St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-02-04
American Hatred for England.

David Christie Murray is one of Eng
lands most popular novelists and lead.
ing London journalist. He has warm
heart for his American friends, partly be-
cause he loves all his fellowmen and also
because in his American lecture tour a
short time ago he made many friends.
Mr.. Murray is so anxious to have the
friendlincss between the English and
Americans perpetuated that he has pro-
posed to have statue of George Wash
ington erected in London. He believes
that the American colonists were right
in their struggle for liberty and does not
hesitate to say so. In recent letter to
the London Chronicle, referring to some
correspondence on American hatred to
England he says:
ION our side history has done full JUS
tice to the patience. the craftsmanship,
and the courage Of the American colo.
nists, who more than century ago re-
VOTED against misrule. There is scarcely
man alive in England at this hour who
does not in his conscience endorse he &C.
tion our one-tlme colonists telt essential
to their manhood and their freedom.
They were almost wholly in the right,
and our government of that date was
almost wholly in the wrong. The plain
admission oil this fact has done something
to quicken our affection for America
But on the other side Of the Atlantic it
is still unhappily the fashion to teach in
schools the history OF the struggle for
Independence in such a way that the
hatred OF England is inculcated in the
mind OF every child as a patriotic duty.
Modern philosophic histories of that
struggle, written by Americans for Amer
leans, are as just and honest as our own,
side, as on ours, make allowance for the
angry passion oil the time, and recognize
the important truth that the English ma.
ton was never at war with its children
in America. The colonies were at war
with an obstinate king and purblnd
faction which had an unpopular govern
ment at its head. The general sense of
the English people, even at that time,
was strongly against the war. That
sentiment OF antagonism to the action
oil our own rulers has gone on growing
amongst ourselves ever since, but the
average American citizen has never had
that fact brought before him. In judging
OF American feeling towards ourselves
we should remember how much of hatred
we egitimately earned. But the Ameri-
cans on their side should remember that
the whole empire OF Great Britain of
today repudiates the action of a part Of
the smaller Britain of more than CEN
fury ago. and it is time that in the school
histories of the United States the anti
dote oil new truth should be offered side
by side with the venom of an old one.
There is another ground on which vast
portion Of the inhabitants of the United
States hate England. Thousands of
1rishmen have shaken off the dust from
their feet against us in a sane and just
hatred Of British tyranny. They and
their descendants loathe us by tradition.
The amelioration of the lot of modern
lrishmen at home does not touch tradi-
ton in foreign land. Generations must
pass away. whatever we may do at
home, before the natural misliking of
H alienized Ireland dies. We. or our lore
fathers, made an unjust war. We made
it with the aid OF savage allies, who
scalped and tortured. We are ashamed
= or ought to be-of that episode, but it
is not surprising that we are not suddenly
forgiven. We ruled Ireland abominably.
n We have now repented. We are doing
Eour best to atone for a shameful past.
N But we have no right to complain if we
are execrated for many a day to come.
|4The American hatred is the legacy of our
|Sown deeds. The fathers have eaten sour
|kgrapes, and the teeth oil the children are
|yset OH edge"