An American Vindication Of Americans.

civilized countries—international laAv—our Wheaton holds the highest place among the standard authorities . In science also Ave have clone our part . The American contributions to electricity , meteorology , geologyphotography and philology have

, received recognition from the most eminent scientists of Europe . Our Signal Service Bureau attests Avhat Ave have done in meteorology . The splendid Avork of our Coast Survey has never been excelled in that line . Our exploring expeditions to

the Arctic and Antarctic regions , to Japan and the Eastern seas betoken a generous interest in the extension of geographical knoAvledge . Wo have sculptors of no mean fame , of Avhom Story may be taken as a representative . In landscape painting our

artists aro admitted to be the peers , if not the superiors , of those of any other nation . Without going further into details Ave protest that it is not fair to represent us as a people Avithout literature , without arts , Avithout science , Avithout taste for liberal attainments .

We are told that the American people estimate a man only by the amount of his Avealth . " You nOA-er hear it said " ( AVC translate from the French marquis ) "this man is remarkable for such or such a

work— this is an artist , a philosopher , a distinguished Avriter , a sctvant . " lie goes on to say , "This thirst of lucre seems to devour all , to absorb all , to be the one only thought of these men . " A more intimate acquaintance Avith American life Avould convince him that this is a total

misconception of the American character . HOAV Avould he explain the social attentions Ave lavish on men like Huxley and Tynclall Avhen they happen to visit us 1 Why did Ave so run after and lionize Dickens and

Thackeray ? Agassiz Avas a poor man , Longfellow is not rich , Choate barely supported his family , but the wealthiest merchant of Boston never . excited such respectful interest as these men of mere talent and culture . If Ralph Waldo Emerson and William B . Astor should

happen to attend the opera in this city on the same evening a hundred persons would point out the litterateur for one Avho Avould direct attention to the millionaire . The Marquis de Talleyrand-Perigord has entirely mistaken our national character on this point . No people in the Avorld hold

intellectual accomplishments in higher respect than the Americans . But Avhen we come to compare ourselves Avith our ancestors of 1776 instead of Avith the European nations of our OAVII time , the evidence that Ave haA'e not shamefull y

degenerated seems decisive . That Ave have not fallen off in the great qualities of generous patriotism and manly courage is abundantly proved by our recent civil Avar . Our forefathers bravely asserted their OAVU rights , Ave have made stupendous sacrifices

to secure the rights of a despised race of slaA'es . As to our sordid AVorshi p of money , it is a partial ansAver to the charge to point to the pecuniary sacrifices Avhich Ave so freely made in the Avar . This partial answer is strengthened by recalling the large voluntary contributions for the

Sanitary Commission—a generous exhibition of humanity Avhich has no parallel . If the American people pursue Avealth Avith ardour they also spend it Avith ungrudging liberality . What other country has so many institutions of charity supported entirely by private contributions ? Our

institutions of learning are constantly multiplying , and the curriculum of studies in the smaller colleges is more extensive than it Avas in Harvard and Yale a hundred years ago , while these and kindred institutions have so elevated their standards

that graduates of 1776 Avould find it difficult to pass an examination for the Sophomore year . Moreover , hundreds of American young men are annually sent to Europe to study in the most famous universities of the Continent . No man in this

country is compelled by law to pay a church-rate , but our church architecture of the last 30 years is so expensive and sumptuous that our frugal forefathers Avould have thought it ostentatious and extravagant . It is true that public morals are just UOAV

degraded , but it is the result of transient causes Avhich will soon pass , and it is hardly fair to judge our people by this exceptional period . The inflated , fluctuating currency , Avhich Avas one of the attendant evils of a great Avarset the country into a

, fever of speculation and converted all business into a species of gambling , but this corrupting influence will pass away Avithin a feAV years . The steady honesty Avith Avhich Ave have met the obligations of a