The National Republican And Ohio Political Register

National Character.--In a note appended to an article in the St. Louis Advocate, in which the writer calls us 'Americans, by way of contradistinction from our neighbors of Mexico, we find these remarks:--

We use the terms Americans and Mexicans to distinguish the citizens of the United States from the citizens of the Mexican Republic, without being insensible to the fact that Mexicans are Americans as well as ourselves. We object to circumlocutory names, and cannot bring ourselves to adopt any that has been proposed for us, nor do we think that there is any necessity for it. We were the first American nation, and the title is appropriate to us. History is full of actions of the American Navy. The messages of the American President, and the acts of the American Congress, are quoted throughout Europe, and no question ever arises as to the army, the navy, or the Congress referred to. On the contrary, the other Americans are constantly referred to by their locality. We speak of a Canadian, a West Indian, a Mexican, a Colombian, a Peruvian, &c.--but neither in history, nor among themselves, or in their intercourse with other nations, are they known, as we are, by the name of Americans. The fact is we want a national name; we have a right to be called Americans, because we are the first American nation; history and the usage of nations, has applied that title to us, and it would be false modesty and bad policy to reject it.

We fully coincide with these sentiments: we cannot call ourselves United Statesmen, without an obvious awkwardness of expression; not at all allowable in speaking of our federative family, when we have at hand a term completely expressive of our nationality in the word: American.' We are aware that the British, Spanish, French, Portuguese, &c. may also claim this appellation; but without vanity, as the leading nation of this hemisphere, from our extensive population, and the fame of our arms, we are fairly entitled to it, par excellence. The word American, is brief, specific and expressive, it belongs to us because we are known by it in every part of the world, from our first existence; in referring to our national prowess, at home and abroad, we are invariably called Americans. Neither the Mexicans, Colombians, Buenos Ayreans, Peruvians, or Cubans, can reasonably object to it: in short, as applied to us, it has also a geographical signification; and a political influence, in relation to this point, is of itself, of considerable consequence, in the eyes of foreigners.

Washington Gazette.