AccorDiNG to the old saying the United States are to be congratulated on not having added much to the more preten. tious portion of the history of the world since the last Fourth of July. They have enjoyed a tranquil existence, with pence prosperity at home and only a few ineiguificaut skirmishes with Indians to disturb their most distant horde No startling political, social, or busi events have occurred during the 'Their intercourse with other nations ins beau pleasant, and as far as we can 800 it is likely to continue so. 'There appears to be more of a desire in American foreign' policy to give and take fairly with those countries with which disputes arise than was the case in the last generation. We hope this is to be attributed to what we may be allowed to call a more gonial political and general frame of mind in the balk of the people of the United States. Perhaps the unexampled pros-parity which the country has enjoyed of regent years has also had something to do with bringing about this change in its political intercourse with the rest of the world: Prosperity-improves all who are capable of improvement. It should be almost impossible for a nation which has flourished for such a period of time as to make its people feel confidence as to the future, to be exacting and quarrelsome with its neighbours. It is of course true that nations have before this waxed fat and kicked, and in their greed for increased gains Lave tried to possess themselves of their neighbours' goods and lauds. But no such temptations have assailed the United States in recent times, and it does not now seem likely that they will do so in the future. The truth no doubt is that the largo number of strangers who land in America every year from all parts of Earope, bring with them so many differing opinions on every conceivable subject, that these gradually, and perhaps imperceptibly, work changes in the national way of looking at things which happen outside their own country. The result is that politics, and interconrss generally with foreign nations, are carried on more in-a cosmopolitan spirit-than was formerly the case. Most of the people who land in Ameri carry with them from their old homes warm and. patriotic feelings for the country they have left behind, and are not animated by the bitter hatred of England which filled many of the English, and Scoto-Irish immigrants before the War of Independence. There are no doubt exceptions to this desirable condition of feeling among such people as some of the Irish, Russian, and Socialist immigrants, But after all these form but a small portion of those who year by year resort to the shores of America in search of that good fortune which they Lave been unable to find at home. The great bulk of the immigrants have a divided patriotic love, and the maintenance of this old home feeling in the strangers who come amongst them has no doubt done much to increase the interest in foreign nations among Americans, and to cause their public and private intercourse with them to be carried in more liberal and pleasanter methods. Recent Eoglish travellers in the United States speak of the great interest in all home matters which is everywhere shown by all classes of people. Hvidence of this is apparent in the attention which is paid to European matters by the best part of the American press, and by the large numbers of papers illustrative of English social life, particularly in old fashioned roral places, which the American magazines present to their readers, These would not be given auloss they mot a great pablic demand, and to English people, and others, they are valuable proofs of a kindly and intelligent desire on the part of Americans, of all classes, to understand better the countries beyond the seas from which their forefathers came.
Besides the inflaence which extended intercourse with visitors and immigrants, with other customs and thoughts, has on national character the magnificent educational means of the United States But while Europeans may display less activity in adopting some opinion which are readily believed in America, their increased knowledge of the United States has made them quite capable of appreciating Americans aa Americans are of appreciating them, When once the film of ignorant prejudice, which does so much to keep nations apart, has been brashed away, it does not require much more to make them understand and like each other.
The little knowledge of our neighbours which will do thig is not that which is dangerous. Woe do not expect that communities which have been apart are suddenly to strike hands and swear eternal friendship, because -they lave found out that they have hitherto been mistaken, and have not recognised the fact that they possessed virtues and excellencies in common, It is only in the unreal world of comedy, that relatives, between whom there have been misunderstandings and faults of temper, fall upon each other's necks. In real life the progcess of people to" ards good fellowship and friendship by calmer methods; among nations it is of slow growth. There is every reason to hope that the nations of both the old and the now world will endea. your to maintain hearty and friendly relations in the fature. Their interest are now more in comnion than they ever were before, and, as time passes, the community of personal, business, and political interests is sure to increase, and, we hope, to impress on cements the neces-in their dealings with each other. the promotion of this excellent policy the United States will no doubt bear a large share, Wo seo now close Land that her statesmon are ready to exert the national influence in the cause of peace, and doubtless they will continue to do so. The authority of the United States in the world is cure to grow as her population inorenees, and we bobo it will always be exerted for trath and right, 80 that people of other nationalities may have cause to wish as well to Americans, when they moot to read their Declaration of Indepondenceon succeeding Fourthe of July, as they did on Wednesday. exercise a powerful and similar concurrent effect. Then there is the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.