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About The Conservative (Nebraska City, Neb.) 1898-1902 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 1900)
8 'Che Conservative. "AMERICA AND THE AMERICANS. " While rummaging about a second- Imud book store nt Nebraska City , THE CONSERVATIVE came across a dilap idated looking volume , entitled "Amer ica and the Americans. " It was a col lection of notes written by Prince Achilla Murat , at one time colonel in the Belgium guard. Upon leaving the service of King Leopold , Prince Murat came to America and found a new home in Florida. The notes were his impress ion ? of the American people after a resi dence of nine years among them. They were probably written about 1880. The historian contributes to the wel fare of society and aids to intelligent political action , not by telling us at length about the personality of rulers or giving us the details of battles , but by imparting to us the history of society , picturing to us people , that we may comprehend the progress and develop ment of a nation. The letters of Prince Mnrat are of genuine historical merit. He tells us about the people , their pre judices , local characteristics , industrial and political life. He faithfully portrays trays American life as it was nearly three quarters of a century ago. In speaking about the wonderful possibili ties of the great "West his words were more than prophetic. The notes are valuable too in that they give us the opinion of an intelligent foreigner of our country and its institutions. The following is reproduced from the work and is peculiarly interesting as descriptive of the United States as they were then : Sluveholdlng States. "All the states south of the Potomac , and Maryland to the north , all which we call "Slaveholdhig Stales,1' are alto gether agricultural. What little com merce exists is in the hands of people from the North , and it is only of late years that Maryland has begun to apply herself to manufacturers. Throughout this whole extent of country , Baltimore is the only eastern town , and to the west New Orleans , which employ their capital therein. At Charleston , Savan nah , etc. , capital is in the hands of the New York merchants , while the com mercial part is performed there by their agents. To the northwest of that line , the country is altogether agricultural. This is the case in Pennsylvania , with the exception of Philadelphia. To the northeast the interests are at least equally divided. "This first division has a sensible in fluence on our policy. The northern states look upon our slaves and pros perity with a jealous eye , while we envy them nothing , all which they produce we consume , and if they have more capital than we have , our revenue is larger. So long as they confine them selves to denouncing slavery , and in the construction of establishments on the coast of Africa , we will not take um- brage , but should their spirit of proselytism - lytism lead them to attempt the emanci pation of the slaves , the legislatures of our states would be compelled to inter fere , and should congress wish to make laws in reference thereto , as was at tempted on the admission of Missouri into the Union , the noblest structure ever raised by man that of the great Confederation of America would be destroyed. The southern states would be compelled to separate from the north ern. Such an event , however , I hope , is but imaginary. The hypocritical in terest a certain class of men affect in behalf of our slaves will not advance them one day towards emancipation , but only tends to render their position in some respects less supportable. This emancipation ( which every enlightened man- desires to be accomplished ) can only really be effected by time and the private interests of the proprietors. Any attempt to precipitate this measure would be to throw open the southern states to internal convulsions , and to dis solution of the Union , without any ad vantage whatever , accruing to the states of the North. "Another grand division is observable in the character of the people , between those of the south , northeast , the west , and centre. This is so strong , as to change altogether the aspect of the country. Now England. The six states of New England , Massa chusetts , Connecticut , New Hampshire , Vermont , Maine , and Rhode Island , form of themselves a very remarkable constellation among the states of the Union. Their interests , prejudices , laws , even to their peculiarities and ac cent , are the same. They are what the rest of the Union call "Yankees , " a term which the English very erroneous ly , and more from ignorance , apply to all Americans without distinction. These six republics fraternize together. Their industry and capitals are im mense. "Their flag extends over the ocean. They man both our naval and mercan tile marine ; and have given birth to many of our greatest men. The char acter of their people in general is re markable , and distinct from every other on earth. The most gigantic enterprises daunt them not ; argument as to the consequence disheartens them not , while they are characterized by a spirit truly sui-generis. These men appear born for calculation from the uttermost cent and rising progressively up to mill ions , without losing one particle of ex actitude and ordinary insight. "This spirit of calculation is marvelously - ously connected with a rigid observation of Sunday which they call "Sabbath , " and of all the puritanical practices of the Presbyterian religion which they have generally adopted. Upon this point they are BO scrupulous , that a brewer was censured in the church for having brewed on a Saturday , which circum stance caused the beer to work on Sun day ! This is certainly a specimen of religious hypocrisy. They glory in des ignating their country as "the laud of steady habits , " not that they are more virtuously disposed , but that they put on a penitential air once a week , and on Saturdays eat salt fish and apple pies. "Boston , their capital , abounds how ever in men eminent in letters. It is the Athens of the Union ; it was the cradle of liberty , and produced several of her most zealous defenders in her councils as on her battle fields. Instruc tion is there on a more extended , scale than in any other part of the world. They have extensive views , and possess within themselves all that leads to great results without , however , abandoning the sordid principles of gain. In point of politics , these six states are united and vote as one individual. Within them is the seat of commercial interest , al though , for some years , they have turned their attention toward manufact ures , with the success which attends all they undertake. The country is very populous extremely well cultivated , and the capital there employed in agri culture is even as considerable as that absorbed by commerce. New York. "The Middle States are far from being so united in interest , or possessing so marked a characteribiic. The state of New York forms a nation of more than a million souls. "Nothing in the world can be com pared to the spirit of enterprise , activity and industry of the people. There are no contracted views here they talk of dollars by the million ; matters of inter est are conducted with a remarkable rapidity , and without risking any very serious reaction. All goes forward with regular but giant strides. This state of things received a great impulse from the active genius of the Governor , M. De Witt Clinton , in whom originated the first idea of forming the great canal which unites Lake Erie to the sea. The activity of the state is so powerful , that it is entirely absorbed in itself , and has no time to trouble itself with the affairs of the Union. In general her influence therein is hardly felt ; for , being ab sorbed in herself , as it were , she central izes in her own deputation the interest of agriculture , commerce , and manu facture. Commercial interest is , how ever , therein paramount. It is some what remarkable that this state has furnished but few men of superior gen- ins to the national councils. Their talents seem absorbed and , in a measure , annihilated in internal policy , which is of an extremely complicated character , and is looked upon as being full of strange intrigues and developments. A stranger would comprehend nothing further than he would observe personal