Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-07-07
Al&fan0rla 6ax&tte
SATURDAY EVENING. JULY7.
American Gentlemen.

never reflect upon the breadth and gener.
osity Of the underlying idea Of our system Of
government, with all its manly equities. its
constant demand upon it's citizens for the mosr
elevated sentiments known 70 our nature, aud
the opportunities afforded for their exercise,
that it does not appear to me more and more,
aud beyond all other forms of government yet
devised the most favorable theatre for the ex
ercise of all the qualities that dlgoify and adoru
Mankind and that if penetrated with true
sense OF the part which each man among US
should bear in such plan, an American citizen
| ought to be 10 the best sense OF the word
| gentleman.
have had good reasou to realize the exact
ing nature of the toll and varied occupation Of
our busy struggle 10 American life, and amid
what rush of events we have been carving
civilization out of the wilderness, emulatine
with bot impatience the results and accumuls
tions Of centuries Of work and thought 10 the
older nations. The graces of life-those fruits
of repose and well.earned wealth and leisure
are Of gradual growth and have been necesss-
rily postponed uuti our temple of civil and re-
ligious liberty was erected upon secure tou0ds
tious and our grand experiment of sef-coDtroj
By free people shall have been we'll tested.
Art, its studies aud higher influences do
not underrate, and the great advantages it can
mpart to its disciples, but personal contact has
taught me how much Of that true refinement.
delicacy Of sentiment and sensitive coDslders-
ton for the feelings Of others, which We justly
regard az the best fruit Of high breeding and
culture, can and does exist in the simplicity OF
American society, uninstruoted even BY that
European example which to some of our ooun-
trymen seems the necessary imprlmator OF social
success.
The American soob has DoIe Of the induce
ments or excuses of bis British brother, and
when he fellows in his track and gds and We
neers his pettipess and vulgarlty in Imitation OK
rank and distinguished station, he sins more
against nature and the honest simplicity aod
natural dignity which arc akin to republican 10
stations, and which may we'll be worn BY every
man who lives under them, according to their
true and manly spirit,
1t is 10 cur power to create standard or
American character end manhood as lofty as
that of any age or nl;io0, and to compel our
representatives at home aud abroad to conform
their conduct to it. The spirit of true ohivalry
in all is gentleness and uDscishncss, showing ten
derncss to the feeble and resistance to the over
bearing, mercy to whom mercy is due, and honor
to whom honor is due, can and does exist 10
America to-day under the "hodden gray OF
the Iaborcr and mechanic and threadbare coat
of the clerk or the grave garb of the hard.
worked merchant OF man OF the profession, as
truly as it ever did under the helmet and
chain arner Of knigh errant in the oldeb
time.
The'Ame:ioan people oa0 justly demand from
those wh5 are delegated to represent them
abroad or at home punc;i0us observance Of
honor and delicate pride 10 their private a0d
public conduct, aud the moral i1nlence to be
obtained by digni6ed selCrarpect,. intelligence
and high personal integrity will far outweigh
any attempted competition with the show ane
glitter of the representatives Of other govern
ments not based upon the principle Of voiuor.
tary and orderly self control 10 truth, it will
be found that where American representatives
abroad have drawn oblcquy and just censure or
contempt upon themselves or their country, it
has been usually caused BY some ignorant at
tempt at ostcntatous display or tho unworthy
pursuit Of private gain, in both of which the
dignity Of their position was forgotten OF dis
regarded, and the fault was not "Amerlcan-
ISM" but the absence ofit.-Senator Bdyard's
dIjrcss 0t H1ry1yI