take the whip as a coach. |
man, or to black boots for any body ex- |
,ept, perhaps, themselves,
|, is, in fact, painful fact for The Ger
man who, as q naturall2ed citizen of this
has selected n homo for himself !
and family, and by many years eyr'
encc has just become able to form JLg |
ment Of the situation for himself, to hear |
German scholars in the contracted limits |
Of the study rooms or thus en- PassdHt con-
tradict themselves and utter this kind of |
against themselves in II |
lump; still more painful when he person
,lly regards and honors the same learned |
men on accoun, Of their services in the /
cause Of scientific enlightenment mad de- |
Iiverance from crT0r. The writer 0! this |
is far from regarding nationality ne the |
biehes; moral development, or placing the |
natioAal character Adore the character |
If free citizens, or the national interest |
above the humane; bu. 10 the interest of
truth he mast mes; decidedly protest |
gainst n exposition ike the above, which, |
even if not intended can only serve to
degrade this people 10 the eyes OF Euro
pean national prejudice.
The American loves bis country and
,oun.rymen at home as we'll as
rben abroad. aud with justice he is proud
1t his free Institutions. and Of his short
lu' brilliant na'irnnl h.aprr 10 The
v4fls "l am an AwerIcao, p b, expresses
iie -aavicfi1u h1this anfore! sia'rH 2ni
-. ..L ...-.It.- L..a h, n. 80. N. u. ~