The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-06-02

W libtSIt ny IOItIIHbES, ttlCIl WIZ Saii1 MN I
for our political system, than the general
resources Of the country. The great por-
tion of them have been written by hasty
| tourists who have travelled by rapid stages
from one place to another without pausing
| ON the road to observe, or wandering out OF
their way to discover beauties; like Basil
| Hall, they have gone through the country
and seen but one snake. They have paused
at New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Wash
| ington, New Orleans and few other large
cities in various sections of the Union, they
have crossed the lakes, visited Niagara,
mingled with the fashionables at the
| "Springs," sailed down the Mississippi,
and after six months hasty travelling through
country of far greater extent than Europe,
| they hold themselves capable Of writing
| books for the instruction of natives as we'll
| as foreigners. Ask them questions touch
| ing the mineral resources of the country,
the coal Of Pennsylvania, the gold of North
| Carolina, the copper of Lake Superior, the
| lead of Indiana, or the iron of Missouri,
and their ignorance is unmasked; ask them
concerning the cotton, sugar and rice of the
Southern States, the method of cultivation,
they Immediately become bewildered with
Ignorance of the matter. Ask the charac-
teristics of the people inhabiting the East
ern States, and the answer will be, that
they are shrewd, guessing, prying set, to
| whom no mans business can remain secret,
| and fitted only to peddle wooden nutmegs
and pasteboard clocks. But the mechanical
ingenuity of these people is overlooked; they
do not reflect that these States furnish many
of the best mechanics, the best agricultur-
lists, the best manufacturers, the best sea-
men in the world, and in point of intellect,
they furnish men no whit inferior to the
best.
It is evident that foreigners, used to the
manners and customs of their own country,
look with a feeling of dislike upon anything
contrary to what has been familiar to them
from childhood, q different political organi-
cation, which must naturally alter the man
ners and customs of people, creates aston
ishment, a physical difference in the face of
the country, upon which they look with espe-
cial wonder, yet for which they do not strive
to account-ora custom ancient as the hills.
an heirloom from remote ancestry, all
make their surprise and provide material
for their books; yet they are content to de-
cry those customs as follies, end to coll
denim the scenes as insipid, because they
present no ruined castles, no monuments of |
mans frail genius. But they do present |
beauties more glorious! Do they not point |
out the wisdom, power and greatness of |
Almighty God? Is there not solemn
grandeursin the pine clad steep, scathed by
the frosts of centuries, and bidding fair to |
live on through remotest years?
As we have before said, the greater part |
of these tourists are foreigners, more at
tracted by our political system than by the
resources of the country. They come
among us with the fresh recollection of !
familiar laws, which they have been taught
to consider as the only just laws, and they
are incapable of properly approaching our
institutions. This may be said of them
without the least imputation of ignorance
Or vanity. 1t would be folly for an Asia
TIC to Judge of European politics, until by
years of study and observation he had be-
come familiar with the subject; and, is it
not equally difficult for an European to Judge
Of the politics of America after week
spent at the Capitol and few months
passed principally in railroad cars and upon
'teamboats! How can man, with very
United knowledge of the nature of a coun-
ry, comprehend its wants? How can one
Who has only seen the North, tell the re-
luirements of the South? It is not possible
o attain accuracy without time and appli-
'ation. We care not however high the in
eilectual spark, however quick the faculties
1t takes much time for citizen as well as
or a foreigner to study the politics of
AMERICA. In the one subject must be in
luded the natures of her various people,
he varied qualities of her SOIL the variety
If her resources, and the sectional, as well
8 the general necessities.
But apart from our political institutions.
here arc things eminently deserving of
ttention: Tie mineral and agricultural
esources of the country; the sublime and
icturesque scenery; the various indications
nd remains of its early inhabitants; the
pots hallowed by the recollections of q the
mes that tried mems souls" and the holy ,
radltlons haunting many of its hooks and +,
orners. These require notice, and amply
epay all the labor and expense in properly {
5certaining and classifying them. What '
Q want is not a mere sectional thing, but r
n entire work comprising from Maine to 9
alifornia, from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
fountain and plain, river and lake. C.
Men, Women, Boys and Girls! q