Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-26

4 Man Who Has Perceived 'he
cuusrs of orr Autipnth:.


To the Editor OF the London Times:
sir.-An Englishman who travels IN the
United States comes back. according 10
nv oxperience. ,yith TWO Impressions
which age so strong that they oFershado"
an others one D. of the eA-
crssive Kindness which be- shown TO ~
/ lividuai Enrushnlen. The other is OF tht
bitter feeling which appears 80 exist
both I'm the press and among o." PUBIC
against BIS own country. The pres, III
epullition is only one o. those fe'uffeh'
crises which have marked tine wloie ms
tory Of the two nations. TIE ie HE
81 always fm0uli rrlrg, ana the le"A'
breath o. discussion sets IL in "a bia@e.
believe. and have long believed. THAT
.ho greatest danger which can titeaten
our empire is the existence Of this spirit
Oh hostility in nation which is al
ready great and powerful, blt when Is
destined TO be far more go IN the tu-
ure. our statesmen have stood too long
with their faces toward the East To
discern our best hopes. as well as our
gravest dangers. they must turn the other
way
As to the cause Of this feeling. it
Is not so unreasonable "a EngistmeE
usually contend. 1t Is the fashion among
10 aiFUlt4Nn tl4c hlAfll- DfA| Nfii Ai-N
Irish-Americsn and the politician who
is I'm search Of his vote. But no such
superficial explanation as this can cover
the fact that the Governors OF the
thirty American States should unhes-
tatingly endorse presidential message
which obviously leads straight 20 war.
A dislike so widely spread and 50 fierce
in its expression cannot be explained
10y the imported animosity OF tho Celtic
lrishman.
Few Enelishmen could BE- found now to
contend that We were justified in those
views OF taxation. which brought on the
first American war, or IN the question Of
searching neutral vessels. which was the
main cause Of the second. This war OF
1872 would possibly only occupy two pages
out Of 800 in an English history, but 1t
bulks very large IA an American one. and
has left many bitter memories behind IL.
Then there was the surly attitude which
England adopted toward the States after
they had won their independence, the re-
peated fricdOns during the NapoieOnic
epoch. and the attack upon an American
frigate ~ a British 50-gun snip I'm time
OF peace After the war there was the
Florida dispute IN the time OF Andrew
Jackson. the question OF the Oregon line,
the settlement OF the Maine and New
Brunswick line. and, finally. the hostile
attitude OF most Of our press AZ the time
Of the civil war. Since then we have
had two burning questions, that or the
Alabama claims and that OF the Behring
Sea fisheries. eliminating IN this Of Nene-
zuela. The history Of his country, then.
as IL presents Itself 10 an American, H.
simply a long succession OF quarrels with
ourselves, and how can II be wondered
at If he has now reached that chronic
frHI
We have not outgrown ourselves IN the
case Of the French?
II we are 20 blame as a community
for some, at least, Of these unfortunate
historical incidents. We are even more
10 blame as individuals for the wide
spread bitterness which Is felt against US.
We have never had a warm. unsrudging
word OF heartfelt praise for the great
things which our kinsmen have done. fer
their unwearying industry. their virtues
I'm peace. their doggedness IN war. their
unparalleled clsmeucy when war was
over. We have always fastened upon the
small, rude details, and overlooked the
great facts behind. In DIR shocked con-
temptation OF an expectoration upon the
floor we have lost sight OF universal
suffrage and equal education. our ira
vellers, from Mrs Trolope and Dickens
onward. have been surprised that the
versatile hard-worlSng men, who often
combined ten trades in ouc 10 adapt
themselves TO the varying needs Of a
raW-grOwing community. had not the
manners OF oxford or the repOse Of Sus-
sex. They could not understand that this
rough vitality and oVeroearing energy
which carried them through their task
implied those Complementary defects
which must 90 with unusual virtues. or
to I,, he
was hardly one who did not make
mischief with his "reminiscences until, in
our own days, Mr.. Bryce did
something 10 rectiiy the bal
ance. And our want OF charity and true
insight are the more inexcusable, since
no enc has written more charmingly OF
England than Washington. Irving. Emer-
son, and Holmes. Our journals and
public men are IN the habit now, az
rule OF abiding 70 America and Ameri-
cans i'm the most friendly way. and
that must i'm time have its effect, II re-
cent unhappy events do not change IT,
We should, I'm my opinion. lose no
opportunity Of doing those little graceful
acts OF kindness which are the practical
sign Of a brotherly sentiment. Above
all, | should like to see an Anglo-Ameri-
can society started In London, with
branches all over the empire, for the
purpose Of promoting good feeling.
smoothing over friction. laying literature
before the public which viii show them
how strong are the arguments in favor
OF an Anglo-American alliance. and sup
plying the English press with the Ameri-
can side OF the question. and vice versa.
Such an organization would. | am sure,
be easily founded. ana would do useful
work towards the greatest OF all ends
the consolidation OF the English-speaking
races.
Yours faithfully 4. CONAN DOYLE.
Mena House. Pyramids, Cairo. Decem-
Der Goth.