The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-01-18
slnshing Criticisnis GU America by nm
.N, Enrttsh TxnvcI. .I.-Hs.


| EuGilsh Traveller. =,
a certain Sir Lepel Griffin, X. @. s. l.,
has lately been Ia America, and TIE re.
suit Of his observations ia published in the
fortnighIly Revie,c. How long no remained
In this country is not stated; but the publ.
cation OF the article gives at least clew 10
the identity OF the strange individual who
was seen not long aimee sitting on his trunk
In Castle Garden. He had come over for
bis health and was going back on the next
steamer, and in the meantime he was max.
ing some notes for book Oh America.
Tho article in question opens in this
mild vein: IGGi. .a.
Whether the discovery of America by
Columbus has been OF advantage or loss to
the so'called civilized people OF the Old
World would form an interesting thesis for
discussion. When we remember tho gen.
tle and refined races OF Mexico and Peru,
tramplec beneath the gross feet OF Pizarro.
Cortes and the lnqnisition; or regard the
savage picturesqueness Of tho Indian tribes
that wandered over the North American
continent, cruel, brutal and happy, unin.
)ured by and uninjuring Western culture.
We cannot but look with some doubt and
hesitation at America Of to-day, the apoth-
costs Of Philistinism, the perpiexity and
despair OF statesmen, the Mecca to which
turns every religious or social charla,an,
where the only god worshipped is Nam.
mon, and the highest education Is the
share list; where political life, which should
be the breath Of the nostrils OF every free.
man, is Stunned by al honest man US the
plague; where, 10 enrich jobbers and mon.
opolists and contractors, nation has
emancipated It's slaves, and enslayed its
ireemen; where the people is gorged and
drunk with materialism, and where wealth
has become curse instead of blessing.
America is the country OF disillusion and
disappointment, in politics, literature cul-
ture and art: in it's scenery, its cities and
It's people. With some experience of ey.
cry country in the civilized world, l can
think Of none except Russia in which I
would not prefer to reside, in which life
would not be more worth living, less sor.
did and mean and uuloyely.
REPUBLICAN, INSTITUTIONS A FAILURE.
The following unprecedented and cheerful
view Of our form OF government will be
relished by our readerf:
II there be those, like myself, who be-
lieve that no greater curse could befsll
England than for her to borrow political
methods, dogmas and institutions from
America, there seems every reason why
such should explain the grounds, good or
bad, for their belief, with which American
travel may have furnished them. The |
good in American institutions is Of Eng. |
fish origin and descent; what is bad ia in.
digenous, and this Bhe now desires TO teach
to us. Republican institutions have had |
trial for hundred years, and, 50 far as |
outsiders can judge, their failure is com. |
p!ete. France under Republic has be.
come by-word in Europe for weakness |
and turbulence abroad, and financial i'm |
becility and corruption at home: while
America, which boosts OF equality and free. |
dom, does not understand that, with the
single exception OF Russia, there is no
country where private right and public in
terests are more systematically outraged |
than in tho United.States. The ideal arts. !
tocracy, or government of the best, has in |
America been degraded into an actual cov-
eminent Of the worst, in which the educa.
ted, the cultured, the honest, and even the |
wealthy, weigh as nothing in the balance
against the scum Of Europe which the A.
lontic has washed up on the shores Of the
New World.