Volume II Part 15 (1/2)
Among this cla.s.s they can read and write; but almost all their knowledge is confined to their own country, especially in geography, which I soon discovered. It was hard to beat them on American ground, but as soon as you got them off that they were defeated. I wish the reader to understand particularly, that I am not speaking now of the well-bred Americans, but of that portion which would with us be considered as on a par with the middle cla.s.s of shop-keepers; for I had a very extensive acquaintance. My amus.e.m.e.nt was, to make some comparison between the two countries, which I knew would immediately bring on the conflict I desired; and not without danger, for I sometimes expected, in the ardour of their patriotism, to meet with the fate of Orpheus.
I soon found that the more I granted, the more they demanded; and that the best way was never to grant any thing. I was once in a room full of the softer s.e.x, chiefly girls, of all ages; when the mamma of a portion of them, who was sitting on the sofa, as we mentioned steam, said, ”Well now, Captain, you will allow that we are a-head of you there.”
”No,” replied I, ”quite the contrary. Our steam-boats go all over the world--your's are afraid to leave the rivers.”
”Well now, Captain, I suppose you'll allow America is a bit bigger country than England?”
”It's rather broader--but, if I recollect right, it's not quite so long.”
”Why, Captain!”
”Well, only look at the map.”
”Why, isn't the Mississippi a bigger river than you have in England?”
”Bigger? Pooh! haven't we got the Thames?”
”The Thames? why that's no river at all.”
”Isn't it? Just look at the map, and measure them.”
”Well, now, Captain, I tell you what, you call your Britain, the Mistress of the seas, yet we whipped you well, and you know that.”
”Oh! yes--you refer to the Shannon and Chesapeake, don't you?”
”No! not that time, because Lawrence was drunk, they say; but didn't we _whip_ you well at New Orleans?”
”No, you didn't.”
”No? oh, Captain!”
”I say you did not.--If your people had come out from behind their cotton bales and sugar casks, we'd have knocked you all into a c.o.c.ked hat; but they wouldn't come out, so we walked away in disgust.”
”Now, Captain, that's romancing--that won't do.” Here the little ones joined in the cry, ”We did beat you, and you know it.” And, hauling me into the centre of the room, they joined hands in a circle, and danced round me, singing:
”Yankee doodle is a tune, Which is nation handy.
All the British ran away At Yankee doodle dandy.”
I shall conclude by stating that this feeling, call it patriotism, or what you please, is so strongly implanted in the bosom of the American by education and a.s.sociation, that wherever, or whenever, the national honour or character is called into question, there is no sacrifice which they will not make to keep up appearances. It is this which induces them to acquit murderers, to hush up suicides, or any other offence which may reflect upon their a.s.serted morality. I would put no confidence even in an official doc.u.ment from the government, for I have already ascertained how they will invariably be twisted, so as to give no offence to the majority; and the base adulation of the government to the people is such, that it dare not tell them the truth, or publish any thing which might wound its self-esteem.
I shall conclude with two extracts from a work of Mr Cooper, the American:--
”We are almost entirely wanting in national pride, though abundantly supplied with an _irritable vanity_, which might rise to pride had we greater confidence in our facts.”
”We have the sensitiveness of provincials, increased by the consciousness of having our spurs to earn on all matters of glory and renown, and _our jealousy extends even to the reputations of the cats and dogs_.”
VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER FOUR.
ENGLAND AND THE UNITED STATES.
Captain Hamilton has, in his work, expressed his opinion that the Americans have no feeling of ill-will against this country. If Captain Hamilton had stated that the _gentlemen_ and more respectable portion of the Americans, such as the New York merchants, etcetera, had no feeling against this country, and were most anxious to keep on good terms with us, he would have been much more correct. You will find all the respectable portion of the daily press using their best endeavours to reconcile any animosities, and there is nothing which an American gentleman is more eloquent upon, when he falls in with an Englishman, than in trying to convince him that there is no hostile feeling against this country. [See note 1.] I had not been a week at New York before I had this a.s.surance given me at least twenty times, and I felt inclined at first to believe it: but I soon discovered that this feeling was only confined to a small minority, and that the feelings towards England of the majority, or democratic party, were of _deep irreconcilable hatred_.
I am sorry to a.s.sert this; but it is better be known, that we may not be misled by any pretended good-will on the part of the government, or the partial good-will of a few enlightened individuals. Even those who have a feeling of regard and admiration for our country do not venture to make it known, and it would place them in so very unpleasant a situation, that they can scarcely be blamed for keeping their opinions to themselves. With the English they express it warmly, and I believe them to be sincere; but not being openly avowed by a few, it is not communicated or spread by kindling similar warmth in the hearts of others. Indeed it is not surprising, when we consider the national character, that there should be an ill feeling towards England; it would be much more strange if the feeling did not exist. That the Americans should, after their struggle for independence, have felt irritated against the mother country, is natural; they had been oppressed--they had successfully resented the oppression, and emanc.i.p.ated themselves.