The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-10-07
COL. BAKER.
sThc Fine New English Gentleman
From Harpers Editors Easy Chair."l

WAS lately OF opinion that IL was tho
mission of America to vulgarize Europe,
must bs somewhat aghsst at the recent
performance OF the Army and Navy
Club, in London. The philosopher OF
whom we speak thinks his countrymen
TO be desperately vulgar, but in no club
Of American gentlemen would such
vote rs that of the English club read
hitting Baker be possible. We doubt
ii any American gentleman in London,
showing the facts, would regard an in
vitation to join that club, even If it
we're permissible, as other than an insult.
The facts are simple. Baker was
Colonel in the British army who COM
initted foul assault upon young
woman in a railway car. He was tried,
convicted, imprisoned for year and
dropped from the army. His light i'm
prisonment was due to the fact that he
was favorite in society, and the Duke
of Cambridge, the commander OF the
army, tried to spare him the disgrace OF
being dropped. But the Queen, fort
unately, had different sense OF honor
and OF duty, and insisted that man
who was guilty of the most dastardly
outrage upon defenseless woman dis
Xraced the colors he bore. He was dis
missed, and, after his years imprison-
ment in Jail, padded with fashionable
sympathy and succor, he naturally de-
parted for Turkey.
There he became Baker Pasha, and
fought for the ally of the British lingo.
After the war he returned to England,
and the lingo world folded him to its
heart. A Duke warmly welcomed him
to his table, and the Prince of Wales sat
with him at dinner. Mr.. Smalley tells
us that there were speeches in honor of
the illustrious guest The Marquis of
Steyne must have wished In his internal
retreat that he might be present at a
banquet so grateful. No touch of
Thackeray's satiric scorn burns like this
simple fact. This man, foiled by a
brave girl in his vile endeavor, was sa-
luted in lingo salons, and lacked
nothing of complete social restoration
but readmission to the club. Now, a
club is distinctively body of gentle
men. 1t may be military, or naval, or
civil, or conservative, or liberal, or
scientific club, but it is especially an as
sembly of gentlemen III its particular
kind. The one person who. might be
supposed to be odious to such social
fellowship would be precisely the repro
bate who was guilty OF Bakers offence.
1t seems that for restoration to the
club it was necessary that fifty members
should propose him who were of opinion
that the cause of his leaving the service
did not affect his character as gentle
man. Fifty members of the Army and
L., .Df 4 Ii
members voted against thirty. nine to
sustain the view OF the fifty, and to adj
nit Baker to the club as a spotless gen.
tleman. The vote reveals the standard
Of the Army and Navy Club. An i'm
mense majority decides that q man who
it batiled by the courage of young girl
in the commission of an unspeakable
crime against her is a gentleman. Our
American philosopher will surely admit
that that part of Europe which is in
Guided in the Army and Navy Club is in
no fear of being vulgarized by America,
for the same reason that an added egg
can not be spoiled.
If this be gentility, let us thank
Heaven for vulgarity. This is the society,
however, into which American snohs
pine to pe admitted. Yet they know
that in none of their own clubs ut home
would such a transaction be possible,
and they themselves, however obsequi-
ously they eat toad5 and hunt tufts,
would not be guilty either OF the offence
or the conformation. The American snOb
initiates the absllrdities OF the English,
but not his offences. H may even toss
his head lightly and speak with affected
! noncbalance of Bakers dasiardiy
crime, but so the bumptious boy sticks
! 10 the cigar that nauseates him. He pre-.
! tends TO think it manly, but the poor
fellows whole system revolts ut it and
repels it. The innocent American snoh
who affects the English dress and speech
and manner, and labOrioua' y attempts tc
reproduce English sports and custom,
upon our unfayorable soil, stops there,
having earned the amused smile OF Iii,
sensible fellow countryman. He may
aw ! aw and stutter. and wear short
Wasted coats and tight trousers and
heavy shoes he may wind the mellow
morn as he eagerly follows the fleet anise
seed bag, and galiantly emulate the
elder Weller in driving stage coach
and the British "sports III dashing "a
polo; but he does not give his hand &c
the man who cheats at cards, nor vote tC
admit to his club an infinitely fouleI
offender.
Nobody of course would hold tn,
great body OF Englishmen who bea.
without abuse the grand old name o
gentleman" responsible for the action o
single London club, or for the princel,
favor and ducal wining and dining of
baffled Lovelace. But it is a curious
glimpse of the morality and character o.
Mayfair, and it will certainly suggest II
our amiable American philosopher re.
vision of his theory
Teachers and Their Salaries.
Al. vi. L. 1nI IN "a,