New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-17
JNTRRNh TTONAL DAISYPICKING.

If we may credit the recent statements IN
English papers, the British public is engaged
in an exercise at once Idyllic and touching.
It's thoughts are fixed upon this side OF the
Atlantic in tender tumuIt. Britannia is sigh
ing her soul out toward Uncle Sam, and. with
mingled hopes and fears, plucking tho fateful
metals of her marguerite aud whispering, ale
cloves me-he loves me not" She does not
lack counselOrs in her dilemma. Mr.. Gold
win Smith has been here. has seen us
and talked with u.s. He knows the
state of our minds as well as he that
made us. His firm though mOurnful c0nyic-
ton is that We hate England. and he would
not be the sincere and genuine man he Is, If
no did not tell England frankly that her
spooning" is in vain. She may dry her
eyes and bind up her flowing hair. Jonathan
loves her not. But Mr.. Barnum has observed
her Distress and justly thinks that man
who will not come to the assistance
of afflicted beauty is wretch whom
'twere base fattery to call coward.
Ho comes out boldly in The Times
and saws he knows something of America,-an
assertion which no one will disDute,-and no
pledges his high personal and professional
character to the further statement that Amer
lea cherishes for England a cordial and warm
affection The pleasure of coupling together
tho names of Mr.. Barnum and Prof. Smith
was probably a sufficient compensation to the
great newspaper for the suffering which the
message of the latter had OccasiOned.
II is not matter of so much practical import
ance as 10 justify an elaborate discussion OF
the relative specific GRANTEES of the dicta of
the great scholar and the great Snowman.
Whether we love England or not will proba
bly, make no difference in the balance OF trade
between us. We certainly do not love her so
ardently that we will burn our fingers in pull
ing out her chestnuts from any future diplO-
matte fire, and we have no such aversion to
her as to induce US to help any other nation
in quarrel with her. We will hold
our own in any bargain with her,
and be as ready to cOncede what is
hers as if we had never had war.
Sentimental questions are losing much of their
Importance everywhere. The only strong inter-
national passion which now exists among civil
lied people, is that thirst for revenge which
corrodes the hearts of the conquered. 1t
would be unwise, for instance, for German
statesmen to leave out of view the fact that
Germany is hated in France, 50 fercely as to
override all considerations of policy or expe-
dency. The first time Germany is engaged in
war she may be sure to find France on her
back, whether it is to the interest
of the French or not. But it would
be difficult to find any analogy to this state
Of feeling anywhere else. Instances of inter-
national friendship of the kind which calls for
sacrifices are perhaps still more rare. 1t is a
relation not common even among individuals,
and has become well-nigh impossible among
nations In half-barbarous population like
that of Russia the decorous official reception
given to Capt. Fox in ST. Petersburg was
changed to fervent enthusiasm in the prov
inces. The peasants of the NOlga threw
their coats in the mud before him ; but
these manifestations of welcome had, properly
speaking, no international significance. Capt.
Fox was great warrior from a distant cUun-
try who had come to visit the Car, and the
fact powe rfully affected the Oriental magma
ton. In ST. Petersburg our Embassy was
courteously and civilly entreated, as the
Grand Duke was in New ork-and neither
side felt in the least compromised by it. In
ternational friendship is thing which does
not exist outside of the international dining
room and the diplomatic dispatch.
Our relations with England are too intimate
for absolute indifference, and too complex for
absolute consistency. We neither love nor
hate England. We are too busy with our own
affairs to do either. Some Englshmen-sOme
sorts of Englishmen-are greatly liked in Amer
lea. Others-and other sorts-are less liked /;
and that is all that can safely be said about it.
We are as yet q little inclined to be too
cordial with the coming and too crit
zeal with tho parting guest; but those
who stand the ordeal as for example
Prof. Tyndall did, have no occasion to com
plain of our courtesy or our appreciation. A
sensitive man needs to brazen his cheek O
little against the compliments whereby he is
assailed upon landing. and the latest of our
honored guests, the Reverend Canon Kings
ley, just now finds himself confronted some
what too often by the rosy specter of his own
youthful work. But it is not too much for us
to say that the gauche seryility as well as the
uneasy defiance of earlier times has disappeared
from our intercourse with English visitors
We do not refer to the trembling homage
which certain class of fashionable people
pay to titled Englishmen. Tosd-eating is not
a national taste. The intelligent people of
this country regard Englishmen with no more
affection or dislike than other foreigners, and
they regard England with good natured
hostility which comes from old acquaintance
and has no practical meaning or cOnse0 uenoe