onstrations
towards England just now seem to me rather absurd. The "sensible" of the
community (alas! nowhere the majority, but here at this moment a most
pitiful minority) are of course ashamed of, and sorry for, what is going
on; and, moreover, of course do not believe in a war. But I am afraid,
if the good sense of England does not keep this country out of a scrape,
its own good sense will hardly do it that good turn.

An American wrote to me the other day: "As for our calling ourselves a
great people, I think we are a people who, with the greatest possible
advantages, have made the least possible use of them; and if anything
can teach these people what greatness is, it must be adversity."

Farewell, and God bless you, my dear Lady Dacre.

Believe me ever yours,
FANNY.

PHILADELPHIA, July 14th, 1844.
MY DEAREST HAL,

I am told that the newspapers in England have been filled with the
severest comments upon the late outbreaks of popular disorder in this
city of "brotherly love."

About a month ago the town was lighted from one end to the other with
the burning of Catholic churches; and now, within the last week, the
outrages have recommenced with more fury than ever, because, for a
wonder, the militia actually did fire upon the mob, who, unused to any
such demonstration of being in earnest on their part, had possessed
themselves of cannon and fire-arms, and would have exterminated the
small body of militia which could be gathered together at the first
outbreak of the riot, but which is now backed by a very considerable
force of regular troops.

The disturbance is not in the city proper, but in a sort of suburb not
subject to the municipal jurisdiction of Philadelphia, but having a
mayor and civil officers of its own.

The cause assigned for all these outrages is fear and hatred of the
Roman Catholic Irish; and there is no doubt an intensely bitter feeling
between them and the low native population of the cities; added to
which, the Irish themselves do not fail to bring over their home feud,
and the old Orange spirit of bloody persecution joins itself to the
dread of Popery, which is becoming quite a strong feeling among the
American lower classes.

It is absurd, and yet sad enough, that not six months ago "Repeal
Unions"--Irish Repeal Unions--were being formed all over t