New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-22
NOT REPRESENTATIVE AMERICANS
THOSE WHO APE FOREIGN MANNERS SHOULD BIZ
RECKoNED WHERE THEY BELONG.

THOSE WHO APE FOREIGN MANNERS SHOULD BE
RECKoNED WHERE THEY BELONG.
TO the Editor of The Tribune.
sir: II is refreshing to hear from the pen OF the M
Diplomast" one who Is capable Of telling US Jus'
why Americans generally are held in contempt IN iorel
countries His letter confirms an incident th"1 M"'
related to me OF an American lady who was W'iIlhs
England for the first time. She was Oh our ooo'
Colonial stock, her lineage running back TO Ehsla"u
and the Norman Conquest In conversation With +"
distinguished member of her family in England, an
Earl she was asked if she had portraits OF her hsl
American ancestors and II she had did they resemble
the PORTRAITS at Castle! She answered iauGhihgS
NV American ancestors were busy telling trees ana
building log cabins when their brothers, your an
cestors were having their portraits painted We have
only some slhouees Of those early settlers, the oS'
aggravating Of all portraitures.'
You are the first American lady have met VINO
frankly admitted that her individual ancestors dwclt
in log cabins They all have had Colonial manor
houses "
"When my ancestors settled in America there were
only the forests the savages and the wild beasts 1t
would be absurd for me to pretend to the ColohiaI
manor.house Ny ancestors have lived in each periou
down to the present one their ncighbors have done
Another time when she had declined our MIN
iser's offer to present her to the Queen. the Earl
asked her reasons for declining. She sad
Il have no need OF it. 1t will gain me nothng'
unless il might some notorety at home ana the queen
will never miss me in the crowds OF American "oheh
that she knows
You are a unique specimen OF your country
women observed his LordShlp.
III you will come to America, can SNOW you
thousands like me-
"Do they never 60 abroad - he asked
II l., matter of genuine regret to the true Ameri-
can that it should be in the power of our unrepre-
sentative countrymen to leave so unpleaslnG an I'M
prcs,on Of us wherever they travel; but it is FAR
crayer matter Of concern that it the power OF that
clos Ia hiring home and to engraft the wOrnout Gus
tom, Of a dl> solutc nobility upon us. As through the
| mort, Of Ncy-York come fashions In dress 20
through its social life filter our customs To call the
recent Innovations. fashions fosercd by bertniSm ana
vice progress, and enlightenment, fills Us with sorrow
| and indignation.
Many Americans affect to think we had no soclal
M, hundred and fifty years in America but those
- ~ who we're trained in reverence for the struggles
and achievements Of our ancestors know the contrary
Onr "a ,hons were formed 10 suit our habits OF me- ana
they would II let alone. naturally follow the changes
that have occurred in National affairs during passing
| years.
If the Ex.Dplomatist would ask the most intelligent
| and most centlemany men OF his acquaintance where
thcy had learned their lessons Of polteness respect or
women chivary and honor. venture to predict that
the answer will be " from my mother or IRON NY
grandmother" or from some female relative that mace
| her home with u.s. such was the home influence o
our most dlstingui ,hed men. The word help' mas
been much ridicucd a. an AmcricaniNm' ana mas 0eer
greyonsy mi,appied by foreign servantS-ior Win Ou
adoptou Of other foreign imporations. we claim Tho
RIGHT 10 call those who perform mental service for wages
| our servants
| The word help grew ont Of domestic want and
supply purely American. In the infant colonies IL
every home other hands were needed to snare the
labor Of rearing the children and experimenting Inc
servants TOR there servants In those days. o'hei
than the wife and there were then, as now' some
families who could not provide with the bounty neccN
sary to rear their children in comfort, ana some mao
more providence less pride than Others ana iol
| a home where they could earn livelihood as helP
they were willing to render every service hnt nehh
one such people c0uld not be treated as servants ao
"A term had to be invented 10 suit their duleS ana wa
| called help Many Indians were hired to perform
! - their ever being called help and record
lies before me that dates far back a, los ana In !
| one Is described having recently arrived VIII
M, family nine Of them being household servant.
It is thus proved that we hHd servants v;nn,
Of our sister. Of lie Eastern states, if they
could he employed as help IN ,ne , nOtI b., VI
selves To- fratcrnze with French bonnie or an lrisi
peasant Of great households 6nt as ~9eip 10 ih
value They could perhaps rear ana instruct another
generation Of American boy, ana girls r,,on, ,ro,
word for our society 40 years ago. Inelc were
gathcrinc, and merry markings at weddings ana CHRIS
Jennings. and in the winter time when there was no
,irs The labor season was ono that entered ItrEcN
intn tle plan, for merry making. for orr population
was mostly rural our large cities were only a. snl.
! towns today, and the pleasures Of the people wer
| orly considered when the necessary work wa
done In the later period when slavery became al
Institution how court lie There are numberlcs
| records of it, Mr. Tyler's marriage 10 Julia Garile
,yns RcDubllcan- American in its transformations sim
| niI,ity lie came 10 New York and married his az
HANGED and took her t. hl, home. tc Executive Man
| sion II was foreign. royal custom that caused t.'
! bride 10 We, the ruler in his realm
| It is poor excuse to make Tor wholesale adverse
! mcut Of every social function and family gathering
OH tine newspapers make every thing 80 public. IN
vriters experience with newspaper men + that the
are c0ur.eons and considerable Of the feelings of thei
| natrons and n they inadvertently or thonshteSsl
| rryc publicity 10 private matters. they make ever.
Tcplration In their power Much blame IS laid 10 thei
| door but they suffer much injustice
| why should Americans be sensitive on the Suhiec
NJ what they have been They have made the best q
| ,icr opportunities and achieved world wide fame
| After all the world Is only little round ha. an
each norton Of its population has Ii, own work 20 d.
and each country II, own niche t. I'LL. Our niche
| we'll filed and our work admirably done. l"t II, 9
| on and do IL after our American fashion. lut IL
,cos,nt IN have expressions Of appreciation from IN
| tx Dlpomatis and foreigners like him. NJ. IL
| New York, Feb. 20, loOl.