New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-04
LET Us BE AMERICANS.

Independence in 177G meant something more
than political separation from the mother coun-
ty. Ties of blood were relatively closer then
than they are now: few families could trace an
American lineage more than two generations.
But the colonies had come to the New World
for something besides change Of monarchs.
Old World Governments, institutions and GUS
toms had not suited their conceptions OF the
duty of man to his Maker, or of man TO his
fellow man. The whole framework Of society
in the lands from which they came had become
offensive to the majority of the colonlsts' ana
they sought to establish human society on
new basis. The new forms Of government
were only the outgUwth and expression of con-
vctions regarding human rights and duues
which had been found at war and wholly
rreconciabe with the institutions and habits
Of thought, the traditions and teachings, the
customs and the circumstances Of the Old World.
Their descendants are prone to forget this
many act as if they thought even the separa-
ton in government was a mistake, and many
more as if the mere form of government with
out its underlying spirit was the thing sought
nv revolutionary sacrifices. There has been
growing the fashion of regarding foreign ways
Of Thought and institutions foreign customs
and teachings. as vastly better than those which
the people Of this country have developed for
themselves Fashionable dudes ape the man
ners and toady to the titles Of other countries
Intellectual dudes ape British opinions and
sheer at the idea that Americans can by any
possibility lie right when they differ from Old
World authority. One sometimes wonders
lie
which appears to believe that this country
must of course be far behind Great Britain in
everything except polo, rife shooting and yacht
building; or why anybody supports college
which instructs it's pupils that the Nations pol
ICY is robbery of the many for the few, and
that the only true freedom is found under the
British flag.
1t is a good time to stop this silly aping Of
customs and beliefs which are at war with
American civilization. For it is the master
fact of all our lives that there has grown up
here civilization distinctvely American, rad
ically differing in all that makes ID worthy or
strong from that which revolutionary ancestors
cast off. 1t is q civilization adapted to circum-
stances which exist nowhere else in the world
and it could not have been developed here if
II is in fact the expression, in customs and
manners, in abstract thoughts and concrete
laws, of fundamental convictions regarding hui
man rights and duties, which convictions are
now lust as much at war with foreign institu
tons as they were when the Independence bell
rang out liberty to all the land"
All this Nation has achieved that is great
and memorable it has achieved by following
paths which were secuted by foreign opinion.
The ruling classes Of Europe considered it an
outrage and a fat violation Of Republican prin-
ciples to coerce seeding States and to crush a
rebellion Emancipation and enfrancbsement
seemed shooting Niagara" to thinking men
in England The statesmen and fnanciers of
Europe pronounced the American plan OF re-
sumption utterly impracticabe and foolish.
Foreigners call it dishonOrable for the Amencan
people voluntarily to tax or restrict Their own
purchases Of foreign goods in order to build
up here a more tremendously diversified and
| independent industry.
The opinions Of thinking men elsewhere are
| not to be despised when they have anything
| in our own conditions or experiences TO support
them But when foreigners undertake to teach
| us, though they have not themselves yet learned
that free man is more valuable worker and
| a better citizen than one not free they need
first to study the radical differences which have
| made this Nation what it is. And when intel
lectual or fashionable apes berate the Govern
ment and the institutions under which they
live they ought to be invited particularly on
independence Day, to go across the water, where
they belong.