The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-17
ON NATIONAL TRAITS.
DOM PiATT DISCUSSES THEM IN
HIS MEMORIES or LONDON.
esme Popular Theories Thereon Shown to
BE Untenable-YouthfulJ John Bulls As
sorting Their Rights-Hunting
for Blonde Englishmen.
fOriginal.1

known from another That such exist one
cannot doubt, but that they are found to the
extent relied on is delusion Ny attention
was called to this by an honorable NJ. p,
who, looking with me upon London bridge,
said that there was a tradition to the effect
that if one could look at London bridge any
time during the day and not see a white
horse upon it, such unfortunate spectator
would have some grave misfortune happen
him within twenty four hours.
''There is another peculiar feature about
London bridge he went on to assert. I'VE
are regarded as blonde race, possessed of
stout legs and broad shoulders. Now, stand
with me upon this great thoroughfare and
note the singular fact that the blondes are
IN exception and the stout fellows myth"
/ verified the assertion, and since have
noted the fact, so directly in antagonism to
popular belief, to be evident in all parts Of
London.
ssAnd are not the distinctive traits Of char
acter, for example, so much relied on equally
unreliablel" asked.
'svery likely" he responded; human
nature is human nature the world over when
IL stands ON the same level. There are GER
tain differences that really do not amount to
much upon which we base wide distinctions.
For example, if one were to drop asleep in
London and waken without warning in New
York, he would be able to locate himself,
as you say, by difference in the use Of our
common tongue. An Englishman raises his
voice at the end of sentence, while an
American drops his. Both tones have q
nasal sound, with the Americans shade
thinner By-the-by, the best delineators of
English peculiarities upon the stage are
Americans, such as Lester Wallack and JEFF
ferson- / have known quite O number of
your countrymen who to protect themselves
from sharpers IN pursuit of innocent stran-
gers, have caught the trick. Wear loose
clothes, thick boots, beaver on the back of
your head and then go about indignant over
the loss of a penny and you are an English
man.
ITO this you may add certain general effects,
such as climate. For example, cool, healthy,
bracing climate such as this tends to make
men brave and self-reliant, while an ener-
waiting, unhealthy one has the opposite
effect"
'sThat," he interrupted, sis not proven in
your own country. The South has produced
your desperadoes and made the use Of ths
knife and revolver a national trait"
az beg your pardon, the use of the knife
and revolver is no evidence of courage On
the contrary, it may be the proof of cow
ardice, and generally is. Note the differ
ence, for example, between a duel in our
Southern States and one in Ireland. With
the last named there is but one anxiety evil
dent, and that is to prove the courage of the
combatants, each willing to give the other
the advantage. With us, two-thirds of the
time is taken up in trying to overreach and
get ones adversary at ones mercy"
sInever thought of that, but have been
struck with the fact that among our ances-
tors true courage declined as heavy armor
increased. When the pot-metal got too heavy
for the gallant knight the old fellow had
reached the most evident point Of helpless
poltroonery. While going through the
Tower with country cousins l have often
wondered what would BE- thought of an Of
ficer to-day who would clatter into fight
with pot lids hung around him, or with any
other evidence Of caring for his own safety.
But If what you say is correct, as to the
Northern and Southern courage, how do you
account for the fact that your Northern
troops were thrashed so regularly during
your late civil warp
1.-THE South was ON the defensive, in q coun-
try we'll known to its men and officers.
When they in turn assumed the offensive
we had the trashing reversed, as at Gettys-
burg. Besides, we labored under the disad-
vantage of assuming and acting upon the
assumption that we possessed regular mill
tary force. Our men lacked the confidence
that comes of drill and discipline. We were
only better armed and better organized
militia Our government never having re-
ouired q common soldier, made no attempt
70 create one"
''But you have an armyF"
eyes, an army of officers Our blessed
Republic has in its wisdom nurtured the
European practice based on thousand years
experience. As Franklin says, take care of
the pennies and the pounds will take care Of
themselves You can take care Of the sola
der believing that the officers will come as a
matter of course. At least that is the end to
begin an organization at"
"You owed much, then, to the foreign
element during your civil war;
81 beg your pardon, we owed nothing.
Our armies were made up mainly of native
Americans. But for New England, using its
money in the purchase of substitutes, the for
eign element would not have been felt in
the last two years of the war. That is say
ing too much, perhaps, for the Germans vol
unteered largely, and owing to their dis
cipline and knowledge Of drill, made excel
lent soldiers. But our armies were, in
every sense of the word, American
This conversation led us some distance
from ma ional traits, but it illustrated one
that strongly marks your true Englishman.
There Is in him q judicial quality that is
very striking. he listens, and seems to