The New York herald., 1876-11-09
AMERICA VINDICATES HERSELF.
THE LONDON TIMES AGREES WITH THE HERALD
IN cENsuRISG THE MARQUIS DE TALLEY-

The Marquis de Talleyrand Perigord has been exhib
itnR feat OF courage far unparalleled and likely TO
remain So Paying visit 10 the United States and
making short stay there he has considered himself
entitled 10 put on record his monograph US II is now
OF The American people of course everybody
Is entitled TO his impressions, and to the publication
OF them. within the bounds of proprety and common
sense IT. however, they happen to bc unavorable it
generally felt advisable think them and, at
all events. TO publish them ill after their return
home. A few weeks reflection will probably suggest
that they not very perhaps not quite true,
and that, sober fact they rather clashing OF
one set OF national prejudices with another than
discovery TO be given to the world Tho Marquis Do
Taleyrand Pcrgord could not wait tor this possibly
Illuminating and destructive process. Incontincnty
aad s,rayhtway he discharged his full quiver crlti
cism in the very face OF his kind entertainers before
leaving their shores His avowed motive for a
which he admits be exceptional Is just to what
tho Americans have TO say 10 reply, and what they
think of him IN return for what he thinks of theni.
The review OF his work which We have repubshed
IRON tho Nxw YORK HERALD must give him all the
satisfaction desired; and II tho Marquis OF opinion
that tho value OF a bitter indictment depends
The completeness OF lis refutatiop. ho had better
publish The review together with his book. For our
part, wo should say that the Marquis appears TO
have acquired nothing IN his VISIT but names, inci-
dents ana ouIsdcs. His so-caed Impressions be
VIII nc took with HIM, Tor they could all have been
received quito easily without quitting the dear soil
deed, upon the internal evidence, II reasonable
presumption that h. took the book out with him IN
manuscript Just rs ladies have sometimes made extra
ordinary journeys order obtain the requisite birth
place for their onspring. This arc Justified in
ing for the book represents what the Marquis does
know rather than wnat he does. There
sIty tor exposing this ignorance The Marquis might
have, lett 10 others the estimate o! American
vir.uc and genius and have contcntcd himself
with those observations on maRners and uslges
which Frcnchman would bo likely 10 make. ard
which to amusc. however frivolous and worth
loss He undertook, however, to sum up the Amer
lean people and to measure the progress thoy had
made in the century. HIS estimate IL that which q
perfectly unread and uniformed Frenchman might
settle INTO by home influences, accept from
a rRIpurx TO AMERICANS
Tho real truth is that the American people may
safely and successfully claim TO havo traversed and
occupied all the ground that was possible 10 them
been SO hardy 10 name. The English, who start
with some unavoidable but pardonabc prejudice,
have faled TO do justice to their literature
one in II. They read appreciate and thoroughly
enjoy American poets humorists, historians, bogra-
h,s lawyers y soyuseas E allow
They feel 1t England transpantcd into soil, not
without certain gam, though II be but the av0r OF
another hcmisphcre There IS much that cannot bc
transplanted. Neither Scott, nor Byron Words
worth could have ranspan into American SOIL
No American could have attempted Macaulay's
treatment OF our history In the natural distribution
OF SUBJECTS tho history OF enterprise. discovery and
conquest and the growth OF republics cll TO America
wido and muiirarious provinces OF art and SCI
ence she runs neck mock with Tho mosher
country, left behind, and, true TO her origin
pursuing the line OF practical application When the
Marquis talks az no does OF American literature
cannot help asking what his judgment would be on
owD and whether in his opinion Shakespeare IL to DO
mentioned IN the same breath with Molierc. No
try Is the best In everything. Indeed Il seems the
order of Providence that divide between hem
tho prizes OF culture On the other hand no nation Is
entirely wanting or universally Backward the Mar
quis describes America. But his denial Of good and
to An1u mr. and nAn nd hA 1nuo
part of his accusation. America, no says, produces
things, not men, Its morality Is that OF a people In
its dccadencc-that is, incpent rottenness. II
only vr money, and estimates men only as they pos
sess money
"LooK AT HOME, MARQuIs.o
DENYING II men OF letters orators aud works of
art, he adds that has no statesmen and almost
expects find that It has soldiers either But the
Marquis, looking at homc perhaps, stops short of
that The fact is that the Americans have governed
their country alter their fashion, aud for thcr
purpose as we'll as any other country and better
than some that might be named, though with their
full share OF difficulties The best statcsmanship s
that which Is best Tor each State. But money is
everything there, the Marquis As almost every
body who has visited tho United States and written
about them says the same there must be some truth
H. though by this time no novelty, unless bo the
new fact that the debt the OF the currency
and nteroceanc RAILWAYS have made money more
potent for mischief and moro prolific of scandal But
there consideration always lost sight OF the per.
petual reproduction OF this charge. II is al ways
and everywhere necessary introducing strangers to
one another 10 give them some idea OF one anotEers
respective POSITIONS. Sometimes, indeed It
cssary 10 say anything, Tor the distinction is the
surface. Aman OF title rank, dgnltary, man OF
large estate high local standing wants introduc-
ton. Where other certificates are wanting money
must be- used as the standard Of personal signi
cancc All over the word II is easier TO compare halt
million dollars with million than qualities OF heart,
ind and SOUL or even various social After
all, there is no such difference between money and
land in this matter only under the peculiar crcum-
stances the United States, land unless DO covered
with buildings, conters distinction. IL is too, 70
be considered that after all the United States are
wnpVr oee
wanting TO settle do talk about money, incomes
and expectations than their elders, who beginning
to feel money a sore subject.
SIMPLY NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
Americans are, no DOUBT sensitive, and their scns
ty.ncss Is founded on high esteem OF themselves.
Our correspondent writing from Newport notices
both acs and observes that before tins they havc cd
outbreaks OF temper oxravagances expression
that we should be surprised indeed To hear from any
other people. But all nations have high esteem or
themselves grounds Of their own always intel
Iigiblc to others. Every nation has charactcr-wc
may add special exceienceor It's own by the light
OF which IL must be the best. IL has nothing
else 1t has history or destiny affinity, or a
ready TO challenge al mankind 1Sc up,sea wcn states a.
happen TO have nll these and good deal
more. But there remains the intense, the tn
separaoc difference between nation and nation.
That difference that speciality has its grandcr aspects
which discern BILE except the grander inte,-
genccs; II has also It's mcancr, commoncr ana even
ridiculous asperts Tho American cannot oren his
mouth witnout prociaimEg his nationality. HIS car
rage his movements his general bearing and his limo
same OF US, and we are bound 10 believe IL. On tho
other hand. Continental ncigh cannot dstn.
guish between anu freely charge with the ltlo
pccularitcs we fondy imagine tho monopoly Of the
American. Those pccIarites are tho natural develop
mcnts OF common stock, more fostcrca by circun,-
stances branch OF the family than In another
But why not equally sensitive OF anothcr's
crtcisn,sy Tue Is ono that should lead US to
respect America the moro and quarrel with her the
less Her scnsiivcncss implies certainly a strong
belief in herself bat II also implies almost stronger
belief in us.
SOBER REALiTIHS.
She feels that by Old World right, moro direct
heritage anu icnger possession VIC possess the ruo by
which words ana NJ least the lighter part OF human
actions judged sure as sho that she is right
she Is not quite sure she -ght IN eyes, that
n she IS right IN our eyes our Jealousy Will allow H.
Wishing to be superior. she Is that tho
preicnsionfs audscious and Tho issue doubtful. Shc
iccs hcrscl. trcading on tender ground IL wc want
TO realize this have only to consider how on va
rious points, arc ourselves specially sensitive OF
French German and Italian criticism The very SEN
saion implies the recognition ~ certain supe-
rioriiy these nations. Sensible people sup
press Tho rising resentment, ana feel INIT stimulus
to generous rivalry. But every nation possesses