forjustaboutthisperiodthereweredraggingalong，intheBerlinandothercityjournals，accountsofGermantrialsforfraudandworse，surpassing，insomerespects，anythingwithinmymemoryofAmericantribunals。Thequantityoffig—leavesrequiredinsomeofthesetrialswasenormous;and，despiteallprecautions，somedetailswhichescapedintothepressmightwellbringablushtothemosthardenedAmericanoffender。Itwasbothvexatiousandcomicaltoseethesmug，Pharisaicalwayinwhichmanyjournalsignoredallthesethings，andhelduptheirhandsinhorroratAmericanshortcomings。Sometrials，too，whichatvarioustimesrevealedthebrutalityofsundrymilitaryofficerstowardsoldiers，wereheartrending;andespeciallyoneortwoduels，whichoccurredduringmystay，presentedfeaturescalculatedtoshockthetoughestAmericanrough—rider。ButallthisseemednotforamomenttowithdrawtheattentionofourTeutoniccensorsfromAmericanfollyandwickedness。OneofthemainchargesconstantlymadewasthatinAmericatherewasa\"DeutschenHetze。\"VerymanyGermanpapershadreallypersuadedthemselves，andapparentlyhadconvincedalargepartoftheGermanpeople，thatthroughoutourcountrythereexistedahate，deepandacrid，ofeverythingGermanandespeciallyofGerman—Americans。TheingenuityofsomeGermanpapersinsupportingthisthesiswaswonderful。OnoneoccasionapettysquabbleinaRomanCatholictheologicalschoolintheUnitedStatesbetweenthemoreliberalelementandareactionaryGermanpriest，inwhichthelattercametogrief，wasdisplayedasanevidencethattheAmericanpeopleweredeterminedtodriveoutallGermanprofessorsandtoabjureGermanscience。ThedoingsofeveryscapegraceinanAmericanuniversity，ofeverysillywomaninChicago，ofeveryblackguardinNewYork，ofeverysnobatNewport，ofeverydesperadointheRockyMountains，ofeveryclubloaferanywhere，wereservedupastypicalexamplesofAmericanlife。Themunicipalgovernmentsofourcountry，andespeciallythatofNewYork，wereanexhaustlessquarryfromwhichspecimensofeverykindofscoundrelismweredrawnandusedinbuildingupanidealstructureofAmericanlife;corruption，lawlessness，andbarbarismbeingitsmostsalientfeatures。
Norwasthisconfinedtothemoreignorant。Menwhostoodhighintheuniversities，menofthegreatestamiability，whoinformerdayshadbeenthewarmestfriendsofAmerica，hadnowbecomeourbitteropponents，andsomeoftheirexpressionsseemedtopointtoeventualwar。
YetIdoubtwhetherwehaveanyrighttocomplainofsuchattacksandmisrepresentations。Asamatteroffact，nonationwashessomuchofitsdirtylineninthefaceofthewholeworldasdoesourown;and，whatisworse，thereiswashedinourcountry，withmuchnoiseandperversity，agreatdealoflinenwhichisnotdirty。Manydemagoguesandsome\"reformers\"arealwaysdoingthis。ThereisinAmericaacertainclassofexcellentpeoplewhoseenothingbutthescumonthesurfaceofthepot;nothingbuttheworstthingsthrowntothesurfaceintheebullitionofAmericanlife。Ortheymaybecomparedtopeoplewho，withaPersiancarpetbeforethem，persistinlookingatitsseamyside，andfindingnothingbutoddsandends，imperfectjoints，unsatisfactorycombinationsofcolor;therealpatternentirelyescapingthem。Theshrillutterancesofsuchmenriseabovethelowhumofsteadygoodwork，andaretakeninGermanyasexactstatementsofthemainfactsinournationallife。
LetmerepeathereoneexamplewhichIhavegivenmorethanonceelsewhere。Severalyearssince，aneffortwasmadetoimpeachthePresidentoftheUnitedStates。Thecurrentwasstrong，andmostpartyleadersthoughtitbesttogowithit。ThreesenatorsoftheUnitedStatessturdilyrefused，theirleaderbeingWilliamPittFessendenofMaine，who，believingtheimpeachmentanattempttointroduceSpanish—Americanpoliticsintoourcountry，resolutelyopposedit。TheStateconventionofhispartycalleduponhimtovoteforit，thenationalconventionofthepartytookthesameground，hisrelativesandfriendsbesoughthimtoyield，buthestoodfirmlyagainstthemeasure，andfinally，byhisexampleandhisvote，defeatedit。ItwasanexampleofSpartanfortitude，ofRomanheroism，worthytobechronicledbyPlutarch。Howwasitchronicled？IhappenedtobetravelinginGermanyatthetime，andnaturallywatchedcloselyfortheresultoftheimpeachmentproceedings。OnemorningItookupaGermanpapercontainingthenewsandread，\"Theimpeachmenthasbeendefeated;threesenatorswerebribed，\"andattheheadofthelistofbribedsenatorswasthenameofFessenden！Thetimewillcomewhenhisstatuewillcommemoratehisgreatexample;letushopethatthetimewillalsocomewhenpartyspiritwillnotbeallowedtodisgraceourcountrybysendingouttotheworldsuchmonstrouscalumnies。
AstoattacksupontheUnitedStates，itisonlyfairtosaythatGermanpublicistsandnewspaperwriterswereundermuchprovocation。SomeoftheAmericancorrespondentstheninGermanyshowedwonderfulskillinmalignantinvention。Mypredecessorsintheembassyhadsufferedmuchfromthiscause。Oneofthem，whomIhadknownfromhisyoungmanhoodasagentlemanofrefinedtastesandquiethabits，utterlyincapableofrudenessofanysort，wasaccused，inasensationalletterpublishedinvariousAmericanjournals，ofhavingbecomesonoisyandboisterousatcourtthattheEmperorwasobligedtorebukehim。Varioushintsofafoulandscandalouscharacterweresentoverandpublished。