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
