New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-04-02
a French Opimion Of Americans

Before the Mexican campaign of Napoleon,
IL HJre Amerique was something Arcadian;
Laboulaye's hattering tribute to America
8" Paris in America had vogue the
names of Lafayette and Washington were
still coupled together; according TO popular
tradition, France had put America on her
legs, had patronized and befriended one Of
her most gifted sons--Franklin America
was the promised land, and Frenchmen gen
orally were friendly TO all Americans. This
was the rose-water period. When the Amer
lean government, in accordance with the idea
of the Monroe doctrine, insisted on the with
drawal ofthe French troops from Mexican soil,
there was some shakings of the head. Dur
ing the French-Prussan war opinions and
sympathies in the United States were divided,
which was a surprise to Frcnchmen, who had
expected that America entire would extend
to them at least hearty moral support.
Here there was some talk about ingratitUdc.
Rich Americans began to come to Paris in
great numbers, and furnished a type which
was not according to that pattern OF republic
can simplicity and unsellishness which had
been held up as something peculiarly Ameri-
can. Our countrymen-as they had the
right to do, since they paid for them secured
the finest equpases, apartments, and hotels
Outbid the natives in pictures, laccs, and
to Frenchmen, prices of living generally adj
vanced. They discovered that the civlizo-
ton of these rich Americans from their
point OF view-did not correspond with that
of French people in similar circumstances.
They looked at them too specifically todls-
dover that as a nation of workers they had
not the time to cultivate the grapes; that
their civilization was not in the interior man,
deep-rooted and growing, of a vitality that
could hardly be impaired by any event, good
or bad, in the history Of their nation. French
observers saw men who could not play the
piano, nor sing, nor appreciate objects OF ant,
and who chewed tobacco, wore boards in
hard lines athwart the cheek, ,iostled people
without asking pardon, lounged in free and
easy fashion over the furniture of neighbors,
and sat on the counters Of shops. Politically
they were not republicans for others, but
only for themselves. The American govern
ment had no word of sympathy to offer to the
young and struggling republic OF France.
They observed, too, that many American
families were not as faithful to their republi
can principles as they had believed at an car
lier day. They saw American fathers and
mothers paying down SO much money to the
owner of title to induce him to marry their
daughter without submitting the mans
moral character to u proper examination.
They occasionally heard young girls express
preference for monarchy in America, and
saw them going out alone with young men,
and exhibiting in their intercourse with them
a behavior that seemed reprehcnsible. See
ing these things, the Frenchmcn drew their
own conclusions, for it is difficult to give them
a true insight into any foreign customs. a
reaction took place, and reached the other
extreme, which is always the case in France.
The American way of bringing up young wo-
men was considered dangerous, aud French
mothers did not wish to see their daughters
with their American sisters. The custom of
many American wives living here, with hus-
bands absent in the States, struc; them as
singular and improper. The Americans were
too free in throwing open their doors to all
corners, some of whom were people who
might not visit what is considered a good
French house. These considerations, a part
Of which rest on little foundation, induced
the French to draw aloof from American So
cicty. Hence it is that the French woman is
rarely seen in the house Of the American
the men may be found there naturally, as
they go everywhere, but their presence has
nothing to do with fixing the social status Of
those they vsit.-AlbeH Rhodes in tie Galary
for .1pri.