The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-05-30
LETTER FROM Mr.. MARYE

Washington. D. C.. May 9th 1905.
70 The FREE Lance:
In all the governments of which there
H. history. republics have hen rNcep-
tional and hrci iu their rNi~trnc,., the in-
irrrncc from which is that monarchy in
some form ur other has lrcn a necessity.
Ii the experiment ia the United states
lior it cannot be- claimed that it is any
thing more than am Experimental hun
dn.d years being quite Insufficient To test
the strength and stability Oi Republican
institutions IN acOuntry 50 vast, ST. new
and with resources so euOrmuus. and
into which the surplus population nf all
other nations l. steadily lluWingl; ii the
experiment should BE- a failure in the
United States centuries will Doubtless
come and 90 before it is tried again on II
large scale.
C'Mcn and Measures oillalfa Century, -
10y Hugh Mctulloch. secretary oi trras-
ury under Lincoln. Johnson aud Arthur.
p. t46l
read "a criticism oi theahoye words at
the time hits appearance; and was graf
flied tu be able 10 get il from the Public
Library u week ago.
II Is a most valuable contribution 70
historical literature, and, whilst main
tanning tone OF judicial gravity, Is emf
nently fair and even generous in its re-
view oi the attitude and action ot the
South. Your library should have the
volume as il should the great work of
Blaine
How partial and persistent ae our
historic criticisms generally; and with
the real truth OF history against us.
France has suffered most from our su-
pericial judgments.
What IL the ordinary estimate Of
France That the French are "A gay. res
tive. unstable and, upon the whole. a
somewhat frivolous people. The exact
opposite H. the historic fact They have
maintained their ideals and traditions
above all nations.
And their ideals are the highest Their
domestic ifeis the simplest, sweetest and
most aiiectiOnate OF all peoples Their
patriotism is sromantio, The government
bonds issued to deiray the indemnity OF
the FrapcO-PrussiaI. war Were absorbed
by the people within ayear. There Is no
parallel to il. The highest education.
along all lines, is absolutely free. Four
hundred professors supported by the
government. ara uninterruptedly teach
ing in the Sorbonne. No adventitiOus
influence secures a chair in this Institute.
The applicant invariably eudures the in
quisitiOn OF the Forty lmmortals."
The treasures OF the Louvre are the
daily and undisputed possession OF any
street gamin, who will wash his face.
The government subsidies the drama
and the opera. Paris is the renaissance
of Athens. See Paris and die" The
English. Germans and Americans have
sullied its fair fame. The French are the
most temperate people in Europe. THE
puritanic Scotch the drunkenest). In
courtesy, exquisite politeness, delicacy OF
feeling and cOnsderateness OF Others
they have no peers And these very
traits have evoked ungenerouscOmm
They have been construed into insin-
cerity.
This is the fellow,
Who, having been prais'd for bluntness
doth affect
4 saucy roughness; and constrains the
garb
Quite from his nature; He eapnot tfatter,
hel
An honest mind AND pEam,he must speak
truth;
An they will take it, so; ii not, he's plain.
These kind Of knaves know, which IN
this plainness
Harbor more craft, and more corrupter
ends,
Than twenty silly ducking obseryants,
That stretch their duties nicely
shall not trench upon your space to
enlarge upon the genius OF the French;
their great astronomers. scientists, in-
GUSTS, publicists, historians, poets and
noyelists; nor upon the beauty, precision
and resonance OF the language, which re-
calls the Greek.
A. $. Marye,