"No, sir—ladies do not often study the dead languages."
"If they did they would soon bring 'em to life! 'Semper eadem' is Latin for 'worse and worse.' The militia is drilling into a 'statu quo,' and the press is enlightening mankind with a 'semper eadem.'"
{'Semper eadem' = the usual meaning is "ever the same" (Latin)—presumably Cooper's talking shirt is being ironical, suggesting that that "worse and worse" is the constant condition of the press}
After properly thanking my neighbor for these useful explanations, we naturally fell into discourse about matters and things in general, the weather in America being uniformly too fine to admit of discussion.
"Pray, sir," said I, trembling lest my BOSS might be a colonel of the editorial corps, after all—"pray, sir," said I, "is it expected in this country that the wardrobe should entertain the political sentiments of its boss?"
"I rather think not, unless it might be in high party times; or, in the case of editors, and such extreme patriots. I have several relatives that belong to the corps, and they all tell me that while their bosses very frequently change their coats, they are by no means so particular about changing their shirts. But you are of foreign birth, ma'am, I should think by your dress and appearance?"
{change their coats.... = i.e., editors frequently change political sides, but they are not very careful about their personal hygiene}
"Yes, sir, I came quite recently from France; though, my employer being American, I suppose I am entitled to the rights of citizenship. Are you European, also?"
"No, ma'am; I am native and to the 'MANOR born,' as the modern Shakspeare has it. Is Louis Philippe likely to maintain the throne, in France?"
{'manor born' = from "to the manner born" Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act I, Scene 4, line 2—frequently misquoted in popular speech as "to the manor born"}