San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1880-02-14
Holm IIrlyl,i ON A mcrlcn.


, eminent foreigners have to say abou
I US and our country. We cannot fail 4
Q learn much that is valuable and in
structive about ourselves through thu
eyes OF intelligent strangers which w
are unable ourselves to observe.SThcy
, look upon us from an outside stand.
point. and il they are often liable to
make mistakes, they eau also some
times see more clearly our virtues add
lailings than if they were part Of
US.
j John Bright, the famous English
statesman and reformer. has always
proved himself gu ardent and coura-
gcous friend OF the United States. lie
stood bravely by us throughout the
long period of our Civil War; and iu
the days that seemed darkest to the
Union, he never failed to utter the
most earnest hope and belief in its fin'
al triumph. Many times in Parliament
he has favorably compared our institu.
tons with those of his own country,
and has urged the English to follow
our example, and he has done this
though he we'll knew that by so doing he
would arouse all the pride and jealousy
of his countrymen, and bring down
sneers and often obloquy upon himself.
Dir. Bright has once more, recently.
given eloquent testimony to bis faith
in and admiration of the United
States. On the return of his friend,
Mr.. Potter NJ. p. to Rochdale, after n
visit Gu this side of the Atlantic, a
large meeting was held to welcome
him back ; and Mr., Bright then took
occasion to call the attention of En-.
giishmen 30 many features of American
politics and society.
He did not hesitate to draw paral
lei between many aspects of our condi
ton and that Of England, to the Gisad
vantage of the latter and this fir ON a
sincere desire. not to deride his couu-
trymen, but to improve and better
them.
He pointed out how vast is our
territory, showing that the single State
of Texas is larger than all Germany,
Austria or France, and that the three
States and Territories of California,
Dakota and Montana are each larger
than Great Britain and ireland united.
Yet. while the standing armies ofthese
European nations are counted by hun
dreds of thousands. our own enormous
territory is kept iE order very
good order, toby little force of
twenty eight thousand men. tits not
maintained he said Tor the purpose of
wal abroad, nor for suppressing liberty
at home yet there is no country that
is more universally respected through.
out the whole globe, or in which the
laws are better observed and order
maintained, than in the United
states of America"
Mr.. Bright predicted that men still
in the prime of life would yet see our
population reach one hundred millions
and he pointed to the important fact
that the emigration which does so
much to give our increase in numbers
and yield our prosperity, is in conse-
quencc of the foolishness of European
peoples and governments. The ex-
travagant expenditures, the grinding
taxation, harsh and enjust laws, reck-
less foreign policy, laws which bind
up the land. all these things which
exist in Europe force multitudes TO
seek on the new continent relief from
oppression, and to exist and to rise.
Russian intolerance, the German nil
itary system, and the British land
monopoly, are sending thousands to
this country to fill up and utilize its
vast area.
Mr.. Bright spoke also of the eighty
thousand miles Of railway in this coun
try, and the great effort made to abolish
slavery,-'a crime as he said not the off
spring of Republican institutions, but
oicolonial and monarchial times He
declared that our government is worthy
of our conf ience, that we are wise in
making no political treaties, and tina
we are happy in having no state church
to bolster up the State.
Such testimony, from such n such
source, is well worth having. and is
worth rejecting upon. Mr.. Bright's
picture of our condition aud our pros.
poets is a glowing one; and those who
are inclined TO dismal fordodiags and
to sclt.depreciation may learn lesson
of encouragement aud hope from a
Judgment so frankly delirered and f,