The New York herald., 1879-09-08
LITER RATURE.
The Mask Torn from the
United States.
BALLADS AND SONNETS.
A Valuable Volume on Hygiene
and Public Health.
NOVELS AND CHIT-CHAT.
..rHr UNITED STATES uNMAsKrp."

''rHE UNITED STATES UNMAsKED."
1.-The United States Unmasked" is the startling
title Of small volume published in London by
Edward Stanford and written by one q. Manigsult.
The author states in his preface that he made sew
sral efforts to get his book published in the United
States. but unsuccessful eveu those publishers
whose political and social convictions carry them .
long way with him the views herein expressed
shrsnk from becoming godfathers to his bantling'
he conhdes to u.s. He then modestly points out the
merit of his book which, he says. If rightly read
may "save much money to many people not III the
United States who have been or may be tempted to
ACQUIRE an interest in enterprises undertaken there
or in securities put the money market from that
quarter" Those misguided persons who have been
in the habit Of looking upon the United States
prosperous and moderately moral country Will
be xstounded to learn that there is none
more unprosperous immoral 1t seems that
the '.boasting tone'' used by the people OF the
United States in speaking of their country and its
institutions has aroused the viruous indignation Of
Mr. Manigault. The Incidental advantages
long enjoyed by the United States have given that
country reputation to which it has little claim
and this undeserved reputation has served to
irritate Mr.. Manigault to such degree that he has
determined to tear the mask from this smiling
munty and reveal the corruptions beneath. We
should feel utterly crushed by this authors
criticism if it not for the saving clause that
"there is much in the history and progress of this
monster Republic to excite the wonder Of the world
and the acknowledgment that mo country ever
ercised by the mere force of opinion disseminated
from it as a centre wider influence over the ma
tions OF the earth" After few words Of general
denunciation Mr. Manigault endeavors substantially
to prove:-
l. That whatever wisdom and principles of justice
YnnV ntadf fha 1AArifV Of fha Sfafad
now known the United States, they did not origi-
nate there, but were brought il from abroad, aud
have there deteriorated rather than improved.
2. That under the guidance OF this imported wis
dom and justice vast and combination of
Natural advantages built up the prosperity OF these
States.
3. That the natural and material advantages they
enjoyed were not more freely and eagerly used than
was tefully abused aud exhausted.
A. That. far from having made moral progress
with their growth, the 400O0,O00 of people in the
United States are most strongly characterized by
their unblushing political, social and financial
ruption.
Now. is this not hard to bear? In the first
place. who pride ourselves upon being almost
unique in institutions and principles to be told
that they did not originate with To be told that
our wisdom and justice is imported Does Mr..
Manigault mean to say that "wisdom and justice"
had even much passed through the Custom
House? And. lastly. our whole forty millions of
people set down being characterized by their
ton" He does not make exception. Why
couldn't ne have SAID 80. .999, 800? Then one of us
might have thought that he had escaped the stigma
but now, as all 1--we in glass houses throw
stones. The only portion OF this vast country
for which Mr. Manigault has word of
sympathy Is tho South. The Northerners, or
Yankees, as he calls them. are looked upon simply
. set of law protected pirates. The minority in
the United States, he declares, have rights &c
cording to our constitution" which he terms
nothing but some forms of effete political or
ganization. Shade of Jefferson, what next? Finan-
cially he considers us rotten. and speaks of the
'tgold room" as the financial gamesters' hell" To
show the corruption of the country "Boss' Tweed
is dragged from his grave and set up as swell
marked type of numerous and in many cases still
prosperous. class of officials to be found in every
considerable municipal corporation, in every State
government, in every department of tho United
States government, in the House of Representatives
and the Senate in the Cabinet and in the diplomatic
corps" This government by the people. Mr..
Manigault tells US, has been very successful in
making the fortunes of those who could obtain Of
hce under it, or exercise influence over those who
are in office" No country is more overrun with
loafers and tramps" and abandoned criminal char
arcters he says. "The literary training of the peo-
pe. he adds 'serves chiefly to enable them to enjoy
the Nec0dte Cdtnddr narratives or fresh rascaities
and atrocities committed in various parts Of the
country and industriously disseminated by the
most icentious and libcous press that ever infested
any country" Mr.. Manigault's rage is stronger
than his grammar.
Let not the quiet church-goipg people think to
escape this writer's lash. tor he says the greater
part chiefly interested in the fulminations.
satires and ISLANDERS issuing from most licentious
pulpits." One of the most obvious results Of the
'boasted development of the American mind" is
'that monstrous proportion Of the people who are
seeking to live by their wit. not by their work."
This. he says. has nlled the country with 'lawless
and desperate men," But wo have had quite enough
of Mr. Mangault, who. though he writes in English,
has not an English name. Indeed
He may be Roosan,
French or Turk or Proosian,
Or yet lta-ian-
but of one thing certain. he is not
American.