Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-25
English Thoughts on the Fourth OF
JHIV
London Telegraph.

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Many years have passed since the late
Mr. George Peabody was the first Ameri
can residcntinL London who endeavOred by
his hOspitable dinners on the Fourth of
July, to bring few of his compatriots
into closer and more intimate intercourse
with his English guests To day there
will be no need for Peabody to remind
Americans that Englishmen have ceased
to regard the Declaration of Independ-
ence on the Fourth of July, 1776. as
what George III. pronounced it to be
1.-The gravest misfortune that ever befell
the mother country"
The truth is that the onward march
of the mighty Republic is as sincere a
cause of joy and admiration to all who
| speak what Emerson calls highlands
| conquering and commercial tongue" as
it is to that republics own sons and
daughters. Often as the wondrous tale
has been told, it seems more and more
marvellous as each TecuTrent Fourth of
July comes around, and especially so
when we remember that less than a cen
fury has actually passed since the nation
which declared itself independent in
1915 burst the bonds of the allegiance
linking it to Great Britain The area of
the United States at the close of the Revo;
lutiOnary War in 1888 was but $40 600
square miles. By successive accretions
the Republics territory has now grown to
more than 3, 600 900 square miles. Lou
isiana, purchased from France in 1903 :
Florida, acquired from Spain in 1891 !;
Texas, annexed to the Union in 1915;
Oregon, added by treaty in 1916; Cali
fovVio Novv Movi0O apI Ofbo. ro.;o,n
taken over from Mexico in 1S47 and 1854 :;
Alaska, purchased cheaply from Russia
in 1S67-these are the cumulative addi-
tons to its borders, which, without
arousing a spark of jealousy In any for
eign bosom, the greatest of republics has
seen its way to making since the com
mencement of the present century.
We know not which of the American
States to choose as an exemplar of the
amazing progress that most of them are
making-in population, in live stock,
and in the number of acres under cult
walton. Combining ourselves, for the
moment, to strictly agricultural States.
it may be noticed that in the last twenty
years the population of Kansas has
grown from 10000 to more than a mil
hon souls, and its horses, mules and
asses from less than 30 900 in 1862 to
half a million in 1882; that its cattle
have more than Occupied in the same
time, and that its acres under cultivation
are 100000 in the latter against
100000 in the former year. 1t is well
that figures so suggestive and encouraging
should be borne in mind to day by Eng
lishmen no less than by Americans who
combine to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Just century ago the capitulation of
Lord CORVALLIS at Yorktown practically
terminated the Revolutionary War, and
it teaches above all other lessons that
"there is a vast deal of human nature in
man, whatever may be the polity under
which his lot is cast. Forms of gov
rable speech at the Golden Club dinner
on Saturday last, 'have not sufficed to
check war, for we have seen demOcra.
cieS as pugnacious as governments of
any other character" 1t is because
the United States have gone through
and successfully surmounted vast
troubles of their own that they are to-
day more tolerant of older countries and
less disposed than they once were to
point reproachfully at the embarrass-
ments and difficulties Of others. These
thoughts will be present to reflective
minds wherever to-day's Fourth of July
breaks, accompanied with cordial aspira-
tons for the continued growth, pros
perity, and harmony of that mighty
nation which, from all quarters of the
globe, is watched with sympathetic eyes
by those who entertain the largest and
most ambitious hopes for the future de.
velopment of the human race.