The herald., 1893-11-16
LIT US PLUCK UP A SPIRIT.

eCli-I0lihhb III cCutlm6utt h5 AZ az Wn0n
it only possessed five millions of people.
This is the veritable Gods truth of the
matter. Near the opening OF the nine
teenth century the United States gave
the French minister his walking papers,
and few years afterwards plunged into
a war with Great Britain to maintain
their rights, which war, by the way,
they won hands down.
1t is rather mortifying that people
OF sixty five millions have not ss much
pluck and self-reliance as one Of five
millions, but is it not true? Is not this
country today filed with lickspittles
who, the moment any genuine American
policy is proposed. get white about the
gills, and exclaim, in genuine horror:
"Oh, you must not do that. Europe
won't like it," And with a pusillsnim-
ity that makes genuine American cape
with astoniehment. the imbecils and
ation-surrendering bluff goes.
There is regular Hsssisn contingent
in this country now who, the moment
anything like a national sentiment is
suggested, are ready to say, "Oh, it
won't please England, don't yer know"
Now We have nothing to say against Eng
land, PER Sc. We are ready to set off
Shakespeare and Milton against Crom-
well and Lord Give, and will freely
admit that the tight little, right little
isle is the only nation now in existence
that displays any horse sense. always
excepting Russia and lstterly France,
which has again come to the front, puis-
SAINT and self-assertive, II the people of
the United States in the administration
of their public affairs had half the pub
lie end self-assertve spirit OF England
our joy would be incommensurable.
Bnt they haven't, don't yer know"
They have lately become parslyzsd.
As matter OF fact, we are boldly told
that We are in leading strings, and that
We must listen anxiously to orders en-
anating from Europe-which means
England. When the United States of
America only comprised three millions
OF people-away back in 1888 they owed
a great deal of money. They did not ask
sny foreign country how to settle this
Indebtedness. The jocund young nation
came forward like little man and
settled their big debt on the basis of two
and half cents on the dollar, in silver.
They did not ask England how to ar
range their affsirs, for they had Just
gwen that country a sound thrsshing,
which resulted in American independ-
ence. Nor did they ask France.
But with France the case was differ.
ent. The United States was under un.
speakable Obligations TO La Belle. As
fully ae the boys in buff and blue that
were with Washington at Valley Forge,
France, with her Lafsyettee, De Grasses
and Rocham Desus, had created the
United states. That country OF gener-
Gus impulses had given us money, SOL
diers, sailors, chips and munitions of
war. Without her, American independ-
ence would scarcely have risen to the dig
nifty OF an iridescent dream. Our French
creditors naturally objected to the pay
ment of the large sums due them at the
rate OF two and half cents on the dol
iar--in silver. We can scarcely find it
in our heart to blame them. The French
Minister OF Foreign Affairs of Louis
XVI. sent a memorial to the govern
ment IF the United States in which,
while it was conceded that we had per-
iect right to adjust the debt to our own
people as we pleased, it was contended
that it was hardly fair to apply the same
rule to foreign debt contracted under
such exceptional circumstances. II ever
there was a just diplomatic representa-
ton since the world began that was the
one par excellence, But the newly made
Republic was equal to the emerg ncy.
1t enacted the role of migrate with iron
will snd inimitable sang .troid. rhe me-
mortal OF France Was answered with an
aplcmb that must have taken away the
breath OF the official French remon.
etrant. France WAS informed that the
any distinction between the debt it
owed to its own c,tizsas aud that which
!C owed TO ocretltors VINO resided abroad.
FIR nation oi three or four milions
OF peopie-nur population at that time
that was pretty spunky atti-
tude. Judging by the facility with
which We have borrowed m 0ney since, it
did not aeem to disturb our credit a
particle. Nothing 30 aseists nation in
incurring anew debt as Wholesale repu-
diation of old debts. II the nation thus
acting is seen to have ample resources,
the reasoning is that it will not get into
the humor of repudiating for at least
iorty or fifty years to come. This theory
ie also sustained by the experience of
France, which settled up her assignate
at much lsss rate than we paid to get
our revolutionary debt and continental
currency out OF the way. frances
ability to borrow money is greater to-
day than it has ever been, and this ia
go in the case Of the United States.
1t is just possible that, since silver has
been pirated-looted by an unspeAkable
conspiracy-some of those ten thousand
millions of dollars which Mr.. Gladstone
says the outside world owes to England,
and which that country wants to double
by demonetizing silver, may be scaled
down on the basis of the transforma-
tion undergone by the American con-
k.I