YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

From the library of
RUSSELL C. LEFFINGWELL
Yale 1899
The gift of his daughter
MRS. EDWARD PULLING

THE

OCTOBER, If 13.

FOLLOWING WORKS
HAVE BEEN
Uectntty jmiJltsitjeli,
BY LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, LONDON.

Messrs. LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, and BROWN, having just completed and fitted
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OF JOHN, DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH,
"With his Original Correspondence, collected from the
Family Records at Blenheim, and other authentic
Sources. By WILLIAM COXE, M.A. F.R.S.F.S.A.
Archdeacon of Wilts, and Rector of Bemerton.
k Vols. I, and II. in 4to. illustrated with Portraits, Maps,
j; and Military. Plans, Price 31. Ss. each.
The third volume, which will complete the Work,
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A SECOND JOURNEY
THROUGH
PERSIA TO CONSTANTINOPLE,
Between the Years 1810 and 1816. With a Journal of
.the Voyage by the Brazils and Boubay to the Persian
Gulfh; together with an Account of the Proceedings
of his Majesty's Embassy, under his Excellency Sir
Gore Ousley, Bart. K.S.L.
By JAMES MORIER, Esq.
Late his Majesty's Secretary of Embassy, and Minister
Plenipotentiary to the Court of Persia.
In Royal 4to. with Maps, coloured C^ftumes, and other
' Engravings from the Designs df ae Author, Price
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A JOURNEY FROM INDIA TO
ENGLAND,
Through Persia, Georgia, Russia, Poland, and Prussia,
in the Year 1817.
By LIEUT.-COL. JOHNSON, C. B.
In tto. illustrated with numerous Engravings, Price
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MEMOIRS
OF THE COURT OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.
' BY LUCY AIKIN.
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A SUCCINCT ACCOUNT of the CON
TAGIOUS FEVER of this Country, as exemplified* in
the Epidemic now prevailing in London, with the ap
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House of Recovery. To which are added,
OBSERVATIONS on the NATURE and PROPER
TIES of CONTAGION, tending to correct the Popular
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Prevention. By THOMAS B ATEMAN, M.D. F.L.S.
Physician to the Public Dispensary, and Consulting
Physician to the Fever Institution in London, &c. &c.
Published in 8vo. Price 68.
NEW TALES.
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Contents  Mrs. Arlington; or, all is not Gold that
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fForks recently published by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown.

MEMOIRS of the late Mrs. ELIZABETH
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ifWemoira
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THE PERSONAL NARRATIVE
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SERMONS,
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A JOURNEY TO ROMRANiDNAPLES
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3>ftetrf)e£ of America.

NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY
OF FIVE THOUSAND MILES
THROUGH
THE EASTERN AND WESTERN STATES
or
AMERICA; CONTAINED IN EIGHT REPORTS
ADDRESSED TO THE
THIRTY-NINE ENGLISH FAMILIES
BT WHOM THE AUTHOR WAS DEPUTED, IN JUNE 1817, TO ASCERTAIN
WHETHER ANY, AND WHAT PART OF THE UNITED STATES WOULD
BE SUITABLE FOR THE.IR RESIDENCE.
WITH
REMARKS ON
Me. BJRKBECK'S "NOTES" AND "LETTERS."

By HENRY BRADSHAW FEARON.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROVVN,
PATERKOSTER-ROW. 1818.

Printed by A. Strahan,
Printers-Street, London.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

In submitting the following pages to the Public,
it is my wish that the reader should be put fairly
in possession of the circumstances under which
they were written.
I was deputed by a circle of friends, whose
persons and whose interests are most dear to
me, to visit the United States of America, in
order to furnish them with materials to regulate
their decision on the subject of emigration. Into
the motives and the views which led to this pro
posed measure on their part, it is not requisite
that I should enter much in detail ; they are, I
fear, known and. felt too generally to render
description necessary.
Emigration had, at the time of my appointment,
assumed a totally new character : it was no longer
merely the poor, the idle, the profligate, or the
wildly speculative, who were proposing to quit
their native country ; but men also of capital,
of industry, of sober habits and regular pursuits,
men of reflection who apprehended approaching
evils j men of upright and conscientious minds,
A '2

IV INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
to whose happiness civil and religious liberty1
were essential ; and men of domestic feelings,
who wished to provide for the future, support
and prosperity of their offspring.
Under such circumstances as these it was, that
my friends turned their thoughts, in the way of
enquiry merely, upon the subject of emigration^
to America. Having so done, they naturallyset
themselves seriously to investigate the state of
the country and the character of the people?
but, singular as it may seem, they were unable
to obtain satisfactory information. Most of the
books which they could procure contained? evi
dently partial statements j some were written to'
exalt and some to vilify the situation of the
country and its inhabitants, but none of them*
possessed that kind of information which was-
wanted by my friends ; no lists of prices, of
wages, rents, &c.* j no statements, or but imper*.
feet ones, relative' to individual trades or manu
factures ; little or nothing, in short,, of thafc
homely kind of intelligence which was wanted
on such an occasion. It was, at length, resolved
that some one should visit the country to' make:
thej necessary enquires — the lot fell upon. my-.
sjelf; but I owe it in justice both to the public
* It may be proper , to observe that, in the. following pages,
the prices pf live stock, &c. are often stated in what may
appear singular amounts ; this arises from turning American
dollars into British currency.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. V
and to myself to state, that circumstances, which
at the time left me free from my usual pursuits,
rather than any supposed peculiar fitness for the
undertaking, guided their choice of me for the
task j although it is among the first pleasures
of my life to reflect that they relied at least
upon my faithfulness and industry.
Recurring to the fact of publication, I pre
tend to few, if any, of the accomplishments
which are deemed necessary for the regular tra
veller, writing professedly for the instruction or
amusement of the public. The information;
however, which I was deputed to collect, I
sought for with all the diligence, and forwarded
with all the accuracy, in my power. It was my
wish to put my Jriends as much as possible into
my situation ~— to inform them both of what I
saw myself, and what I learned from others;
where I thought that information might be re
lied upon. My enquiries were facilitated by
various introductions, and aided by some per
sonal friends who had previously emigrated; to
America. I arrived in the ;city of New York, August 6th,
1817, and finally quitted that place, May 10th,
1818, : after having made a tour, including
both: the, Eastern and Western States of' the'
American Union. Returned to England], I
have,: naturally enough, received applications
for information relative to the1 cpuntpy I had

Vi INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
visited, from many persons disposed to settle
there : some of these were parties of respect
ability and capital, not dissimilar in their. views
and objects from those which my friends had
proposed to themselves. To these, therefore, the
information I had collected might be supposed
to be not unacceptable j many others, for va
rious reasons, may wish to be possessed of these
facts : such are the motives which ha.ve induced
me to submit my " Reports " to the public.
In forming their estimate of this production, 1
have therefore to request of my readers to bear
Constantly in mind the view with which I have
written, and not expect to find the v/otkthat which
the author does not pretend it to be. My object has
not been to make a book ; but, circumstances
having occurred to give me information which
appears valuable because it may be useful, I wish
to give it to the world, — and am content to do
so in a plain, unvarnished manner.
, The work may have many faults and numerous
imperfections. Little accustomed as I am to write
for the public eye, the critic I presume will find in
it much to censure — in style — in arrangement
— and perhaps in materials ; but the object I
have had in view will, at least, be a pledge to
the public of the faithfulness and sincerity of my
statements. My intention in writing has certainly
been neither to flatter nor deceive : my Reports
were originally composed neither with a view to

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. Vll
fame nor profit, — neither to exalt a country, to
support a party, nor to promote a settlement.
I have had every motive to speak what I thought
the truth, and none to conceal or pervert it.
The interests of my dearest friends depended
most intimately upon the correctness of my
statements. I wished to put them in possession
of every thing I knew : the public will now de
cide whether what I have found to communicate
be either useful or instructive.

TO
THE FRIENDS OF
CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY,
THESE PAGES
ARE RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
BY H. B FEARON.

Plitistoto, 'Essex,
October 2nd, 1818.

ERRATA.
Page 1. line 8-9. from the bottom, ftmit " in the Southampton frigate."
 . AS. line 7. for 150, read loo.
 182. line IS. for " Shawnee Towni Illinois Territory," Mississippi,
&c." read " Kentucky, Shawnee Town* Illinois Territory, &c."

SKETCHES OF AMERICA.

VOYAGE IN THE SHIP WASHINGTON FROM ISLE OF WIGHT. —
CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE ON BOARD.
 DEBATING SOCIETY.  OFF SANDY HOOK.  FIRST
IMPRESSIONS OF THE PEOPLE AND OF THE CITY OF
NEW YORK  MRS. BRADISH's BOARDING-HOUSE. —
COMMODORE ROGERS.  CONVERSATION AT DINNER 
SUSPICION OF CORRUPTION IN THE AMERICAN GOVERN
MENT CONTRACTS  PRICES OF ARTICLES, AND RENT
OF SHOPS. New York, August 9th, 1817.
MY DEAR FRIENDS,
I embrace the first opportunity of communi
cating my safe arrival in this land of liberty,
which I am enabled to do by the politeness of
Sir James Yeo, who sails to day iri. the -South
ampton frigate. We landed here on Wednesday
the 6th instant. You are aware that the vessel
in which I sailed is the Washington, Captain
Foreman, which left London the 4th of June.
I went on board at the Isle of Wight on the
14th, and we proceeded on our course the
following day. The cabin was crowded, having
nineteen passengers, amongst whom were Mr.
B

2 PASSENGERS. — POLITICAL LIBERTY.
or (according to American etiquette) The
Honourable John Quincey Adams, (late am
bassador , at the Court of St. James's,! but now
Secretary of State,) his lady and family : the
gentlemen were chiefly Americans. You will be
somewhat surprised to learn that Mr. George
Washington Adams (eldest son of the Secretary)
and myself were the only warm friends of po
litical liberty; a subject which, of course, often
came upder discussion. All were its advocates in
Some limited or refined sense; but we stood
alone in wishing its extension to England, to
unfortunate Ireland, to France, to the European
Continent generally, .and to the brave South
Americans. I delivered the letters of r intro
duction, with which Alderman Wood and others
favoured me, to Mr. Adams ; and wish to
acknowledge the polite attentions which, in conr
sequence, I received from him. My passage-
money was forty guineas, exclusive of wines, &c.
A sea-life was to me in every particular novels
and not of that class denominated pleasingi
Sickness, the usual lot of fresh-water sailors, was
my companion. It was extreme for eight daysj
and did not take its final leave for fifteen;
indeed I had but little appetite the whole of the
passage. The weather has been boisterous for
the season ; though I believe we were not in
imminent danger except upon one occasion,
arising from neglect in not taking in sail. The

GALE.  " 4TH JULY." 3
wind blew a tremendous gale, which the ship,
in consequence, was not so well prepared to
withstand as she might and ought to have been.
My fears were extreme : there was but the turn
of a hair between us and eternity. I prayed
fervently to that Being, who is the God of the
sea as well as the God of the land, and who has
protected me throughout my life.
The 4th of July is a great American day,
being the anniversary of their declaration of
independence. It was kept on board with, I
presume, its usual sanctity — by good eating and
drinking. I felt warm in the cause, viewing
that declaration as the common property of the
friends of freedom. Several songs were sung.
Two by the mate were the most remarkable :
they were the evident production of seventeen
hundred and seventy-six ; their allusions being to
those occurrences which peculiarly belonged to
the first stages of the revolution. The toasts
were also indifferent. I was not gratified with
even an approach to the old English sentiment
of " Civil and religious liberty all over the
world." In the steerage there were thirteen passengers.
They paid twelve pounds each, arid had to find
themselves in every thing but water. Among
these was a Mr. Davis, an ingenious, clever man.
He organized a debating society, which was held
iii the steerage twice a week, " weather per-
b 2

4 " DEBATING* SOCIETY." — NEW YORK BAY.
mitting." Young Mr. Adams and myself
frequently attended their sombre discussions.
Upon one occasion the question was, " Which
is, the best form of government, . a democracy
or a moriarchy?" It was strongly contested
on both sides,1 and at length determined in
favour' of the former by the casting vote of the
chairman, who was seated in presidential: state
on a water-cask.
On the 5th of August, the sound of ."LandO 1" "
from the topmast, though communicated : by the
gruff' voice of a hardy soh:of Neptutfe, sounded
in my' ears " most , eloquent music." In the
evening we stood out to? sea, being too near
shore. On the morning of the 6th I was called
up at four o'clock. We- were off the- Jersey
shore, which was crowded: with small craft, We ;
soon made Sandy Hook, the entrance into the
bay, and " thirty miles from the city of New
Yo?k. The busy scene around me, the conscious
ness that I was about to be relieved from the
worst of- prisons, the serenity of the morning,
arid the extreme beauty of New York bay, cerir
Veyed impressions which mock description.
Every object was to me ari interesting one :
first our pilot, his stature, his manners, his
dress, were all at this time; objects of my atten
tion ; though under other circumstances I should
have viewed them with entire indifference. He
brought ue thenewspaper, of the morning,; Many

"- NEWSPAPER. — LANDING. 5
of the advertisements had to me the character of
singularity. One announcing a play, terminated.
with', " Gentlemen are informed, that no smok
ing is allowed in the theatre. " A newsman from
the " Evening Post," and a custom-house officer,
were our next visitors. Several sailing boats
passed with gentlemen, many of them wearing
enormously large straw hats, turned up behind.
At one o'clock we anchored close to the city.
A boy procured us two hackney coaches, from a
distance of about a quarter of a mile. I offered
him an English shilling, having no other small
coin in my possession. He would not take
so little ; " For as how I guess it is not of value.
I have been slick in going to the stand right
away." This was said with a tone of inde
pendence, which, although displeasing to my
pride, was not so to my judgment. Mr. Adams
satisfied the young republican by giving him
half-a-dollar, (2s. 3d.) There was no sense of
having received afavor in the boy's countenance
or manner ; a trait of character which, I have
since-learned, is by no means confined to the
youth of America. A simple " I thank you,
Sir," would not, however, derogate from a
free man's dignity; but I shall not be too fas
tidious. We must not expect every thing ; and,
after all, even cold independence is preferable
to warm servility. Another question, and one ot
leading importance, suggested itself to me on
b 3

6 APPEARANCE . OF INHABITANTS.
this occurrence; namely, Is not labour here well
paid? A great number of people were on the
wjjarf looking at us . and our vessel. Many of
them were of the labouring class. They were
not better clothed than men in a similar con
dition in England ; but they were more erect
in their posture, less care-worn in their counte
nances ; the thought of " the morrow" did not
seem to form a part of their ideas ; and among
them there were no beggars. Intermixed with
these were several of the mercantile and genteeler
orders. Large straw hats prevailed ; trowsers
were universal. The general costume of these
persons was inferior to men in the same rank of
life in England. Their whole appearance was
loose, slovenly, careless, and not remarkable for
cleanliness. The wholesale stores which front
the riyer, have not the most attractive appear
ance. The carts are long and narrow, drawn by
one horse ; the hackney cpaches are open at the
sides, being suited to this warm climate — lighter
and much superior to ours : the charge 25 per
qgnt,. higher than in London. The streets
through .which we passed to Mrs. Bradish's
boarding-house, in State-Street, opposite the
Battery, were narrow and dirty. The Battery
is a most delightful walk, on the edge of the
bay. The houses in State-Street are of the
first class. , The one in which I am now writing
is about the size of those in Bridge-Street,

BOARDING-HOUSES. J
Black-friars. The rent is 2400 dollars (5401.
sterling) per annum ; taxes are about 80 dollars,
(181. sterling.) The mode of living for those
who do not keep house, is at hotels, taverns, or
private boarding-houses. My present residence
is at one of the latter description. There are two
public apartments, one for a sitting, the other
a dining room. At present, about forty sit down
to table. The lady of the house presides at the
head of the table, the other ladies who are
boarders being placed on her left. The hours
are — breakfast, eight o'clock ; dinner, half past
three ; tea, seven ; supper, ten. American break
fasts are celebrated for their profusion : there
are eggs, meat of various kinds, fish, and fowls.
My London habits are not yet overcome: lean-
hot enjoy any addition to plain bread and butter.
The hours of eating are attended to by all with
precision : charge, two dollars per diem, exclu-
sive of wine. The expense of living here is
about 18 dollars per week. There are here at
present, the celebrated Commodore Rogers, and
several other naval officers ; arriong whom are
Decatur, Warrington, and Bidel, all of whom
distinguished themselves in the late war : also
Mr. Graham, the under-secretary of state, and
Mr. Braekenbridge, author of a history of the
late war. The two latter gentlemen are said to
be upon the point of embarking in the sloop of
war Ontario, on a mission to South America.
b 4

8 COMMISSIONERS TO SOUTH "AMERICA.
That the object of their:' voyage may be to assist
the patriots in shaking off the yoke of the in
famous Ferdinand, is my heartfelt desire.
. Last evening, while I was conversing with Com
modore Rogers, a naval officer, attended by two
black servants, ascended the steps : he proved to
be Sir James Yeo. Commodore R — s, supposing
me to be an American, was free in the expression
of his feelings ; which, in truth, were honourable
to him, and not derogatory to Sir James, or
the British navy generally. He referred to the
disgraceful conduct of Admiral Cockburn at
Havre de Grace, with a forgiving liberality
which did him much credit. In his appearance
he has more of the English than the American
seaman, conveying an idea not dissimilar to the
personifications of such characters by Bannister.
He is an American by birth, but of Scotch
parentage. His anecdotes of persons claiming
relationship or acquaintance with, him are nu
merous. One mari met himin Baltimore, assured
him/that he. had gone to school and eaten
porridge and drunk whiskey with him when a
boy, at Aberdeen ; another, a very old' man,
accosted him, in the Scotch dialect, in Broad
way,. New York, and insisted upon it that he
was his (Commodore- R.'s) father. - Commodore
Rogersis nowthe presideritof the Board of Naval
Commissioners at Washington ; an establishment
whose objects' and powers are nearly similar to

STREET POPULATION. 9
those of , our Admiralty Board. His present busi
ness is, in conjunction with Commodore Decatur,
to lay the keel of a seventy-four gun ship. His
account of the climate of Washington is favour
able. He states that he has there a family of
seven children, and that for two years' they have
had no illness in the house.
Immediately upon landing, I treated myself
with a glass of cider and some fruit : the charge
was dearer than in London. As yet I cannot
of course communicate any useful particulars. I
have walked alone through the streets for the
purpose of forming an independent judgment.
Every object is new. I hardly dare trust myself
in forming conclusions : one most cheeririg fact
is indisputable, the absence of irremediable dis
tress. The street . population bears an aspect
essentially different from that' of London, or
large English towns. One striking feature is
in the number; of blacks, many, of whom are
finely dressed, the females very ludicrously so,
showing ; a partiality to white muslin dresses,
artificial flowers, and pink shoes. I, saw b.ut,fe.w
well-dressed white ladies,, but am informed that
the greater part are at present at the springs of
•Balstan and Saratoga.* The dress of the men is.
* A place of fashionable summer resort, about 200 miles
tVom this city. The route is by way of Albany, whiohi's 160
milesup the Hudson river, and' to which some of the finest
steam-boats in the world -gtf three times' a week. The fare;

10 CHURCHES. — HOTELS.
rather deficient; in point of neatness and gentility.
Their appearance, in common with that of the
ladies and children, is sallow, and what we should
call unhealthy. Our friend D  tells me that
to have colour in the cheeks is an infallible cri
terion by which to be discovered as an English
man. In a British town of any importance, you
cannot walk along a leading street for half an
hour without meeting with almost every variety
in the size, dress, and appearance of the inhabitp
ants ; whilst, on the contrary, here they seem
all of one family ; and though not quite a ',' drab-
coloured creation," the feelings they excite are
aot Many degrees removed from the uninteresting
Sensations generated by that expression. The
young men are talL thin, and solemn : their dress
is universally trowsers, and very generally loose
great coats. Old men, in our English idea of
that word, appear very rare.
Churches are numerous and handsome : the
interior of one which I have just visited in
Broad- way is truly elegant, being fitted up with
more taste, splendour, and I presume expense,
than many in London. Several hotels are on an
extensive scale : the City Hotel has large as the
London Tavern; the dining, and some of the

including board, is seven dollars, and a tax of one dollar.
The tim© usually occupied from New York to Albany is from
eighteen and a half to twenty-two hours.

STORES.  STREETS. 1 1
private rooms, seem fitted up regardless of ex
pense. The price of boarding at this establish-
mentis, I understand, cheaper than where I reside.
The shops (or stores, as they are called) have
nothing in their exterior to recommend them:
there is not even an attempt at tasteful display.
The linen and woollen drapers (dry good stores,
as they are denominated) have quantities of their
goods laid loose on boxes in the street, without
any precaution against theft. This practice,
though a proof of their carelessness, is also an
evidence as to the political state of society worthy
of attention. Masses of the population cannot
be unemployed, or robbery would be inevitable.
There are a great number of excellent private
dwellings, built of red painted brick, which gives
them a peculiarly neat and clean appearance.
In Broad-way and Wall-street trees are planted
at the side of the pavement. The city-hall is a
large and elegant building, in which the courts
of law are held. In viewing this structure, I
feel some objections which require farther ob
servation either to remove or confirm. Most of
the streets are dirty : in many of them sawyers
are preparing wood for sale, and all are infested
with pigs, — circumstances which indicate a lax
police. ^
Upon the whole, a walk through New York
will disappoint an Englishman : there is, on the
surface of society, a carelessness, a laziness, an
unsocial indifference, which freezes the blood and

12 ' BRITISH GOODS.
disgusts the judgment. An evening stroll along
Broad-way, when the lariips are alight, will please
more than one at noon-day. The shops will look
rather better, but their proprietors will not greatly
please : their cold indifference riiay be mistaken
by themselves for independence, but no person
of thought and observation will ever concede to
them that they haVe selected a wise mpde of
exhibiting that dignified feeling. I disapprove
most decidedly of the obsequious' servility of the
London shopkeepers, but I am not prepared to
go the length of those in New York, who stand
with their hats on, or sit or lie along their counters,
smoking segars, and spitting in every direction,
to a degree offensive to any man of decent feel
ings. The prevalence of Dutch names tells me
I am there a stranger if but this feeling is often
counteracted by viewing the immense quantities
of British manufactured goods with which the
shops are crowded, as also the number of English
works which are advertised, and the placards of
" Hone's Riot in London," " Prince's Russia
Oil," " Reeves and Woodyer's Colours," and
" Day and Martin's Blacking."
My abode here has,' as yet, been so short, that
you- Cannot expect solid information.; Some
things which I state may appear trifling, but I
wishT to communicate to yoii my first impres
sions, andf to place you, as far as I am able, in
my own" situation :. in that point of view you
Will regard the following circumstances :

. RENTS. — TJtADE. 13
I have been with Mr. Cook (a fellow-passenger
of mine,- and very pleasant young, man, a resi
dent of Kaskaski, in the Illinois territory) into
three shops. The first was a chemist's : of him
we enquired the state of trade. He replied that
the only business which was good for any thing at
this time in New York was shaving, i. e. buying
and selling bank-notes. The rent which he paid
for his small place astonished me. The next was
a hatter's,. at which Mr. C. was not suited. While
waiting, a beggar came in, and was relieved with
a. Spanish silver piece called a sixpence : it. was
the sixteenth of a dollar. Beggars, I am in
formed, are very uncommon. The third shop was
in the same business,. at which Mr. C. bought a
hat : it. was of American manufacture, very nar-,
row in the brim, according to the present fashion ;
the price was ten dollars (45s.); the quality
nearly as good as those sold in London . at.from
24s. to ,27s. The proprietor of this concern. com
plained of the want cf busiriess. He stated that
it had not been known so bad as during the .last
and present years ; that labouring men whowere
inclined to work could generally obtain employ
ment either in the city or back country; and
that among mechanics, masons and carpenters
were very good trades. Tasked him the reason
of trade being bad. He replied that he did not
kriow the reason, that they did not trouble, them
selves about reasons. To my remark, — "business
is. also dull in. London, he_ answered, " I guess

14 COMMODORE DECATUR.
that is the reason, for we take all our things
from them in the old country." His rent I
thought extravagantly high : he stated that it was
one-fourth Cheaper than last year; and that he
expected it would be altered next May. This
variation in rent, I presume, flows from a mode
of letting houses different from ours. You will
not of course rtake information so loosely col
lected as the present as authentic. I do not
myself, and therefore I am sure you will not
do so.
Yesterday, at the dinner-table, my attention
was strongly fixed by a conversation between
Commodore Decatur and a gentleman, I pre
sume a resident of this city : the following is
nearly an accurate report. I would remark
that Commodore DeCatur is a member of the
Navy Board, arid, of course, concerned in the
contracts issuing from that body.
Gent. " Well, Comiriodore, there were some
good bargains made by some people during the
war." Com. D. " So I guess."
- Gent. " M  , the contractor, did not
lose any thing by turning rounds his rations
paid well."
Com D* " A man ought to profit by what
he sellsi"
Gent. " Yes ; but derixocrats only had the
chance." Com. D. « Contracts are conducted with the

COMMODORE DECATUR. 15
most perfect fairness. Government deals with
that man who can supply the country to the
most advantage."
Gent. " If so, how is it that throughout the
whole war, and up to the present moment, not
a single federalist in any part of the Union has
been a contractor ?"
Com. D. " I guess they have not made ap
plication." Gent. " That I know they have, and myself
for one, and at a lower rate by — per cent.
than M  supplied them."
At this part of the conversation, a gentleman
sitting on my left remarked that government
were perfectly right in pursuing that line of
policy ; that they ought to favour those who
supported them : this was partially assented to
by Coirimodore Decatur. The gentleman before
alluded to continued, with some feeling, to com
plain of jobs and peculation. These were terms
which I had imagined were unknown in the
language of the United States : I had hoped
that this refined order of things would never be
imported from our great but oppressed country
to this land, at the emancipation of which from
tyranny and taxation every free riiind throughout
the world joined in exultation and triumph.
The inns and boarding-houses are crowded.
At this time great numbers are here from the
more southern states. Among other induce
ments, they come to avoid the present or appre-

1 6 APARTMENT. —7 ANTICIPATIONS.
hended existence of the yellow fever. The
room in which I write is in the attic story, every
other being occupied. In this small apartment
there are two beds. The heat of the weather is
excessive, and the visit. of the musquitoes not
the most pleasing. I have not yet been eriabled
to sleep, until three or four o'clock in the morn
ing. Our furniture consists of two old chairs ;
the bedsteads are temporary ; a mattress, Cotton
sheets and coverlid compose our bedding., There
isno bell in the room — the attendance of servants
is perfectly unattainable. This may arisefrom the
full occupancy of the house, or it may, be a ge
neral feature in the condition of the people : in
either case it troubles me but little. If there be
but. a good government, a healthy and fertile
country, and an enlightened people,. I for one,
and I am sure you will all join with me, shall be
contented and happy. Little inconveniencies
and personal privations must be set at nought,
when put in ; competition with, 'such important
advantages. That the, state of the country and
people may realize the hopes I have entertained;,
is my constant and sincere prayer. With affec
tionate remembrances to you all,
I remain very sincerely your's,
Henry Fearon.
I shall have a report, for it will he too long
and too general to, be called a letter, ready to
go by the Amity, Capt. Stantorij which is to sail}
the 1st September.

FIRST REPORT.

SITUATION OF NEW YORK.  PUBLIC BUILDINGS. — EXAG
GERATED STATEMENT* OF AMERICA.— PARTICULARS OF,
AND CAPITAL USUALLY EMPLOYED IN THE BUSINESS OF
CARVERS, GILDERS, TIMBER-MERCHANTS, DISTILLERS,
BUILDERS, DYERS, BOOT AND SHOE MAKERS, TALLOW-
CHANDLERS, TAYLORS, PRINTERS, BOOKSELLERS : PRE
SENT PROSPECT OF SUCCESS FOR EMIGRANTS IN EACH OF
THOSE OCCUPATIONS. — LAWYERS AND DOCTORS TOO
NUMEROUS.  AMERICAN LITERATURE.  HIGH PRICE OF
AMERICAN WRITTEN WORKS.  AMERICAN EDITIONS OF
ENGLISH WORKS.- — MECHANICS' WAGES.  SCHOOLS.—
RENTS ENORMOUSLY HIGH.  COUNTRY. HOUSES TO;. BE
SOLD.  STATE-TAXES.  PROVISIONS ; THEIR QUALITY
AND PRICE.  CHARGE FOR BOARDING PER WEEK. — .
PRICE ' OF CLOTHING. — INDIAN AND FRENCH GOODS
CHEAP.  RELIGION; THE SEVERAL SECTS.  THE RELI
GIOUS CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE OF- NEW YORK. — .
MILITARY SERVICE. — - PROPOSAL, FROM MR. DE WINT OF
A SETTLEMENT ON THE BANKS OF THE HUDSON.
New York, August 31st, 1817.
In a letter, dated the 9th instant, I apprised
you 'of my safe arrival, arid, of ray then im
pressions of this place,: as far as respects the
c

18 NEW YORK.
inhabitants, and the appearance of the city :
those impressions have been in general con-
firmedi Concerning the important object of
my journey, you will be best capacitated to
-form your judgment from the following detail*.
They have been collected with as much industry
and discrimination, as my own capacity, and the
circumstances in which I am placed, have en
abled me to exercise. The city of New York,
when approached from the sea, presents an ob
ject truly beautiful. It is built at the extreme
point of Manhaltan, or York Island, which is
thirteen miles long, and from one to two miles
wide. The city is on the south end, closely built
from shore to shore, and extends in length about
two miles and a quarter. The population is said^o
be 120,000. The East river separates it fro.m
Long Island, and the Hudson river from Jersey.
Ships of any burden, and to ariy extent, can
come close up to the town, v and lie there with
perfect safety, in a natural harbour, formed,, by
the above-named fine rivers, and a nobler bay,
completely protected by the surrounding lands:
at present there are a great number of ships' in
harbour. New York is without competition the
first commercial city in America. This will be
seen by a slight view of Mr. Pitkin's " Statis
tical Account of the Commerce of the Unifcfl
States ;" a work which no person oughttOsbe
without, who views the subject of America as
¦)-

PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 19
an important topic. The port of New York
being open at all seasons gives it a powerful
advantage ; the more so, as not only its northern
but its two southern rivals, (Philadelphia and
Baltimore,) are deprived of this convenience, so
desirable in an extensive commerce.
The public buildings of a city of such recent
birth as that of New York, would appear trifling
to the native of an European city, accustomed
to contemplate the collected works of successive
ages j but you, my friends, in common with my
self, look not at such establishments with the
eye of an architect or a painter, but as plain
men, desirous of knowing every thing concern
ing a country, around which some of our most
endeared political opinions are entwined : and as
we contemplate a removal to this new world, we
feel interested in that land, which may not
only affect our interest and happiness as in
dividuals, but likewise those of many generations
yet unborn.
The town-hall of tliis city is a noble building,
of white marble. The ground around it is
planted and railed off. The interior appears
well arranged. In the rooms of the mayor and
corporation, are portraits of several governors
of this state, and some distinguished officers.
The state rooms, and courts of justice, are on
the first floor. In one of these, a gentleman
pointed out to me the celebrated Mr. Emmett,
c 2

20 MR. EMMETT.
well known in the history of Ireland. He is. a
plain man, of the middle size, in a small degree"
inclined to corpulency. His dress was not per
haps so respectable as a gentleman of his high
legal estimation in England, but it accorded
with the ideas and habits of the people of this
country. His reputation at the bar is of the first
order. I was grieved to find native Americaris
speak of him with great jealousy. It appears,
that in their eyes, he has been guilty of two un
pardonable crimes — two sins against the Holy
Ghost : the first is in being, as they term it, a
foreigner! the second and greatest of all, in
being an Irish rebel! But to proceed with the
city-hall : the stair-case is circular, lighted by a
cupola. The situation of this building is ex
cellent in point of effect, and highly ornamental
to the city. It would be much more so, had not
the basement story, which is of red granite, the
appearance of brick.
In the immediate neighbourhood of the hall
is an extensive building, appropriated to the
" New York Institution," " Academy of Fine
Arts," and " American Museum." There are
also a state prison, hospital, and numerous
splendid churches. I might fill many pages>
were I to follow in detail the deceptive model of
some writers, whose views perhaps may be easily
appreciated. One of these I have now before me,
who names every house in which public business

AMERICAN WRITERS. 21
is transacted — « a public building/' " There
is,'' says this writer, " a custom-house,, post-office,
public forum, &c." The first is a private house,
formerly a bookseller's, belonging to. Messrs.
Easthourn and Kirk ; the second is also a pri
vate house,. of a very mean description, and in
deed quite a disgrace to a commercial^ city.;of
the magnitude of New York ; the third is mere
ly held in the winter months, in the ballrroom
of the city hotel. American habits, prosperity,,
and intelligence, are described upon the ."same
model ; and I regretto say, in too many instances
in this city, are equally devoid of foundation^
Such accounts would appear to answer no other.
ends than those of imposition ; and the nation
which really stood in. need of these artsx would
not deserve to rise and prosper: but. as to the
veil thrown over the. real situation of this
country, by some recent writers, it is equally
the interest of native and emigrant . that it
should be withdrawn.. Every American^ if he
be a man of sense, would wish to see pourtrayed
the real character and condition of his country,
in order that he might not only perceive what
was excellent, but . also be enabled to discover
what there was to amend ancl improve ; while
to the respectable emigrant and his family, > the
consequences must be lamentable,;when he finds
that he has been induced to a change of country
by the exaggerated and base, misrepresentations.
c 3

22 BUILDING.
of romantic or interested individuals. When I
survey this city, and remember that but two
centuries since, the spot on which it stands was
a wilderness, I cannot but be struck with its
comparative extent and opulence. Like the
country of which it forms a part, it is a striking
evidence of the advantages of a cheap and
popular government ; but that country is not, as
some would represent it, a paradise, any more than
the city of New York is as yet a rival either in
population, riches, or extent to that of London,
In answer to the various enquiries relative to
their trades and professions, made by our several
friends, I shall now proceed briefly to give the
purport of all the information which I have
hitherto obtained, either by my own observation
Or through the means of the introductions given
me ; and in doing this I shall not confine my
self to their form of question and answer, as the
same fact will in many instances reply to several
Of their queries ; and I should wish to give the
information in as clear and compressed a man
ner as lies within my power.
Building appears brisk in the city. It is
generally performed by contract. A person
intending to have a house erected, contracts
with a professed builder; the builder, with a
bricklayer ; and he, with all others neces
sary to the completion of the design. In
some cases, a builder is a sort of head workrnan,

TIMBER-TRADE. 2$
for the purpose of overseeing the others; receiving
for his agency seven-pence per dayfrom the wages'
of each man j the men being employed and
paid by him. There are occasional instances in
which there is no contract, every thing being
paid for according to measure and value. In
the city, houses of wood are not now allowed :
in the, environs they are very general ; many of
them are handsome. They are commonly two
stories, and painted white, with green shutters.
The expense of a frame (wood) house will be
materially affected by situation : on an average
they will cost to erect, about the same as a brick
house in England. The builder is sometimes
his own timber-merchant. Indeed, all men here
know a portion, and enter a little into every
thing: the necessary consequences of a com
paratively new state of society.
The timber, or (as the term is here) lumber
yards, are not on that large and compact scale
with which, in England, our friends C— — and
M  1 are familiar. Mahogany yards are
generally separate concerns. Oak boards, are
this day 51. 12s. 6d. per thousand feet Shingles,
(an article used in substitution for tiles or slates,)
IL 2s. 6d. per thousand feet, to which is to he
added a duty of 15 per cent: Honduras mahogany
is five-pence halfpenny to seven-pence farthing
the superficial foot ; and St. Domingo, nine-pence
three farthings to seventeen-pence halfpenny.
c 4

24 CABINET-WORK.
Mahogany is used for cupboards, doors, and banis
ter^, and for all kinds of cabinet work. Curl
maple, a native and most beautiful wood,: is also
much approved. Veneer is in generardemarid,
and is cut by machinery. Chests of drawers are
chiefly made of St. Domingo mahogany; the
inside is faced with boxwood : shaded veneer
and curl maple are also used1 for this purposed
I would remark, that the cabinet work executed
in. this city is light and elegant. Indeed, I aril
inclined to believe that it is superior to English
workmanship. I have seen some with cut glass,
instead of brass ornaments, which had a beauti
ful appearance. The retail price, of a three feet
six inch chest of drawers, well finished and of
good quality, is 81. 16s. 6d. ; of a three feet ten,
with brass rollers, 51. 8s. A table, ^three feet
long, four and a half wide, 31. 7s. 6d. ; ditto
with turried legs, 41. 5s. 6d. ; three arid a half
long, five and a half wide, (plain,) 31.. 12s; ;
ditto better finished, 41. 10s. ; ladies',, work
tables, (very plain,) 18s. .Cabinet-makers' shops,
of; which there are several in Greenwich-street,
Contain a variety, but not a large stock. They
are generally small concerns, apparently owned
by journeymen who. had just commenced on
their own account. . These shops are perfectly
open, and there is seldom any person in attend.
^ance. In the centre, a board is suspended with
the.notice, " Ring the bell." I have conversed

CHAIR-MAKING. 25
with several proprietors : they state their
business to have been at one time good, but that
there is now too much competition..
• Chair-making- here, and at the town of New
ark, ten miles distant, is an extensive business.
The retail price of wooden chairsis from 4s. 6d.
to 9s. ; of curl maple with rush. seat, lis. ; of
ditto with cane seat, 13s. 6d. to il. 2s. 6d. ; of
ditto, most handsomely finished, 11. 9s. ; sofas,
of the several descriptions enumerated above,
are the price of six chairs. I have seen in par
lours, of genteel houses,, a neat wooden chair
which has not appeared objectionable, and of
which the price could not have exceeded 9s.
Cabinet-makers, timber-merchants, and builders
complain — they all say that their trades, have
been good, but that there is now a great in
crease in the numbers engaged, and that the
times are so altered with the merchants that all
classes feeLthe change very ; sensibly. These
complaints I believe to be generally well founded;
but I do not conceive the depression to be.equal
to that felt in England. I would also, make
some deduction from their supposed amount of
grievances. When did you ever know a body of
men "admit, or even feel, that they were doing
as much trade, as in their own estimation they
ought? or who did not think that there were
too many in their particular branches? Every
individual desires to be a monopolist, yet no
;wise legislator would ever exclude competition.

26 LAWYERS.
A good dabinet-maker, who should have no
more than an hundred pounds after paying the
expenses of his voyage, would obtain a comfort-!
able livelihood ; as would also an active spe
culating carpenter or mason under the same
circumstances. A greater amount of capital
would, of course, be more advantageous.
A timber-merchant should have a capital not
less than a thousand pounds, as he ought to pay
cash for his stock, with the exception of
mahogany. The wages of a journeyman car
penter is 7s. 10|d. per day ; of a mason, 8s. 5d.
This difference arises, I believe, from the latter
being an out-door business, which, in the winter
months, from the extreme severity of the
weather, is of necessity suspended. Cabinet
makers are paid by the piece. When in
full employment their earnings may amount
to 50s. per week : a safe average is 36s. A
man in either of the above trades need not be
apprehensive but that he should get a living.
Our friends A — and N are unfortunate
in being " learned gentlemen." Lawyers are
as common here as paupers, are" in England.
Indeed for those friends I see no kind of opening.
Professional men literally swarm in the United
States. An anecdote is told of a gentleman
walking in Broadway: a friend passing, he
called " Doctor," and immediately sixteen per
sons turned round to answer to the name. This
is even more characteristic of lawyers. At almost

SHOPMEN.  CLERKS. 27
every private door, cellar, or boarding-house, a
tin plate is displayed, bearing the inscription
" Attorney at Law." Clerks are not in demand
in this or any other occupation. There are
here no very large concerns, and most men are
capable of attending to their own business. A
shopman or clerk, who would receive in London
his board, and a salary of from 301. to 1001.
sterling per annum, would here experience
great difficulty in gaining a situation; and if
fortunate enough to obtain one, he would not
receive more than from 3^. to 7 dollars per
week, exclusive of board and lodging. The
causes which generate so great a number of
" legal friends" lie beyond the sources of my
penetratiou. Perhaps we may date the fre
quency cf litigation to the intricacy of the pro
fession, which is bottomed on English practice ;
while the cheapness of college instruction, and
the general diffusion of moderate wealth among
mechanics and tradesmen, enable them to
gratify their vanity by giving their sons a
learned education. This also opens the door
to them for an appointment ; and, by the way,
the Americans are great place-hunters.
As it respects distillation,. There are
numerous distillers resident in the city and
environs. During the late war this occupation
was -profitable, in consequence, .1, presume,
of the difficulties attendant; upon jmport-

28 DISTILLATION.
ation. There are none who carry on business
upon an . extensive scale. The capital em
ployed is from one to twenty thousand pounds.
The articles- prepared are rum, gin,, and
whisky: rum from, molasses ; gin from rye
and Indiari . corn: malted grain is .not
used. Distillation is in stills made, of .wood,
operated upon by steam : there is no particular
mode required bylaw.. There are two taxes
paid ; the first on the yearly capacity of the
still, the second on the spirit, per gallon. The
•last , is a general goyerriment-tax, which, is
expected to be takeri off the next sessio.ri .of
congress.. There are collectors, but. no excise
men. The oath or affirmation of the proprietor
is. -the mode prescribed by law of ascertain
ing the quantity distilled, which is certainly
most consonant with civil liberty.. Both whole
sale .and retail wine and spirit sellers are
grocers : their establishments are called grocery
stores.. A great proportion of the retail are
small chandlers' shops, . and . are often denon
miriated grogshops. They are usually... at
the . corners of streets, and mostly owned; by
Irishmen. Their Chief commodity.. is New
England, or , what is emphatically called
" Yankee" rum. All spirits are commonly
drunk mixed with cold water, .without sugar.
The price per glass, at the dirtiest grog-shops,
is two-pence. Here the liquOr is of the ;mOst

SPIRIT-SHOPS. 29
inferior description. At the more respectable,
for a superior quality three-pence halfpenny;
At what are called taverns and porter-houses,
establishments similar to our second-rate public
houses, seven-pence. The size of the glass is
half a gill. It is estimated that there are 1500
spirit-shops in this city ; a fact opposed to my
first impressions of American habits, which, On
the point of sobriety, were favourable, judging
from the absence of broils, and of drunkards
iriv the streets : but more attentive observation,
aided by the information of old residents,
enables me to state that the quantity of malt-
liquor and spirits drunk by the inhabitants of
New York, much exceeds the amount consumed
by the same extent of English population. The
beastly drunkard is a character unknown here ;
yet but too many are throughout the day under
the influence of liquor, or what is not inap
propriately termed " half and half!" a state too
prevalent among the labouring classes and the
negroes. Many date the source of this to the
extremes of the climate. Another and a leading
cause is, that numbers of the lower orders are
European emigrants. They bring their habits
with them. They are here better employed and
better paid than they were in the country which
gave them ; birth ; and they partake too largely
of the infirmities of our nature to be provident
during the sunshine of prosperity.

/30 CARVERS AND GILDERS.
Our friend C — - will not be displeased to
learn that there are here several large carvers*
and gilders' shops. Glass-mirrors and picture-
frames are executed with taste arid elegance;
but still the most superior are imported froiri
England. Carved ornaments are general, though
some composition-ornaments are used. Plate-
glass is imported from Frarice, Holland, and
England, the latter bearing the highest price.
Silvering looking-glasses is a separate trade :
there is but one silverer in New York, and he is
not constantly employed. Carvers and gilders
are paid eight-pence three farthings per hour.
The sale of prints and pictures is usually com
bined with this business. There are here two
goM-beaters : one of them is a Mr. Jones from
London. Leaf-gold is frequently imported;
but they consider their own equal to foreign';
and it bears the same price, 40s. 6d. per packet,
containing 20 books. The duty on imported leaf*
gold is fifteen per cent. A capital of from 8001. to
20001. would be requisite for a moderately
respectable concern. A journeyman gilder would
not succeed; a carver may do so perhaps
rather better, but neither trades are (to use an
Americanism) of the first gmde. "•
To Mr. F — — I would remark, that boot and
shoe-makers' shops are riumerous, some of them
extensive. The price of sole-leather is lid. to
13^d.; of dressed upper ditto, lls.Sd; to 15s.9d.-*

SHOEMAKERS.  DYERS. 3 1
to this is- to be added a duty of 30 per cent.
WellingtoftTboots at the best shops are charged
21, Os. 6d. ; shoes, 13s< 6d. Spanish is much
worn for upper leather. They are made neat and
with taste : the workmanship appears to me
quite equal to the best London. The American
leather is. very inferior in quality. Native work
men appear as good as English. The business
is at present, dull, which, I believe, is usual at
this season of the year. A capital of from 500
to 1000 dollars is requisite in a moderate con
cern. A master shoe-maker will .not be bene
fited by coming here ; a journeyman may.
C — whom we knew in London, and who is
first rate in his line, has been earning 21. 5s.
per week ; but he is upon the point of going to
Philadelphia, or perhaps to the Western country,
as he cannot have a continuation of employ
ment unless he works at an under price.
Mr. W. and his Son, who are dyers, would
find some difficulty in stepping from the practice
of their large concern in  , to an Ame
rican dye-house; which, from the non-existence
of manufacturers in this country, must be essen
tially different from an English one. The
articles usually done here, are old clothes and
Spoiled goods.. A dyer's business in this < city
wittiest accord with an English scourer such
as Sansom, i» Feftchurcluatreet. The price for
dyeing black woollen is 3s.. per yard, | wide ;

32 TALLOW-CHANDLERS.
of brown ditto, 3s. ; red, 2s. 6d.'; yellow,'
2s* 6d. ; scarlet, 20s. a . pound. There is no
silk, dyed in: the skein, nor are there any
silkr weavers in the United States. Fast blue
is .mot; done. Re-dyeing old silk is 6|d. per
yard. English allum is from 33s. £d. to 36s;
per cwt., to which is 'to -be added a duty of
4s.. 6d. ; brazilletto, 140s. to 160s. per ton. j
cochineal,- 24s. 9d. per pound, with a duty of
7^ per cent/; logwood, 90s. to 112s. 6d. per
ton. The businessis of necessity limited. It is
moderately good, and "would not require a
capital; of more than from 2001. to 5001. A few
journeymen are employed. They earn 21. 5s.
per week-
The. trade of tallow-chandler is united by
some with that of soap-boiler. Any other business
may be connected with it, as the law raises no
difficulty on the subject. The operation of
melting must be removed a specified distance
from the closely inhabited part of the city.
The pickle-trade is of no account, as families
prepare their own. .<y.\ •
The oil and . colour^business might be corn-
billed with that of tallow-chandler, though" per
haps without increased advantage. Oil is sold
at grocery-stores, and by painters. The rent of
a house to u suits an oil-business, in a fourth
rate, situatiori, .(a, better :. being unnecessary,)
would be 1351. to 1501. per annum. A capital

TAYLORS. 33
of from 8001. to 12001. would suffice. For
a journeyman or shopman it is a bad trade.
They are paid 4s. 6d. to 5s. 7^d. per diem. The
chief work is done by apprentices. The Irish
have got the greater part of this business ; and
they will, if possible, prevent an English journey
man from having employment. The wholesale
prices of tallow are, foreign, 6|d. to7|d., with a
duty of \d. ; American, 74d. : of soap, Castile,
8^d. to 9d. ; turpentine^ 5|d., with a duty of l^d.
In the eastern states there is a superabundance
of native tallow : in the south it is scarce.
Barilla is not used : American ashes are sub
stituted ; they are from 8|d. to 10|d. per bushel.
A tallow-chandler in London that can save 50l.
per annum, would not be benefited in his
finances by a removal to this country.
: Taylors are numerous: they are denomi
nated, (in conformity with the accustomed vanity
of the country,) " Merchant Taylors." Some
keep rather large stocks of woollen piece-goods,
all of which, I would remark, are of British
manufacture. The price of a superfine coat is
from 71. 4s. to 81. 2s. They are paid for making
a common coat 18s. ; a best ditto, 27s. If a
journeyman finds the trimmings, he receives for
abest coat 45s. to 51s. For making trowsers, 9s.
Apprentices can be had for the terms of three,
seven, or ten years : seven is the usual period.
A journeyman can have the work of an ap-

34 TAYLORS.
prentice. under him. If a man has not served
his time, it is not of consequence in any business $
competency, not legal servitude, being the
standard for employment. A journeyman
taylor I would rank but among the second rate
trades, so much being done by women and
boys. A man that can cut out will be occa*
siorially well paid ; the women not being clever.
in this department, makes the employment
of men necessary. There are ready-made
clothes' shops, as in London, at which articles
of a cheaper but inferior description are soldv
There are large quantities of clothing imported
from England, and many individuals have their
regular London taylors. Black and coloured
Canton crape, black stuff, white jean, white
drill, and Nankin are worn for trowsers ; jean
for coats ; gingham for jackets in the house :
all of which are made by women, at from 25
to 50 per cent, cheaper than the labour of men.
A man will earn, when employed, from 36s. to
54k per week. To carry on this trade as* a
master and with a reasonable prospect of sue-
cess, will require a capital of from 5001.. to 2000J.
The profits are large. Moderate credit is re
ceived; long credit is given. An additional
taylor does not seem now wanted in New York,
yet I should" not be apprehensive of the success
of a man of business who was possessed of the
means above stated.

LITERATURE. 35
I have recently read a book which speaks
highly of the literature of this country. From
what source the writer derives evidence in
support of his assertion I know not. A well-
educated American, with whom I have had
some agreeable conversation, candidly admitted
their very lamentable deficiency in this par
ticular ; and in nothing, perhaps, is this more
decidedly shown than in the scarcity of that
greatest of literary curiosities — a native Ame
rican standard work. The causes which pro
duce this I shall endeavour to ascertain, when I
am more conversant with this country and
people. The fact is indisputable. Booksellers'
shops are extensive. Old works are scarce.
Standard works are not so : by these I mean
such as Shakspeare, Milton, Blair, and Johnson.
Theological works (those only which are
orthodox) are common, and I should suppose
much in request. Hartley, Priestley, and the
religious writings of Locke, are scarce ; I may
say unknown. English novels and poetry are
the primary articles of a bookseller's business.
They are quickly reprinted. An instance of
dispatch in this line occurred a fortnight since
at Philadelphia. " Manfred" was received,
printed, and published all in one day. Walter
Scott, Miss Owenson, Moore, Miss Edgeworth,
Miss Porter, and Lord Byron, are favourites.
The late Scotch novels have been very much read.
d 2

36 LITERATURE.
The " Edinburgh" and " Quarterly Reviews"
are reprinted by Messrs. Kirk and Mercien of
this city. English Tory writers are neither
unknown nor unpopular. Booksellers deal
in stationary and various fancy articles.
Their stocks are large, but, what we should
say in London, ill assorted. Mr. Eastbourne's
is the only house which contains old English
works. His general stock is valuable and ex-<
tensive. I purchased from him gazetteers, and
other American works, calculated to assist me
in travelling. The price of all (which was the
same as at any other house) surprised me : they
were much dearer than English books of a
similar kind and size, and also very inferior in
quality of* paper, and general execution. Mr..
Eastbourne politely invited me to his reading,
room — an establishment valuable to the city,/
and honourable to its proprietor. The great
attraction of this department is a variety of
native and English newspapers, and of English-
reviews and magazines. I spent a morning hour
here with considerable satisfaction. American
editions of many British writings are lower in
price, but not cheaper than those issuing from
the London press ; the size, as well as quality
of paper being reduced. Folio is diminished to
quarto, quarto to octavo, and octavo to duo
decimo. The American edition, for instance, of
" Lalla Rookh," which I have sent you, bears no

BOOKSELLERS.  PRINTERS. 37
comparison to that of Messrs. Longman and Co.
Common stationary is of American manufacture;
the superior, of British. Books pay upon import
ation 30 per cent. ; printing types, 20; paper, 30;
wafers, 30 ; playing tards, 30. Native binding is
generally plain and common : many of the fine
London pocket editions, bound, have, been re
cently imported. A capital of from 10001. to
10,0001. would -be required in this business. —
Query, Would it be judicious for our friend
to transport his capital to this side of the Atlan
tic? His literary talents would indeed be a
novelty in a New- York miscellany.
Printers are paid 21. 5s. per week, but em
ployment cannot be depended upon: a great
portion of the work is done by boy*. Stereo
typing is practised: Messrs.  are now en
gaged -upon a work larger than any which has
ever been stereotyped in England. An instance
occurred in their office of the facility opened to
learning a trade, in consequence of the non
existence of statutes to controul that which ever
ought to be free. S  , a clever, active youth,
who had been a shopman in London, came here
in the Lorenzo : he had letters of introduction
from his uncle, a highly - respectable man in
.  Lane, to several merchants in this city^
The door of employment was shut against S  .
Driven by necessity, he resorted to carrying the
hod, and earned a few dollars.; but the.excessive
d 3

38 ANECDOTE. — SCHOOLS.
heat ©f the weather overcame him, and, relin
quishing his new occupatiori, he obtained a situ
ation at the store of Mr. — — , in Broadway; was
there eight months, transacting the most im
portant part of their business- — received 15s. 9d.
per week, exclusive of board and lodging. Tired
.of this unprofitable occupation, he addressed a
letter to the printers before referred to, request
ing leave to attend in their office for the pur
pose of learning to be a compositor. Mr. — —?
though a stranger, liberally consented, with/- the
additional offer, that as soon as S  was ca
pacitated, he should have the full price for his
labour. S  has been there three months,
was engaged upon stereotyping a new edition of
Stemhold and Hopkins, for the last month has
jeceived eight dollars per week, is now out of
.employment, and upon the point of walking to
Philadelphia, (distance 9Q miles,) with the in
tention of working on the road.
The Lancasterian-system of education is in prac
tice here. It has not spread so rapidly as in
England; perhaps, because among the lower
.orders it was less wanted : there are 800 in the
school of this city; the system at present is
confined to free schools. There is one or two
boarding seminaries for ladies ; but in general
males' and females, of all ages, are educated at
the same establishment. The effect of this
highly injudicious- practice is* not (at least judg-
5t

SCHOOLS. 39
ing from the surface of society) what I should
have anticipated. American ladies are even
more distant and reserved in their manners than
English : the sexes seem ranked as distinct races
of beings, between whom social converse is
rarely to be held. Day-schools are numerous:
some of them respectable, none large. A teacher,
that is, an usher, at any of these establishments,
is a situation not worth the attention of the
poorest man. No species of correction is allowed:
children, even at home, are perfectly inde
pendent ; subordination being foreign to the
comprehension of the youth as well as the aged
,of this country. The emigrant proprietors of
seminaries are Scotch and Irish : an instance has
not occurred of a respectable English school
master establishing himself here. Two English
ladies have recently commenced a boarding-
school for females only: they have been mo
derately successful. A capital of from one to five
hundred pounds is essential: for a day-school
none is required. The dead languages, music,
surveying, drawing, dancing, and French are
taught at the superior schools : the latter is rather
generally understood, and in some measure ne
cessary, French families being more frequently
met with here than in England. At some
of the academies plays are occasionally acted.
The charges at several seminaries are, for
arithmetic, reading, and writing, per annum,
d 4

40 • RENTS.
40 dollars ; for geography, philosophy, and the
Preach '/language/1 60 ; for Greek, Latin, and
the mathematics, 80 dollars : these amounts are
exclusive* of board. : . os
Rents form an important article for your eon*
sideration : I have therefore been "very minute
in my enquiries on this head. They depend much
upon situation. In the skirts of the town a very
small house, one story high, the front rooms of
a moderate size, the back" less, ; but suited for a
bed, arid with one room in the attic story, is
from J 21. to 141. per :annum. This class, of
houses is sirriilar to the least of those in Somers-
Town, Commercial-Road, arid the new lanes in
Walworth. A mechanic who has a family can
have two small rooms for 181. a year. About
half a rnile out of the city is a. small two-story
house, in which Mr.  has two rooms on the
first floor, and two closet bed-rooms on the same,
one room in the garret, and the use of the kitchen,
for which he pays 2ll. 10s. per annum : the
landlord pays the taxes in both the « above in»
Stances. I would remark, that many: houses
have closets [between their rooms which serve
for a bed, or sometimes are used as a pantry. It
is- also no uncommon occurrence; for temporary
be4s. to be laid out in dining-rooms and parlours :
they, of .course, are removed sufficiently early
in the morning to prevent jinconvenience. At
the distance of a mile from the city, a: person of

RENTS. 41
the nariie of Richards, bought a small brick
house* containing two kitchens in the basement,
one front room, tolerable size, and one small
back room on the ground floor, a ditto on the
first floor, and three bed-rooms in the attic, for
3001. Garrets generally have no .' ceiling. A
very small house, in a situation not convenient
for business^' containing. in all six rooms, is worth
from 751. to 80L a year; a similar house, in a
better.situation, 951. to 1051. ; a ditto in a good
street for business, 1301. to. 1401. ; a ditto in
first-rate retail situation 1601. to 2001. per an
num. You will remark, that this is the smallest
class of houses. The house in which I am now
writing is No. 53, Dey-street : it is neither good
nor bad in point of situation or gentility, being
of a similar class to those in Hatton-Garden,
London : it contains a kitchen and servant's
bed-ioom under ground ; a dining-room, small
parlour, and an intermediate closet on the ground
floor ; a drawing-room and large bed-room on
the first-floqr, three bed-rooms on the second,
three in the. attic, and a small back yard; the
rent is 2021. 10s. and the taxes lib 5s. Observe,
these are the city and state, not United States
taxes; A similar house to this,1 in a first rate
private house situation, would be 3001. to 3501;
per annum : were it appropriated to business the
rent would be higher. The concern at which
S— — lived is in that part of Broadway which is

42 RENTS.
first rate for retail trade : the rent of the shop arid
cellar only is 292L 10s. ; the upper part of the
house lets for 2471. 10s. A house and. shop,
equal in' size and situation to those esteemed the
best in White-chapel, Fore-street, and the Surrey
side of Black-friars, would be 3201. to 3501. per
annum : a ditto, ditto to those in Oxford-street^
Bishopsgate- Within, the best parts of Holborn
and Grace-church-street, would be 4001. to 6001
per annum. I am informed that Mr. Eastbourne,
the very respectable bookseller before referred to,
has bought his house, for which he gave 35,00©
liollars : this house and situation I should esteem
to be parallel with Mr. Waithman's, the corner
of Bridge-street. : Two moderate-sized houses
in Wall-street, (the Lombard-street of New
York,) were recently taken on lease by Mr. Gib
son, for the purpose of an inn : he engaged to
pay 14171. 10s. per annum ; the concern did not
realize his expectations ; he put up at public
auction a nine years' lease, which it is said was
knocked down to Mr. St. John for 25871. 10s.
per annum. Ground lots for building, even in
f»fae suburbs, are enormously dear.
. To state the comparative expenditure for do
mestic wants, I find a difficult part of my com
munication. There are few families who keep
an account of this essential portion of family
economy ; and still fewer who have any know
ledge of yow necessary expenses. The following

PRICES.. 43
list of prices may be of some assistance to yoxu
beef is from 3|d. to 6d. per pound ; mutton, 3|d.
to 51 d. ; veal, 5d. to 6|d. j ham and bacon, 7f d>
to 10f_d.; dried beef, 8§d. ; fowls, is.' 91 d. to
2s. 9d. a pair ; ducks, 2s. 3d. to 2s. 9d. a pair ;
geese, 2s. 3d. to 3s. lid. each ; turkeys, 3s. 4£d.
to 5s. 7^d. each ; pork, 6|d. to 8d, a pound;
butter (fresh), 15d. to 20|d. ; eggs, nine for6|d.;
cheese, old,9|d.,new,6fdU, English, lOd. tol6d. :
I have seen but little of this .article used ; that
which' is of American manufacture is extremely
bad : potatoes, 3s. 4§d. per bushel ; cabbages, 2|d.
each; turnips, 2s. 2|d. per bushel ; peas, 6|d. to
lOd. per peck ; salt, 3s. 3d. per bushel ; milk, 5|d.
per quart; common fish, 2d. to3ld. per pound;
salmon, Is. l^d. to 3s. 4id. per pound; brown
soap, 6|d. ; white ditto dressed, 8|d. per pound ;
candles, 8|d. per pound ; mould ditto, Is. ; flour
per barrel (weighing 196 pounds) is, of the best
New York, 46s. 6d. to 49s. 10 jd. ; middling
jd&to, 36s. to 40s. 6d. ; rye, 31s. 6 A. ; Phila
delphia flour, 46s. l|d. to 47s. 3d. ; Indian
ditto, 38s, >9d. to 41s. 6d. ; hogshead of ditto,
weighing 800 pounds, l>18s. 6d. to 153s. ; wheat,
7s. 10|d. to 9s. per bushel; rye, 6s. 4d. ditto;
barley, 6s. 4d.d>itto ; oats, Is. lOd. ; hops, 19s- to
24s. Ofd. per pound; foreign feathers, 13id. to
14d. a pound ; American ditto, 3s. 1 id. ; a loafof
bread weighing 17 oz., 3|d. ; a ditto, 34 oz.,-^d. ;
mustard, 3s. to 4s. a pound ; table beer, 5s. 7ld.

44 PRICES.  BOARD.
for 5 gallons ; common ale, 5§d; per quart ; best
ditto, 7d., wine measure; a cask of 9 gallons of
ditto, 24s. 9d. ; apples, lOd. per peck; lobsters,
2|d. per pound ; onions, (an article much used,)
3 |d. a rope; cucumbers, 5 for Is. Ifd.; common
brown sugar, 7di. apound ; East Indiaditto, 10|d.;
lump ditto, 13|d. ; best ditto, l6d. ; raw coffee
by the bag, 10|d. apound ; souchong tea, 4s. 6d.
to 5s. 7d- a pound; hyson, 5s. 7d. to 6s. 2d. ;
gunpowder, 10s. l|d. The quality of provisions
I think is in general very good : the beef is ex
cellent, mutton rather inferior to ours; fowls
are. much larger but not better eating than the
English. Candles, are inferior to English ; soap
perhaps superior, at least less is required than of
ours for any given purpose.
Boarding. -r- Persons who are not house-keepers
generally live at boarding-houses or hotels. A
mechanic pays for his board and lodging lSs.-6d.
to 18s. per week ; the usual price is 15s. 9d. ; for
which he. has 3 meals a-day, coffee with fish or meat
for breakfast ; a hot dinner ; and tea (called sup*
per) in the evening; atwhich last the table is filled
.with cheese, biscuits, (called Boston crackers*)
inolasses, and slices of raw dried beef. Roarding
at a moderately respectable house is 8 dollars a
week, for what is termed " a transient man ;" oxr
at the same house, 5 to 6 dollars per week for a
three or six months' resident. Prices vary frojji,
8 dollars to 14 dollars a- week according to

CLOTHING. — RELIGION. 45
situation, accommodation,, and respectability.
Very few allow four meals a-day, as at that kept
by Mrs. Bradish : indeed I am informed that
Mrs. B.'s is the best boarding-house in the United
States. Clothing and domestic utensils are chiefly of
British ' manufacture : they are from 25 to 150
per cent, dearer than in England. Indian goods
are much cheaper than with you : silk pocket-
handkerchiefs not more than half the price.
Canton crapes for ladies' dresses very moderate
— - in England they are prohibited: perhaps there
are few articles to equal these for gentility com
bined with economy and elegance. French silks,
fancy articles, and ladies' gloves are also cheap.
Religion. — Upon this interesting topic I would
repeat, what indeed you are already acquainted
with, that legally there is the most unlimited:
liberty. There is no state religion, and no govern-'
ment prosecution of individuals for conscierice-
sake. Whether those halcyon days, which I think
would attend a similar state of things in England,
are in existence here, must be left for future
observation. There are five Dutch Reformed
churches ; six Presbyterian ; three Associated
Reformed ditto ; one Associated Presbyterian ;
one Reformed ditto ; five Methodist ; two ditto
for blacks ; one German Reforrried; one Evan
gelical Lutheran ; one Moravian ; four Trinitarian.
Baptist ; one Universalist ; two Catholic ; three

46 RELIGIOUS SECTS.
Quaker; eight Episcopalian j one Jews' Syna
gogue, and to this I would add a small Meeting
which is but little known, at which the priest
is dispensed with, every member following what
they call the apostolic plan of instructing each
other, and " building one another up in their
most holy faith." The Presbyterian and Epis
copalian or Church of England sects take the
precedence in numbers and in respectability
Their ministers receive from two to eight thou
sand dollars per annum. All churches are well
filled : they are the fashionable places for dis
play; and the sermons and talents of the minister
offer never-ending subjects of interest when social
converse has been exhausted upon the bad con
duct and inferior nature of niggars (negroes^ ;
the price of flour at Liverpool ; the capture of
the Gueurriere; and the battle of New Orleans j
The perfect equality of all sects seems to have
deadened party feeKng : controversy is but little
known. The great proportion of attendants -at
any particular church appear to select it eithes
because they are acquainted with the preacher,
or that it is frequented by fashionable com
pany, or their great grandmother went ther®
before the Revolution, or because (what will
generally have a greater weight than all thes*
reasons,) their interest mU be promoted by their
so doing* ¦
Licences are not necessary, for either th»
preacher or place of meeting. According to

RELIGIOUS SECTS. 47
the constitution of the State of New York, no
minister of the gospel, or priest of any de
nomination, can ever hold any civil or military
office or place within the state. In 1806, a law
was passed, authorizing any religious denomin
ation to appoint trustees, for the purpose of
superintending the, temporal concerns of their
respective congregations. These trustees become
by that act, a body corporate, and capable of
all legal transactions, on behalf of the congre
gation : they, are allowed, on the part of the
whole, to hold estates, which may produce
3000 dollars annually. The episcopalians differ, I
believe, in nothing from their establisltedbretbren
in England, except that they do not form a
part of the state : they have their bishops, &c.
as in Great Britain. Ministers of all parties are
ordained : they are exempt from military ser^
vice. A case recently occurred in which a
tradesman, who occasionally officiated, was de
clared exempt, though he had not been ordain
ed. I feel little hopes of conveying to you
a faithful portraiture of this people* in their -re
ligious character: they: differ essentially -from
the English sectaries, -in being more solemnly
bigotted, more -intolerant,' and more ignorant
of- the Scriptures. Their freedom from habits
of thinking seems to emanate froni the cold
indifference of their constitutional character j
and their. attaching ne importance to investigation.

48 MILITARY SERVICE.
There is also another feature in their religious
national character, which will be considered by
different men in opposite points of view. I do
not discover those distinctive marks which are
called forth in England by sectarianism. There
is not the aristocracy of the establishment, the
sourness of the presbyterian, or the sanctified.
melancholy of the methodist. A cold uniform
bigotry seems to pervade all parties ; . equally Jn-'
accessable to argument, opposed to investigatioriy;
and, I fear, indifferent about truth : as it is, even
the proud pharisaical quaker appears under a more'
chilling and more freezing atmosphere in this
new world. Can it be possible, that the non-exisfc
ence of religious oppression has lessened reli-,
gious knowledge, and made men superstitiously
dependent upon outward form instead of 'internal
purity ? ........
; Military Service. — The laws upon this sub
ject ; vary, I believe, in the several states. In
that of New York, every male inhabitant can be
called out, from the age of 18 to 45, on actual'
military duty. During a state of peace, there^re
seven musters annually : the fine for non-atterid^
ance is, each time, five dollars. Coriirrianding
Officers havediscretionarypower toreceiye substi-'
tutes.. An. instance of their easiness to be pleased
was.related to me by Mr.  , a tradesman of
this city. He never attends the muster, but/to
avoid the fine,, sends some one of. his men, .who
answers to his name ; the same man is not invari-

MILITARY SERVICE. 49
ably his deputy on parade : in this, Mr  suits
bis own convenience ; sometimes the collecting
clerk, sometimes one of the brewers, at others
a drayman : and to finish , this military pan
tomime, a firelock is often dispensed with, for
the more convenient warlike weapon — a cudgel.
Courts-martial have the power of mitigating
the fine, when a satisfactory cause of absence is
assigned, and in cases of poverty. I cannot
convey certain information upon legal exemp
tions. During a period of three months in the
late war, martial law existed, and no substitutes
were received. Aliens were not called out. In
the adjoining state (Jersey) they were com
pelled to serve. Instances occurred of residents,
who had not taken up their citizenship, being
banished to forty miles beyond tide- water.
You will probably expect some advice from
me as to your emigration. At present I can
hardly form an opinion ; that is, such an one as
would be deserving of respect. The preceding
information has been collected from numerous
sources, and with as much care and discrimin
ation as I am capable of exercising. It may
partly enable you to draw your own conclusions,
which I shall greatly prefer to a dependence
upon my judgment. Thus much I can safely
say of this country, that every industrious man
may obtain a living here^ but that it is not that
political Elysium, which a certain unprincipled

50 OFFER OF A SETTLEMENT.
author and bookseller has so floridly described,
and which, the imaginations of many have fondly
anticipated. In a few months I hope to be enabled to
speak of America with more decision. That the
Deity may bless me with a competent and dis
cerning mind, and that all your steps maybe
directed aright, is my ardent and sincere prayer.
The Amity will sail in a few hours ; I must
therefore conclude. In my next report, which
will lie sent by captain Foreman, of the Wash
ington, I shall forward some particulars of the
interior of this state.
The following letter has just come to hand.
« Sir, " Understanding from Miss  -,

'" of Boston, who came with Mrs. Quincy
'" Adams, that you are looking out for a set-
" tlement; I beg to offer one, which I think
" may answer your purpose. It is at Fishkill-
" landing, on the banks of the Hudson : six-
" teen frame buildings, witii a church, are
" already erected. There is also a good lot of
" land. The whole I am disposed to sell on
" moderate terms, and with a, liberal credit.
" For reference, I refer you to the late pre-
" sident, at Quincy. The distance is 60 miles
** from the city of New York. Sloops and steam-
¦" boats pass every day. .v I shall feel much

REPORT FORWARDED. 51
" pleasure in receiving a visit from you, pre-
" vious to your return to Europe. " J. P. De Wint.
" Fishkill-landing,
" State of New York."
*#* The present report will be taken by Mr. Berthelet,
of the house of Berthelet and Reeves, of Montreal ; a
gentleman who is going to pursue his medical studies in
London, and who has politely consented to be the
bearer of this. He sails in the Amity, for Liverpool,
on the 4th September.

SECOND REPORT.

COURTS OF LAW IN NEW YORK. — SLOOP OF WAR, ONTARIO.
 SLAVERY; ANECDOTE OF A BLACK BARBER.  VISIT
TO MR. dOBBETT. — SOU. AND AGRICULTURE OF LONG
ISLAND.  PRICES OF STOCK, AND OF LAND.  MAN
HATT-EN, OR YORK ISLAND. — COUNTRY HOUSES TO, BE
SOLD ; PRICES. — NEWARK, IN JERSEY. — FISHKILLj. ON
THE HUDSON. — MR. DE W1NT*S PROPERTY.  AMERICAN
SERVANTS.' — NEWBURGH. — NO NATIONAL MONUMENT
TO WASHINGTON. — AMERICAN EMIGRATION TO CA
NADA. — COTTON MANUFACTORY.  RETURN TO NEW
YORK.  ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS.  MECHANICAL
PANORAMA. — THEATRE. — SHAMROCK SOCIETY. — WHAT
CLASSES OF EMIGRANTS ARE LIKELY TO SUCCEED, AND
WHAT ARE NOT. Newburgh, on the banks of the Hudson.
In my last report, conveyed by the politeness
of Mr. Berthelet, I gave particulars of various
trades and professions. Their length prevented
me from entering into those minor details,
which perhaps may not be without their utility.
My residence in this country has yet been but

CITY-HALL. 53
short. Whatever may have been my exertions
and enquiries, I am not yet sufficiently familiar
ised to the habits and character of the people,
to feel confident in my impressions. Minute
traits and occurrences, apparently trifling, fre
quently attract my notice ; as I conceive it is
by means of these, that we are frequently best
enabled to form a correct estimate, either of an
individual or of an entire community.
The 9th of August was, I believe, the date of
my first communication.
.On the 10th, I attended at the city-hall, to
witness an expected trial of our captain, on the
charge of the second steward, for alleged ill
usage : several passengers and sailors were in
waiting to give evidence on both sides. I felt
rejoiced to see even the latter; though, when
on boafd, they had little of my respect: but
such is the attachment created by a long sea
voyage. This trial was fifth on the list ; the time
spent in waiting I felt as no demand on my pa
tience : my mind was occupied ; the objects with
which I was surrounded interested, because they
were novel to me. The court is in size about one-
fourth larger than the lord mayor's court in the
Mansion-house. The presiding j udge was a young
anan about 26; tall, thin, Sallow, serious, and un
interesting : his dress was a long loose great
coat andtrowsers. The counsel were of similar
,ages and appearance. The commencement of
,e 3

54 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.
the first trial was delayed from the' want of
jurymen: twenty-four had been summoned;
seven only were in attendance. The judge pro
posed that the first five should be taken from
among the by-standers, who were from fifty to
sixty in number. This proposition was op
posed by the counsel for the plaintiff) who,;
among other arguments, urged the possibility
that five so chosen might not all be citizens of
the United States. This was overruled, and the
trial proceeded. It was of a petty nature, not
possessed of features useful to communicate : the
decision seemed to me just. The technical
language used, was borrowed from English prac
tice ; the general effect different, especially in
the perfect equality of judge, counsel, jury, tip
staff, and auditors. Our case was called : it was
not tried, in consequence of, I believe, the well-
paid management of Counsel. I am informed,
on good authority, that great corruption ex
ists in those minor courts. The judge is said to
have a good understanding with the constable :
he receives too, a larger sum incases of conviction
than in those of acquittal. It is indisputable that
the constables are remarkably anxious for jobs ;
and that the judge strongly participates in their
feelings. An important legal officer here, has
been long known to practise the most disgraced
ful imposition ; but his political views are in
agreement with, those of .the state government,

NATIONAL CHARACTER. 55
and therefore he retains his situation. My im
pressions, of the court just referred to were,
that it presented a character of more simplicity,
(if the term be allowable in any case where law
yers are concerned,) but of less dignity,, than
those with which we are familiar. The justice
awarded in each is perhaps about upon an
equality: at least I see no fair reason to give
the preference to this side of the Atlantic.
When at my boarding-house I am not unoccu
pied in observing the characters and conduct
of fellow-residents. The manners of Americans
differ widely from those of Englishmen : they
are more easy, but less polite. A desire to please
does not seem to form a feature of the national
character. Their easiness of address seems not
the result of reflection, or the polish of good so
ciety ; but appears to proceed from the general
diffusion of moderate wealth, and the national
civil institutions. Every man feels not merely
independent in his political, but also in his
personal condition. The individual acts and
thinks as an individual ; and society seems to
have diminshed charms for men, who imagine
that they have sufficient resources within them
selves. The following day, Major Biddle, of the United
States' army, had the politeness to take me in
the garrison boat on board the ship, of -i war
Ontario^, which his brother commanded. She is
E 4

56 THE SHU* ONTARIO.
waiting to take out commissioners to Soiith
America* This vessel is remarkably, fine of her
class : she carries twenty thirty-two pounders.
and two twelves. Captain Biddle, distinguished:
for his bravery in the late war, was in a ham-
iribck on deck, being indisposed with a slight
fever, as were several of his officers and crew;,
his reception of me was most liberal and gentle
manly. -"I was much pleased with one of the Lieu
tenants. Having adverted to their naval victo
ries, he very modestly replied, " I make no claim,
"to superiority over the British. Men cannot
" be braver than they are ; but they were too
. " confident of success, and that feeling has de-
" feated men in many things besides battles.
" Besides which, Sir, their long unrivalled suc-
*' cesses caused them to be la& in their dis-*
" cipline, while, on the contrary, we are remark-
" ably strict in ours : our discipline is a mode]
" in that particular, and nothing can be done
" without it at sea."
' The existence of slavery in the United States
has, I know, long been to you all a subject both
of regret and astonishment. NewYork is called
a " free state :" that it may be so theoretically,
or when compared With its southern neighbours,
I am not prepared to dispute ; but if, in England,
"we saw in the Times newspaper such 'advertise
ments as the following, we should conclude

SLAVERY. 57
that freedom from slavery existed only in words.
The first is from the New York Daily Ad
vertiser. I have not made a memorandum of
the paper from which I extracted the second ;
but no American will deny their originality; and,
what is worse, I fear there are few who would
acknowledge their iniquity :
" TO BE SOLD,
" A Servant woman acquainted with both city and
"country business, about 30 years of age, and sold
" because she wishes to change her place. Enquire at
" this office, or at 9 1 Cherry- street."
" FOR SALE OR HIRE,
. ¦ " A likely young Man Servant, sober, honest and
" well behaved. He would suit very well for a house
"servant or gentleman's waiter, being accustomed to
" both. Enquire at this office."
The number of blacks in this city is very greatc
they have instituted a " Wilberfprce Society ;"
and look upon the Englishman whose name they
have taken as the great saviour of their race.
At Mrs. Bradish's boarding-house I saw but one
white servant, ' and I should suppose there were
of her own, and of her boarders', at least sixteen
blacks. A negro child, about six years of age,
¦often waited upon us at tea: the strength and
dexterity of the little thing frequently excite,d
tny attention and sympathy. Female blacks often
obstructed mypassage up and down stairs. They

58 TREATMENT OF NEGROES.
lie about, clinging to the boards as though that
had been the spot on which they had vegetated:
several belonged to families from the south, and
were, as a matter of course, held in unconditional
slavery. The men, whether regular servants of
the house or not, equally attended upon all at
table. There was one waiter on an average to
four gentlemen ; yet such was the want of
system observed, that few could obtain what
they desired. Soon after landing I called at
a hair-dresser's in Broadway, nearly opposite
the city-hall : the man in the shop was a negro.
He had nearly finished with me when a black
man, very respectably dressed, came into the
shop and sat down. The barber enquired if
he wanted the proprietor or his boss, as he
termed him, who was also a black": the answer
was in the "negative ; but that he wished to
have his hair cut. My man turned upon his
heel, and with the greatest contempt, muttered
in a tone of proud importance, " We do not
" cut coloured men here, Sir." The poor
fellow walked out without replying, exhibiting
in his countenance confusion, humiliation, and
mortification. I immediately requested that if
the refusal was on account of my being present,
he might be called back. The hair-dresser was
astonished : " You cannot be in earnest, Sir," he
said. I assured him that I was so, and that I
was much concerned in witnessing the refusal

ANECDOTE. 5Q
from no other cause than that his skin was of a
darker tinge than my own. He stopped the
riiotion of his Scissars ; arid after a pause of some
seconds, in which his eyes were fixed upon my
face, he said, " Why, 1 guess as how, Sir, what
" you say is mighty elegant, and you're an ele-
" gant man ; but I guess you are not of these
" parts." — "I am from England," said I,
'f where we have neither so cheap nor so en-
" lightened a government as yours, but we
" have no slaves." — " Ay, I guessed you were
" not raised here ; you salt-water people are
" mighty grand to coloured people ; yon are
"not so proud, and I guess you have more
" to be proud of; now I reckon you do not
" know that my boss would not have a single
" ugly or clever gentleman come to his store,
" if he cut coloured men ; now my boss, I
" guess, ordered me to turn out every coloured
" man from the store right away, and if I did
" not, he would send me off slick ; for the slim-
" mest gentleman in York would not come to
" his store if coloured men were let in ; but you
" know all that Sir, I guess, without my telling
" you ; you are an elegant gentleman too, Sir."
I assured him that I was ignorant of the fact
which he stated ; but which, from the earnest
ness of his manner, I concluded must be true.
" And you come all the Way right away from
" England. Well ! I would not have supposed,

60 ANECDOTE.
" I guess, that you come from there from your
" tongue ; you have no hardness like, I guess, sin
" ydur speaking; you talk almost as well as we
" do, and that is what I never see, I guess, in
" a gentleman so lately from England. I guess
" your talk is withiri a grade as good as ours.
" You are a mighty elegant gentleman, and if you
•* will tell me where you keep, I will bring some
" of my coloured friends to visit you. Well, you
" must be a smart man to come from England,
" and talk English as Well as we do that were
" raised in this country." At the dinners-table
I commenced a relation of this occurrence to
three American gentleman, one of whom was a
doctor, the others were in the law : they were
men of education and of liberal opinions. When
I arrived at the point .of the black being turned
out, they exclaimed, " Ay right, perfectly right,
" I would never go to a barber's where a coloured
" man was cut !" Observe, these gentlemen were
not from the south ; they are residents of New
York, and I believe were born there. I was
upon the point of expressing my opinion, but
withheld it, thinking it wise to look at every
Jfairig as it stood, and form a deliberate judg
ment when every feature was finally before me.
They were amused with the barber's conceitabout
the English language, which I understand is by
no means a singular view of the subject.
The exclusion of blacks from the places of

LONG ISLAND. 61
public worship where whites attend. I stated at
the commencement. In perfect conformity with
this spirit is . the fact, that the most degraded
white will not walk or eat with a negro ; so that,
although New- York is a free state, it is such
only on parchment : the black Americans are in
it practically and politically, slaves ; the laws of
•the mind being, after all, infinitely more strong
and more effective than those of the statute
book ; and it is these mental legislative enact
ments, operating in too many cases besides this
of the poor negroes, which excite but little re
spect for the American character.
August 21 st. (You see I am not very regular
in my chronology, wishing rather to throw my
ideas on the same subject as nearly as I cari' to
gether.) On this day I went to Long Island,
for the purpose of visiting Mr.Cobbett, at Hyde-
Park Farm, which is 18 miles distant from the
city. I had no previous personal knowledge of
Mr. C, nor had I letters of introduction to
him ', but believing that he could give inform
ation and advice concerning America, and afclo
feeling a strong desire to see a character, so ce
lebrated, I resolved to forego the usual pre
requisite in calling upon a stranger. The con
veyance from the city to Brooklyn, on Long-
Island, is by a steam ferry-boat : the East River,
at this point, is about one-third wider thaij the
Thames at Greenwich : horses and carriages are

62 BROOKLYN.  TAVERNS.
driven into the boat, those who ride seldom dis
mounting. In order that I might be in time for
the stage, I did not go to my lodgings for din
ner, supposing that as Brooklyn was a place of
considerable population, I should find no diffi
culty in obtaining an article so necessary for a
traveller. I found there several places of public
entertainment, the signs and outward appeaiv
ance of which bespoke a similarity to English
taverns. The first into which I went had one
large public room, without a table, or, I be
lieve, a chair, with a bar railed off like a prison.
The inhabitant of this department was not dis
similar to many of his countrymen : tall, thin,
yellow, cold, suspicious, and silent. At this place
I did not venture to make known my wants* I
passed several others before I presumed to make
a second attempt : when I did so, it was at a
"Tavern and Hotel ;" the bar was like the one
before described, but there was the convenience
of a private room, the floor of which was covered
with a neat and economical species of carpet, of
domestic manufacture. I made known my wants
to the landlady; saying, that I was not at all
particular, and should be glad of any thing she
had in the- house : she walked on to her bar,
answering, without looking at me, " I guess we
" have got no feed for strangers ; we do not
" practise those things at this house, I guess;"
The stage was ready : the driver informed me

MR. RUFUS KING. 63
that he would take me to Wiggins's Inn, a dis
tance of about four miles from Mr. Cobbett's.
The vehicle was a kind of light farmer's waggon,
with three seats, carrying two persons each :
there was no covering, and, of course, a want of
protection from the sun 'and dust, both of which,
on this occasion, were very unpleasant : miy
thermometer in the shade was 88, in the sun 120.
Long Island is called the garden of America.
We passed some pleasing scenery, and several
remarkably fine fields of Indian corn : this ar
ticle can hardly be excelled in beauty of appear
ance. The residence of* the celebrated Mr.
RufusKingis on the road side: it is a frame house,
painted white, with green shutters, and would
class in England as a fourth-rate country seat.
A gentleman informed me, that, were Mr.
King travelling, he would not hesitate at riding
in our waggon. Mr. K. is what is called a
Federalist ; but this trait of real dignity of cha
racter is not the peculiar feature of a party : it
appertains to all public men in America; at
once exhibiting an evidence of their good sense,
and the wise institutions of this government.
The murder pf American prisoners at Dart
moor was the subject of a conversation between
myself and an American medical fellow-pas
senger, arising from Mr. King's son having been
one of the commissioners appointed by the
-United States to investigate that most unfortu-

64 MR. C0BBETT.
nate and disgraceful transaction. The Doctor
was unwilling to censure, in this instance, the
conduct of the British. He stated, "that there
was a great deal to be said on both sides ; arid
that, for himself, he had suspended his judgr
ment. Lord Castlereagh arid the English ca
binet were, in this gentleman's estimation,
" great men, who acted with good intentions
" for the welfare of their country." Taxation
was partially discussed ; he labouring to con
vince me that, in proportion to their means,
they (the Americans) were more heavily taxed
than the people of England.
Upon arriving at Mr. Cobbett's gate, my
feelings, in walking along the path which led to
the residence of this celebrated man, are diffi
cult to describe. The idea of a person self-
bariished, leading an isolated life in a foreign.
land — a path rarely trod, fences in ruins, the
gate broken, a house mouldering to decay*.,
added to niuch awkwardness of feeling on my.
part, calling upon an entire stranger, produced
in my mind feelings of thoughtfulness and me
lancholy. I would fain almost have returned
without entering the wooden mansion, imagining
that its possessor would exclaim, " What in-
" truding fellow is here coming to break in upon,
" my pursuits ?" But these difficulties ceased
almost with their existence. A female servant
(an Englishwoman) informed me that her master

NAPQLEON. ^>5
was from home, attending at the county court*
Her language was natural enough for a person in
her situation: she pressed me to walk in, " being
" quite certain that I was her countryman ; and
**¦ she was so delighted to see an Englishman, in-
," stead' of these nasty guessirig Yankies." Fol
lowing my guide through the kitchen, (the floor
of which, she asserted, was imbedded with two
feet of dirt when Mr. Cobbett came there — it
had been previously in the occupation of Ame
ricans,) I was conducted to a front parlour,
which contained but a single chair and several
trunks of sea clothes.
A French gentleman, whom I found in the
house, residing with Mr. Cobbett, interested me
much by his character and conversation. He
had been iri the suite of Napoleon, and came
over with Santini. His account of the Emperor's
treatment corresponds with the published nar
ratives." Of his late master he speaks in the
most affectionate manner. He jumped about,
whistled, arid sang with a thoughtless gaiety,
peculiarly French. ; At half past eight in the
evening Mr. Cobbett had "not returned. My
design was to walk back to Wiggins' Inn. This
idea I abandoned on the recommendation of an
English servant, who, as it proved,, knew little of
the country. : He conducted me to the road side,
directing' me to proceed in a direction opposite
to that which led to Wiggins', stating, that
F

(56 WALK AT NIGHT.
in about one hundred yards* distance I should
see a tavern. My walk extended for many
hundred yards, but no human habitation ap
peared. The night fortunately was fine- — the
moon's brilliancy — the surrounding scenery—
the serious turn of my mind, and the belief that,
for that night, wandering without repose in a
strange land was to be my lot, produced feelirigs
which would have furnished my poetic friend
D-  with a good subject for further " night
thoughts." The coolness of the air was also a
riiost pleasing treat after the oppressive heat
which I had experienced during the day. I
proceeded at a slow and thoughtful pace, willing
to foster a faint hope that I might yet arrive
at a tavern. A house appeared, but it was a
private one, arid all were gone to bed. I became
very uneasy, having in rily pocket a large re
mittance from Washington; At length, to my
great joy, I saw a light at a considerable dis
tance ; it proved to come from a hut by the road
side. Upon my approach to the doori, a dog
jumped out: when he was partially silenced,'
I enquired for a public house ; none was near.
This habitation belongs to an old woman, who
once kept what is here called a tavern. After
the repetition of my request, she answered, by
desiring to know, " What do you want with a
¦" public-house? What is your name ? Where were
¦" you raised ? Where are you going ? Ym axe

" "P.T "X?*lA"KrT» Tnn/lTVna "

ELEGANT LODGINGS." 67
» from York (New York) I guess ? You want a
" bed I guess? now I guess if" you be not a hard
" character, I will let you have elegant lodgings
" I guess ?" I accepted the offer with a com
bination of fear and gladness. _ The old lady
still sells liquors. Her present stock is con
tained in three dirty bottles, carefully preserved
in a corner cupboard. At the moment of my
entrance, she was supplying a black pedlar with
a glass of New England, or what is here deno
minated " Yankee" rum. The old lady's witch
like appearance, and the cast of character of
her guest, were strong drawbacks upon my
desire for repose. This pair seemed living
portraits of Dirk Hatterick and Meg Merrilies :
they looked really terrific. I seated myself, and
was busied in physiognomical research, when
the man, holding a candle in my face, exclaimed
" She wants to look at you." When I had
passed my examination, the old woman with
drew to prepare a bed ; her guest continued
drinking, giving me a great many winks and
nods, and saying " how wealthy the old bag
gage was." I was heartily glad to find that this
sable hero was not to be an occupant of the
same house with myself. As the old lady con
ducted me to an apartment, she apologized
for the passage to it being through a room, in
which were an entire family strewed over the
.floor. The wretchedness and poverty cf my
f 2

68 MB.. COBBETT.
chamber must remain uridescribed. Yet I nevef
in my life lay down with more sincere gratitude
to the Deity,
Before Seven o'clock on the following morn
ing I regained Mr. Cobbett's. His servant
conducted me into a room in which he was
Writing, with his coat off. The first question
was, " Are you an American, Sir ?" then/
" What were my objects in the United States?
" Was I acquainted with the friends of liberty
" in London? How long had I left?" &c.
He was immediately familiar. I was pleasingly
disappointed With the general tone of his
manners. His sons, particularly the second^
are genteel young men. Of their talents I had
no opportunity to form a judgment. Mr. G
thinks meanly of the American people, but
spoke highly of the economy pf their govern-
riient. He does not advise persons in respect*
•able circumstances to emigrate, even in the
present state Of Englandi In his ppiriion,«a
family who can but barely live upon their . pro
perty, will riiofe consult their happiness by not
removing to the United Statesl He almost
laughs at Mr. Birkbeck's settling in the Western
country. This being the first time I had seen
this well-known character,; I viewed him with
no ordinary degree of interest. A print by
Bartollofzi, executed in 1801, conveys a correct
outline of his person. His eyes are small, •< and
pleasingly good-natured. ^ To the French gentle-

MR. COBBETT. 69
man he was attentive ; with his sons familiar ;
to his servants easy ; but to all, in his tone and
manner resolute and determined. He feels no-
hesitation* in praising himself, and evidently
believes that he is eventually destined to be the
Atlas of the British nation. His faculty of
relating, anecdotes is amusing. — Instances when
we meet. .
My: impressions of Mr. Cobbett are, that those
who know him would like him, if they can be
content to submit unconditionally to his dicta
tion, f* Obey me, and I will treat you kindly ;
" if you do not, I will trample on you," seemed
visible in every word and feature. He appears
to feel, in its fullest force, the sentiment,
••" I have no brother, am like no brother, .
;. '' I am myself alone."
The little Frenchman was whistling, jumping,-
and singing with all the gaiety of a- delighted
boy upon a gala day. In reply te my ques
tions concerning the treatment of Napoleon,'
lie* was rapid, energetic, and nearly^ unintelli-1
gible. "*' Gover-neur, bad man, rascal man,
" insult empe-reur ; empe-reur not like gover-
" neur, not speak to him, — Balcomb, Oh ! Oh !
«' Oh ! bad man, bad man— -rats, run, run, run."
. Mr. Cobbett complained of the difficulty of
obtaining labourers , at a price by which the agri
culturist qorild realize a profit : so much so, that
he conceives that a farmer in America- cannot
f 3

70: LONG ISLAND.
support himself unless he has sons, who, with
himself, will labour with their own hands. He
had contracted with a man to do his mowing :
the terms were, an equal division of the produce,
Mr. C. took me round his grounds, The con
tractor complained that even half the hay, fot
merely his labour, was a< hard bargain. With
pleasing sensations I departed from Mr. Cobbett's
residence ; and most willingly express my ob
ligation to him for a reception generous and
liberal. Long Island, a part of the state of New York,
is chiefly occupied by farmers : their populous
capital affords a ready market for produce. This
island in length is 120, and in breadth 12 miles.
It is divided into counties, two of which retain
the names of royalty, after the disappearance
of the reality; the first being called King's,
the second Queeri's County — such inveterate
tyrants are ancient establishments. The west
end has a good soil, and is in a state of moderate;
cultivation ; the east has a considerable portion
of sandy plains. The introduction of gypsum,
and other improvements in their mode of agri
culture, have much increased the annual pro
duce. I am informed that within the last 14
years farms have risen in value 25 per cent.
Land is worth from 31. 7s. 6d. to 331. 15s, per
acre. A choice of farms may now be purchased
in this island at from 151. 15s, to 221. 10s. peU
14

, AGRICULTURE* 71;
acre, including necessary buildings. Farrner$ dp
riot live extravagantly : few of them have money
in reserve. The high price of labour, indifference
of the soil, and general want of capital, must cause
a long continuance, of this state of things. The
agriculturist, who alone can, in this island, enter
tain rational hopes of profit, must have sons that
will work, and be himself among the foremost by
labouring with his own hands. There being no tax
upon horses, their labour is preferred, and mules
and asses are seldom if ever used. The breed
of horses is good, but not large : one fit for a
waggon is worth 221. lOs. ; a saddle or drawing
florae, 351.; gig horse, 331. 15s. to 561. 5s. j
carriage ditto, 901. to 1201. ; fine riding ditto, 901.
to!20l. Cows are worth — lean, 91. ; fat, 111. 5s.
to 131. 10s. Pigs are sold, per pound, alive ;
the present price is 7d. : sheep, 9s. They are
very small : an entire carcase is not much larger
than a Leicestershire leg of mutton. A sheep,
when fattened for market, is 13s. 6d. A good
farm cart is worth 71. to 91. ; a ditto waggon,
221. to 231. ; a farmer's man-servant, 241. to 301.
per year ; a ditto woman, 121. to 161. Early
wheat is cut in the middle of July. The wheat
and rye harvest is completed by the end of
August ; buck wheat, in October ; Indian corn,
ditto; oats, middle of August ; grass, from 1st
to the end of July. The seed for winter, rye
and wheat, is sown from end of August to end
F 4

yg FARMS ON SALE.
Of September. The following advertisement^
extracted from the " New York Evening- Post,"
may convey more specific ideas of the value of
farms than the preceding statement. Previous
to this notice of public sale,. I applied, .with a
view to our friend L  , to know the lowest
ready money price. Mrs. Ledyard, their owner;
informed me that the first would be 100 dollars,
and the second 70 dollars, per acre.
« FOR SALE AT AUCTION,
« At the T. C. H. on the 1st day of March next, the
" farm belonging to the estate of the late Dr. Isaac
".- Ledyard, situated one mile south of the village of
".Newtown, Long Island. The Williamsburgh tuiro->
" pike runs through the farm, on one side of which i^
" a new excellent stone wall, half a mile in length. The
" farm contains about 150 acres, 15 of which aire a fine
" wood lot, with two apple orchards, one old, the other
" just beginning to bear well, and a suitable proportion
*¦' of good salt meadow. The mansion house is large
" and. convenient, four rooms on each floor, with a good,
" kitchen and cellars ; attached is a large barn. crib»
" hen house, smoke house, well, and a new cistern, &c.
*f The court yard' and garden contain a variety of friiit
" trees and shrubbery, a large asparagus bed, rasp-'
" berries and currants. , -
.?' Also- — A. farm adjoining the above, containing
" about sixty acres ; attached to which is an equal pfo-
" portion of salt meadow, and a lot of young wood,
" situated within less than a mile of the farm, containing
" ten acfes, with a farm house, barn, well, garden, &c,"
. Wishing to see, York Island, Mr. Dash wood, a
fellow-boarder, had the politeness to accompany

FARMS ON SALE. 73
me, in a single horse chaise. We proceeded a
few miles beyond Hearlem Bridge, where we
visited a farmer with whom Mr. D. was ac
quainted. Apple trees were in profusion on the
road side. There is no obstacle, and seems, in
deed, no objection raised to any person's taking
fruit. The scenery, during this ride, particu
larly on the margin of the East River, is pleasing
and diversified. Country seats are rather nu
merous : one half of them, at least, are to be
sold or let.
My excellent friend S— — could make a
pleasing selection on York Island. I enquired
the price of several places : they vary, of course,
as being affected by causes similar to those which
serve to, lessen or to increase the value of houses
in England. A residence, two stories high, suf
ficiently large for a family of ten or twelve per
sons, with a garden, and from two to fifteen
acres of land, is from eight thousand to twenty
thousand dollars (18001. to 45001. sterling) ; a
variation occasioned by difference in the situ
ation, or in fhe style of building.
The following description I extract from a
letter,, sent me by the solicitor of a person to
whom I applied. The house referred to is four
arid a half miles from the city, and in the
immediate neighbourhood of a good road : — -
" The. house and other buildings are substari-
" tiaUy and neatly built.

74 house on sale;
" The cellar to the house is perfectly dry;-
** being partly blown out of the rock.
" The house is filled in with brick, furrowed
{t off, lathened and plaistered, so as to be as tight
*< and comfortable as a brick house.
" The two wells on the place are both blown
" through a rock ; the one near the house for
f" twenty or thirty feet, and both contain ex-
" eellent water for family use, particularly the
"one near. the house.
" Particular pains have been taken with the
*' garden; it being a fine level garden spot, and
"filled up on one side with mould carted inW
if' it, to theheighth of eight or ten feet.
" There are a great number and variety of
" fruit trees of the most improved and best
*« -kinds. " The situation is elevated and healthy, and
" commands one of the finest prospects on the
" island.
a " The terms are 10,000 dollars, which can be
'*¦ made payable, a small part in cash, and the re-
" sidue in such payments as may be convenient*
%;< " H< Fearon, Esq."
B  (a coach-maker), who sailed in the
Ann to Boston, and M  (a "chair and fancy
japanrier), who came in the Criterion, have got
work at Newark, a town in Jersey, ten miles
from the city of New York. I have been with

NEWARK. 75
them several times, and through their means
am possessed of some information relating to
mechanics and manufacturers. I made several
visits to Jersey : it is situated opposite New
York, on the southern banks of the Hudson.
An excellent steam ferry-boat connects these
states as completely as could be effected by
a bridge. In the valleys are black oak, ash,
palms, and poplars ; hi some parts there is
considerable variety of the red and white oak ;
the hickery grows in those situations which are
overflowed. The soil is not esteemed prolific.
Newark contains a population of about eight
thousand persons, including .slaves. It is a
manufacturing town of some importance : car
riages and chairs are made on a very extensive
scale, chiefly for the southern markets. I saw
a Very beautiful model of a carriage at Camp-
field's factory, which was ordered for a Spanish
patriot-chief. This town is delightfully situ
ated, and contains a great number of excellent
houses. Wishing to see Mr. De Wint's property, at
Fishkill, (see the postscript of my first report,)
I took a passage in the steam-boat " Chancellor
Livingstone ;" fare 3^ dollars, distance 60 miles,
time of departure five o'clock in the evening, of
arrival half past one the following mornirig*
This vessel is, perhaps, equalled by none in the
world: she may be denominated, without the

76 STEAM-BOAT.
charge of exaggeration, a floating palace ; her
length is 175 feet, and breadth 50, and she is
propelled by a steam-engine of 80 horse power ;
there are' beds for 1 60, and accommodation for
40 more by settees. The ladies have a distinct
cabin :: they seem cut off frpni all association or,
conversation with the gentlemen. On deck}
there are numerous conveniences, such as bag-?
gage rooms, smoking rooms, &c. ; on the de
scent to "the cabins are placed cards of trades
men, and hotels in the chief cities, and also re
ligious; tracts, which are chiefly reprints of
English evangelical effusions — affording, an
other instance of the slavish dependence . of
America upon British writers.- The interior, of
this: vessel is extremely, splendid. The late pe
riod of the day at which we embarked, allowed
me but a. limited opportunity, of viewing the
bold and grand scenery of this majestic river.
.Near the banks is .erected a monument, to that
great -ornament of the -federal party, Hamilton.;;
he was in the administration, and some say the
director, of Washington. Those who knew
him ..best state that he was a man far above the
ordinary standard of public . characters,: en
dowed; indeed, with suck talents as but few
mortals are destined to possess ; he was deprived
of life :by the celebrated Mr. Aarori Burr, thus
adding another, and a splendid victim to the
barbarous practice of duelling ~ which, by. the

ALEXANDER HAMILTON. 77
way, is very general and almost uniformly fatal
m this couritiy. A slight provocation produces
a challenge, and if the parties consider them
selves of what is called " equal standing,"
that- is, of families and in worldly circumstances
of equal respectability, they rarely decline the
combat; and the Atnericans being generally
good shots,, and as remarkable for their cool deli
beration as, too frequently, for deadly malignity;
it is seldom that both parties escape with life. '
In the churchyard of New York there is a
monument to Alexander Hamilton ; there is
also one to Captain Lawrence, of the Chesa
peake : that the latter may be deserving of this
distinguished honour I wish not to dispute, but
surely Washington is, to say the least, entitled
to as much respect as a rash naval officer; yet,
.singular to relate, to Washington, the father
and saviour of his country, there is no national
monument! unless, indeed, you will call by that
name an existence in the hearts and affections
of the remaining few who are deserving of his
unexampled exertions, and equally unparalleled
devotion to the sound interests of his country'.
But if 'Washington has no monument in Am&.
rica, he has one in England that never can de
cay but with the annihilation of the British
character ; he lives in their generous and liberal
minds as a model to the general and the poli
tician of the present and every succeeding age. .

78 FOREIGNERS.
Relative to Hamilton, I extract the following
from a New York publication, written by one,
an Englishman by birth, but an American by
Adoption : — " General Hamilton was born in
one of the English West-India islands; he
came to the American colonies when a lad ;
entered into the revolutionary war with zeal ;
became early in the war one of the aids
of General Washington ; gallantly commanded
a regiment at the capture of Cornwallis;
fought through the revolution ; was a member
of the convention from which our national
constitution originated ; was the first secretary
of the treasury, or chancellor of the exche
quer, under the national government; he
formed the department, and brought order
out of chaos ; he was, perhaps, the ablest
Writer, and most eloquent man in America.
Even Hamilton, one of the most ingenuous
and disinterested of mankind, was called and
considered and treated as a foreigner. -His
early distinctions are to be ascribed to fhe
circumstances of the times, to a poverty of
talents. The late President Adams says, in
his recent publications, that Hamilton being
a foreigner, it could not be supposed that
he could have American feelings, or be weU
informed on American affairs ! ! ! " But to
return to my detail, the boat in which I had
embarked for Fishkill was well filled with/pas-

' MR. TOMKINS. 79
sengers. The general occupation was card-
playing -t one or two had a book in their hands:
those whose beds were in the births fitted up
for that purpose were passengers going the en
tire . route (to Albany), and who had taken the
precaution to have their names early entered in
a book kept by the captain for that purpose.
Mr. Tompkins, the Vice-president of the United
States, was among, the number going to Albany,
the seat of the New York State government :
he was seated among the other passengers, with
out assuming consequence, or receiving any
particular attention. In person he is of the
middle size, in complexion dark, with a coun
tenance at that time thoughtful to an extreme*
he is taller than Mr. Waithman, but in other
respects the latter gentleman will convey an
idea of his cast of character : his solemnity may
not have been habitual, for I am told by those
who knew him, that he carries jocularity and
lively good-nature to an extreme.
Newburg, the town where I stopped, is 60
miles from New York ; I obtained a bed after
one or two unsuccessful applications at the ho
tels which keep open regularly for steam-boat
passengers. The following morning I crossed
the Hudson to Fishkill landing. The gentleman
to whose house I was going was a fellow-
passenger in the ferry-boat, though at that time
unknown to me. The property for sale con-

80 FISHKILL LANDING.
sisted of one hundred acres of land, and fourteen
small J&ame (not log) houses ; the price for the
whole is €5,000 dollars (56251.) : there is ort
this lot a neat frame church, which may be
purchased for 2500 dollars (5621. JOs.); it is
not fitted up, except a few common seats, .and
a pulpit of rather primitive simplicity. A credit
of four years will be given, charging the interest;
the present cash price is not lower.
Mr. De Wint's residence is within half a mile ;
I had the pleasure of dining with him in com
pany with several ladies and gentlemen of a very
superior class. The following day Judge Vanpelt,
a neighbouring gentleman and farmer, had the
politeness to take me to his house. My reception
at both, as well as the style of living, the sub-.
stantial elegance of the furniture, and the mental
talents of the company, was essentially English.
I felt, indeed, for the first time, that I was once
more in your little island. That peculiarly British
word comfort was well understood in these ho&,
pitable mansions. Another thing, too, was here
an evident favourite, though, I lament to say*
scarcely known on this side the Atlantic —
cleanliness : the servants also, were in their dress.
neat, and hi their manners attentive, . forming a.
striking contrast to what I have too often seea;
on other occasions.
Servants, , let me, here observe, are called;.;
." helps:" if you call a servant -by .that name

SERVANTS'. 81
they leave yoU without notice; Englishmen
often incur their displeasure by negligence in
eontinUing to use this prohibited word. The
difference, however, Would appear merely verbal ;
for indeed I should misrepresent the impressions
I have received on the subject, if I stated that
the Americans really shewed more feeling, or
were more considerate in their Conduct towards
this clasg of society than the English : every one
who knows them will, I think, pronounce the
direct Contrary to be the case. A friend Pf
mine, the other day, met with a rebuff at his
hotel; Which taught him the necessity of alter
ing — not his ideas indeed, but his words. Ad
dressing the female " help" he said, " Be kind
" enough to tell your mistress that I should be
"glad to see her." — " My mistress, Sir ! I tell
" you I have no mistress, nor master either.
" I will not tell her, Sir, I guess ; if you want
" Mrs. M — — — you may go to her yoUrself,
"I guess. I have no mistress, Sir. In this
" country there is no mistresses nor masters;
" I guess I am a woman citizen." — The term
" boss," as I have before observed, is substituted
for that of master : but these I Would rerriark,
are not the only instances in this country of the
alteration of names, while things remain the
same: indeed some very absurd, and even in
delicate changes have been made Which cannot
well be cormtanicated on pajfer.
G

82 WEATHER.
Servants are usually engaged by the week:
enquiry as to character is not practised : blacks
and whites are seldom kept in the same house ;
they are chiefly blacks, and, though held in the
most degraded estimation, appear to do almost
what they please. The condition of their kitchens
is what in England would be considered very
objectionable: there seem usually several black
friends of the servants in this apartment. Their
children 1 observed frequently sprawling about
the floor like kittens or puppies.
Judge Vanpelt is a large farmer : his sheep,
I think, he stated at 500, — a large flock for this
country. His land appeared rather barren. —
Mr. De Wint informs me that their winters are
dry and severe : they commence about the 5th
of December, and end by the middle of March.
At this time the ice begins to break in^ the
Hudson. The thermometer is from 5& to 70,
from the 1st of April to the middle of May;
in July and August it is 78 to 90; in Ma»ch
and April the weather is subject to sudden
changes : the cold sometimes intense, with
much rain and easterly winds. June is a de
lightful month, as are also part of September,
and the whole of October. The summer hearts
and winter colds are usually extreme. The ad
vance in the value of land, in this part of the
state, has made many of the old settlers men of
large property. . The general style of living

^NEWBURG. 83
consists of a plentiful supply of the necessaries
of life, with but few of what in England we
should call it's comforts. I visited the mountain
adjoining Fishkill-landing — a walk to the sum
mit was fatiguing, but the prospect amply re
paid the labour. The town from which I am
now writing (Newburg) appeared, situated in
a most delightful and fertile valley, with many
fine roads connecting it with several parts of
this immense continent. Newburg has a popu
lation of 3000, many of whom are of Dutch
descent. There are many new and excellent
buildings : the genuine log house I have not
yet seen. Paper currency seems to be the only
/Circulating medium : it is of every amount,
and with a reputation infinitely varied ; being
regulated according to the distance, and the re
putation of the bank. I see no man in absolute
want, nor any who appear particularly anxious
about their future prospects. These are, per
haps, the natural signs of an improving country,
and one whose resources, so far from being
exhausted, are yet not even called wholly
into action. A Lieutenant in the United States
army, who has just arrived from his station on
the lakes, and is now sitting opposite to me,
states that the number of Americans who emi
grate from the western part of this State to
Canada, is very considerable. I asked, with
surprise, what couldbe their inducement. His
g 2

84 COTTON [MANUFACTORY.
reply was, that "the King gives them great
" encouragement, with land for nothing; — no
"¦ taxes, and a present of the implements of
" husbandry." This is, indeed, " great en-
" cou rage m ent ! " and such as we old friends
of His Majesty would be happy to see imitated
in our native land.
Upon returning from my mountain excursion,
I visited Vanskank's cotton manufactory. It is
advantageously situated on a fine fall of water,
which empties itself into the Hudson. The
proprietof conducted me over every part of this
establishment. It was erected in 1814, has with
stood the brunt of British competition, and is
said to be profitable. There are sixteen hundred
spindles in operation. Children perform the
same kind of labour that they do with us : they
receive 3s. 4id. per week; women, Us. 3c|. ;
men, 31s. 6d. Every part of the machinery is
manufactured on the premises. There is also a
general shop or store on the ground floor, at
which the work people are supplied with any
thing they may want, in payment of their wages.
The chief articles made are ginghams, plain
chambrays, calicoes, and bed ticks ; the latter
at a price to exclude English cotton tick.
Linens are still imported. The fabric of all the
articles! is coarser and stronger than ours : the
finishing department is Very defective; but this
will be amply compensated by the wear. This

ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS, &C 85
concern is modelled upon British establishments.
Hearing in New York that native manufactories
were ruined, I felt astonished in witnessing the
prosperous appearance of Mr. Vanskank's; which
may be accounted for perhaps by the able way
in which it is conducted, and thg excellence of
the machinery. Their connection is chiefly with
the southern merchants. The question as to the
success of domestic manufactories, is one in
which I cannot but feel personally a particular
interest. My present design is to proceed to
the New England states, for further information
upon this and other subjects.
Returned to New York, I visited the several
public exhibitions. The first in order was the
" Museum," the collection of which is small —
in excellent' condition, and displayed with much
taste- The charge is Is. l^d.
" The Academy of Fine Arts," as it is called,.
is exhibited in the same building, The collection
is small ; and, upon the whole, very indifferent,
with the exception of two or three rustic pieces^
Among the casts, there are a Venus, an Apollo,.
and a fighting gladiator. — Admission, Is. l^d.
The printed particulars of this exhibition are
pompously denominated, " A catalogue of
" paintings, statues, busts, drawings, models^
" and engravings, exhibited by the American
" Academy of Fine Arts. Sept. 1. 1817- —
" Auditque. vocatus Apollo, — The third Exhi-
g 3

86 THEATRES, &C
" bitiPn. N. B. The catalogue of pictures is
" entirely new. — Printed for the Academy."'
Then follows a list of directors and officers for
the year 1817; containing a president, vice-
president, eleven directors, a treasurer, a secre-:
tary, a librarian, and sixteen academicians ! !
Mr. Van Derlyn, an artist of considerable
irierit, has a small exhibition, in which is a
well executed copy of Lefebre's Napoleon. —
Charge, 2s. 3d.
There is a mechanical Panorama, exhibiting
much ingenious mechanism. The wax-work
exhibition is tolerably good : the dresses are
splendid. The figure of the Goddess of Liberty
feeding the American eagle is beautiful arid in
teresting. The Theatre is about the size of the " Royal
Circus," and as well fitted up as the second-rate
London theatres. The prices are, Boxes, 4s. 6d.
Pit, 3s. 4£d. Gallery, 2s. 3d. I went to the
pit, concluding that, with an allowance for the
difference of country, it would resemble the
same department in an English establishment;
but found it consisted of none in dress, manners,
appearance, or habits above the order of our
Irish bricklayers ; — a strong fact this to prove
the good payment of labour. Here were men
that, if in London, could hardly buy a pint of
porter — and should- they ever think of seeing a
play, must take up their abode among the gods

SHAMROCK SOCIETY. 87
in the upper gallery : yet, in America, they can
pay three-quarters of a dollar — free from care,
and without feeling, on the following morning,
that they must compensate, by deprivation or
extraordinary labour, for their extravagance.
Many wore their hats, and several stood up
during the performance : there did not seem to
be any power which could prevent either prac
tice. The boxes were respectably filled: the
female part of the audience made considerable
display. Between the acts gentlemen with
drew : indeed at this period the house; in every
part, was deserted, except by the ladies. The
cause of this practice is to indulge in the fatal
habit of rum-drinking. A part of the gallery is
allotted for negroes, they not being admitted
into any other part of the house. Women never
go to the pit. The entertainments were, " Laugh
when you can," and the " Broken Sword:"
both performed very respectably. The dresses,
scenery, and decorations were superior to what
I had expected to find them.
Agreeably to your wishes I waited upon the
gentlemen of the " Shamrock Society," who
lately published a pamphlet, entitled, " Hints to
Emigrants." This association is composed ex
clusively of Irishmen. Among the gentlemen
present was the distinguished Dr. M'Neven.
Their place of meeting is at a public house,
where their business is conducted with much re-
g 4

88, SHAMROCK SOCIETY.
gularityv The society bears a high character
for benevolence, and is no doubt of material
service to their distressed countrymen. One of
their members had just prevented an imposition
which is commonly practised in this city, and,
which, in common with all my fellow-passen
gers, I had submitted to — the payment of two
dollars to the port doctor. Their room is de
corated with flags commemorative of American?
victories. Their hatred of the English ministry
is implacable ; but they do not seem to dis
tinguish between our government and people.;
It would prove, I think, impossible to make a
native of Ireland, who had never been in Eng
land, believe that you have among you men who
feel fpr their wrongs, and sympathise with their
sufferings. These gentlemen being engaged in f
a variety pf town occupations, their acquaint
ance with America has hardly extended beyond
the city of New York '¦> and, as far as I can form
a judgment, their capability pf giving such in
formation as can be relied uppn is very limited ;
much more so, indeed, than their pamphlet
might have, caused us to expect. Mr. Alexander
Pike, their secretary, is a young lawyer : from
him I received much attention, though but little
faith can be placed in his answers to our que
ries : not that he designs to deceive, but be
affects to give intelligence concerning rents of
houses, profits of trade, and domestic expend^

EMIGRATION. 89
ture, upon each of which I generally found his
statements about 50 per cent, too low ; — the
fact is, he is not informed upon these sub
jects. To-morrow (the 8th) I shall depart for Bos-
ten. My old captain has offered to be the
bearer of this. I shall write again, as soon as I
have leisure and materials. Even yet I must
withhold my advice as to emigration — —

The capitalist may manage to obtain 7 per
cent, with good security. The lawyer and the
doctor will not succeed. An orthodox minister
would do so. By the way, the worn-out, ex
posed impostor Frey, who said he was converted
from Judaism to Christianity, has been attracting
large audiences in New York. The proficient
in the fine arts will find little encouragement.
The literary man must starve. The tutors'
posts are pre-occupied. The shop-keeper may
do as well, but not better than in London — un
less he be a man of superior talent and large
capital: for such requisites, I think, there is a fine
opening. The farmer (Mr. Cobbett says) must
labour hard, and be but scantily remunerated.
The clerk and shopman will get but little more
than their board and lodging. Mechanics,
whose trades are of the first necessity, will do
well : those not such, or who understand only
12

90 EMIGRATION.
the cotton, linen, woollen, glass, earthenware*
silk and stocking manufactories, cannot obtain
employment. The labouring man will do well ;
particularly if he have a wife and children, wha
are capable of contributing, not merely to the
consuming, but to the earning also of the com
mon stock..

THIRD REPORT.

LEAVE NEW YORK FOR BOSTON.  EAST RIVER, HELL-
GATE. — AMERICAN DISLIKE TO EMIGRANTS. — STEAM
BOATS, CONNECTICUT AND FULTON.  FIRST LANDING
ON CONTINENT OF AMERICA. — STAGES. — ROADS. 
TAVERNS.  MILITARY.  CONDITION OF PEOPLE.  MRS.
FISHER'S.  PUBLIC ROADS, AND IDEAS OF THEIR EN
DANGERING LIBERTY.  NO SLAVES IN NEW ENGLAND.
 FACE OF THE COUNTRY OF CONNECTICUT, AND RHODE
• ISLAND. — ARRIVAL AT PROVIDENCE.  RENTS. — PRICES
, OF PROVISIONS. — OF LABOUR. — TRADES.  COTTON
MANUFACTORIES AT PAWTUCKET.  PRICE OF LANDS.
 SIZE OF FARMS.  ENTRANCE INTO BOSTON.  CHA
RACTER OF THE BOSTONIANS.  THE ATHENEUM. 
. CAMBRIDGE COLLEGE.  RELIGIOUS SECTS.  STATE OF
SOCIETY.  PEOPLE OF NEW ENGLAND ARISTOCRATICAL.
— CLIMATE.  HEALTH. — MORALS. — STATE HOUSE. 
SCENERY.  BUNKER'S HILL. — VISIT TO THE LATE PRE
SIDENT ADAMS.  SERVANTS, SUPERIOR TO -THOSE OF
NEW YORK.  EUROPEAN POLITICS IN NEW ENGLAND". — •
LEAVE BOSTON FOR ALBANY. — PITTSFIELD.  MILITARY.
 HUDSON. — FACE OF COUNTRY.  CONDITION AND
CHARACTER OF AMERICANS. — ALBANY. — POPULA
TION. — 'RENTS. — PRICES OF PROVISIONS. — OF LABOUR.
 FEELINGS CONCERNING AMERICA.
Albany, the River Hudson, &c Sept. 1817.
On the 8th of September I left New York for
Boston, in the steam-boat " Connecticut,"

92 EAST RIVER.
Captain Bunker; fare to New London, severe
dollars, including board ; distance, about 140
miles ; time, . 214 hours. The various cha
racters on board a steam-boat, for ten minutes*
before starting, afforded a fruitful source of ob
servation. I supposed we should have been
much crowded, but found that at the ring of the
bell, three-fourths went on shore. The banksl
of the East River, are pleasing : by Americansv.
and some interested European flatterers, they
are bepraised most extravagantly. On the
York Island side, there is fine hill and dale
scenery; among which are scattered several-
Country seats, belonging to the, city merchants,.*
The view of Long Island is not so interesting*
We passed the navy yard, in which is the far-
famed steam-frigate. Eight miles from New
York is the difficult passage called Hell Gate*
At the moment of passing this strait, a bell rang
for breakfast ; the ticket for the partaking .of
which, is a receipt given by the captain for the
passage-money. My appetite and my curiosity
had a strong struggle ; the latter, however, pre
vailed. There are here numerous whirlpools,
which,, at a state of the tide lower than when I
passed, produce aloud roaring noise. The whirl
pools are said by Mr. Morse to be occasioned
by the narrowness and crookedness of the pas
sage, and a bed of rocks, which extend quite
across it. A skilful pilot may conduct a ship of

LIBERALITY. 93
any burden with safety through this strait, at
high water with the tide, or at low water with
a fair wind. There is a tradition among the
Indians, that at some distant period their an
cestors could step from rock to rock, and cross
this arm of the sea on foot.
- The sound now opened upon our view, with
a light-house, at eighteen miles' distance. A
Dutch ship sailed by, full of passengers. This
sight did not meet with the approbation of my
American friends. One of them, who was a
farmer, was the first to express his opinion :
" There (said he) is some more of them "ere salt-
ft Water fellows I guess; curse them I say; I guess
," if I had my will there should never be a salt-
" water man employed in the States." This was
warmly assented to by those who stood near him.
He continued, " What a jag (a load) there is of
" them 'ere salt-water fish lately come into the
f States. I guess they are starving in the old
*' - countries, and when they come here they soon
" get kedge (brisk, pr in good health and spirits).
" I wish every vessel that brings such freight
" might go to the bottom !" Other objects now
attracted the old man's attention. His train of
illiberal ideas, which I hope and trust are not
national, gave way to general observations upon
business. He wanted a plasterer at his farm :
here his antipathies were lost in a sense of his
interest. " I guess I should like one of them

94 NEW HAVEN.
" 'ere, if he was a plasterer ; I would not mind
" his salt-water lingo a cent, so that he could
" plaster."After a passage of twelve hours, we arrived
off New Haven, a city in Connecticut, distance
from New York by water, almost ninety
miles. This small city is said to have a popu
lation of about five thousand, and has the repu
tation of ranking among the first towns in re
spect to beauty in the United States. I have
since understood that Colonel Humphreys re
sides here: he is largely engaged in Merino
sheep, and the woollen trade. I regret very
much that I do not take up my residence there
for a few days, feeling, as I do, the subject of
manufactures to be very important, not only to
myself, but to all our friends in Yorkshire.
The greater part of our passengers went on
shore here. The following day was to be a grand
one at the college ; it was what is here called
" commencement day." The college is said
to be a very excellent one. Those who, like
myself, were bound for New London, were re
moved to the steam-boat, " Fulton." " The
Connecticut" has an engine (en-gine, is the
American pronunciation,) of forty horse power:
two cabins for gentlemen, one for ladies, a
very extensive kitchen and other conveniences.
It is fitted up with minute attention to accom
modation, and with much elegance : the chief

STEAM-VESSELS. 95
fault consists in its havirig too many erections
ondeck. In a conversation with Captain Bunker
he expressed his decided opinion that steam-
vessels, as now i constructed, could safely navi
gate the ocean ; this passage from New York to
New Haven was often, he said, very boisterous ;
and upon one occasion a gale blew so violently
that he accomplished the route in the ex
traordinarily short period pf six hours. The
" Fulton," in most respects a similar boat, has,
however, some variations in her construction.
The engines of both are on Bolton and Watt's
principle. She was built for the Emperor
Alexander, and contracted for to be in Russia at
a specified time. Captain Hall, the conqueror
of our " Guerriere," was to have had the com
mand : had he successfully navigated her across
the Atlantic, he would have added ariother un
fading laurel to his own brow, and that of his
country. We landed in New London before
day-light : our passage was so rough that I was
once more approaching toWards the sick list.
At New London I took a place in the coach
for Providence. American stages are a species
of vehicle with which I know none in England
that will compare : they carry twelve passengers
— none outside. The coachman, or " driver,"
as the term is, (and who is not unfrequently a cap
tain,) sits inside with the company. In length
they are nearly double English stages. Few go

96 STAGES.
on springs. The sides are open — the roof being
supported by six small posts. The baggage -is
carried behind, and inside. Theseats are.pieces
of plain board. There are leathers which can
be let down from, the top, which are useful as a
protection against Wet, but of little service in
cold weather. Few of them have doors ; the
places pf entrance and exit being by the horses.
They form, upon the whole, both in construe-*
tion and management, a very unpleasant mode
of conveyance. The charges are nearly equal to
English inside fares.
, We breakfasted at the town of Norwich, (a
eity, I believe, it is called ;) distance from New
London fourteen miles. It is at the head of the
navigatiori of the Thames : three mast-ships can
come up to the town. It was in this river that
Commodore Decatur was blockaded during the
last war : and so approachable are the Connecti
cut men represented on the side which promotes
their pecuniary interest, that they are said to have
had the baseness to; betray their country by
giving information to the English admiral when
ever their shipping attempted putting out to sea;
The mode pf doing this is said to have been by
the throwing up blue lights ; a circumstance
which has given rise to the party appellation of
" blue light men," — a term of reproach used by
the democrats against the federalists*
Our dinner was at the well-known Mrs.;

MRS. fisher's. 97
Fisher's, at Scituate. She is certainly a most
original character ; but I must, for the present,
pass over a description of this oddity of oddities.
The supply for our whole party consisted of beef, a
ham, two fowls, potatoes, cabbage, and apple pie.
They grumbled at the scantiness of the supply :
for myself, no epicure ever enjoyed his dinner
more, and chiefly because every thing was cleanly.
At the back of Mrs. Fisher's house there is a fine
orchard, from' which any person may take as
much fruit as they please, free from charge, and
without the act being considered a liberty.
Mrs. F. makes from forty to a hundred barrels
of cider per annum : this year apples are so
abundant that it scarcely pays for the trouble.
Farms are here worth from thirty to forty dollars
per acre. An old man was sitting in the room ;
I supposed that he was a day labourer ; 1 ad
dressed him with a remark that their roads were
bad : " Yes," said he, " roads, I guess, are un-
" popular in this state : we think, I guess, that
¦.?' they are invasions of our liberties : we were
" mightily roiled (vexed) when they were first
f cut, and we always spoiled them in the night !"
At six o'clock in the evening we entered
Providence, the capital of Rhode Island. We
had been thirteen hours travelling fifty miles.
Of the general appearance of the country I
wished to force myself to think well ; but I must
tell the truth, and therefore honestly say, that, as
H

98 RHODE ISLAND. — NEGROES.
it respects my bird's eye view of its soil and cuK
tiVation, I am rather disappointed —but we riiu'st
suspend our judgment. The western states are
said to be very superior. Where I now am is
that part of America Which has been colonized
alrnost since the days of Cbhnhbus ; and, of
course, is too well occupied to offer present en-
couragerrient to English ehiigrants.
In Connecticut and Rhode Island there are
numerous dairies, Cheese is sold, for export
ation, at from ten to twelve Cents a pound;
Farms contain from ten to two hundred acres.
All houses within sight from the road are farm
houses. The geriUirie Country seat has not yet
made its appearance in the four states which I
have seen. The condition of the people in
Connecticut and Rhode Island is an absence of
the extreme either of wealth or of poverty. The
land is Very stbriy, and the price of produce not
commensurate to that of labour. The absence
of negroes from these last-mentioned states givW
me much pleasUre : certainly not on account of
a prejudice against our darker-tinged fellpw-
cfeatures, of from a belief that they are of an
inferior order in creation'; but from a hatred of
oppression, whether exercised in a monarchy ot
a republic, more especially, indeed, in the latter,'
Which, professing to be built on the basis of
freedom, ought 'to respect the rights and protect
the liberties of all. In the states of New York

AGRICULTURE. 99
and Jersey the treatment of Americans of
colour, by their white countrymen, is worse
than that of the brute creation.
A few of the aborigines still reside here.
Their ill-shapen miserable huts exhibit but a
small remove towards civilization.
With regard to the agriculture. — Stones are
cleared from the surface of the land, by large
holes being dug, into which they are rolled.
Fields of Indian corn, which struck me with so
much beauty in Long Island, are here a com
paratively melancholy sight. The stalks are
not half the height, are at a greater distance
from each other, and look as though they were
springing from a bed of broken rock.
On entering Providence, the capital of
Rhode Island, I was much pleased with its
beauty. In its appearance, it, combined the
attractions of Southampton and Doncaster.
There are manufactories in the neighbour
hood. On that account I took up my abode at
Chapotan's Inn until the 11th.
AH places of public social worship are, in the
State of New York, called churches — not, as
with our dissenters, chapels. In these States,
the old English distinction of " church," and
" meeting house/' continues. Here is an ex
cellent market-house, a workhouse, four or five
public schools, an university with a tolerable;
jfibrary, a public library, and an hospital.
H 2

100 PROVIDENCE.
Several of the churches are very handsome ;
they, as well as many private houses, are built
of wood, painted white, with green Venetian
shutters, presenting a neat elegance very
superior to our smoky brick buildings. I have
not seen a town in Europe or America, which
bore the appearance of general prosperity equal
to Providence. Ship and house-builders were
fully occupied, as indeed were all classes of
mechanics. The residents are native Ameri
cans. Foreign emigrants seem never to think of
New England. Rent and provisions are much
lower than at New York.
AtPaWtucket, four miles from Providence, are
13 cotton manufactories ; six of which are on
a,, large scale. They are not the property of
individuals, but of companies. I visited three
of these. They had excellent machinery ; not
more than one halfofwhichwasin operation. The
articles manufactured are the same as described at
Fishkill. Children from six to ten years of age,
of both sexes, are paid 6s. 9d. per week ; ditto,
11 to 16, 10s. per week ; women, 12s. ; men,
fj-s.- to 31s. 6d. Very few 'of the latter are
employed. Several of the manufactories of this
place are situated on a fine fall of water, 50 feet
in length, and passing through several chasms.
in a rock which extends across the river. The
scenic effect of the fall is most materially
injured by the situation of Pawtucket bridge.

COTTON-MANUFACTORIES. 101
To a labouring man who accompanied me
through the manufactories, I gave half a dollar:
I remarked that he addressed men of similar
appearance to himself by the titles of " majorj"
M captain," and " colonel." The population of
this village is very trifling, yet it has " two
banks !" The persons employed at all the manu
factories combined, are not equal in number to
those at one of a moderate size in Lancashire.
A considerable portion of weaving is done by
women, who have or live in farm-houses.
They receive 3^d. per yard for J wide stout
dark gingham ; an article which is sold at 13i.d.
wholesale, and 15d. retail. These female weavers
do not in general follow the occupation regularly;
it is done during their leisure hours; and at the
dull times of the year. -Some, who have no
Other means of support except service, (which
is unpopular in America,) lodge with farmers,
and. give half the produce of their labour for
their board and lodging.
The Pawtucket manufacturers have shops or
stores in Providence. On their doors a board
is affixed, " Weaving given out." During a
conversation with a proprietor of one of these
establishments, a woman came in, who, from
her independent (though not impudent) air, I
supposed, must be a customer. His address to
her, " I'll attend to you directly," confirmed
my opinion. She replied, " I want work, Boss*
h 3

102 anecdote of independence.
" I guess, for Harriet Angel." He immediately
called to his assistant, "• Where is that \fovk for
"Miss Angel."-!- What would a starving Man
chester weaveress say to this ? and how would
¦Sir Robert Peele feel if addressed in the true
language of honest independence ?
The road from Providence to Boston is much
better than that from New London to the latter
place. The appearance of the. country also-
improves ; but there is nothing in either as to
mere appearance which would be inviting to an
inhabitant of our beautiful and cultivated island.
From New London to Providence (50 miles), the
number of cows which I saw were 16 ; horses, € ;
pigs, 10. From Providence to Boston (44 miles),
38 caws, 10 horses, 25 pigs, and 18 sheep. I met
several waggons, all of which were drawn by two
oxen and one horse. When I travelled in the stage,
and we passed boys or girls, they bowed or curt
sied. Some of them brought apples to sell, the
amount of payment being left to our liberality. We
did not meet many persons on the road, and no
pedestrians, except a black man and woman,
There were no beggars — none that seemed dis
tressed— -=¦ all either were at work, or going to
or from their labour ; and in all my enquiries of
farmers, inn-keepers, store-keepers, manufac
turers, tiieir servants, and others, I understand
that employment is not difficult of obtainment
by industrious and honest men.

ENGLISH PREJUDICE. 1Q^
I separated frpm an English fellow-traveller at
Providence ; — he proceeded in the stage. During
our journey he directed nearly all hi^ discourse
to, me, so mpch so that it was supposed we
were old friends. , I was by no means proud of
this impression, as my fellow-countryman was
so full of fhe importance and superiority of
England, that any thing American did not, in
his eyes, seem worthy of notice. A man passed
us on horseback without bowing pr speaking ;
my friend exclaimed, ," There, you see they
" have neither manners nor common sense in this
" country ; if we were in England, you know,
",and a man passed the stage, he would bow and
" say, how do you do ?" To this gentleman the
old story was strictly applicable of two English
men and an American travelling in a stage
from Boston. They indulged their patriotism
by abusing every thing American. The butter
was not so good as the English — nor the beef "—
jipr the mutton-rr-nor the peaches- — nor the laws,
nor the people — nor the climate — nor the coun
try. .Their fellow-traveller was displeased, but he
remained silen^. At length there came on a
tremendous storm of thunder and lightning.
lie then burst forth, boiling with rage — " There,
" d  you, I guess that that thunder andlight-
*' ning is as good as any you have in England."
.As far, as I have proceeded I have not seen
much good land. If may do -for grazing, but
h 4

104 FARMING, J&C.
upon' the whole, it is stony arid sterile -. — and
what would seem remarkable is, that in these
old settled States, at least one-half remains
uncultivated. Travelling here conveys none
of those delights' which are connected with an
English country excursion : here, When your
eye carries ybu in imagination to the top of a
hill, you feel no relief in the fancied contem
plation of your elevated position's presenting a
view of fine seats, and extended cultivation.
On the contrary, ybu first feel that you could
hardly arrive at the summit through the density
of a 'gloomy forest ; and even if you could, that
your eye Would be fatigued with forests and the
parched monotony of unproductive nature.
Arable land in the immediate neighbourhood
of Boston, is worth frbm 50 to 100 dollars per
acre, (111. 2s. 6d. to 221. 5s.,) farm-house and
buildings included. The same quantity of land
at from 8 to 30 miles from Boston, brings from 20
to 30 dollars ; — meadow and pasturage, from
10 to 30 dollars; orchard ditto, 50 to 100
dollars per acre. Wood land, near towns, is; of
course, more valuable than any other, its worth
increasing yearly. Moderate sized farms usually
contain all the different kinds of land, in, of
course, varied proportions. Plaster of Paris is
used for manure ; — it does not succeed in those
lands within the influence of the sea air: There
are some rich farmers in the New England

BOSTON. 105
States, but generally it is not an occupation by
which more than a living can be obtained.
Gentlemen-farmers do not make more than
from two to three per cent, on their money. The
more wealthy farmers, from 20 to 40 miles from
Boston, own large pastures, at the distance of
from 30 to 60 miles from their residence, in the
mountainous parts of New Hampshire and Ver-
riiont, where cattle and sheep- are fattened for
the Boston market.
, My entrance into Boston was not favoured-
by the weather. From its irregularity, and
other circumstances, this town in appearance
is more English than that of New York. The
names are English, and the inhabitants are
not so uniformly sallow. In proceeding along
the street with my baggage, to Jones's boarding-
house in Pearl-street, a gentleman accosted me —
" Where are you from ? When did you arrive ?
" Any thing new in York ? What is your name ?
" Any thing special ?"
Boston has a population of 40,000, yet it is
not a city : this arises from an apprehension in
the inhabitants, that the powers vested in cor
porations would be injurious to their liberties.
This town is the head-quarters of federalism in
politics, and unitarianism in religion. It con
tains many rich men. The Bostonians are also
the most enlightened and the most hospitable

106 ATHENE UM.
tfyat I haye, yet met with ; they, in common, with
all New Englanders, have the character of being
greater sharpers, and more generally dishonour
able, than the natives of the other sections of
the union: fpr myself j I should be incline*!, to
thinjc otherwise ; and, if I must affix such a re
putation, I should . be disposed fp remove it
further, south. .
K The Atheneum public library, under tiie^ ma
nagement of Mr. Shaw; is a valuable establish
ments It contains. 1 8,Q00 volumes, four thousand
pfj .which are the property of the present secre
tary of state. In tins establishmept I observed,
American editions of the following works : Rees*
CyclppaediajEdinburgh ditto, Calmet's Dictionary
and Fragments, Unitarian Version of the NeWj
Testament, the Writings pf Mosheim, Jeremy
Taylor, Bishop Lowth, M*Knight, Newcomb,,
Paley, Murphy's Tacitus, two or three editions,
of, Shakspeare, Edinburgh Review, Quarterly
difto, and the Christian Observer. English mar
gazines and newspapers are filed regularly:
among the latter were the Examiner, Coprier,
and Morning Post : t\\e former are miseejla-
nepus, and colleetejl apparently without regard
tp party. Mr. Shaw obligingly offered me access
to thiSjlibrary : — hejs a singular character :-^his
whole spul i is engrossed by his pursuits; at the
same tima, he knows every body, and every body
knows him. I .have walked with him in the

CAMBRIDGE COLLEGE. 107
streets : — our progress was slow indeed :— -every
few yards we were accosted, " Ah, Mr. Shaw,
" I have got something for the Atheneum. — a
f( Russian copper." — " Well, Mr. Shaw, I have
" thought of you — such a snake !" — " How
" dp you' do, Mr. Shaw ? I have got a prize —
" such a prize .!"
Mr. S. " What, something for the Atheneum,
" I guess?"
" Yes, a stuff'd rat, in fine preservation ; my
" brother brought it from Pernambuco/'
At Cambridge, four miles from Boston, is
situated a college, upon a large and liberal
scale. Mr. Washington Adams, who is a student,
fook me to view it: it contains 250 apart
ments for officers and students. There is a
philosophical apparatus, a hall for public reci
tations, a. dining hall, and a valuable library*
which contains a few, and almost the only stand
ard works in the United States, Admission into
the college requires a previous knowledge pf
mathematics, Latin, and Greek. All students
have equal rights — each class has peculiar in
structors — they meet twice a day. There are
quarterly and annual public examinations. This
college is regarded by the orthodox party as he
retical in matters of religion — it being observed
as somewhat remarkable,, that most of the theo^
logical students leave Cambridge disaffected to
wards the doctrine of the Trinity. The staunch

i08 SOCIETY OF BOSTON.
advocates- of this system taking the alarm, they
have established an academy for the education
of young men, •" who must be compelled to
" learn and to defend the doctrine of their
** fathers," as the most effectual means to op
pose the " Cambridge heresies." A legislative
act has not yet been obtained to incorporate th&
establishment as a College: From my brief ob
servation of these two prominent parties, I
should be induced to consider the Trinitarians to
be much behind their English orthodox brethren
in theological knowledge, liberality, and#since-
rity ; and the Unitarians (or more properly, the
Anti-Tririitarians, for few have gone the whole
length of Dr. Priestley) to beat the best too
worldly-minded ; — the open avowal of their opi
nions being a point upon which they appear to
maintain strict reserve;
The state of society in Boston is better than iri
New York, though the leaven, not of democracy,
but of aristocracy, seems to be very prevalent r
many of the richer families live in great style;
and in houses little inferior to those of Russel
Square. Distinctions exist to an extent rather
ludicrous under a free and popular government :
there are the first class, second class, third class;
and the "old families." Titles, too, are dif
fusely distributed.
Foreigners are not often met with in New
England ; — neither are Jews, or Quakers. There'

BOSTON. 109
once existed a law in Massachussets, which
awarded the punishment of death to the high
crime of being a quaker ! It is hardly necessary
to observe, that this barbarous statute, enacted
by a people who themselves had fled from reli
gious persecution, is not at present in existence.
It is not now, therefore, civil disabilities which
exclude the Society of Friends from this " land
of steady habits," but a cause is said to exist
for their absence, perfectly adequate to the effect
— the New-Englanders are as keen as themselves*
The same fact applies, perhaps, to the descendants
of Abraham.
Boston is not a thriving, that is, not an in-
creasirig town : it wants a fertile back country,
and it is too far removed from the western states
to be engaged in the supply of that new and vast
emporium, — except, indeed, with inhabitants,
a commodity which, I am informed, they send
in numbers greater than from any other quarter.
The winds here are violent ; as are also rains,
but not nearly so frequent as in England. A
clear sky is, I believe, the general characteristic
of America : the evenings are certainly most
delightful. : The police of Boston must be very far supe
rior to that of New York ; at least, if effects
may be taken as the criterion. The state of
3$or,als , I, cannot speak upon ; but medical gen
tlemen inform me, that their town is not an

110 BUNKER'S HILL.
exception to others with regard to purity*
one fact is, however, apparent, , that, unlike
some other towns, gross vice is not obtruded
upon the public gaze.
On an eminence in the Mall (a fine public
walk), is built the State House, in "which the
legislature hold -their meetings. The view from
the top of this building is surpassed by nothing
which I have seen: the bay with its forty
islands— the shipping —¦-the town- — the hill and
dale scenery for a distance of thirty miles, pre
sent an assemblage of objects which are beauti
fully picturesque. A great increase of interest
is communicated by the knowledge of the
fact, that Boston is the birth-place of the immor*
tal Franklin, and that here broke forth the first
dawnings of the ever-memorable revolution.
The heights of Dorchester and Bunker's Hill are
immediately under the eye of the spectator.
-On the 20th .of September I walked to BunJ-'
ker's Hill : it is about two miles from the centre
of Boston. The young gentleman who accom*
panied me is a native of the town, and yet' did
not know the road to this spot — sacred to pai
triotism and to liberty. The hill is one of mo^
derate height. The monument placed here in
commemoration of the victory is of brick and
wood, without an inscription ; — except what is
supplied by the boyish tricks of visitors, who

MR. ADAMS, THE EX-FRESIDENT. Ill
disfigure it with their names. " J. Fessenderi,
"1817," is cut in every direction; so anxious
are obscure blockheads for posthumous fame.
At the bottom of this hill are now lying two
most unexpected and far-famed American mo
numents of national glory — the frigates Guer-
riere and Java, named after two taken from the
British. What would a Franklin, a Patrick
Henry, or a Washington have felt, could they
have foreseen these things ¦? In the afternoon of
this day, young Mr. Adams Came from Quincy to
conduce me to his grandfather's (the late Presi
dent) at that place. We sailed out of the harbour
by way of Hingham : this route increases the dis;-
tance 13 miles. The inner and outer harbours are
both handsome: they are more extended, but have
not that Compact and varied beauty which so pe
culiarly belongs to those of New York. We passed
Forts Warren and Independence, near which
the inhabitants, in 1814, were stationed in shoals
of boats, viewing the contest between the Che
sapeake and Shannon. So confident were they
of the success of their countrymen, that dinners
were absolutely prepared in Boston for both the
victors and the vanquished : — but in this they
were sorely disappointed by the event.
The ex-president is a handsome old gentleman
of eighty-four ; — his lady is seventy-six : — she
has the reputation of superior talents, and great
literary acquirements. 1 was not perfectly a

112 GENERAL ARNOLD.
stranger here, as a few days previous to this I
had received the honour of an hospitable recep
tion at their, mansion. Upon the present occasion
the minister (the day being Sunday) was of the
dinnerparty. As the table of a "latekifig"
may amuse some pf you, take- the following par
ticulars : — first course, a pudding made of Indian
corn, molasses, and butter ; — second, veal, bacos,
neck of mutton, potatoes, cabbages, carrots, and
Indian beans ; Madeira wine, of which each
drank two glasses. We sat down to dinner at one
o'clock -: at two, nearly all went a second time
tp church. For tea, we had pound-cake, sweet
hread, and butter, and bread made of . Indian
corn and rye (similar to our brown home-made).
Tea was brought from, the kitchen, and handed
round by a neat, white servant-girl. The topics
of conversation were various — England, Ame
rica, religion, politics, literature, science, Dr.
Priestley, Miss Edgeworth, Mrs. Siddons, Mr.
Kean, France, Shakspeare, Moore, Lord Byron,
Cobbett, American revolution, the traitor Gene
ral Arnold. Concerning the popularity, among
the mass of the people, of this latter personage
Mj. Adams related a characteristic; occurrence.
Washington, Arnold, and himself were viewing
a sjipt pf ground for the purpose of erecting a
fortification. A man, with great anxiety depicted
upon hi§ countenance, enquired of Mr* A.,
" Which is General Arnold?, the brave, Arnold?
13

MR. JOHN ADAMS. 113
" the victorious Arnold ?" His curiosity being
gratified, he exclaimed with an oath, " I guess,
" if I should not glory even in going to hell, pro-
" vided General Arnold led me on."
The . establishment of this political patriarch
consists of a house two stories high, containing,
I believe, eight rooms ; of two men and three
maid servants; three horses, and a plain car
riage. How great is the contrast between this
individual — a man of knowledge and inform
ation — ¦ without pomp, parade, or vitious and
expensive establishments, as compared with the
costly trappings, the depraved characters, and
the profligate expenditure of —  House, and
- — ^  ¦  :  ! What a lesson in this does
America teach ! There are now in this land, ho
less than three Cincinnati ! -
•The charge at my boarding-house for eight days,
being part of the time I spent at Boston, was
31. Is. 8d. I should remark, that neither beer nor
ciderwas served at dinner-time— brandy and rum
were so ; and the charge, in this instance, is upon
the presumption that I availed myself of them
accordingly. Education is rightly valued in this state* as
one of the most important features of legislation.
There are public schools, and amongst them some
at which the classics and languages are taught.
The expenses Of instruction at private academies
professing to give a classical education are about

114 ED UCATC0N. — RELIGION.
•100 dollars per "annum ; 50 at a best English
school; 32 for a middling ditto; board from
two to three dollars per week extra ; female edu
cation about 12§ per cent, cheaper. The Lan-
Casterian system is npt in operation. Masters
©f free classical schools are exempt from military
duty and taxes .- the same exemptions are enjoyed
by ministers of every denomination. Clerical
gentlemen have here an astonishing hold, upon
the minds of meri : fhe degree of reverential
awe for the sanctity of their office, and the
attention paid to the external forms of religion,
(approach almost to idolatry ; — these feelings
are, perhaps, never encouraged without be*
corning the substitute of real religion, and ex-
pelling the active and merital principles of
Christianity. A man who values his good
name in Boston, hardly dare be seen out of
church at the appointed hours ; — this would be,
considered as a heinous crime by men who
rwould consider the same individual's cheating
'his creditors as of small import. They woukl
seem, in these respects, not unlike the peculiarly
religious among the Jews of old, who showed
their sanctity by a solemn cbuntenarice and a
broad garment, who would not eat with um-
washen hands, and who regarded it as profafie
to pluck ears of corn on a Sabbath-day ; — but
the founder of Christianity, in those days drew
aside the veil of hypocrisy ; declaring, that it was
fornication, false witness* and evil thoughtswhich

JtELlGIOUS SECTS. 115
defiled a man — and that neglecting these put-
ward observances did not defile a man. His use
of the language of Isaiah would, I fear, be but
too applicable to the religious bodies of this
place: " They draw nigh unto me with their
" mouths, and honour me with their lips,, but
*( their hearts are far from me."
The number of churches is as follows : viz.
twelve Congregationalists (nine of which are
said to be Anti-Trinitarian) ; two Episcopalian^
three Baptist ; one ditto for blacks ; one Quaker;
One -Universalisf ; one Roman Catholic ; two
Methodist ; one travelling preacher ditto. There
being here1 no peculiar state religion, men are
allowed the liberty of choosing to which of the
sects existing here they shall belong. To the
support of one of these, however, they are com
pelled to contribute; and should they neither
attend to the worship, or believe jn the doc
trines of any of them, the payment must equally
¦be made — and it then goes fo the funds of the
Congregationalist body. This enactment would
appear rather at war with enlightened legislation,
and scarcely reeoncileable with that extreme jea
lousy of their liberties, which would appear to
have dictated an opposition to their town being
.incorporated as a city. — Americans, and espe
cially New Englanders, ought to have known
that religion, in all its details, is an affair between
iGodand the individual, only, and that any at-
i 2

116 BOSTON POLFlSTCS.
teriipr^at' human interference, is a violation of
the rights of conscience, and ranks foremost
among the basest of tyrannies.
Politics.— Yon may expect some report as to
the political principles.", of the inhabitants of this
place ; — the following document will speak for
itself, and show, more fully than I eahpourtray
them, what are the prevailing views and opinions
on the subject of European -politics. It consists
•of the
?' Appendix'* to " A discourse delivered in Boston,
" at the solemn festival in commemoration of the
"goodness of God, in delivering the Christian
" world from military despotism, "by William
" Henry Chdnning, minister of the church in
" Federal-street, Boston."
" After receiving intelligence of the late asto-
" nishing revolutions in Europe, ascertaining
" beyond all doubt the entire subversion of that
"atrocious military" despotism; which' had 'so
"long desolated the Christian and civilized
"world, a number ¦ of the citizens of ' this
"" metropolis and the commonwealth at large,
" assembled on the 8th inst- at the house of
" His Honour William Phillips, to corisultupori
" the propriety. of noticing these events in a
" manner suited to their character and impert-
" ance, "and "-to the sentiments which they were
' ' calculated to inspire. Deeply impressed with

DISCOURSE ON, BONAPARTE. 117
^' the magnitude and the benefiCiaf and lasting
" influence, of this revolution, upon the best and
" dearest interests of society, they had, no hesi-
" tatipn in. recommending to their fellow citizens
". the observance of a solemn religious festival
5' in commemoration, of the goodness of God,
" in humbling unprincipled ambition, in crush-
" ing wicked and unjust power, in delivering
" the world from cruel and disgraceful bondage,
" in restoring to mankind the enjoyment of their
" just rights under the protection of legitimate
" government, and in giving to nations the cheer-
" ing prospect of permanent tranquillity. For
.-*,'. that purpose a large and respectable committee
"was. chosen to make the necessary, arrange-
c"; ments. ,
" Concluding prayer and benediction — .Rev.
" Dr. Lathrop.
. " The musical performances, vocal and in-
¦¦'i strumental, were executed by a very full choir
M and band,, in a style of enthusiasm, taste and
." .excellence, seldom equalled in this metropolis.
" The celebration was. attended by the governor,
*'.CQjmql, and both ^branches of * the legislature. >
, " After the religious services, of the; day were
" closed, the : Honourable Mr. Gore, chairman
*', of the committee of arrangements, introduced
*'f, the following resolutions, by remarking on the
•*; happy. state of Europe. prior to the f French
1 3

118 RESOLUTIONS*
" revolution, the depraved and deplorable eon-
" ditioft to which that event reduced the civilized
": world, the just apprehensions of wretchedness
" and barbarisrif from the continued despotism
" of Bonaparte, and the consequent joy that
*' mUst arise from his destruction and the
" establishment of order and public freedom itt
"Europe. " RESOLUTIONS.
" A large number of citizens of the State, of
" Massachusetts convened at Boston for the pur-
"' pose of expressing, in a solemn manner, their
" thanks to Almighty God, for his late gracious
" and wonderful interposition, in delivering
" Europe from that most fearful despotism,
" under which a great portion of the nations
" were actually suffering, and which the rest
" had just reason to apprehend : and for the
" further purpose of manifesting their sympathy
" and participation in the general joy of one
" hundred millions of the Christian world, and
" their delight at the prospect of. a speedy arid
" durable tranquillity to Suffering and distracted
" nations, the following Resolutions, having
" been duly matured, were introduced. -
"Resolved, That the citizens of Massachusetts
" here assetnbled, contemplate with unfeigned
" joy the emancipation of the French people
" from thfe Usurped power of a ferocious/fflttlitajy

" adventurer ; and they rejoice in the prospect
" that thirty-five millions of their fellow men,
"have a reasonable expectation of being, blest
« with temperate/liberty, adapted to their state
i< of society and habits, and a constitution and
" administration qf government, apparently con-
" formed to their wishes. They congratulate
" tiie venerable head of the house of Bourbon
" pn his restoration from exile, to the throne
" of his ancestors, to which he is called by the
'.' entreaties qf his people, and from which he
" has been excluded by a series of crimes, at
*f which humanity shudders. They remember
" the language of their revolutionary sages and
"patriots, glowing with affection and respect
" toward the late unhappy and injured possessor
*¦' of the throne of the Bourbons ; nor can they
*' forget that the good understanding between
•" this country and France was never interrupted
" so long as that family were in power, but that
*« ¦injuries and insults, such as no nation ever
"before submitted to, have been heaped upon
" it by all their successors, from the transient
" despot of a day, to the more permanent tyrant,
" clothed with imperial authority. It is not
" more from a conviction that the interest of
'/the United States will be promoted by the
y late auspicious events, than from their regard
*' to the^happiness pf, other nations, thatthey
*' congratulate the Sovereign and People oi
i 4

1 20 DUTCH INDEPENDENCE.
" France, on the voluntary renewal of theff
"ancient' ties.
" Resolved, That the people of Massachusetts'
" recollect the generous sympathy of the Dutch
" towards the American people during the dark-
" est period of their revolutionary struggle ; and
" rejoice most fervently in tlie glorious emanci-
" pation of the United Netherlands. They bless
" God, that whilst this people appeared to human
" eyes, for ever blotted out of the list of nations,'
" He was at that moment preparing its restor-
" atibn to independence, and, it maybe hoped,1
" fo glory and power. They rejoice with the
"patriotic Hollanders at the return of the illus-
" trious house of Orange to their first magistracy}
" and do not wonder at their enthusiastic joy"
" upon the occasion, when they remember thdi
" this ancient family have been always the gallant
" and zealous defenders of the rights and UbertiU
*' if the Dutch people.
¦ " Resolved, That the liberation of Germany,'
"Italy, and Switzerland, and especially of
" Prussia, with whom this country is connected
" by treaty, are also causes of the most exalted
" pleasure to this assembly.
" Resolved, That they have always witnessed
" with deep emotion, and watched witiv con-
" stant anxiety, the struggle of the Spanish and
" Portuguese nations for their independence':
"and it therefore gives sincere delight to find
" this independence fully-confirmed, and nothing

ALEXANDER THE DELIVERER. 121
" but the unhappy situation in which this coun-
" try is placed in relation, to one of the allies,
" prevents their- expressing a just sense of the
"virtues and talents of that chief, to whom,
" under God, whole nations are so greatly
" indebted.
" Resolved, That this assembly view with
" mingled emotions of admiration and gratitude,
" the unexampled magnanimity of the great head
"of the Confederacy for -the deliverance qf
"Christendom. The- name of Alexander the
" Deliverer, will be akvays dear to every lover
" of national freedom, while the moderation, dis-
" tnterestedness, foresight, and determination of
" all the Confederates, to sacrifice every thing to
" the future repose of Europe, will cause their
" names to be venerated, and the epoch to be for
" ever memorable. It is with the greater joy they
" perceive this liberality and true wisdom in the
" allied councils, as it affords a well-grounded hope
" qf a restoration of peace to this country, on
" terms compatible with its interest and its honor.
" It is because the recent events in Europe have
" a direct tendency to render liberty secure, to
" check anarchical propensities, to restrain ara-
" bition, foster morals and religion, and to
" protect property and the arts, and finally, to
" give solid peace to the Christian world, that
" this assembly hail them as blessings, that -they
" bow in humble gratitude before the Almighty,
" from whose goodness they all proceed: and

122 f;m works, &c.
" it is from a desire it may be known that, with
" many thousands qf their countrymen, they
*' partake in the joy of all civilized nations,
"that these feelings and sentiments are now
V proclaimed." These resolutions, having *been severally con
s' sidered, were cordially approved and una-ni-
<' mously adopted by the assembly.
" In the evening f re-works were exhibited, and
" by a resolve of the Legislature the State-home
" was illuminated, as were some private fyouses,
*' in a manner to complete the, saber and dignified
y enjoyment of the vast multitudes who united
*" in the celebration"
„¦ This is, I think, a curious document. The
gentlemen, whose names it contains, are the
leading men in Boston ; and it may be taken as
speaking the general sentiments of the inhabit
ants, not only of Boston, but of New England
generally, and even pf some persons in New
York, upon a subject clearly illustrative of their
yiews, at once, of European and general politics.
24th September, 1817, I left Boston for Al-
hany, in the stage : the distance is 180 miles ;
the fare, 21. 14s. ; charge for all, meals op the
rpad? , 2s. 3d. each ; for bed, 2s. 3d. : nothing
given to waiters or coachmen. The stage called
at my, lodgings at t.WP o'clock in the morning.
There was, upon my entrance into it, but one
passenger ; he was an American, and, of course,

INTERROGATORIES. 123
soon obtained from me the information that I
was going to Albany. We were driven about
the town for an hour, taking up others ; so that,
before our starting, we were well filled with
passengers and their luggage. The man be
fore referred to was going but ten miles ; yet he
must know from every person how far they were
travelling, and whether, or not they were " na-
tifees" of Boston. An old man, partially deaf, was
the last object of his attack. His seat being
central, the first question put to him was, "Where
are you going, middle on'?" This being answered
satisfactorily, the following dialogue ensued : —
Q. Do you keep at Boston ? — A. No.
Q. Where do you keep ? — A. Fairfield.
Q. Have you been a lengthy time in Boston,
e'h, say ? — A. Seven days.
Q. Where did you sleep last night? — A.
 street.
Q. What number ? — A. Seven.
Q. That is Thomas Adonis  's house ? —
A. No ; it is my son's.
Q. What, have you a son ? - — A. Yes j and
daughters. Q. What is your name ? — A. William Henry
— — , I guess.
Q. Is your wife alive ?-*-A. No, she is dead,
I guess. Q. Did she die slick right away ? — A. No ;
not by any manner of means.

124i INTERROGATORIES.
Q. How <Ipng have you been married ?rrA*
Thirty years, I guess.
Q. What age were you \vhen. you, were mar
ried ? — A. I guess mighty near thirty-three. ......
Q. i If you were young again I guess you
would marry earlier ?. — A. No ; I guess thirty:
three is a mighty grand age for marrying.
Q. How old is your daughter ? — A. Twenty-
five. Q. I guess she would hke a husband ?— A. Np;
she. is mighty careless about that.
Q. . She is not awful (ugly), I guess ? — A. No,
I guess she is not.
Q. Is she sick ?.— A. Yes.
Q. What is ber sickness.? — A. Consumption..
. Q. I had^an item (a supposition) of that. , You
have got a doctor, I guess.?-:- A. Guess I have,.
Q. Is your son a .trader ? ¦ — A. Yes. .
Q. Is he his own boss ? — A. Yes..
Q. Are his spirits kedge (brisk) ? A. Yes ; I
expect they- were yesterday.
Q. How did he get in business?.—^, I planted,
him there.. I was his..; sponsor fprra thousand
dollars. I guess he paid me within time ; and
he is. now ^progressing slick. He bought his
store at a good lay (a good bargain)..
The yPung man's arrival .at ..his destination
put a stop to this course of question and answer ;
and the inquisitive catechiser invited his elderly

• FIELD DAY. 125
friend, when he should come that way, " to go
by his house and dine with him."
Northampton, 97 miles from Boston, We
arrived at this town at ten o'clock at night.
We started hence at two o'clock the following
morning. The road leads over the Green Moun
tain, and is both tedious and difficult. There
seemed scarcely a spot upon the mountains
capable of cultivation. In one place there were
ten frame buildings, among which- a skeleton
church was not the least prominent.
At Pittsfield, 140 miles from Boston, we
stopped for an hour and a half. This town is
singularly situated, in a beautiful and fertile
valley, on the banks of the Hausatonic River.
There are here two inns, five stores, 100 housesj>a
congregatibnalist church, and a military barracks.
We arrived on a military field day : soldiers were
exercising in the street : , they were dressed in
their common clothing; — to distinguish officers
from men was difficult : some were armed. with
sticks, some with umbrellas, some with muskets ;
all were talking, and each seemed to do as he
pleased. At the church door, where a man was
retailing cider, the sons of Mars were actively
engaged in making purchases ; their officers
joining in this department of military service.
One of our passengers was a labouring-man .:
he conversed with ease and with good sense. , I
particularly remarked his correct* pronunciation,

126 NAMES. — HABITS.
and concluded that this class of society were
much superior to the lower orders in England,
He afterwards proved to be a Londoner, and
had recently emigrated to this country, in the
ship Perseus;— an instarice this how cautious
travellers ought to be in drawing general con
clusions from particular facts.
The country froin Boston to Albany did not
equal my expectations. The soil appears sterile,
and there still remains immense tracts unculti
vated. The towns look new and handsome. A
barren rock over Which we travelled is named
Lebanon; — this, I observe, accords with a point
of riatibnal character, which shows itself in a
love of striking, of ancient, and of hard names.
Counties or towns are denominated Athens,
Homer, Virgil, Horace, Cincinnati. Men —
Cicero, Brutus, Solomon. Women — Penelope,
Adeline, Desdemona. *
Upon the condition of the people I have little
more to say than to repeat my former remarks.
There seems no absolute want : all have the
essential necessaries of life ; few its luxuries.
Their habits and manners are similar to those 1
have observed in their countrymen generally :
all seem tP have a great deal of leisure, and fow,
or none to occupy it for the purposes of mental
improvement. The grossly coarse and vulgar
man is as rare as the solidly intelligent and
liberal. Ignorance, I suspect, exists a great
10

KNOWLEDGE. — LIVE STOCK, &C 127
deal more in fact than in appearance. Men
seldom converse upon any subject except those
connected with their immediate pecuniary in
terest; — few appear to have any regard for the
general extension of liberty to the whole human
family. In order to gain an idea of the agriculture
and population of the country, it occurred to
me to take an account, as far as I eould, of the
live stock, &c. which I saw from the road.
This may appear trifling — perhaps almost ri
diculous ; but by comparing it with what you
would yourself see, under similar circumstances,
on an English road, you may gain some useful
ideas on the subject. During the route of 180
miles, then, which I have just traversed, I
counted twenty-five cows, ten horses, six small
farmers' waggons, three men travelling on foot,
four on horseback, two families in waggons re
moving to the western country, one on foot
pursuing the same course. There were no beg
gars;— none who appeared much distressed.
The cows and horses are smaller than ours ; but
(they are compact in shape, and well fed. After
having passed through Wesboro, Worcester,
Northampton, and Pittsfield (all towns of con
siderable importance, and containing many ex
cellent buildings) I arrived late in the evening at
Albany, the capital of the state of New' York.
It is distant from the city of New York about

128 ALBANY. — PRICES.
160. miles, and lies at the head of the sloop
navigation of the Hudson River. Should 'the
canal to Lake Erie be completed, fhis-must'be-
coine a first-rate town : it is, even at present,"a
place of extensive business. The building in
which the State-legislature meet is called " The
Capitol ;" — it is situated on an elevation at the
terriiination of the maim street,5 and* certainly
presents a fine appearance. — I have only time
,to give /vou the . following unarranged inform
ation concerning Albany.
The population is about 12,000. Shop
keepers, of whom I have conversed with several,
icomplain most bitterly of the state of trade.- ? A
large body of riiechanics recently left here for
want of employment ; — the wages given to those
who remain are the same as at New Ybrk : their
.board is three dollars per week. I pay at my inn
-one and a half dollar per day. Rent of a house
and shopina good situation, is from five to seven
hundred jdollars per annum, and the taxes abotot
.twenty dollars. There are many small wood
houses, which are from fifty to onehundred'and
•fifty dollars per annum, according to size and
.situation. Beef, mutton, and veal, are 5d;to 6|d.
per pound ; fowls, 8d. to 9|d. each ; ducks, 13d.
-to l6d. ; geese, 2s. 3d. ; butter, 14d. a pound;
potatoes, 20d.< a bushel ; flour, 45s. a barrel;
•fish, 4d.) to 7d; a pound ; rum and gin, 4s. 6d.
iper gallon ;. brandy arid hollands, 9s^6d.

EMIGRATION. 129
I must still withhold my advice upon the ge
neral subject of emigration. I am not yet pos
sessed of evidence from which I can form that
matured judgment, which should either give you
encouragement, or the contrary. My feelings
are certainly those of disappointment ; but feel
ing. is a bad guide, and therefore its suggestions
must remain, at present,, confined to my own
bosom. Perhaps one cause of these unfavour
able . impressions is, that, my ideas of this
country, in common with your own, were higher
than an experience of mankind, or a deliberate
view of all the circumstances of this people,
-would have justified. Thus much, however, I
can say, that, although I see no decidedly promi
nent inducement to emigration, yet the poor in
dustrious man, who has got a family, and the
mechanic who is not earning more than a guinea
a week, would find their pecuniary affairs im
proved by becoming citizens of this republic.
To the capitalist, I can as yet give no satis
factory information. With aftxioushopes that I
shall receive letters when I arrive at Philadel
phia, I must for the present take my leave, in
tending to forward a further report by the very
first opportunity.

FOURTH REPORT.

CITrZEN JENET. — SCENERY OF HUDSON RIVER. — RETURN
TO NEW YORK, t- VIEW IT MORE FAVOURABLY. — ENOR?
MOUS AND DANGEROUS POWERS VESTED IN THE GO
VERNOR. — LEAVE NEW YORK FOR PHILADELPHIA. —
TRENTON. — GENERAL MOREAU. — RIVER DELAWARE.
— JOSEPH BUONAPARTE. — APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY
FROM NEW YORK TO TRENTON. — ARRIVAL IN PHILA
DELPHIA. — FINE APPEARANCE OF THAT CITY.  WANT
OF DOMESTIC COMFORT AND CLEANLINESS. — PREPAR
ATIONS FOR A GENERAL ELECTION. — FULL PARTICULARS
OF THAT OCCURRENCE. — COPIES OF ELECTIONEERING
HAND BILLS. — REFLECTIONS UPON POLITICAL LIBERTY
IN AMERICA. — VISIT TO MAYOR'S COURT. — LAW PRO
CEEDINGS. — Vl'Sit TO THE PRISON. — ITS EXCELLENT
MANAGEMENT. — THE PENNSYLVANIAN HOSPITAL. -*¦
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS. — FINE ARTS,, —-
PEALE's MUSEUM. — MARKETS. — PRICES OF PROVISION'S ;
OF LABOUR. — RENTS. — RELIGIOUS SECTS. — FANATI
CISM OF SOME. — ESTIMATION OF NEGROES. — MILITASY
SERVICE.. — CLIMATE. — DISEASES.  HIGH CHARGES OF
MEDICAL GENTLEMEN. — POOR LAWS. — POLICE,. —
STATE OF MORALS; OF MANNERS. — CHARACTER OF
PHILADELPHIAN LADIES. — WHAT CLASSES OF EMI
GRANTS WOULD BE LIKELY TO SUOCEEJD.— AMERICA
RISING IN MY ESTIMATION. — TAXES.
Philadelphia, Oct. 12. 1817.
The well-known citizen Jenet boarded . at, the
inn at Albany, in which I took up my abode*

CITIZEN JENET. 131
When ambassador from the republic of France
to the republic of America, he was peculiarly
prominent, as having under his irifluence a large
party, who were actively in opposition to the
administration of General Washington : he was
in consequence recalled. At present he is an
almost unnoticed individual ; though his polite
ness in this " land without manners," will cause
him to be remarked, at least during his seat at
the dinner table.
When I arrived at the inn, I was extremely
cold. All the fires were surrounded by gen
tlemen smoking segars, and lolling back on
chairs, with their feet fixed against the chimney
piece. An idea of making room for a shiver
ing stranger, seemed not to enter into their
minds. I left Albany in the steam-boat Rich
mond, and proceeded to the city of Hudson^ I
hasten on in my detail to the city of New York,
the interior of the State not having furnished me
with, any features peculiarly different from those
already communicated ; but I must not quit
the noble Hudson without first contributing my
share of praise, in acknowledgment of the de
light 1 experienced in viewing the varied scenery
of this magnificent river. Upon leavitig Albany,
the views which presented themselves were
mild and pleasing; as we approached the Cats-
kill Mountains, the scene assumed the true cha
racter of bold and fearless grandeur.
k 2

132 SECTIONAL PREJUDICES.
The city of -New York, upon a second visit,
improved in my estimation : such is the effect
Of comparison ! The season having advanced,
many had returned from " the springs," as Bal
aton and Savatoga are denominated. This pro
duced a most striking improvement in the effect
of the public promenade, particularly with re
spect to the females : many of them were hand
some, and had the appearance of health, while
nearly all of them were even splendidly attired.
My former acquaintances were eager to know
my opiriion of Boston; and to discover how it
stoodin; " a stranger's judgment," as compared
with their own idolized city. I endeavoured to
be impartial in drawing the parallel; but rio
qualification of praise, as to their own place of
residence, would satisfy them. • Every sentence
terminated with; an appeal to some peculiar
beauty or excellence which they possessed, and
the other toWn wanted ; as, " Remember Broad-
" way, Mr. Fearofi !" or " You know, Sir, the
" battery, Sir!— the battery, Sir! and Broad-
" way, Mr. Fearori, — and the battery; there
" can be nothing like these in the world.?' The
Bostonians on their part. are equally bigoted in
favour of their town ; and indeed I find, almost
universally, that sectional prejudices, are as
strong amongst themselves, as those which
exist generally against England ; for there seems
to be no ren^fwng in the likes and dislikes of
this people

JOSEPH BUONAPARTE. 133
,"• Upon politics I- have little to communicate.
j — I am told that the situations which are in
the gift of the Council of Appointment (and
they comprise almost every civil office in the
State) are bought and sold as commonly as the
poor oppressed men of colour are in the neigh
bouring states ; or, to bring the matter nearer
home, as frequently as seats in our House of
Commons. ,,
2d October. Left New York for -Philadelphia,
in the steam-boat " Olive Branch."
In the evening I arrived at Trenton, which
is the capital of New Jersey. General Moreau's
stables are still standing in this neighbourhood:
his dwelling-house was consumed by fire. King
Joseph was negotiating for a house here, in an7
ticipation of his brother Lucien's arrival : the
price was to have been 30,000 dollars. At six
o'clock in the morning we recommenced our
journey for Philadelphia. Joseph Buonaparte's
house is situated on the Jersey banks of the river
Delaware : in appearance it is equal to a mo
derate English country seat. He is said to have
bought it for 10,000 dollars, and to have laid
out 20,000 more in having it completed in a
splendid style. At present he is from home,
having gone to view Niagara Falls. His asso-
dates are French gentlemen, but he is easy
of access, and appears to participate in the
interests of the country j — owns a steamJboat,
and would be popular, if it were only on account
k 3

134 ROUTE TO PHILADELPHIA.
Pf his riches. When he arrived in New York
frorir Europe, an anecdote is currently related
of the American porter who was removing his
baggage from the vessel. It was heavy. King
Joseph was standing on the wharf; — the honest
republican called fo him, " Come, Boney, lend
" a hand."
At ten o'clock we arrived at Market-street
Wharf, Philadelphia. Before I enter upon
a description of this truly fine city, it may: be
well to occupy a few lines with what remarks
I have made on the country through which I
have passed. The banks of the Rariton are low,
but contain some fine salt meadows. The
country from New Brunswick to Trenton is well
Cultivated, but the soil appears indifferent : the
roads are extremely bad. Easiness of circum
stances, or rather an absence of poverty, ap
pears to characterise the condition of the h>
habitants : the negroes are sorely oppressed.
There are many good houses in the towns. Six
steam-boats passed us on the Delaware : the
scenery of this river possesses no character in
common [with that of the Hudson : there is a
total absence of the bold and the grand; yet it
possesses much that may be termed beautiful,
with a calm serenity which is very pleasing.
When our boat arrived we were inundated
with porters, the. greater part of whom were
blacks, the rest were Irish : they had tin plates
on their hats or breasts, upon which were written

PHILADELPHIA. 135
their names and residences. 1, for the first
time, . allowed my trunk to go out of my sight;
In England, among strange porters, I should
have been more particular, but here such things
are .done without hesitation. I should not sup
pose that this proceeded from any peculiar feel
ings of national honour, or a general spirit of
integrity : the real cause lies, I rather think, in
the simple fact, that any man may obtain work,
and when it is completed, will be liberally paid.
The inducements to dishonesty are thus less
ened at their true source.
My. first impressions of this city were decid-i
edly favourable : it gave me ideas of a substantial
cast. In the possession of a character essentially
different from New York — if has not so much
business, not so much gaiety, not so much life ;
but there is in Philadelphia a freedom from mere
display, a relief from gaudy trappings, an evi
dence of solidity, of which its more commercial
rival is nearly destitute. The streets are clean,
well and regularly built. '- First-rate private
houses are numerous, as are also public build
ings ; but their architecture is not of the highest
order. The foot-paths are impeded by an inju
dicious mode of constructing cellars, by which
they project into the street; and also by a very
slovenly practice of the store-keepers, which is
common in America, namely, placing quantities
of loose goods outside of their doors.
K 4

TM& UKhAWAKE.

The quality of some of the water of Phila
delphia may be estimated from the experiment
of Mr. Hunter, who, upon analysing 220 gallons
from a pump in Second-street, found it to con
tain the following ingredients : 12 oz. chalk,:
32 oz. salt-petre, 17 oz. magnesia, 24 oz. com
mon sea-salt. ¦ • r •
;The Delaware, of which , the Indian name is,
Poutaxat, Upon the banks of which this city is
built, rises in the .State of New York. ; At this
city it is 1360 yards wide, and is navigable for
vessels of any burden. It is frozen in the
winter months ; a circumstance which materially
affects the commercial interests of Philadelphia^
and give3 a great advantage to New York, as the
latter- port is rarely closed.
, The present population of Philadelphia is
estimated at ; 120,000, many : of whom, live. m
houses which would adorn any city in the world.
Rents are about 25 percent, lower than in .New
Yprk : this, I should apprehend, does not pro
ceed either from a comparative want of prospe
rity, from cheaper materials, or Ipwer-priced
labour; but from a more general equality of
desirable situations, combined with the exists
ence of more real, though perhaps, less. appa*.
rent capital. It may be also that rents are in
fluenced by the calculating habits of the society
of friend?, who reside here in great numbeifjjii
After a residence of three days at the hotfl»i$

OUTSIDE SPLENDOUR. 137
removed to a private boarding-house, in one of
the bed-rooms of which I am now writing.: The
dining-room of this establishment is genteel ;
but the other apartments, and more particularly
the kitchen, are of a kind not much to excite
admiration. I perceived here what — unpleasant
as may be the discovery, I think I have ob
served elsewhere, and — worse still, what I fear
pervades this new world, an affectation of splen
dour, or what may be called, style, in thosethings
which are intended to meet the public eye ; with
a lamentable want even of cleanliness in such
matters as are removed from that ordeal. To
this may be added, an appearance of uncom
fortable extravagance, and an ignorance of that
kind of order and neatness which constitute, iii
the sight of those who have once enjoyed it,
the principal charm of domestic life. I should
rejoice to find myself in an error in this judg*
ment ; but all I have seen myself, and all I have
collected from the observation of others inost
competent to form a correct opinion, tend to
its confirmation.
Last evening I drank tea at a genteel private
house. — The furniture was splendid, the table
profusely supplied, being loaded with fish, dried
beef and sausages ; the bread and butter was
roughly cut in huge hunks piled zig-zag., The
children's faces were dirty, their hair uncombed,
their dispositions evidently 'Untaught, and all

138 FUNERALS. — ELECTIPN.
the members of the family, from the boy of six
years of age, up to the owner (I was going to
say rttaster) of the house, appeared independent
of each other. I have seen the same character
istics in other families — in some indeed de
cidedly the contrary; but these latter would
seem to be the ; exceptions, and the former the
general rule. '"-  *>
Funerals are uniformly attended by large
walking processions. In the newspapers I have
frequently observed advertisements stating the
deaths, and inviting all friends to attend the
burial. The dead are seldom kept more than two
days. At the time appointed, intimate friends
enter the house, others assemble outside, and
fall into the procession when the bcdy is brought
out. Sorrow does not seem depicted in the
countenances of any. Many smoke segars, and
none appear chargeable with the hypocrisy de^
scribed by the poet of " mocking sorrow with
" a heart not sad."
The present is a most busy time at this place,
to-morrow being the day of election for the
governor of the State of Pennsylvania. I have
been fortunate in having letters of introduction
to the leading man of one of the great political
parties which divide this State \ inasmuch as by
that means I have Witnessed all the novel ma
chinery which is now in such active operation.
' The governrit has 'the gift of from forty to

POLITICAL PARTIES. 139
fifty offices, amongst which are those of recorder,
alderman, and indeed every, minor as well as
important civil occupation. Auctioneers also re
ceive their authority to sell from the governor ;
and their number being small, the profession be
comes a most valuable monopoly. By means of
this statement you will see the value and im
portance of the office of governor, and will not
be surprised that its obtainment should be the
object of a severe contest.
lo'th Oct. The election being now closed, I
can sit down and review it calmly as a whole.
It has been to me a highly interesting scene.
The political parties at present range I believe
as follows :
1st. The violent democrats, called " Patent
',' Democrats."
; ,2nd. The moderate democrats, called by the
several names of " Independent Republicans,"
"Democrats of the Revolution," and " Old
" Schoolmen." 3d. Federalists, called also " Tories," " Hert-
" ford Conventionalists," and " Blue Light
" Men." 4th. No party men, called " Quids."
- The present candidates for the office of go
vernor are each of them of the democratic party.
General Hiester is of the moderate faction, and
is also supported against his opponent by the
federalists and quids. Mr. Finlay has the pow
erful aid of the unyielding democrats ; and,

140 ELECTION OF GOVERNOR.
though he is in a minority in the proportion of
one to three within the- city of Philadelphia,
littledoubt is entertained of his election's having
been carried by a large majority through the
State at large. All that, are citizens, whether
native or naturalized, of the age of 21 years
and upwards, and who have paid their taxes,
have the rightof voting. It is not necessary that
a man should be a householder ip order to pay
taxes, there being here a direct or poll tax of 9s.
per annum, which alone, when paid by men pos-
sessed of the previous! qualification of citizenship,
establishes the right to vote. The general elec
tion is preceded by an election; in the different
wards of officers called Inspectors, whose busi
ness it is to receive the ballot ticket of voters :
parties try their strength in this 'first step. I
witnessed the mode of voting : the persons
choosing inspectors attend at a stated place in
their own ward, and deliyer in their ballot through
a window. The number assembled at any one
time did "not exceed tWerity. There was no
noise, no confusion, in fact, not even conver
sation. I was astonished to witness the anxiety
felt by leading men, that their party, should be
elected inspectors. The eventual choice at the
general election seemed, in fact/ in their esti-r
mation, actually to rest upon the having " In
spectors" of their bWn party. I remarked; to
them that it could be of no consequence of what

ELECTIONEERING BETS. 141
party these gentlemen were, as they were pro
tected from partial or corrupt conduct by the
mode of voting being by ballot. One of them
informed me afterwards, that the fact of the in
spectors being on one side or the other had been
calculated to make a difference of upwards' of
200 votes in a particular section ! — arising from
the reception of improper, and the rejection of
good votes. The means by which an inspector
can effect this, though the mode is by ballot, is
said to be remarkably exact. That there may
be some truth in this statement, would seem
probable from a scene which I witnessed in the
evening. I called upon the gentleman' before
alluded to. His room was completely crammed
with the managers of the forth-comirig election ;
and here, instead of finding that the general
anxiety was at all connected with .the advance
ment of correct political principles, I heard the
following conversation : —
" I'll bet you fifty (dollars) on Hiester in
Chesnut ward."
" What majority will you give him ?"
" One-fourth."
¦- " Give old Sour Kraut (Hiester) a hundred
and thirty, and I'll take you."
" Done."
" What will you give Finlay in Lower Dela
ware ward?"
" One hundred."

142 caucus.
" And what to Hiester ?"
" Three hundred."
"Give Bill three and half, and TlitaKe you
for five hundred."
" No : I'll give him three and half for a pair
Of boots."
" 'Guess I'll take you for a pair and a hat. —
What for Dock ward ?"
" I won't bet on Dock : they're all a set of
d  d Tories."
" Will you give Joe four hundred in South
Mulberry ?"
" I won't take Joe, I guess, in that ward ?"
" What will you give Billy in South Mulberry?"
" A couple of hundred."
" Done for five hundred."
All. "What majority upon the whole election,
Friend, will you advise us to give ?"
Fr. " You must be cautious in your majori
ties. We do not know how Beaver and Dauphin
(the counties of Dauphin and Beaver) may turn
out. — Mind! save yourselves. — If you find Billy
(Finlay) going down, take up Sour Kraut
(Hiester)." I should have explained, that elections are
managed, ami even governed, by a something
(a species of meeting) which, I cpnfess, I do not
yet perfectly understand : it is called a " Gau' .
cus." Candidates do not personally appear*
Those who wish to be chosen obtain, as a pre-
iat •

FEDERALISTS* TICKET. 143
limuiary step, what is termed " The Appoint
ment." This is said to secure them the support
of the whole of that party from which " the
appointment" emanates. An announcement,
called " The Ticket," issues from this Caucus a
few days before the election ; in this case there
were three of these "tickets," severally headed,
Federal, Republican, and Democratic. The fe
deralists sent to an acquaintance of mine their
" ticket," enclosed in the following circular
letter ; though I would remark, that canvassing,
in the English meaning of that word, is- not
allowed : —
" Fellow Citizen,
" The exercise of the elective franchise is at
" all times a privilege of the highest value : —
" on the present occasion every federalist has
" an opporturiity to aid in dispelling preju-
*' dices — in lessening the malignity of party
" spirit — in restoring the right of free election,
" and of Resisting those dangerous abuses in
" government, introduced by office holders, which
" if not promptly and steadily checked, threaten
" to become inveterate and irremediable. Let
" every man be vigilant, active, and firm, on
" this" day, and success will crown our efforts.
" The inspectors have resolved to open the
" poll precisely at 9 o'clock.
" October 14. 1817"

1** DEMOCRATIC -ticket.
The democratic party adopt the same mode.
I enclose you two of their circulars. . These do-
cuhients, as well as others which! will follow, are,
perhaps, better calculated than any other plan
which I could :adopt, to put you in possession of
the state of parties, their mode of conduct and
feelings towards each' other, and also the general
political condition of the whole people.
[circular.]
" Sir, ;
« We enclose you the Democratic Ticket,
" which is recommetided by the delegates and
" conferrees fairly chosen, after public notice.
" We request you to vote it and give it all the
"support to which you may deem it entitled.
" We consider THIS election as involving the
*• most important consequences; Federalism,
." conscious of it's own feebleness and inability
" to wrestle with the strength of. democracy,
" has made a union with a few disappointed
" men ; , hoping through them to turn over,
" not only this city and district, but the State
" and Union to Federal misrule.
" Be Careful to bring with you your receipt
"jor county tax. If a naturalized citizen, be
" sure to bring your certificate of naturaliza-
" tion, as it will, in all probability, be required.
" These CaUtions are deemed more than, ever
" necessary, from the shameful conduct and
" persecuting spirit manifested by the Federal

. electioneering. 145
" Judges, at the late ward election. Be on the
" ground early. It is of an importance, that
•** ^every citizen votes, because it may be that a
*i vote would carry a candidate.
" Philadelphia, October 6. 1815."

<%

«

DEMOCRATIC ADDRESS.
" Citizens, Democrats, Americans ! This is
the day qfthe General Election ! If you value
your own rights, your own happiness, your
political characters, your liberties, oryourRe-
" -publican institutions, every man to the poll,
" and vote the Democratic Ticket ; it is headed
" with the name of the patriot William. Find-
" lay. — Citizens ! the times are momentous !
" the seceders from the Democratic ranks have
" joined with our old and inveterate political
" enemies to put down Democracy. It is an
" unholy league between apostates and political
" traitors on the one part, and on the other the
*' anglorfederalists, the monarchists, the aristo-
" crats, the Hartford conventionalists, the blue-
" light men, the embargo-breakers, the Henry-
f« ites, the men who in time pf Peace cried out
«' for War! War! but who in time of war,
" called themselves the Peace party. — Huzza
*' for William Findlay, and no bribery, — A
f long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether."
L

146, william findlay.
federal address.,
'" " . William Findlay —
" 1. A selfish politician, who never served hfe
**i country, and always on the lookrOUt for officev
"2. An apostate federalist and time server.
" 3. A constant office hunter. 4. A treasury
**• broker and public defaulter, who exchanged
" and used public money for his own benefit..
" 5. One who holds morality in contempt, and
^ maintains and practises the maxim, that the
" end. justifies the means-.. 6. One who, has re»
" sorted to thebasest falsehoods to support him-
** self. 7' One who intrigued and bargained
** for the .office, and openly electioneered, for.
" himself .. 8... A state .inquisitor, who would
^ gag, if not immolate eyery man, not of his
** own.secU 9*. A. man .who has blended the
*' public money with. Iris own,, and is yet to ac-
" count for misdemeanor in office* .10,. A ha**,
" barian, who holds- thafe 'the study pf the law
" disqualifies a mara fromi being a judge.' "
" Take notice who are the friends of WiL~.
"-iiAM Findlay, — 1. Traitor* and apostatesi*
" 2. Inveterate aristocrats. 3. Officeholders and
" Office -hunters. 4. Cormorants for the loaves
"''and fishes,: and friends only to themselvesis
" 5. Fugitives from British gaols and justice* "J
Take, care 1 ! / — William Findlay's eleetiorf
"Will be sure, 1. If the Republicans stay-at
*« home. 2. If they are negligent or timid on.

ELECTION. 147
*»' the election ground/ . 3,; If ': ejection, like trea*
" sury frauds, are not "detected and prevented,
" Take advice, — . l.lLook well to ypur ticketsy
** 2. Look well to your, boxes. 3^. Look well
" to your tallies." 4. Look well to your. returns ;
" and, 5. Look well to those who vote,.that they.
** are qualified."
The following morning I was early on the
election ground. The place appointed to re
ceive Votes* for the city (exclusive of Southwack
and the northern liberties,) was in the State?
houses— the same building in which; that, im-
mortal document was passed — the declara
tion of Independence ! There were two
inspectors for each ward of the city placed at
separate' Windows. 'The electors, delivered, in
their votes from, the; street. The ground: was
what is here .called manned ; that is, persons in
the interest of the parties have written on their
hat or breast, " Federal Ticket," or " De
mocratic Ticket," soliciting citizens as they
approach the poll ,L«« to vote their ticket ;" for
which purpose they are prepared to fUrriish them
With; the printed ballotting list of their party.
The neighbouring public-houses were, of course,
occupied by the electioneerers. I resolved to
devote to this as much of my time as possible, in
obtaining an ihsight into the character and mirid
* The city and state are divided into election districts.
Th€ wftofe^ terminat€S;in.one day.
L 2

148 GENERAL BARKER.
of this people, and to observe them acting!; iri
their, political capacity. They were all betting
upon the election ; but I lament. to say; that
few,' if any, appeared to care one straw about
principle. Old General Barker (who; I had
heard the previous evenirig make a most able
speech in favour of Mr. Finlay, at a public meet-*
ing of the democrats) was travelling about to
the several depots of leading characters. I could
hardly credit my sight that he was the same
person whom I had heard the previous evening.
His chief employment during the day seemed.
drinking rum and gin, with any and every body.
I made some remarks ;to him concerning .his
spefech : he pleasantly answered, " My good
" fellow, I did as well as I could, I guess : they
" iriade me open the ball." This old general
was the companion in arms of Washington : he
has been both sheriff and mayor : he has the
character of possessing a good heart, and very
improvident generosity; ^
' The election terminated throughout the State
in one day. The excitement of party and pei
cuniary feeling, by the universality of gambling
upon the occasion, was very great ; yet there
was no confusion, no disturbance. Let it be
borne in ^mind, that here was the right of
voting to the utmost extent, and exercised by
a people, concerning whorii it is high. praise, to
say, that v they are . npt superior in intellect, in
information, in honest zeal, and in temperate

REDEMPTIONERS. I4@
ideas of liberty, to the English nation ; yet
there is much to lament here. The original dp-
buments given in the preceding pages are too
full upon this point : they, indeed, are far from
Complimentary to our nature ; but at the samp.
time we should recollect, that in the political, as
inthe moral and natural worlds, we must endure
evils, in order to insure a preponderance . of
good. ' The extent of my approbation, thenj
upon this occasion, is a conviction of the com
patibility of popular election with peace and
good order; and, if possessed by the English
people, I should presume, it would npt be at
tended with so many abuses.
REDEMPTIONERS.
. A practice which has been often referred to in
connection with this country, naturally excited
my "attention. It is that of individuals emi
grating from Europe without money, and
paying for their passage by binding themselves
to the captain, who receives the produce of
their labour for a certain number of years.
. Seeing the following advertisement in the
newspapers, put in by the captain and owners
pf' the vessel referred to, I visited the ship, in
company with a boot-maker of this city :
; « THE PASSENGERS
u On board; the brig Buboria, from Amsterdwv an4
f whorare yvilling to engage theroselve? for ah'nitye*|
'l3/.

150 aUTCH. SLAVES.
?' time, to defray the expences of their passage, consist
?<_ of persons of the following occupations, besideswp-
f men and children, viz. 13 farmers, 2 bakers, 2 butch-
"-•ers, 8 weavers, 3 taylors, j gardener, 3 masons,
" I mfll-sawyer, I white-smith^ 2 slioe-mak'ers,;, 3 ca
rt binet-makers; 1 coal-burner, 1 barber, 1 carpenterj
"••1 stocking-weaver, 1 cooper, 1 wheelwright, 1 brewer,
'i :l .locksmith; — Apply on hoard of the Bubona, op-
f vposite CallQwhill-atreet, inthe river Delaware, or to
" W. Qpun and Co. No. 38, South Wharves.
Oct. 2,
As we ascended the side pf this hulk, a most
revolting scene of Want and misery presented
itself. The eye involuntarily turried 'for' some
relief from the horrible picture of human suf
fering, which this living sepulchre afforded.
Mi,- — - — enquired if there were any shoe
makers on board. The captain advanced: his
.........  . . j i r. ' '.' *¦ _
appearance bespoke his office ; he is an Ame
rican, fall, determined, and w^th an eye that
flashes with. Algerine cruelty. He called in the
Dutch language for. shoe-makers, and never can .
I forget the; scene which followed. The poor
fellows came running up with* unspeakable de
light,' no doubt anticipating a relief from their
loathsome dungeon. Their clpthes, if rags de
serve that denomination, actually perfumed tiie
air. Some" were without shirts, others had this
article of dtfess^ but of a quality as coarse as
fhe worst packing cloth. I enquired of several
if they could speak English* They smiled* 'and

HOUSE OF ORANGE. 151
gabbled, «« No Engly, no Engly, — one Engly
V talk ship." The deck was filthy. The cook
ing, washing, and necessary departments were
close together. Such is the mercenary bar
barity of the Atnericans who are engaged in this
trade, that they crammed into one • of tbpsp, ves
sels, 500 passengers, 80 of whom died on the
passage. The price for wo.men is about. 70 dol
lars, men 80 dollars, boys 60 dollars. When
they saw at our departure that we had not pur
chased, their countenances fell to that standard
of stupid gloom which seemed to place them a
link below rational beings, Frpm my heart I
execrated the European cause of their removal,
which is thus daily compelling men to quit the
land of their fathers, to becpme voluntary exiles
ha a foreign clime : — yet Americans can think
and write such sentiments as the following :
«* We rejoice with the patriotic Hollanders at
" the return of the illustrious house of Orangq
» to tfieir first magistracy, and do not wonder
" at their enthusiastic joy upon the occasion,
" when they remember that this antient family
" have been always the gallant and zealous
" defenders of the rights and liberties of th$
" Dutch people"
An interesting occurrence is said to have taken
place the other day, in? Connection with the Ger
man Redemptibners' (as by a strange mjsnpirier
the Dutch are denominated). A gentleman' of
l 4

152 the mayor's COURT.
this, city wanted an old couple to take care of
hishousp ; — a man, his wife, and daughter were
offered to him for sale ; — he purchased them.
— They proved to be his father, his mother,
and sister ! ! !
¦I must now conduct yoU back to the city.
The mayor's court is for the trial of petty
offences. It is four titnes as large, and ten
times more convenient for the public than our
lord mayor's court. When I "visited it, the
mayor and tWo judges Were upon the bench;
The first case was for assault and battery. The
plaintiff had a stall in a particular field, oh the
fourth of July, (the great national, day, being
the anniversary of the declaration of indepen
dence ;) the defendant claimed a fight to the
spot of ground, not that it was his property,'
but because he had occupied it the preceding
year < The plaintiff, to rid hiriiself of troublesome
interference, had, at the time, given the defend
ant five vdollars. This sum satisfied the latter for
the moment, but afterwards conceiving that he
could induce or compel him to pay more, he took
with him three men, and they had assaulted and
ill-used the plaintiff.
Mayor. " How long have you been in
" prison ?"
- -Defend. " Two months."
v Mayor, " Have you not been brought to trial
" before?"

THE MAYOR'S COURT. 153
Defend. " No."
' Mayor. " In Consideration of your having'
" been that period of time in confinement, we
" discharge you."
Second case. Thomas Rapoon, brought up
at the suit of his wife, for ill usage : the charge
was fully proved.
Mayor. " What do you wish to have done to
" your husband ?"
Mrs.R. " Nothing, Sir, I discharge him,!
" Sir, I guess ; but only I cahnot live with him,
" he beats me regularly before mass." '
Mayor. " I will consider the case."
Third). William Jackson, for ill-treating his
wife. The charge proved, but no decision given
during my stay.
¦¦ Fourth. V. Fitzgerald for stealing two tum
blers. He spoke in rather a low tone of voice.
The court stated to him, " Unless you speak
" louder, We cannot attend to your case." —
" There," (said the clerk, whose voice was sin
gularly weak,) " raise your voice as high as
"mine." A decision was not given in this case.
Fifth. A man of colour for stealing a saw.
Mayor. " Yellow boy! what have you to
" say against this charge, are you guilty or not
" guilty?"
Prisoner. " Not guilty, gentimman, I Was
'" going long -Street groggy, man groggy two;
" (laughing in the court,) me go long so bad

\Si>; THE MAYOR'S COURT,-
« groggy, lay down, put saw by side, mari steal
" saw; from me, me not steal saw from no
'f man."
Mayor. " I guess, you have not been long
V in this country, yellow boy ?"
Prisoner* <'No: quite long enough.'' (Laugh
ing in the court.)
, Mayor. " Where do you come from ?"
Prisoner. " Jamaica ; you let me out, me back
" Jamaica pretty quick." (Universal laughing.)
Mayor. " How long have you been in
" prison?"
- Prisoner. " Seven weeks."
. Mayor. " In consideration of your having
" had that period of punishment before trial, we-
"sentence you to pay the fine of one cent only,,
" and £p be further confined for one calendar
" mpnth." MUSEUM, PAINTINGS, &C.
A brief account of some of the exhibitions of
thiscity may not be uninteresting; and may serve,
too, incidentally to communicate some ideas as
to the manners and pursuits of the people.*
;;jPeale's Museum contains an extensive col
lection of the curiosities usual, in such establish-'
ments, divided into three departments. The
Maminpth skeleton ppmplete, is1 a most tre
mendous object. I remarked that there were
several quart bottles fitted, with ashes of the

peale's MUSEUM. 155
paper called. "Continental money." This was
the circulating medium of the Revolution, and
by the means of which they carried on that
glorious struggle.. The nation have not re
deemed their notes, nor . will they ever. I
boarded at the house of a widow lady at New
York, whose whole family had been utterly
ruined by holding these notes. I remarked
Talleyrand's oath of allegiance to the United
States in his own hand writing ! a cake of
portable soup, which was sent from England in
177-5', for the use of the British army ! Penn's
curtains ; and a scrap of poetry, called " The Cow
Chase," in the hand- writing of the gallant and
interesting , Andre, written a few hours before
his execution. The portraits in this establish
ment are very numerous; including those of
Americans of great name, down to those of
very limited celebrity. I also remarked the like
nesses of Paine, -Arthur O'Conner, and Dr.
Priestley  The style of their- execution is but
little creditable tp the talents of the artist (Mr.
Peale), and would seem to be below the standard
of his ability, if we judge at least from the spe
cimen which he has given in a fine portrait of Na
poleon, after David ; where, by the bye, he has
eonamittedthe error of substituting an American
horse,; marked by the very long shaggy hair near
the hoofs, by which they are distinguished.'.-.. >
The painting of the Anaconda, which was.

156 EXHIBITIONS.
exhibited in Spring Gardens, is. now here, at
the.house of Mr. Earl. It is certainly a first-
rate production. I remarked in the same room
a table of the Connecticut marble, which is so
beautiful that it has. become, I am told, an
article of export to France.
Mr. Sully's collection of paintings is small, but
select. They are chiefly of his own execution*
" Madame Ricanier returned from the bath" is
by a French artist. This is a beautifully executed
and delicate picture. The " Country Wedding"
by Sully is interesting, and in the style of put
best domestic pieces. The idea of the " Ame*
rican village politicians," is taken from Wilkie;
with much variation in particulars and general
effect, the national characters having hardly orie
part of contact. " The capture of Major
Andre" is particularly interesting : I shall long
have before my eyes the lively figure of this
accomplished gentleman. Mr. Sully is a por*
trait painter : his charges are for a full-length
portrait 500 dollars ; half, 200 ; head and hands,
150; bust, 100.
The academy of Fine Arts is a highly respect?
able institution, which, without the pretence
and puff of its sister establishment in New York}
possesses a most decided superiority, There
are numerous excellent paintings, and a hall of
statuary, in which are some fine specranenSs of
yenus, the Gladiator, Apollo, &c.

PENITENTIARY. 1 57
There is here exhibited what I believe is the
first attempt at panoramic painting in America—^
'a view of the city of Newhaven. Its merits are
of a very negative kind. The charge for each
of these exhibitions is a quarter of a dollar,
<is. lid.) PENITENTIARY, MARKETS, &C.
1 The Penitentiary system for the rational
punishment and reform of criminals, being a
subject with which you are familiar, I shall not
trouble you with the details of the humane and
enlightened management of the gaol in this city.
JL visited it on Saturday last. The keeper
accompanied me into every apartment, giving,
,as we proceeded, the fmost full explanations.
The scene was novel, and I had almost said
.delightful; but a recollection that I was viewing
the consequences of vicious pursuits, checks the
expression, and draws a tear for the weakness of
.humanity;— yet I could not but be pleased, and
highly; so, on drawing a comparison between
what I saw here, and what I have witnessed in
the London prisons. Here, instead of fhe pri
soners passing their time in idleness, or in lovp
debauchery and gaming, (increased inducements
to^he after commission of crfme,)all was spbriety,
jlife, and activity. A complete manufacturing
£ewn was in fact collected within the narrow-
precincts of these otherwise gloomy walls. The
open courf Was occupied by stone-cutters,,

158 PENITENTIARY".
chiefly negroes. It would appear, oh first seeing
this department only, that these were either
more vicious, or more hardly dealt with in the
courts of law, than their white countrymen.
$ut the true reason of their numbers in the yard
is, that few of them being mechanics, they are s
set to labour upon those things for which they
are fitted, and which they can undertake with
little previous instruction. The rooms in which
the mechanic arts are carried on, have a very
great proportion of whites, so that crime would
by no means seem to be monopolized by our
darker brethren. The produce of the labour of
prisoners nearly supports the Whole of this ex
tensive establishment. Some have earned a
sufficiency by their own work to enable therii to
corhmence business on the expiration of their
term of confinement. Those Who conduct them
selves with industry and propriety, receive a
remission of part of their sentence. Several-
have become honest and Useful members of
Society. When the gaoler spoke to the prisoners,
they addressed him with 'confidence, but with
proper respect. He is a plain intelligent man,
liberally, though not profusely paid for life
services. To have offered him money for MS
trouble; would, I am sure, have been considered
an insult. What a contrast does such a man
afford to our prisoft-keepers, the majority of
whom are perhaps greater criminals than thri$
over whom they tyrannize. Sutely, the exampj*

Hospital. —-markets. 159
of Pennsylvania will not be lost upon our country.
Here is the best of all evidence, demonstrative
proof, that brutal treatment, hangings, and gib-
betting, are neither the most economical nor the
most efficacious, as they are .certainly 'neither the
most humane, nor the most enlightened modes
of punishing crime or reforming society ; and if
we wish to preserve the character of a feeling
and, enlightened people,, we must reform that
foul disgrace to, England, and to the age in
which we live— our criminal code. One fact,
in connection with the prison, I have omitted
to mention ; and as it is a characteristic trait of
national character, it ought to be recorded- —
white criminals will not eat with the negroes^
the latter therefore have a separate (able;. '
From this receptacle of moral evil, I walked
to one of. physical pain and suffering, the Pen
nsylvania Hospital, an institution in every way
a- national honour. Trip medical; reputation of
the gentlemen connected with this establishment
would be highly estimated in the first European
cities. The markets are large and well supplied ;->— the
chief is in Market-street. The time of sale is
from day-light to £ o'clock from the 1st of April
to fhe 1st of .September, and from day-light to
^o'clock the remainder of the year.. No butchers
are allowed tpkjlj in .the -city* nor are live cattle
to be driven to the city markets.

160 PROVISIONS, BOARD, &C

. PRICES.
The prices pf fish vary from 2d. to 6±dr.
per pound ; beef, which is of excellent quality,
5^-d. ; mutton, S^d. to 4^d. ; veal, 5^d. ; pork,
5|d. to 7d.; bacon, 7d. to 8d. ; butter, 17d. to
SOd. ; cheese, 9^d.; English ditto, l6d. ; onionsj
13d. per peck ; potatoes, 3s. 4^d. a bushel; cab
bages, 2^d. each; fowls, l6d. to 2s. 3d. each;
ducks, 20d. to 2s. 3d. ; geese, 3s. 44 d. to 4s. 6d. ;
turkeys, 5s. 6d. ; these four last articles are one
half larger than those you have in England, but I
am inclined to think their flesh is inferior in qua
lity; strong beer, 20d. per gallon; apples, >3s.4fd.
per bushel ; flour, 10 dollars per barrel of 196
pounds ; dipt candles are lOd. per pound ;
moulds, 124 d. J moist sugar, 6|d. to 9d. ; lump
ditto, Is. to Is. 5d. ; tea, 4s. 6d. to 9s. ; soap;
tffd. to lOd. ; chocolate, 13^ d. to 20d. ; raw
coffee, 10d. to 13|d. ; Liverpool salt, 3s. 4id;
per bushel; loaf of bread, weighing 2 pound
2 ounces, 5|d. ; Indiancorn, per .bushel, 4s. 6d. ;
buck-wheat flour, 4s. 6d, Mechanics pay
13s. 6d. to 15s. 9d. per week for board and
lodging: many board with their employers <
all eat, work, and sleep in companies. Mode
rately respectable boarding is from 20s. 3d; to
«7s. ; genteel dittp, 31s. 6d. to 54s. Ghargeat
inns, 9s. per day, exclusive of beer andliquorss

TRADES, WAGES, &C. l6l
WAGES.
Labourers are paid 4s. 6d. to 5s. 7|d. a day;
female servants, 4s. 6d. to 9s. pCf week, with
their board ; cooks, 6s. 9d. to 9s. ; men ser
vants, 54s. to 67s. 6d. per month ; carpenters
earn 31s. 6d. to40sy6d. per week, time of work
from sun -rise to suit-set ;, cabinet-makers, 36s. to
40s. 6d., working generally by the piece ; brick
layers, 31s. 6d. to 45S. ; tinmen, 27s. to 45s. ;
shoemakers, 31s. 6d. to 40s. 6d. — they work
more hours than in London; saddlers, 31s. 6d.
to 45s. ¦ — this business at present is not good ;
cbachmakers, 31s. 6d. to 45s. — at present
bad here, but tolerably good at Newark in
Jersey; taylors, 31s. 6d. to 40s. 6d. — a va
riable business, sometimes good employment,
often not, it is a good deal in the hands' of
women; printers, compositors and pressmen,
31s. 6d. to 40s. 6d. — employment tolerably good
but not 'certain ; apprentices perform the greater
part of the work.
Individuals may get employment in any of the
above trades, but there is no actual want of
mechanics. Many leave here for the southern
States and the western: country. Men of this
class of society may decidedly make themselves
extremely confortablein this place. Those who
are? here, speaking* generally, receive higher
wages,. are= more independent of their masters,
live better, have less anxiety for the morrow,
M

162

APPAREL.

drink more, and are less intelligent- than men
following the like occupations in England.
PRICES OF WEARING APPAREL, &C
Shoes are 13s. 6d. to 15s. 9d. a pair; Wel
lington boots, 38s. 3d. to 45s, ; Hessian dittos.
42s. 9d. to 45s. ; jockey ditto, 67s.- 6d. ; ladies*
shoes, 4s, 6d. to 5s. 74d, — the leather is not
good ; upon a fair average, two pair of English!
will last as long as three pair of American ; the
best, beaver hat* are 40s, 6d. ; superfine cloth
coafs, 81. Is. 6d. ; surtout ditto; 111. -5s. ; pan
taloons and trowsers, 45s. to 54s. ; waistcoats,
27s. Clothes made of inferior materials, are
from 25 to 50 per cent, lower. India and French
silks, China crapes for ladies' dresses, and India
handkerchiefs, are one half cheaper than in
London, Other articles of wearing apparel, and
almost every thing used in domestic economy,
are of British manufacture. They pay an import
duty of 25 per cent., and when retailed;, are from
25 to 100 per cent, dearer than in London*- .
RELIGIOUS SECTS.
Having heard that American methodise
were distinguished for an extreme degree of
fanatical violence in their religious exercises
I visited the African church, (aU houses^ of
religious assembly being denominated churches,)
in which were none but blacks ; and in the

EBENEZER CHURCH. 168
evening, " Ebenezer Church," in which were
only whites. A? the latter possessed all the
characteristics of the former, with considerable
additions of its own, to that only is it hecessary
that I should call your attention. I went at
S o'clock in the evening. The door was locked ;
but the windows being open, I placed myself at
one of them, and saw that the church within
was crowded almost to suffocation. The preacher
indulged in long pauses, and occasional loud
elevations of voice, which were always answered
by the audience with deep groans. When the
prayer which followed the sermon had ended,
the minister descended from the pulpit, the
doors were thrown open, and a considerable
number of the audience departed. Understand
ing however that something was yet to follow,
with considerable difficulty I obtained admis
sion. The minister had departed, the doors were
again closed, but about four hundred persons
remained. One (apparently) of the leading mem
bers; gave Out a hymn, then a brother was
called upon, to pray : he roared and ranted
like a maniac ; the male part of the audi
ence groaned, , the female shrieked ; a man
sitting next to me shouted; a youth stand
ing before me continued for half an hour bawl
ing, " Oh Jesus! come down,, come down,
" Jesus ! my dear Jesus, i see you ! Mess me,
" Jesus ! Oh ! oh ! oh.!, Come down, Jesus !"
m 2

164 fanaticism.
A small space farther on, a girl about 1 1 years
of age was in convulsions,: an old woman, who
I -concluded was her mother, stood* on the seat,
holding her up in her arms, that her ecstasies
might be visible to the whple assembly. In: an
other place1 there Was a convocation of -.holy
sisters, sending forth most awful yells. A; bro
ther now stood forward, stating, that " although
".numbers had gone; he trusted the Lord would
" :that night work, some signal favours among:his
?A' dear iambs." Two sisters ¦ advariced towards
him, refusing to be comforted, " for the Lord was
with them :". another brother prayed — and an
other. " Brother Macfaddin" wasnow called upon,
¦and he addressed them with a voice which might
almost rival a peal of thunder, the whole -congre
gation, occasionally joining responsive to his notesi
The madness now became threefold increased,
and. such a scene presented itself as I could never
have pictured to my imagination,; and as I trust,
for the honour of true religion and of human
nature, I shall never see again. Had the inha
bitants of Bedlam been let loose, they could not
have exceeded it. From forty to fifty; were
praying aloud and extemporaneously at the same
moment of time : some were kicking, mattiy
iumping, all clapping their " hands and c fying
out in chorus, "Glory! glory! glory! Jesus
"Christ is a very good friend ! Jesus, Christ is
" a very good 'friend ! Ohn God 1 oh Jesus !

blasphemy. 165
" come doWri ! Glory! glory! glory ! thank you,
" Jesus ! tharik you, God ! Oh, glory ! glory !
" glory ! ! !" Mere exhaustion of bodily strength
produced a cessation of madness for a few
minutes. A hymn was given out and sung ;
praying then recommenced ; the scene of mad
ness was again acted, with, if possible, increased
efforts on. the part of the performers. One of
the brothers prayed to be kept from enthusiasm!
A girl of six years of age became the next ob
ject of attention . A reverend brother proclaimed
that, she " had just received a visit from the
" Lord, and was in awful convulsions — so hard
ik. was the working of the spirit !" This scene
continued for some time ; but the audience gra
dually lessened, , so that by ten o'clock the field
of active operations was considerably contracted.
The women,, however, forming a compact co
lumn at the most distant corner of the church,
continued their shrlekings with but little abate
ment. Feeling disposed to get a nearer sight of
the beings who sent forth such terrifying yells,
I. endeavoured to approach them, but was
stopped by several of the brethren, who would
not allow of a near approach towards the holy
sisterhood. The novelty of this exhibition had,
at first sight, rendered it a subject of amusement
and interest; but all such feelings soon gave
way to an emotion of melancholy horror, when
I considered the gloomy picture it represented
m 3

166 A FEMALE convert.
of human nature, and called to mind that these
maniacal fanatics were blaspheming the holy
name of Christianity. Notwithstanding my
warm love of liberty, I felt that, were Pan
absolute lawgiver, I would certainly punish and
restrain men who thus degraded their nature,
who set so wicked an example of religious blas
phemy, and so foully libelled the name and
character of revelation.
I have since understood that one of the fe
male converts upon this occasion had been
turned away from her situation the previous
evening for stealing five dollars.
A gentleman informed me that he was at
** Ebenezer" a few days since, when the
preacher stopped in the midst of his discourse,
and directed those among his audience who were
for King Jesus to stand up. Numbers of men
and women immediately rose, shouting "I am
•"« for Jesus," " I am for Jesus," " I am for
" King Jesus." " Oh, that I eould press him to
" my bosom !" " There he comes." " I am for
" King Jesus." I am informed that these exhibi
tions are neither singular in occurrence nor par
tial in extent, and feel at a loss to account for such
fanatical enthusiasm in this country : it is by no
means an essential part of the creed of either
Wesley or Whitfield; and, in Great Britain, few
bodies of men conduct their iheetings with more
order than the methodists. In Wales, J under-
:'i'i

enthusiasm. I67
stand, and perhaps in some country parts of
England, there may be occasional exhibitions
of the same kind ; but they are pf rare oc
currence, and comparatively moderate in their
excesses. In Ireland I have also witnessed oc
casional violence ; but never any thing at all
equal to that exhibited at " Ebenezer." In the
latter country too we make some allowance for
national character : they are all fire — all feeling ;
but with Americans, whatever may be their ex
cellences. or their defects, they are certainly not
chargeable with possessing a superabundance of
warm blood : they are, on the contrary, most re
markable for complete and general coldness of
character and dispositipn. That, therefore, they
should be enthusiastic, even in matters of reli
gion, would appear a matter of difficult solution.
In the individuals, it would seem to burst forth
upon prepared occasions, and to exist in com
mon with — perhaps actually to spring from,
a pold-blopded callousness of disposition. The
general theory which attributes warmth of feel
ing to the fanatic is perhaps, after all, a false
one. Who so bigoted, so exclusive, so illiberal
towards others, so wholly devoid of every gene
rous sentiment? The extreme fanaticism pf
these maniacal saints may perhaps therefore ac
tually spring from the absence of real enthu
siasm, combined, of course, with gross and ex
cessive ignorance.
M 4

168 sects'. — negroes.
The sects' of this city, and the number of their
places of assembly, are as follow: '1 Swedish
Lutheran, 3 Quakers, 1 Free ditto, or Whig
Quakers, called also Fighting Quakers,' 4 Epis
copalian, 4 Baptist, 5 Presbyterian, 4 Roman
Catholic, 6 German Lutheran, 1 Moravian,
1 Covenanters, 3 Methodists, 1 Universalist,-
1 Unitarian, 1 Independent, 1 Jews, 2 Black
Methodist, and 1 Black Episcopalian.
Religious „ controversy appears unknown.
Every man 'is expected to choose one of these
churches ; and when that is done, he must
abide by it as solemnly and as regularly as he
does his segar, his rum, and his business. What
ever degree of religious intelligence exists,' is
confined to the clergy ; who, perhaps, have lost
no advantage by the ' abolition of a state-re
ligion. estimation of negroes.
The three "African churches," as they are
called, are for all those native Americans who
are black, or have any shade of Colour darker
than white. These persons, though5 many of
them are possessed of the rights of citizenship,
are riot admitted into the churches which are
visited by whites. There exists a penal law,
deeply written in the minds of the whole white
population^ Which subjects their coloured fellow-
citizens to unconditional contumely and' never-

climate. 16y
ceasing insult. No respectability, however un
questionable, — no property, however large, — no
character, however unblemished, will gain a
man, whose body is (in American estimation)
cursed -with even a twentieth portion of the
blood of his African ancestry, admission into
society ! ! ! They are considered as mere Pa
riahs — as out-casts and vagrants upon the face
Of the earth ! I make no reflection upon these
things, but leave the facts for your consider
ation. CLIMATE, DISEASES, &C
--,- Of the climate of this city I can say but little
from personal observation. The weather, at pre
sent, is at once healthy and delightful ; the ther
mometer ranges from 56 to 70 ; the sky is per
fectly serene, and each day is as fine and " clear
as the preceding, forming a pleasing contrast
to the humidity and frequent changes of our
island. The heats of summer, I am told, are
excessive, while the colds of winter are equally
in the extreme. Spring, in the European under
standing of that delightful season, there is none
at all. If the appeararice of the inhabitants be
taken as a criterion, and if that appearance be
not produced or aggravated by other causes
(such as excess or unhealthy practices of many
kinds), I should say that this climate is riot so
congenial: to. the well-being of the hpman con-

170 DISEASES.
stitution as that of England. A Philadelphian
(particularly a female) is as old at 27, as a Lon
doner; at 40. Neither sex possesses fhe English
standard of health — a rosy cheek. The young
fkhales indeed are genteel ; but their colour is
produced by art, but for which disgusting
practice, many of them might pass for: beauti
ful. You will be surprised to hear, that in the
practice of rougeing, the junior branches, of
the 'society of friends, are not at all deficient!
Englishmen are said to improve in appearance for
the first 12 months of their residence, but after
that time the face becomes sallow and flabby.
In estimating the character of the climate as;
shown by the health of the inhabitants, it may
be-Well to take into account, on the part of the
females, the effect of close stoves and want of
exercise ; on the part of the males, the exces
sive use of rum and tobacco ; and, with regard
to both sexes, the early period of life at which
the mass of the population enter into the mar
riage state. There are, at any rate, it has been.
observed, two things but rarely seen here— -
**f good teeth" and " green old age."
The leading class of diseases are inflam
matory. The yellow fever- to any great or im
portant extent has not existed here for the last
11 years.: a few cases occur each year, both here
and in the more northern cities. The average
of deaths, per day, during the present year, has

POOR-LAWS — P0LKEK. I7I
been eight ; which, with a city population of
120,000, is not more in proportion than those of
London and Paris. Superior medical aid is not
cheaper than in London.
PROVISIONS FOR THE POOR, POLICE, &C,
The poor-laws are administered by sixteen
citizens, who are chosen annually by the cor
poration, to superintend the provision for the
poor. They are empowered, with the appro
bation of four aldermen and two justices, to levy
an assessment not exceeding, at any one time,
100 cents (4s. 6d.) on 100 dollars (221. 10s.),
or one per cent. ; nor more than three dollars
per head, on every free man not otherwise
rated. The average annual number of paupers
supported in alms-houses of this city is 1600; the
expense of keeping them 70,000 dollars a year ;
the produce of the poor-tax for the city and
county of Philadelphia 100,000 dollars.
The police is strict, at least in some departs
ments. There are fourteen constables and two
high constables, whose business it is to peram
bulate the streets, which they do with a mace
in their hands, and to examine all suspicious
looking persons. If such refuse to give a satis
factory account of themselves, they are taken
before the mayor. There are thirty-six watch
men who cry the hour (to imitate which,, sub
jects the offender to immediate imprisonment),

172 STATE OF MORALS..
"and six. others who visit, their boxes- to see that
they perform their duty. The whole are under
the ¦direction, of a " captain," who attends to
receive vagrants, rioters and thieves,. Watch
men are paid fourteen dollars (63s.) per month,
fourteen pence extra for every lamp under their
care, and are supplied, with a great coat :. . they
are fined for neglect of duty. The cost, for
lighting and watching. Philadelphia is 25,000
dollars per annum. I had intended saying some*
thing concerning the heads of the police, but
shall reserve my remarks for the next communi
cation. Circuriistances have recently occurred;,
which, if true in all particulars, would prove
the magistracy here to be as corrupt as .that of
London in the days of Fielding.
MORALS, MANNERS, &C
Of; the state of public, morals,! find consider*
able difficulty in forming my .judgment.-;; The
habits of the people. are marked by caption and,
secrecy. Although the eyes and ears.; of a
stranger are riot insulted in the openness Qf.
noon-day with evidence of hardened profligacy
I have, nevertheless,- reason to believe in its ex
istence to a very great extent ; though perhaps;
there is, no Philadelphia parent would say to me\
what a respectable New Yorker did — " There*
" is not a father iri thiscity but who is sorry
" that he has got a son."

CLASSES OF SOCIETY. 173
Toclassify the population of this city, I should
pnly have to repeat what I have communicated
concerning other parts of the union. There
is, of course, here no rank of society corre
spondent to the1 peerage, or the " haut-ton," in
England; but there are many who keep car
riages, have truly elegant houses, and superb
furniture. These are called of the " first class ;"
and although they have not the pomp or the
titles, they have the pride of an aristocracy.
The small and middling tradesmen do not make
much exertion, live easily, save no money, and
appear to care nothing about either the present
or future. If they find business getting bad,
they do, what is called, " sell out," and pack up
for the "back country." The labourer and me
chanic are independent, not in purse, but in
condition. Neither they nor their masters con
ceive that any obligation is conferred by em
ptying them. They live well, and may always
have a dollar in their pockets. Men are here
independent of each other : this will show it
self even in half an hour's walk through the
streets of .Philadelphia.
The dress of the gentlemen is taken from the
fashions of England ; that of the. ladies from
France, — who very modestly; believe, and indeed
have no hesitation in declaring, thafthey combine
the excellences of the French and the, English
character, without possessing the defects .of

174 ¦ FEMALE VANITY,
eitfeefo For myself, I can trace no resemblance
to the former, unless it lie in kid gloves sfcnd ar-
tiffcial flowers ; nor to the latter, except in a
fondness for Lady Morgan's writings, and ah
admiration of Lord Wellington's achievements.
Could American-; ladies be content to despise
instead of copying the vanity of their country
men, and fake a few practical lessons from the
English female in the management of domestic
concerns, and the cultivation of their minds,
then, indeed, their fine forms might become
peculiarly interesting, — at least to the man of
sense. — But I must turn to another subject.
Being anxious to depart for the western coun
try before the season is too far advanced, I shall
intrust this report to Captain Williams, of the
Electra, who, I am persuaded, will take par
ticular care of, arid deliver it safely upon hii
arrival. A letter to our friend M—  will
go ill the bag of the same ship, advising you of
the present communication1. Address to meat
" Washington city," as I hope to be there in
January, during the sitting of Congress, and
after the completion of my western journey.
To-morrow 1 intend leaving this city for Pitts
burgh. Mr. Mellish tells me that the road is
very good. This has relieved my anxiety ; fot
the journey has been a source of very uneasy
anticipation. As usual, I suppose', I must? say
something in the Way of advice. i In my third

EMIGRATION. I75
Report I stated, that my feelings were gene
rally those of disappointment. • My feelings (to
use the same unphilosophical criterion) are now
more favourable towards this country. Phila
delphia has done much towards raising America
in my estimation. But I presume that none will
come out until they hear from me again. Were I
proceeding no farther than this city, and felt it
Hecessary that I should make up my mind^ for
or against emigration, I should feel myself
most awkwardly situated ; for although it occu
pies my attention at all times, I cannot make
even an approach towards a decision. The ca
pitalist will receive in this State legal interest of
six per cent. ; in the state of New York seven
per cent. I think that seven, or perhaps eight,
might be made upon good security. Property
of all kinds is selling every day at the Ex
change Coffee Rooms. There is not now my
great scope for mercantile speculation. Lands
can be purchased, or new and large concerns
established : but either of these would be ha
zardous. Capital is certainly wanted throughout
the country. I think a brewery could be esta
blished with sound hopes of success, and not
requiring more than from ten to fifteen thousand
pounds. A London shopkeeper, with a capital
of from three to ten thousand pounds, and who
could import his goods from the first markets,
would I think succeed— not became there is a

176 AN ENGLISH CARPENTER.
want of " dry goods stores ;" for I believe one-
half, could be spared : but there is an ignorance
of good principles pf business ; and, I. suspect,
a very general deficiency of means. Lawyers,
doctors, clerks, shopmen, literary. men, artists,
and schoolmasters, would, to use an American
phrase, " come to a bad market." Mechanics
pan. form their own judgment, from the state
ments in the preceding pages. Weavers, stock
ing-makers, and others, acquainted only with the
cotton, woollen, hardware, and linen manufac
tures, would find employment very difficult to
obtain. A few evenings since. I saw a carpenter
and his wife, who have been here but one month,
from Hull, in Yorkshire. The, husband stated,
that in England he earned 21s. per week ; that
he now obtains 31s. 6d. ; that he finds great dif
ficulty in getting his money from his employer;
that, "taking one thing with another," the ex
pense of -living is as nearly like, that in Eng
land as possible ; that had he been acquainted
with every thing which heat present knows, he
would not have left home ; ; but that, having
done so, he is well- satisfied ; and has now saved
some money — a thing which he had hardly
ever ;before done.' I state this man's ; informa*
tion, because I consider ? it deserving of your
confidence. It is equally ifree; from the. wild
rhapsodies, of some persons, and. the deplorable;
pictures which several Englishmen in thiscity,

AN ENGLISH CARPENTER. 177
and in other parts of the union, have given me
of their disappointments, and of America in
general. The carpenter's success is just what
would attend any other industrious man of the
same business, or of several others previously
enumerated. His idea of the difficulties Which
he had encountered are natural, as he has not
been engaged sufficiently long in other pursuits
to obliterate these impressions. Could I see
him in twelve months from the present tiriie, I
think his condition Would be, if I may judge
from others, something like the following : —
saved fourteen guineas ; living in two small
rooms ; independent of his master, and his mas
ter of him ; thinks the Americans a very dirty
and disagreeable people, and hafes them from
his soul ; would be delighted to see old England
again, and smoke his pipe and drink his pint,
and talk politics with the cobbler, and abuse the
taxes ; and then he remembers that he is in
America, where he cannot endure the thoughts
of having his bones buried ; thinks of returning
to England, where his wife is also anxious to go,
in order that she may drink tea and gossip with
her old neighbours ; then they both Conjure up
their former sea sickness, their fear of being
drowned, the money that their passage would
cost, and that when they got to Hull, his most
laborious application Would not more than
provide them with a bare existence. He then
N

178 EMIGRATION.
determines to remain in America, keep the
money which he has saved, add as much more
jto.it as he can, and make himself as contented
and happy as lies in his power.
. The man of small property, who intends
living upon the interest, and wants to remove
to a cheaper country than England, should
pause before the object of his choice be Ame
rica. From what I have seen of large toWns,
living is not, upon the whole, lower than in Eng
lish cities. In the interior, it may be less than
in the country parts of England. But such a
man must, of necessity, have his ideas of hap
piness associated with many sources of comfort
and gratification, which he Would seek for in vain
within the United States.
In conclusion, I wish to express my anxious
hopes that you are all well ; arid that whether
we remain in England or settle in the New World,
we may continue to possess, and to deserve, as
great a portion of enjoyment as may be consist
ent with our improvement in the present state
of our existence.
P. S. Taxes are of trifling amourit compared7
with the enormous drafts made upon you in that
particular. A gentleman of this city, whose
house is his own property, but which, if let,
would be worth 1301. per annum, obliged me
with his collector's receipts for three years;

taxes.

179

Mr.

Dr. to Liberty Brown, collector, No. ¦

Chesnut Street, for taxes in Middle Ward for 1813.

City

.Couniy Poor

Health

Tax.

Tax.

Tax.

Tax.

d. c.
d. c.
d. c.
d. c.
d. c.
House
18 12
5 79
8 70
1 81
34 42
Poll-tax - - • -
1 50
75
72
28
3 25
Ground on which ")
the house stands j
1 38
45
66
14
2 63
Water, to July 1814.
-
-
. 5
Total amount, 45 dollars, 30 cents, or 101. 5s. 6d,"
" taxes foe 1815.
Dollars. Cents.
City Tax 19 38
Poor ditto
County
Dog -
Ground on
stands
10
62
8
19
-1 "
25
lich house "? „
54
Total 40
98 or 91. 4s. 3d."
" TAXES FOR 1816.
Dollars.
Cents.
18
6l|
10
62
8
19
hich house} 2
65|
5
0
Total 45
8 orl0l.4s.6d."
City Tax
Poor -
County Ground 01
stands
Water
The following notice from the tax collectors
is just published :
" TAXES FOB. 1817.
Notice is hereby given, that the taxes for 1817 are
now due ; and the owners of property and other taxable
n 2
180 TAXES.
inhabitants pf the city of Philadelphia, district of South-
wark and townships of Northern Liberties and Penn,
are required to call on the collectors hereafter named,
and pay their taxes, or the law will be enforced to com
pel payment. The following extract from the collector's
warrant, is published for the information of those con
cerned. " ' And if any person, charged in the said duplicate,
shall neglect or refuse to make payment within 30 days
from the time of the demand by you made, you are then
hereby authorised and required to levy the tax due by
such delinquent, by distress and sale of his goods and
chattels, giving ten days' notice of such sale, by written
or printed advertisements. And in case goods and
chattels cannot be found sufficient to satisfy the same
with costs, you are authorised and required to take the
body of the said delinquent, and convey him to the jail
of the said county of Philadelphia, there to remain until
the said tax with costs be paid or secured to be paid, or
otherwise be discharged by the course of law. And
hereby fail not at your peril.' " s
It may be necessary to 'observe, that these are
State, not United States taxes. This distinction
is essential to be borne in mind, as it is anti
cipated that the legislature will abolish the war
taxes upon the opening of congress, and you
might suppose from that fact, that all internal
taxation would be done away.

FIFTH REPORT.

LEAVE PHILADELPHIA FOR THE WESTERN COUNTRY. —
PENNSYLVANIA FARMS ; THEIR VALUE. — PRICE OF
STOCK; OF LABOUR.  PRODUCE  SOIL. — TAVERNS.
 MILITARY. — -LOUDON  LANDLORDS; THEIR POLI
TICS. — ALLEGANY MOUNTAINS ; THEIR SCENERY. 
DIFFICULTY OF CROSSING. — M'CONNEL's VILLE. — NU
MEROUS EMIGRANTS ; THEIR MODE OF TRAVELLING. 
SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS OF THE ALLEGANIES. — ^CHA
RACTER AND PURSUITS OF THE PEOPLE.  CROSSING
THE RIVER JUNIATA.  BAD STAGES  GRENSBURGH.
— FACE OF THE COUNTRY TOWARDS PITTSBURGH. —
IMPROVED CONDITION OF THE INHABITANTS  PITTS
BURGH.  FINE SITUATION.  SCENERY.  PRICES OF
PROVISIONS ; OF LABOUR.  FARMING. — PRODUCE. 
PRICE OF STOCK.  GENERAL EXPENSES.  CONDITION
OF A PENNSYLVANIA FARMER.  COAL  TRADES AND
MANUFACTURES.  NEW ESTABLISHMENTS LIKELY TO
SUCCEED. — CAPITAL REQUIRED.  RAPID INCREASE OF
THE WESTERN COUNTRY. — MODE OF CONDUCTING BUSI- \
NESS.  MECHANICS.  THEATRE.  POPULATION. 
YOUNG WATSON.  LEAVE PITTSBURGH  STATE OF
OHIO.  FACE OF THE COUNTRY. — PRICE OF LANDS. —
STATE OF AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE.  PRICE OF LA
BOUR. — CLIMATE. — WILD ANIMALS. — " FROLIC." —
PURSUITS OF WOMEN. — CLASSES OF SOCIETY. — CIN
CINNATI. — SLAVERY. — PRICES. — RENTS. — TRADES.
N 3

182 WESTERN COUNTRY.
— MECHANICS. — WANT OF CAPITAL.  MANUFACTURES.
 STATE OF KENTUCKY.  PRICE OF LANDS; OF LA
BOUR. — SLAVERY.  RENTS.  SOIL.  PRODUCE. —
TRADES  MANUFACTURES.  PROVISIONS.  CLIMATE.
— HEALTH.  MIDDLETOWN. — LOUISVILLE.  WHAT
CLASS OF EMIGRANTS WOULD SUCCEED. — LORD SELKIRK.
,  UNFAIR ACCOUNT Otf MELLISH THE TRAVELLER. —
ILLINOIS TERRITORY. — EXTENT.  FACE OF THE COUN
TRY.  NAVIGABLE WATERS.  FIRST INHABITANTS. 
PRESENT POPULATION. — THEIR CHARACTER AND CON
DITION.  SOIL. — PRODUCE. — SUPPOSED EXPENSE OF
ERECTING HOUSES. — WILD ANIMALS. — TOWNS. 
CONSIDERATIONS REQUIRING THE ATTENTION OF MY
FRIENDS. Shawnee Town, Illinois Territory, Mississippi, &c
Dec. 1817.
After a long and fatiguing journey, I have at
length reached the Illinois territory, which in
all probability will soon become the twentieth
State of this flourishing Republic. In my re
port from Philadelphia, sent in the Electra, and
which I calculate you will receive by about
the 12th December, I forwarded all the inform
ation of which I was then in possession. Though
I have seen a large portion of this interesting
continent, my mind is by no means yet made up
concerning it. I have in fact come to no deci
sion, and can as yet, at least, make no final re
port of the country, or its inhabitants, I feel
that my residence here has been too brief to
enable me correctly to form a judgment upon

THE GREAT VAELEY. 183'
what is, in more senses of the expression than
one, " a new world," or fully to comprehend
a land and a people essentially different from
those I have been accustomed to contemplate.
Acting under this impression, therefore, I would
wish, at least for the present, to give you, as far
as lies in my power, facts from which you may
form your own judgment, and be enabled here
after, perhaps, the better to see the propriety
of mine : I shall proceed, therefore, as before,
in giving extracts from hiy journal, which I
have kept with minute exactness from Philadel
phia to this place. PENNSYLVANIA FARMS.
October. — Left Philadelphia for Pittsburgh.
Passed through an extensive, fertile, well-cul--
tivated, and beautiful tract of land called the
" Great Valley." Farms in this district are
chiefly owned by Dutch and Germans, and
their descendants. They consist of from 50 to
200 acres, each acre worth 200 dollars (451,),
and are cheaper at that price than the 50 cent
and dollar and half lands, which encumber other
parts of the eastern states. The substantial
barns, fine private dwellings, excellent breed
and condition of live stock, and superior culti
vation of the «¦ Great Valley," place it decidedly
in advance of the neighbouring lands, and
put it fairly in competition with Old England.
N 4

184 PENNSYLVANIA FARMS.
The proprietors are wealthy. They have the
reputation pf being practical opponents of the
desolating system of paper money, by keeping
their hard cash safely locked up in their " old
" country" boxes. Be this as it may, their pro
perty, unlike that of their fellow-citizens on the
sea-side, has not vanished into, air by the late
mighty political changes. They have been
blessed by Heaven with excellent land and good-
markets ; and although their progress in the ac
quirement of " this world's goods" has not been
like the rise of Jonah's gourd, neither has it
shared the fate of that transitory plant.
There are good farms in other districts within
20 miles of Philadelphia, which can be pur
chased' at from 80 to 100 dollars per acre, build
ings, included. Limestone land will sell for
200 dollars. In a farm of 200 acres, the pro
portion may be estimated at 90 acres of plough
ing, 50 of meadow, 10 of orchard, and 50 of
wood land. The latter,, near the city, is worth 3
to,400 dollars per acre, A farm of the above
description is worth,, if within five miles of the
capital, 20,0,00 dollars, ; at from 20 to 40 miles'
distance, 10,000 dollars. Uncleared lands, in
remote parts of the State, vary in price from
half a dollar to 20 dollars per acre.
ThePennsylvanian. horse is a medium between
our saddle,, and heavy cart hprses, and is well
suited for most purposes. They are worth from

AGRICULTURE. 185
50 to 150 dollars (111. 2s. 6d. to 331. 7s. 6d.).
A farm waggon will cost 100 to 120 dollars
(221.10s. to 271.); a family ditto, 70 to 90 dob.
lars; ditto with springs, 150 dollars; neat gig,
300 ; best ditto, 450 ; a farm cart, 50 dollars.
The annual expense of keeping a family waggon
and horse is about 50 dollars.
Well-improved land will produce, on an aver
age, 25 bushels of wheat per acre (a farmer with
in eight miles of the city has raised 40) ; ditto
of Indian corn, 25 to 50. Wheat is sold at from
160 to 220 cents (7s. 8d. to 9s. lid.) per bushel ;
Indian corn,, 80 to 100 cents (3s. 7d. to 4s. 6d.) ;
oats, 40 to 55 cents (Is. 9d. to 2s. 5|d.) : they
are lighter than the English. Meadows are
usually ploughed in rotation, and planted with
Indian corn. Orchards are also put under the
plough, grain not being considered as inj urious to
the fruit. A good milch cow, four years old, is
worth 51. 13s. 6d. Sheep are much smaller than
ours. Half blood Merino are lis. 3d. ; three-
quarters blood, 13s. Gd. ; full ditto* 22s; 6d. ;
rams are 41. 10s. to 111. 2s. 6d. ; pigs four weeks
old are 2s. 3d. ; a sow and ditto, 11. lis. 6dr. to
21. 14s. j a hog of 100 pounds, lL lis. 6d. to
21, 5s. ; a yoke of oxen, Ml. 15s. to #81. 10s.
MINERALS.
A copper and zinc mine is worked; aboafc
twenty miles from Philadelphia. Iron ore

186 MINERALS. — FARMERS.
abounds throughout the State. Bar iron sells
for; 120 dollars per ton. Limestone abounds
at about fifteen miles from the city. There
is also a coarse gray marble in large quantities :
it is used for steps and chimney-pieces. The
price delivered in Philadelphia is one dollar
the cubic foot.
The farmers in Pennsylvania are many of them
rich : some reside in first-rate houses, and are
possessed of most of the conveniences of life.
Those remote from a market generally distil
their grain, finding whiskey to be the most con
venient and profitable form under which to carry
and dispose of their stock. The great body of these
men are Germans, or of German descent. They
are excellent practical farmers, very industrious,
very mercenary, and very ignorant. The con
dition of the labourer is similar to that in other
parts of the United States.
¦ The towns of Lancaster, Harrisburgh; and
Carlisle, through which I passed, are all of them
considerable in extent and in population. They
each contain a large proportion of excellent
birick buildings, and the usual erections of market
houses, gaols, and churches, all evincing an ex
tent of national prosperity, and an advancement
towards European establishments truly extraor
dinary, when we recollect that this is a country
which may be said to be but of yesterday.
The German character is- very prevalent through-

MR. FLOWER. 187
out this State. The original language is still
preserved, and there are even native Pennsylva-
nians who cannot speak the English language.
Arrived at Chambersburgh, 157 miles from
Philadelphia, I went to the inn where the stages
from Baltimore and Philadelphia to Pittsburgh
usually stop. These stages are two days in ar
riving here from the latter, and one from the
former city. I secured a place, for which I paid
14 dollars (three guineas), distance 140 miles.
This town contains about 240 houses, of all
sorts, two or three churches, a gaol and court
house. October. — The stage started at three o'clock
in the morning. A Mr. Flower, connected with
( Mr. Birkbeck, left Chambersburgh a few days
previous, on his return from Illinois to Eng
land. What his views of this country are I have
not learned, though I should conclude, from the
reported statements of an acquaintance, with
whom he conversed at Chambersburgh, that his
estimation of America is highly favourable.
Arrived at eight o'clock at Loudon, at the
foot of the north mountain, one of the Allegany
ridges. There are here 17 log and 20 frame or
brick houses. We were not allowed to break
fast at the, tavern in this town, as one of the pro
prietors, of the coach had a house at MConnel's
Ville. The tavern at Loudon is cheerless and
dirty : a number of waggoners were breakfast-

188 ELECTION. — WAGGONS.
ing. The election, was a topic of violent de
bate; bets, and, as a usual accompaniment,
cholcr, ran high. We brought the latest intelli
gence of the returns. All had their hopes and
fears. The landlord, who is of Dutch descent,
was, as a -matter of course, a Hiesterite, because
he was descended , from a countryman. The
Irish party, for similar reasons, supported
Findlay. We were saluted by each at our de
parture, u Huzza for Hiester !" " Huzza for
<4 Findlay !" My fellow-travellers were citizens
of the world : they huzzaed for each with true
philanthropic liberality.5 The final return
throughout the State elected Mr. Findlay with a
majority of seven thousand. I counted 30 regular
stage-waggons engaged in the transportation of
goods to and from Pittsburgh. They are drawn
by four strong well-fed horses, are made upon
the model of English waggons, but about one-
third less in size. They are from 20 to 35
days in effecting their journey. The articles
sent from Philadelphia are hardware, and what
are denominated " dry goods." This term in
cludes aH articles of woollen, linen, cotton, and
silk. Those returned from Pittsburgh are farm
ing produce, chiefly flour. It is necessary to
understand that the road I am travelling is the
only tradhag waggon route to the whole western1
country. This circumstance 'being' taken into

GRAND PROSPECT. 189
consideration, in addition to the fact that there
is np water carriage, the number of convey
ances, though great, is by no means extraor
dinary. Proceeded up the north mountain, over a
most excellent piece of road, which is part of
the new, national turnpike, proposed to extend
from the head of the Potowmac to Wheeling,
and when completed will be of immense im
portance tp the western country, and indeed the
whole Unipn, the connection of the old and new
sections being at present materially impeded by
excessively bad roads. At 11 o'clock, when
near the summit of the mountain, we enjoyed a
most ex.ten.sive vjew Qf a \atge and beautiful
valley, which must contain tens of thousands of
acres that have not yet known the hand of the
cultivator. The prospect, combining some grand
mountain scenery, was the most magnificent I
had ever beheld. The interest of the scene
was also not a little heightened by the prospect of
M'Connel's Ville, which we were approaching.
This apparently delightful little town appeared
secluded from the rest of the world, amd one
might have imagined it another Eden, . cut off
by means of woods aiid, trackless wilds, and
mountain, snows, from the vices and the corrup.
tipJas which, Jn every other quarter, visit and
torment mankind. —.But this is merely reverie*
We entered the town, proceeded to the tavern,

190 EMIGRATION WAGGONS.
where: we breakfasted, and a nearer inspection
showed every thing around us to be merely
human. ,
M'Connel's Ville contains 40 houses, chiefly
log.- — Beefisnowl0centsapound(5|d.); some
times it is only 7 (3fd.); mutton is not con
sumed : fowls are 6s. 9d. per dozen ; charge
for breakfast, 2s. 3d. — Passed several travellers
on foot. from Massachusetts, going with an in?-
tention of viewing the western country, and, if
satisfied, of selecting a settlement previous to
the emigration of their families : they fairly
excelled our stage in expedition. Came up with
20 small family waggons ; two of these were
broken down, and the horses of all in very bad
condition; they were chiefly from Massachusetts,
Jersey, and Connecticut. One of these was the
joint property of a Dutch andan American family.
My companions seemed to know at first sight,
from what State the emigrants travelled. The
New Englanders were evidently better fitted for
the great and unavoidable fatigues of removal,
than the natives of Jersey and Maryland. I
thought I could even discover in the white in
habitants the effects of residing in free and
in slave States. The genuine Yankies (New
Englanders) are ignorant of slavery ; they have
been necessitated to labour with their own
hands ; they have not been demoralized by fa
miliarity with a system that establishes a barrier
12

FAMILIES OF EMIGRANTS. 191
between fellow-beings on account of their colour;
they have not been taught that because their
neighbour's face was (to use their own phrase)
a grade darker than their own, he was there
fore of an inferior species (as I am sorry to see
contended for even by Mr. Jefferson) ; they have
relied on their own resources, and the conse
quence is, that they are more enterprising, more
healthy, more enlightened, and altogether better
suited to cultivate the wilderness with success,
than their slave-holding neighbours. Even the
women from New England were walking before
their waggons, while the others were either riding
or lagging behind.
These emigrants preferred travelling in com
panies, forming a oneness of interest, and
securing an interchange of assistance when
necessary. In difficult parts of this tract their
progress was so slow as to be hardly perceiv
able. Ropes were attached to each side of the
waggons, at which, while some were pulling,
others were most unmercifully, though neces
sarily, whipping the horses, which dragged the
waggons five yards at an effort. The getting
these waggons and families over the mountains
appeared little less than a continuance of mira
cles. I was prepared to expect much, but the
reality has increased my ideas of the difficulty
of this emigration a, thousand fold.
Crossed the Juniatta — arrived at Dickenson's

192 BAD ROADS.
Tavern — proceeded to Bloody-run, where we
arrived at half-past eleven, excessively fatigued
— charge for supper and bed, 4s. 6d. In the
latter part of this stage nothing could exceed
the badness of the roads ; yet the understanding
between the . driver and horses was so perfect,
that we proceeded, though with almost broken
bones, with the exactness of mechanism. A
London coachman would in half an hour have
dashed the strongest English stage to pieces,
and probably broken the necks of his passengers.
Seeond day. — Started at three o'clock in the
morning : thermometer ten degrees above zero :
at nine arrived at Bedford, where we were not
allowed to breakfast, as a stage-proprietor lived
farther on. We all crossed over to the orchard of
a farm house and stole some frozen apples, which
our keen appetites caused us to enjoy. — Passed
over the Dry Ridge, upon which were great
numbers of family and stage waggons : some of
the former were from the district of Maine, and
had been out 80 days. The progress of our
stage was so slow and so painful, that I preferred
walking : this afforded me an opportunity of
entering into the views and little histories pf
fellbw-'travellers. No person here need feet
backward, in asking questions, and all answer.
without hesitation or reserve. The women I
found the most conkflunicative : their husbaaads, '
being chiefly engaged in dragging along their
14

EMIGRANTS. — SCENERY.^ 193
wretched nags. The first I conversed with was
from Jersey, out 32 days : she was sitting upon
a log which served for the double purpPse of a
seat and a fire : their waggon had broken down
the day before ; her husband was "with it at a
distant blacksmith's : she had been seated there
all night: her last words went to my heart:
" Ah! Sir, I wish to God we had never left
" home." The view from the summit of Dry Ridge
even exceeds the one before described. The
scenery is bolder, and marked with a character
of increased magnificence. The eye takes in at
one glance, the various ridges calledthe South,
the Blue, the Cove, and the more extended
chain, peculiarly denominated the Allegany.
The calm serenity of the numerous valleys
formed a pleasing contrast with the more stu
pendous works of nature with which we were
so profusely surrounded. Although there is
here much barren country, there is a good
deal of fine fertile land. The most prevalent
trees are the beech, black, red, and white oaks.
Clay slate appears, thus far, to characterise
these mountains. — We continued to overtake
emigrants' waggons from Maryland, Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and
district of Maine. One of the families was that
of the brother,in-law and sister of Captain Riley,
whose Work, detailing his shipwreck and conse-

194 RUM AND WHISKEY FEED.
quent captivity in Africa, has been reprinted in
England and attracted such general and well-
deserved attention. This family were in great
distress. At five o'clock in the evening we reached
the top of the Alleganies. Our stage was far
behind. This day I had walked about sixteen
miles ; and, as was the case the day before, we
were not allowed to stop for dinner, there being
no coach proprietor upon the road. " The
Fountain Inn" is a miserable log-house, or what
you would call a dog-hole : it was crowded with
emigrants. I asked for something to eat, but
could only obtain for answer, " I guess whis-
" key is all the feed we have on sale." I have
met with several similar instances, when 1 have
asked, " Have you any meat ?" *' No." —
" Either cold or hot Will make no difference to
me." "¦ I guess I don't know." — " Have
" you any fowls ?" " No." •—• " Fish ?" " No."
— "Ham ?" " No." — " Bread ?" « No."- —
« Cheese ?" " No." — - "Crackers (biscuits) ?."
" No." — "I will pay you any price; you
" please." " I guess we have only rum and
*' whiskey* feed."
The character of the mountain inhabitants
appears cold, friendless, unfeeling, callous, and
selfish. All the emigrants with whom I con
versed complained of the enormous charges at
taverns* Log-houses are the only, habitations
14

LOG HOUSES. 195
for many miles. They are formed of the trunks
of trees, about twenty feet in length, and
six inches in diameter, cut at the ends, and
placed upon each other. The roof is framed
in a similar manner. In some houses there are
windows ; in others the door performs a double
office. The chimney is erected outside, and in
a similar manner to the body of the house.
Some have clay in their chimneys, which is a
precaution very necessary in these western
palaces. In some the space between the logs
remains open ; in others it is filled with clay.
The hinges are generally wood. Locks are not
used. In some there are two apartments ; in
others but one, for all the various operations of
&ooking, eating, sleeping, and, upon great occa
sions, washing. The pigs also come in for their
due share of the log residence. — By eleven
o'clock at night we safely arrived at Somerset,
237 miles from Philadelphia."
Started at 3 o'clock on our third day's jour
ney : thermometer 6 above zero. — Crossed
Laurel Hill. A family from Massachusetts
had " camped out" during the night. At
five o'clock we found them cooking potatoes
for breakfast: they very freely offered us a
portion of their homely fare. Perhaps in Essex
I ¦ should have thought this no treat — on
Laurel Ridge it was a most acceptable one;
so naturally does our inclination adapt itself
o 2

196 ALLEGANY MOUNTAINS.
to our circumstances. This family consisted
of ten persons : an old lady, her son and
his wife, with seven children, of both sexes,
from two to sixteen years of age ; all in ex
cellent health, and full of life and spirits ;
despising difficulties, and anticipating a rich
reward when they arrived in the " land of
". Canaan."
The vegetation on this ridge appears superior
to that of the Allegany: it is considered to
take its name from the calmia latifolia, which
grows here profusely. The mountain called
Little Chestnut Ridge, succeeds that of Lau
rel Hill, the difficulties of the road increasing ;
though those which we experienced were " light
" as air," compared with those which the poor
families were exposed to. The inconveniences
of travelling principally arise, not from the mere
height of these mountains, but from the abun
dance of enormous stones and of mud holes.
The road is not turnpike after the small space
described previous to arriving at M'Connel's
Ville. The trees on Chestnut Ridge are
chiefly oak and chestnut : the soil appears
chalky. This morning, after a walk of four
hours, we halted for the coach to come up;
though the pain of riding exceeded the fatigue of
walking, yet the having it as a place of final re
sort, was desirable : it refreshed us by varying the
weariness of our bodies. At half-past ten at night

COAL. — EMIGRANTS. 1 97
we arrived at Greensburgh, a town only 36 miles
from Pittsburgh. I was delighted with the near
prospect of a few days' cessation from fatigue.
Started, the fourth day, at four o'clock in the
morning, with the high treat of a turnpike-road ;
but the advantages arising from this were but of
short continuance. We had to descend Tur
tle .Creek Hill, which, in consequence of recent
rains, had become, if possible, even worse than
Laurel Hill. We all got out, and, up to our
knees in mud, took our turns in holding up the
stage. This tract bore decided evidence of
being embedded with coal. At the foot of the
hill I came up with a woman and girl, with two
infants in their arms, who came, tc'use their
own language, " vrom Zomerzetzhire in Hing-
land." Collecting from my remarks that- 1
had been in their Country, they spoke of it
with heartfelt attachment ; were sorry that they
had ever been persuaded to leave it ; they had
been told that this was the first place in the
world, but they had experienced nothing but
difficulties since they had set their foot upon it.
The husband was behind, dragging on their little
all. It was 45 days since they had left Phila
delphia. I assisted them over a brook, and en
deavoured to comfort them with the hopes that
when they once got settled they would be well
repaid for all their toil.
Passed through M'Nair's Town, a new log
o 3

198 NUMBER OF EMIGRANTS.
settlement; also Eastern Liberty Town, con
taining softie brick-houses, an hotel, and a large
steam grist-mill. At two o'clock we arrived at
Hunter's hotel in Pittsburgh. The town was
enveloped in smoke* The condition of the
people from Chambersburgh to Greensburgh is
that of an absence df wealth and of the con
veniences of life, with, however, the means of
obtaining a sufficient quantity of food. Their
habitations,in our ideas, are extremely wretched;
but in theirs, the Contrary. The blacksmith and
the tavern-keeper are almost the only occupa
tions : the former earns from 20s. 6d. to 27s.
per week : the profits of the latter must be
great, judging from the high charges and bad
quality. From Greensburgh to Pittsburgh, the
improvement, in size and quality of the houses,
is evident ; and the cultivation and condition of
the land are^much superior. Many places bear
the evident marks of wealth ; the criterion
for ascertaining which is, in this country, very
tangible. Recurring to my old plan of estima
tion, I passed on my road from Chambersburgh
to Pittsburgh, being 153 miles, one hundred and
three stage-waggons, drawn by four and six
horses* proceeding from Philadelphia and Balti
more te Pittsburgh, — seventy-nine from Pitts
burgh to Baltimore and Philadelphia, — sixty-
three waggons, with families, from the several
places following : — twenty from Massachusetts,

PITTSBURGH. 199
-^r-ten from the district of Maine, — fourteen
from Jersey, — thirteen from Connecticut, ~-
two from Maryland, — one from Pennsylvania, —
one from England, — one from Holland? -f-» and
one from Ireland ; about two hundred persons
on horseback, — twenty on foot, — one beggar,
one family, with their waggon, returning from
Cincinnati, entirely disappointed — r a circum
stance which, though rare, is by no means, as
some might suppose, miraculous.
PITTSBURGH.
Pittsburgh is, in several points of view, a most
interesting town; from its natural situation, being
at the termination of two, and the commence
ment of a third river, which has a direct commu
nication with the ocean, though at the almost
incredible distance of 2500 miles ; its scenery,
which is truly picturesque ; its exhaustless pos
session of that first-rate material for manu
factories, o©al ; its original situation as an. early
military post, and remarkable for two defeats
pf the British, more especially that of General
Bradock by the French and Indians, in which
the great Washington, first distinguished himself,
though but a youth and only a militia col oneL
in covering the retreat of our army ; and lastly,
its present importance as .being the connecting
link between new and nld America ; and though
it is not at present a " Birmingham," as the
o 4

200 EXAGGERATION. — PRICES.
natives bombastically call it, yet it certainly
contains the seeds of numerous important manu
factories. The published accounts of this city
ate so exaggerated and out of all reason, that
strangers are usually disappointed on visiting it.
This, however, was not my case. I have been
in some measure tutored in American gas
conade. When I am told that at a particular.
hotel there is handsome accommodation, 1 ex
pect that they are one remove from very bad-;
if " elegant entertainment," 1 anticipate toler
able ; if a person is " a clever man," that he is
not: absolutely a fool ; and if a manufactory is
the " first in the world," I expect, and have
generally found, about six men and three boys
employed.

PRICES.
Beef and mutton are S-^d. to 4f d. per pound ;
pork, 4^d. to 5d. ; cheese, 94d. to 14d. ; butter,
10d.. to .20d. ; tea,. 6s. 9d. to 12s. 4d. ; moist
sugar, 134-d. ; loaf, 20d. to 2s. Id. ; cpffee, 20d.;
potatoes, 2s. 3d. to 3s. 4^ d. per bushel ; porter,
6|d. per quart ; fowls; lS^d. each ; ducks, 20d. ;
geese, 2s. 3d. to 3s. 4-|d.j turkeys, 3s. 4 jd. to
5s. 8d. ; flour, 27s. to 31s. 6d, per barrel of 196
pounds; .„coal, 4d. per bushel. Mechanic^
board, 15s. 9d.to 18s. per week.

FARMING. 201
FARMING.
Agricultural produce finds here a ready and
an advantageous market. Farming, in this neigh
bourhood, is not the most profitable mode of
employing capital ; but it is here, as in all other
parts of the Union, an independent mode of
life. The farmer must labour hard with his
own hands. The " help" which he pays for will
be dear, and not of that kind to be relied on, in
the mode of its execution, as in England. This
may not proceed from a worse state of character,
but a difference in condition, as compared with
our working class. They are paid about fourteen
dollars per month, and board. In many instances
they expect to sit down with the master, to live as
well, and to be upon terms of equality with every
branch of the family ; and if this should be
departed from, the scythe and the sickle will be
laid down in the midst of harvest. There is
a class of men throughout the western country
called " merchants," who, in the summer and
autumn months, collect flour, butter, cheese,
pork, beef, whiskey, and every species of farm
ing produce, which they send in flats and keel-
boats to the New Orleans market. The demand
created by this trade, added to a large domestic
consumption, insures the most remote farmer a
certain market. Some of these speculators have
made large fortunes.
Land in the neighbourhood of Pittsburgh is

202 PRICES.
worth 100 dollars per acre. At a distance of
from five to twenty miles, tracts of from 1 to
500 acres, containing meadow, pasturage, arable,
and part covered with wood, have been recently
sold at from 20to 50 dollarsper acre. Wheatbrings
a dollar a bushel ; Indian corn, 75 cents a bushel.
A four year pld cart horse is worth from 20 to 30
dollars ; a gig ditto, 50 to 100,; a saddle ditto,
20 to 150 * ; a farmer's waggon, 100 dollars;
a family ditto, from 50 to 70 ; cart, 50. An ac
quaintance of mine, from Derbyshire, gave yes
terday for a cow with a calf by her side, twenty-
five dollars. Sheep are from one to three dollars j
live hogs from 2|d. to 4fd; a pound ; a good
roasting pig, 4s. 6d. Wool is but little in demand
since the termination of the war. Mr.  ,
.of Lexington, has informed me that he pur
poses making a shipment of it for Liverpool :
.should this succeed it will open a new source of
profit to, the western farmer. Clean Merino is
worth here 5s. 8d. to 6s. 9d. per pound ; fleece,
3s. 5d.,; half-bred, 2s. 3d.; quarter, 21d. A brick
house, two stories high, containing ten rooms,
may be built, with good management, in the
* -A common mode of selling horses is for the owner to
gallop through the street, announcing the amount of his last
.bidding. , IJiave witnessed several crying out, "twenty-five
" dollars," " twenty-five dallars," " twenty-five dattart .;"
and after half an hour's exercise, they have been transferred,
saddle, bridle, and all, to a new bidder, for twenty-five
, dallars, fifty smts.

BUILDING. — COAL. 203
country for 4000 dollars (9001.), as the bricks
can be made upon the land, and the " help"
boarded in the house. In towns, a similar build
ing will cost 6000 dollars (13501.), exclusive of
the ground, which, in particular situations, as of
all towns that promise well, is dearer than the
most choice spot in the city of London !
COAL.
In the coal hills which I have visited, the
mineral is found in a horizontal position, lying
at present above level. It is worked by adits or
openings into the side of the hills, which draw
off the water. The stream being boarded over,
the coal is wheeled out in barrows, and tripped
from an overhanging stage into one horse wag
gons. The waggons are without wheels, and the
horses, if blind, are preferred, the hills being so
steep, that in case of the least start, nothing can
save them from destruction. Labourers earn in the
coal excavations 31s. 6d. to 36s. per week. — If
the inhabitants of Pittsburgh are determined to
call that place after some English town, I should
propose that, instead of the "American Birming
ham," it bedenominated, with relation to the hu
midity of its climate, "the American Manchester;"
for I remained at this place several days, during
which time the rain never ceased. The smoke
is also extreme, giving to the town and . its. in
habitants a very sombre aspect ; but an English

204 HEALTH AT PITTSBURGH.
medical gentleman who has resided here some
years, informs me that there is not a more healthy
place in the United States. The diseases are bi
lious remittent fevers ; rheumatic among the
aged ; a few cases of bronchocele which affects
the theroid gland of females ; and inflammatory
sore throat in wet weather. Medical aid is easy of
attainment, though not always of the most va
luable kind. There is of doctors, as of lawyers,
too large a supply, and of course many of them
very inefficient. A physician here is also a sur
geon — prepares his own medicines, and prac
tises in every department of the profession ; —
generally they are neither so well educated, nor
in such respectable circumstances as our medi
cal men. TRADES AND MANUFACTORIES.
The manufacturing interest of Pittsburgh is
that of the United States. Many of the manu-'
factories originated during the late war, and all
of them flourished during its continuance. At
present they are generally upon the wane. A
document was issued from their committee last
year, setting forth their distress in the strongest
language — from which it would appear to equal
that of our manufacturing" classes even during
the worst period of their sufferings.
Mr. Ephrim Portland, the prothonotary of
this town, favoured me with the following list of

TRADES AND MANUFACTURES.

205-

manufactories up to last January, published by
the authority of the1 committee. Mr. P. is
a gentleman of information, and to whom I
am personally indebted for much liberal and
kind attention.
MANUFACTORIES in and near the city of Pitts
burgh, in the State of Pensylvania, in the year 1817-

Number

Manufacturers.

of Men
employed.

Yearly Amount.

Dollars.
1 Augur-maker -
6
3,500
1 Bellows-maker - - -
3
10,000
18 Blacksmiths -
74
75,100
3 Brewers -
17
72,000
3 Brush-makers
7
8,600
1 Button-maker
6
6,250
2 Cotton-spinners and carders
36
25,518
11 Copper-smiths and tin--)
plate-workers - 5
100
200,000
7 Cabinet-makers - -
43
40,000
1 Currier -
' 4
12,000
2 Cutlers - - - -
6
2,400
4 Iron-founders
87
1 80,000
3 Gun-smiths, and bridle-"}
bit-makers - - j
14
13,800
2 Flint-glass-manufacturers
82
110,000
3 Green (window) ditto -
92
130,000
2 Hardware -
17
18,000
7 Hatters ...
49
44,640
1 Lock-smith -
7"
12,000
1 Linen -
20
25,000
7 Nail - - -
47
174,716
1 Paper -
40
23,000
1 Pattern -
21
1,500
3 Plane ...
6
57,600
. 1 Patten ... -
5
8,000
206

TRADES AND MANUFACTURES.

MANUFACTORIES, &c— continued.

 r-r — * » "'"¦' ¦'"  ¦  J '¦'..- . , . 

Number

Manufacturers.

of Men
employed.

Yearly Amount.

Deltas-

1 Rope manufacturer

8

15,000

. 1 Spinning machine - -

6

6,000

1 Spanish Brown

2

6,720

1 Silver-plater

40

20,000

2 Steam-engine-makers -

70

125,000

6 Saddlers -

60

86,000

5 Silver-smiths and watch- 1
menders J

17

12,000

14 Shoe and boot

109

120,000

7 Tanners and curriers

47

58,800

; 4 Tallow-chandlers -

7

32,600

4 Tobacconists

28

21,000

5 Waggon-makers

21

28,500

2 Weavers - -

9

14,562

3 Windsor Chair

23

42,600

2 Woollen -

30

17,000

1 Wire-drawer - - | 12

6,000

1 White Lead - - j 6

40,000

Total number of workmen, 1280. — Di

tto, amount,

1,896,396 Dollars.

Some of the above manufactories may be de
nominated first-rate. This remark applies par
ticularly to the nail, steam-engine (high pres
sure) and glass establishments. I was astonished
to witness such perfection on this side of the
Atlantic, and especially in that part of America
which a New Yorker supposes to be at the far
ther end of the world.
At Messrs. Page and Bakewell's glass ware
house I saw chandeliers and numerous articles
^REFLECTIONS. 207-
in cut glass of a very splendid description;
among the latter was a pair of decanters, cut
from a London pattern, the price of which will
be eight guineas. It is well to bear in mind that
the demand for these articles of elegant luxury
lies in the Western States ! the inhabitants of
Eastern America being still importers from the
'¦'¦ Old Country." What interesting themes of
reflection are offered by such facts to the philo
sopher as well as to the politician ! Not thirty
years since the whole right bank of the Ohio
was termed the " Indian side." Spots in Te-
nessee, in Ohio and Kentucky, that within the
life-time of even young men, witnessed only the
arrow and the scalping knife, now present to
the traveller articles of elegance and modes of
luxury which might rival the displays of London
and Paris, while, within the last half century,
the beasts of the forest, and man more savage
than the beast, were the only inhabitants of
the whole of that immense tract peculiarly de
nominated the " Western Country ;" which isw
now partially inhabited, and promises soon to
be generally so by man — civilized man, pos
sessed of the arts and the pursuits of civilized life.
It is already the refuge of the oppressed from
every other. nation. May it become the seat of
enlightenment, of private virtue and public liber
ty ; and it may then, but not till then, expect to
rank among the greatest, the most powerful, and
the .most respected of the nations of the earth !

208 ENGLISH GOODS. — RENTS.
The rapid and unexampled progress of this
country, presents a valuable and an extraor
dinary political lesson to the world at large. It
shows us what a nation may become when the
principles of its government are cheap and liberal,
when its resources are called forth, and itspowers
expanded by the means of a system emanating
from the people, and not repressed by establish
ments whose only recommendation is their anti
quity, nor compelled to contribute towards the
support of a system whiclTdeprives them of the
legitimate reward of their industry.. — But: to
return to less speculative but more practical
detail. The state of trade is at present dull ; but that
there is a great deal of business done must be
evident from the quantity of " dry goods " and
" grocery stores," many of the proprietors of
which have stocks as heavy as the majority of
London retail dealers. They are literally, stuffed
with goods of English manufacture, consisting
of articles of the most varied kind, from a man's
coat or lady's gown, down to a whip or an
oyster knife. Rents, of course, vary according:
to situation : houses in the best stands for busi
ness are from 400 to 800 dollars per annum ;
others are from 150 to 350; — two rooms, or a
very small house a little way from town, would
be 80 dollars per annum.
It is difficult to form a judgment whether
there is an opening in any of the present esta-?

MANUFACTURES WHICH MIGHT SUCCEED. 209
blished businesses. One fact strongly in favour
of the stability of this town is, that there has not
been a bankruptcy in it for three years ! ! ! a sin
gular contrast this with New York, in which
the last published list of insolvents contained
upwards of 400 names.
Should the establishment of cotton, linen,
or woollen manufactories, be thought desirable,
the want of machinists, such as you have in
England, would be a most material consider
ation. Persons with such knowledge, and ca
pable of repairing, as well as making every part
of the machinery, would be necessary ; and also
the constant personal attendance of the pro
prietor, would be indispensable.
I should have sanguine hopes of the success
of an extensive coarse pottery. The freight,
Carriage, and other expenses attending the import
of such articles from England to Pittsburgh is now
from 100 to 200 per cent. Some are of opinion
that a slate quarry may be found three miles from
hence ; if so, and there were capital and skill
engaged, it would prove a fortune. The trade of
slating must be united with that of quarrying
the material. — Houses are now roofed with
shingles, which are dangerous, and not cheap.
t» Establishments mightbeadvantageously made,
in which the following articles would be of pri
mary .importance :. coal, casting sands of every
sijrflt*. all kind of clays, every species of plaster
of Paris, of lime, of iron, and of ochres, as
p

210 GRUMBLERS. — WAGES.
they are not difficult of obtainment in Pitts
burgh.1 — Lead is brought from Louisiana, and
copper from South America.
Understanding that mechanics in every occu
pation met at " Carey's Porter-house," I went
there several times for the purpose of obtaining
information. I found them chiefly English, and
all discontented with America. One remark
made by the leading grumbler, deserves attention.
It was elicited by the spirit of opposition. His
friend, a stone-mason, said that there was " no-
" thing in America but d-  d Yankies and
" rogues, and that it was not fit for a dog to live
" in ;" — " Aye, aye, Bob ; you forget that you
" were starving in England. Say what you
" will, this, after all, is the poor man's country —
" it is the poor man's country, Bob." — " Yes ;
" it may be well enough for getting pork and
" whiskey, and wages, and all that ; but curse
" the country; it would be a good country
" enough if it was free from dirty, cheating
" Yankies." WAGES, &C
Taylors earn from 31s. 6d. to 45s. per week,
are now well employed ; carpenter, 31s. 6d. fo
40s. 6d., dull; baker, 31s. 6d. to 40s. 6d., dull;
mason, 34s. to 45s., brisk; shoemaker, 31s. 6d.
to 36s., brisk ; blacksmith, 31s. 6d. to 36s., didi ;
tinman, from 36s. to 45s., dull; printer, fiyni
31s. 6d. to 36s., dullj weaver, no employr

BREWERY.  THEATRE. 211
ment; glass-blower, 31s. 6d. to 45s., dull;
glass-cutter, 31s. 6d. to 67s. 6d., dull ; hatter,
31s. 6d. to 45s., brisk ; brewer, 36s., dull ; nail-
cutter, 31s. 6d. to 36s., brisk.
I omitted mentioning that I conceive a brew-.
ery, upon an extensive scale, with adequate ca
pital and skill, would succeed extremely well.
There are at present three in the business in
Pittsburgh, and none of them sell good beer.
The mode is similar to that pursued by Messrs.
in London. The erection, or purr
chase of an establishment, in which there should
be a steam-engine, with a malt-house and other
buildings, would require a capital of not more
than from 7 to 15,000 pounds.
Bottled porter is an article in considerable
demand by the emigrants, nearly all of whom
take shipping for the more western States, at
this place. The use of malt liquors is increas
ing in all parts of America. Porter in Pittsburgh
is eight dollars per barrel, and 6jd. per quart.
THEATRE.
The play of " Hamlet," and the farce of
*• Turn Out," were acted the evening after my
arrival. Upon either I have nothing particular
to observe. The acting was equal to the au
dience, perhaps superior. A son of the cele
brated Lewis performed Horatio : he was dead
drunk,: and extremely dirty. Mrs. Entwistle's,
p 2

212 YOUNG FINANCIERS.
acting in the farce, could scarcely have been ex
ceeded by that of Mrs. Davison. Between
the acts, two boys, not 14 years of age, were
vSry solemnly discussing what the profits of
the house would be monthly, if that night
could be taken as an average. Prom this they;
took a view of what interest the house paid to
its owner. Their calculations were made with the
precision of state financiers, and their conclu
sions drawn with the gravity of sages. After a
long dispute, whether the interest were 8|, or
8£ per cent., they determined that the theatre
was good property. This occurrence is in per
fect accordance with national character. Gain
is the education — the morals, the politics, the
theology, and stands in the stead of the domestic
comfort of all ages and classes of Americans ;
it is the centre of their system, from which
they derive both light and heat.
• A few days after the performance of ; Ham
let, Mr. Entwistle, the manager, had for his
benefit, that irresistibly amusing burlesque,
" Hamlet Travestie." His line of acting is a
broad-farce caricature of that of Liston. He
personated the modern Danish prince. The au
dience were solemn, serious, and dull. The af
fecting entrance of the deranged Ophelia, who,
instead of rosemary, rue, &c. had an ample sup
ply of turnips and carrots, did not move a muscle
of their intelligent faces — the ladies, indeed,
excepted, who evinced by the frequent use of

HAMLET TRAVESTIE. 213'
their pocket handkerchiefs, that their sympathies-
were engaged on the side of the love-sick
maiden. Some who had seen the original
Hamlet for the first time a few evenings be
fore, gave, vent to their criticisms when the cur
tain fell. They thought Mr. Entwistle did not
look, sufficiently grave ; and that, as it was his
benefit, he acted very dishonourably in shaving
(cheating) them Out of two acts ; for that they
guessed when Mr. Hutton played that 'ere king's
mad son, he gave them five acts for. their dollar.
. Mr.  assured me that on the following
morning, a respectable lawyer of Pittsburgh
met him, and said, " I was at the play last night,
" Sir, and do not think that Mr. Entwistle acted
" Hamlet quite so well as Mr. Hutton."
Upon the whole, I consider Pittsburgh,, in
every point of view, to be a very important
town ; and have no doubt, although its pro
sperity is now at a stand,, and property if not
declining, is not increasing in value, that it will
gradually advance ; and that the time must come
when it will be an extensive and very populous
city. The present population is 10,000, made
up from all nations, and, of course, not free
from the vices of each : this indeed is but too
apparent upon a very short residence.
- A day previous to my departure from; Pitts-:
burgh, I called at Carey's Porter-house : Mr. C.
stepped forward, and pointing with his , hand to*
p 3.

214' YOUNG WATSON.'
a young man, said, " Mr. Watsort, Sir." For
some minutes! did not comprehend his mean
ing. The person to whom he directed my at
tention sat in a corner — silent, serious, and
indifferent : he was short in stature and mean
in appearance. Guess my surprise when I was
informed that this Mr. Watson was no other
than. Young Watson; he, concerning whom,
for some months, our whole country was in
a general ferment. I felt some curiosity to
know the history of a person so singularly
thrust into premature importance. His appear
ance greatly disappointed me, not on account
of the poverty of his dress, for that I presume
results at present from circumstances beyond his
controul ; but I had imagined Young Watson to
be a daring, bold, enthusiastic, indiscreet young
man. He does not seem, however, possessed of
any one of these qualities : he is reserved, not
from constraint^ but habit, and habit of a kind
that more bespeaks an absence of talent than the
attendant of mind. The ship Venus, in which
he went passenger, was hauled to off Dover*
Lavender and another Bow-street officer went on
board, having Certain information that he. was
there. His face was painted; he had on a far
mer's frock coat, stuffed ; shoes without heels.
looked stouter, shorter, and younger than de?*,
scribed in the proclamation. He went on deck
upon knowing that officers were looking for him„
When he was standing by^their side, Miss Wilson,

YOUNG WATSON. 215
a cabin passenger, fainted. Lavender, ignorant
of his person, told him to take Care of the lady ; —
examined the trunks of all the passengers, not
excepting that of Watson, who continued sup
porting Miss Wilson. The officers did not believe
but that he was on board, their information being
positive ; they at length whispered to each other
in his hearing, " he is not here ;" — they . de
parted ; — the ship got under way •, — he con
versed with all concerning Young Watson. —
Upon arriving in America, Mr. Busby, son of
Dr. Busby, who was a cabin passenger, enquired
of an Englishman in New York, if young Wat7
son were in America ; being answered in the
affirmative, he asked by what ship. " The Ve-
" nus." " No, that is impossible, for I came in
" the Venus." — " He certainly came in the
" Venus." " Under what name ?" — " Thomas
" Pearson." " Oh, I know the boy Pearson
" very well, we used to call him the proud
" • farmer." He has got a situation in a school
and receives 501. per annum ; is little known
and less regarded. Americans who have heard
of him either care nothing about or despise him;
for the political part which he has taken : in
these few lines you have the particulars of a
young man who has excited in no small degree
the public attention. He did not express the
least gratitude for the extraordinary assistance
which,' I presume, he must have received. I
p 4

216 WESTERN COUNTRY.
asked myself, during his conversation, is it pos
sible that this is an individual, one of the fore
most among those, to guard against whose mighty
machinations, ministers suspended the birthright
of Englishmen ? But, however, so it was ; and
.in this person we have by no means a novel in»
stance of inexperience combined with fanaticism ;
neither of which qualities would perhaps ever
have been called into action had it not been for
the existence of an order of things which de
prives a considerable portion of our population
of the actual necessaries of life.
STATE OF OHIO.
Left Pittsburgh for Ohio — the state in which
every emigrant I saw on the Alleganies told me
he designed settling ; while there the inhabitants
are on " the. move" for Alabama and Missouri.
Emigration in this country is always in motion,
and for ever changing in the points of its attrac
tion. The usual mode of travelling hence is to
float down the river, as being the easiest, most
economical, and most expeditious. The- land
route is the most desirable for seeing the
country and people. I am now fairly entered
upon the western country; a tract which
geographers tell us contains fifteen hundred
thousand square miles, fifty thousand miles of
internal navigation, one hundred thousand of
river coast, with an endless intersection of rivers
communicating with each other. -To the con-

STATE OF OHIO. 217
templative politician this presents a magnificent
spectacle ; such an one must feel equally anxious
that this almost boundless theatre for human
exertion may neither be polluted by political in
stitutions, pernicious and destructive in their
own nature, nor present to the world the mockery
of the best theoretical principles, which, while
apparently possessed by the people, are virtually
destroyed by an iniquitous perversion of their
spirit. — But leaving general views of politics, I
pass on to the particulars of the State of Ohio,
and shall detain you with but little of minute
description until my arrival at Cincinnati, a
town which possesses all the features common
to the principal towns of this State.
The face of the country is an uninterrupted
level. Many of those tracts of land which
would be desirable for our settlement, should
we turn agriculturalists, are pre-occupied, and
cannot be bought without an advance which I
think disproportionate to their actual value.
The agent at the land-office informs me that
there are still for sale one million of acres of
United States' land, at two dollars per acre, or
one dollar and sixty -four cents for prompt pay
ment. In all the States there are government
reservation lands : these are generally in the
most choice situations. Some such tracts have
have been sold in the wild state in Tennessee,
at the last auction, for the large sum of 38 dol
lars per acre !

218 TAXES.
Taxes, on wild land are, on first-rate 2 dol
lars per hundred acres ; If dollars on second^
rate ; 1 dollar on third-rate. There is also a
county-tax of half the above amounts, as the case
may be. These taxes of 6s. 0d. to 13s.' 6d. on art
hundred acres are certainly very small, at least
with our English ideas of taxation and of pro
duce ; yet ybu would be astonished to witness the
numerous lots of lands which are sold at auction
in all the States on account of non-payment of
taxes. I have seen lists in the newspapers, arid at
the taverns, which could not contain less in each
than four hundred names of defaulters, whbse
propefty was to be transferred to the highest
bidder. I have been offered a lot of six thousand acres
on the Little Miami, by Mr. —  , who is re
moving to Alabama : the terms are not parti
cularly objectionable. Perhaps this would suit
us ; at least if I do not see any thing more de
sirable further west.
The section of country bounding on the Ohio
river^ from 25 miles on either side of Cincin
nati, and extending back about 100 miles di
rectly north, to the late Indian . boundary
line, (which, according to treaty, was extin
guished a few days since,) is generally an ex
cellent body of land, and is well settled,
though but small improvements are yet made,
except in a few particular places near towns.
l3

O

PRAIRIES. — IMPROVED FARMS. 2H)
The land is closely timbered, except near the
head waters of the two Miamas, where there is a
beautiful champaign country. The prairies, or
natural meadows, are here of considerable ex
tent. Grazing is the chief occupation of the
inhabitants. The price of land varies very much,
according to situation and the proximity of town
ships. Farms which are called improved can be
bought at from 8 to 30 dollars per acre : the
improvements often consist of the erection of
rough log buildings, and about from 12 to 20
acres under middling cultivation. Buildings are
included in the price per acre. The next class
of farms have from 20 to 50 acres under cultiva
tion : the proportion of arable and wood is about
two-thirds, of meadow and pasturage neatly
equal proportions. Any of the land is here ca
pable, by culture, of being turned into meadow.
The Miamas are navigable in the spring and
autumn. Limestone abounds ; coal and iron
have not yet been discovered, except in the
eastern part of the State. Wheat sells now in
the Chillicothe and Cincinnati markets for 3s.
4id. per bushel ; rye, 2s. 8£d. ; Indian corri,
2s. 3d. .
There are large prairies in Ross county, on
the north branch of Paint Creek, near Chilli
cothe ; these prairies are from five to eight miles
square : in them there is not a shrub to be seen'.
They produce a grass growing thick, and about

220 TREES, &C. OF OHIO.
four feet high, which makes excellent fodder : it
is similar to Massachusetts upland grass, and is
there called English hay. These prairies are
filled with herds of cattle fattening for the Baltic
more and Philadelphia markets, which are sold
in this State, on the hoof, for about 3 dollars per
hundred weight. The chief expense of pastur
age consists in a man's wages to look after the
herds, twice a week, giving them salt, &c.
The principal towns are situated on the banks
of the river. There are no canals, and indeed
not much occasion for them,, the whole State
abounding with rivers and creeks, which empty
themselves into the Ohio river : produce is con
veyed with little expense by this means, during
the freshets, or rise of the waters.
The trees produced by the best class of land
are honey-locust, black walnut, and beech ; —
by second quality, sugar-tree, sicamore or butter-
wood, and white-wood, used for building and
joiners' work; — the third quality produces
oak. Throughout this State there is but little
under or brush wood,, caused, I presume, by the
height and spreading tops of the trees, which
prevent the sun penetrating to the ground, and
nourishing inferior articles of vegetation. Wood
for firing is sold in the towns at from 1| to 3
dollars per cord (equal in consumption to half
a chaldron of coals).,
The yearly wages, I am informed, of a labour>

SEASONS. — HEALTH. 221
ing man is from 581. 10s<, to 651. : of a woman,
311. 10s.
With regard to the season^, they are said to
have severe winters of from three to four
months, with a keen dry air, and cloudless sky ;
during summer excessive heat, (thermometer in
the "shade, 80 to 96,) with heavy dews at night ;
springs, cold and heavy rains ; autumns, fine,
followed by " Indian summer," which is truly
delightful. This I have experienced, andean say
that until now I never knew what really fine
weather was. Along the route I have travelled,
in this State, there is scarcely an elevation which
can be called a hill, with exception of slight
bluffs on the margin of rivers. The dreary
monotony of limited views of such endless
uniformity produces sensations of the most
depressing melancholy. The atmosphere, after a
hot day, causes head-aches, which frequently
terminate in an intermittent fever. A man's
being sick, (the term applied to every species of
illness,) is as common in this country, as being in
distress is in England. In regard to healthiness
of situation, there is considerable variety, as the
appearance of the inhabitants will in some mea^
Sure indicate ; though as a general character
istic, I would say, there is a want of sound
regular health, at least if our English ideas of
ruddy cheeks are to be taken as a criterion.
The people are of a tall, vanity aspect, and seem,

222 MINERALS.  A FROLIC.
even during their most active occupations, to be
the victims of fever and ague.
Of the existence of minerals, and to what ex
tent and variety, at present but little is known.
Judging from the beds of the rivers, and quality
of the water, I should presume that coal must
be abundant. Salt is found in several situations,
particularly on the Kenhaway, The common
order of the strata is— r first, sandstone, then lime
stone, argillaceous schist, and coal. The wild
animals are neither numerous, nor troublesome ;
though the wolf and the squirrel are still de
predators : but the Sport afforded in capturing
them, and the addition which the flesh of the
latter makes to the family stock of provisions^
compensate for their lawless invasions of the
rights of property.
Land is sometimes partially cleared, by what is
rather ludicrously termed & frolic. A man having
purchased a quarter, or half section, for thepur*
pose of settling down, his neighbours assemble
upon an appointed day : one cuts the trees ; a
second lops them ; a third drags them to the
spot upon which a log mansion is to be erected ;
others cross the logs, roof the habitation, and in
three days the emigrant has a " house over his
" head :" — thus ends the American frolic. The
raising of food is the next point with the new
settler : in this he must rely upon his own re
sources. If he be strong-handed^ (has property,)

MODES OF CULTURE. 223
he has the trees felled, about one foot from the
earth, dragged into heaps, and made into an
immense bonfire. Should he be weak-handed,
(poor,) he is compelled to be content with what
is termed girdling ; which consists in cutting, the
bark, thereby, of course, killing the trees ; and
he afterwards clears away the underwood, which
is seldom considerable. These preliminary oper
ations- being effected, according to either mode,
grain is sown, and the produce reaped with a
fruitfulness of production, and a dexterity truly
extraordinary, considering that these oper
ations are carried on amidst stumps, (which de
cay in from eight to twelve years,) stones, and
surrounded by entire trees. The beauty pf an
Indian corn crop cannot be exceeded. When
cut and carried home, the neighbours assemble
to assist in husking ; this is called a husking
frolic. In some parts of the country the term
frolic admits of a different application ; — the re
ligious females present their minister witli a
variety of gifts, each according fo their taste
or means ; some send a coat, others a hat,
and some a goose. They are invited to the
preacher's house, to partake of a supper, as a
return for th,eir liberality : this is termed a knpt-
^g frolic. Very little agricultural labour is
performed by women. The slender means pf
many settlers, not enabling them to purchase
/British goods at the, high price at which they

224 CLASSES OF SOCIETY.
are sold, the females are therefore chiefly em
ployed in making articles of domestic clothing.
The interior population may perhaps be
divided into three classes : First, the squatter,
or man who " sets himself down," upon land
which is not his own, and for which he pays
nothing ; cultivates a sufficient extent to supply
himself and family with the necessaries of life ;
remains until he is dissatisfied with his choice ; —
has realized a sufficiency to become a land
owner; — or is expelled by the real proprietor.
Second, the small farmer who has recently emi
grated, had barely sufficient to pay the first in
stalment for his 80 or 160 acres of two dollar
land ; cultivates, or what he calls improves, ten
to thirty acres ; raises a sufficient " feed" for
his family ; has the females of it employed in
making or patching the wretched clothing of the
whole domestic circle ; is in a condition which,
if compelled by legislative acts, or by external force
to endure, would be considered truly wretched ;
but from being his own master, having made his
own choice, from the having " no one to make
" him afraid," joined with the consciousness
that, though slowly, he is regularly advancing
towards wealth ; the breath of complaint is sel
dom heard to escape from his lips. Third, the
wealthy or " strong-handed" farmer, who owns
from five to twelve hundred acres, has oncfourth
to one-third under cultivation, of a kind much

CLASSES.  FARMS. 225
superior to the former ; raises live stock for the
home, and Atlantic-city markets ; sends beef,
pork; cheese, lard, and butter to New Orleans ;
is perhaps a legislator, at any rate a squire
(magistrate) ; is always a man of plain business
like sense, though not in possession, nor desirous
of a very cultivated intellect ; understands his
own interest, and that of his country ; lives in
sufficient affluence, and is possessed of comfort, ac
cording to the American acceptation of the term,
but to which we " old country" folks must feel
inclined to take an exception: but, in conclusion,
and a most important conclusion it is, the ma
jority of this class of men were, ten or fifteen
•years ago, inhabitants of the eastern States, and
not worth, upon their arrival An Ohio, twenty
dollars. Well-prepared land in this State produces, per
acre, 30 bushels of wheat ; 50 to 75, of Indian
corn ; 50 to 75, of rye. Horses are worth from
40 to 100 dollars (91. to 221. 10s.). Cows, (four
years old,) 12 to 20 dollars (54s. to 90s.).
¦ The management of farms is full a century
behind that of England, there being here a
want of improved machinery for the promotion
of economy in time and labour,, and no regular
attention to the condition of live stock, while the
mode of culture in general appears slovenly, and
unsystematic. Cows are milked sometimes twice,
sometimes once a day, at others four times a
Q

226 CINCINNATI.
week. Barns are erections which you would not
know by that name, and which must materially
deteriorate the annual receipts ; — upon the
whole, Bowles's rude but delightful picture of
" The Farm Yard" would be as unintelligible to
an Ohian, as it is to the Cockney, whose ideas
of a country life are limited to a Sunday's ex
cursion to Chalk-farm and Highbury-barn.
CINCINNATI.
My arrival in the interesting town of Cincin
nati was at 10 o'clock at night. I put up at
the Cincinnati hotel, on the banks of the Ohio.
When I had remained here half an hpur, the
bar-keeper informed me that all their beds were
engaged. This, at so late a period in the evening,
and with the rain pouring in torrents, was not the
most agreeable reception, particularly as I had
not rested upon a bed for the four previous nights.
A gentleman whom I had seen when in Pennsyl
vania endeavoured to procure me a share in that
of his friend, his own being already doubly en
gaged. The negotiation failing, I applied to,
the bar-keeper to be allowed to remain in the
house, though without a bed. To this, , he
assented, and placing some chairs against the
wall, with saddle-bags: for my pillow, I enjoyed
a comfortable night's arest.
Many persons in this, State have coloured
people, which they call their property. The,
mode in which they effect this perpetuation of

SLAVES. — PRICES. 227
slavery, in violation of the spirit of the Ohio
constitution, is to purchase blacks, and have
them apprenticed to them. Some are so base as
to take these negroes down the river at the ap
proach of the expiration of their apprenticeship,
and sell them at Natchez, for life !
Yet the first article of the Ohio constitution
is, " All men are born equally free and inde
pendent" PRICES.
I visited the public market before the sun
had appeared above the horizon. The whole
town presented a scene of life and activity.
The market-house is an excellent building, and
Tinder judicious regulations ; but the supply on
this occasion was neither various nor profuse.
Beef and mutton are from 2d. to 3jd. per
pound ; veal, 4d. ; pork, 2-J-d. to 4|d. ; potatoes,
2s. 3d. a bushel; flour, 27s. a barrel of 196
pounds ; fowls, lOd. each ; geese, 2s. 3d. each ;
turkeys, 3s. 4|d. to 4s. 6d. ; moist sugar, 13d. a
pound ; loaf ditto, 20d. ; porter, 27s. to 31s. 6d.
per barrel pf 32 gallons, 6|d. per quart ; cider,
Us. 3di per barrel ; gin, 5s. 7id. per gallon ;
whiskey, 2s. 8d. ; brandy, 13s. 6d. to 18s. ; rum,
lis. 3d. ; -shoes, 13s. 6d. to 15s. 9d. per pair ;
Wellington boots, 36s. to 40s. 6d. ; Hessian ditto,
49s- 6d. to 5J<s. ; superfine blue cloth, 21. 18s. 6d.
to Si. 7s- >6dL per yard ; making a coat, 27s. ; hats,
of Awerisan, manufacture, 31s. 6d. to 45s, ; rent
0/2

228 TRENT. — TRADE."
of'two small rooms, 181. per annum ; ditto, of
a small house in a third or fourth rate situation,-
from 331.15s. to 671. 10s. The general average' of
houses, in good business situations, is from 901.
to 1371. 10s. per annum : taxes trifling, indeed
I could not ascertain their amount ; a good evi
dence that they cannot be oppressive. Women
servants are paid 20s. 3d. to 29s. 3d. per month ; .
men ditto, 63s. to 72s. Mechanic's board and
lodging per week, 13s. 6d. ; respectable ditto,
18s. to 22s. 6d. ; ditto at the best inns, 47s. 3d.
These charges are enormously disproportionate
•to the rate -of provisions ; although large rents,
dear clothing, and high price of labour, are
items of no small importance in the hotel and
•boarding-house keepers' calculations, and for
which allowances should fairly be made. The
•wages of mechanics, in all trades suited to the
present condition of the country, vary from 36s.
to 40s. 6d. per week. Tailors, shoemakers,
carpenters, blacksmiths, masons, and sadlers are
good trades, and at present are in full employ :
these I would distinguish by denominating first-
rate ; tinmen, bakers, and hatters, second-rate ;
printers, third-rate ; for the weaver there is no
employment. A watchmaker, as such, could
not obtain a subsistence, watches not being ma
nufactured in America ; such a mechanic -pos
sibly could get a living by mending watches, and
attending to every department of ' silversmiths'

TOWN.' — EDUCATION. 229
work. It is thought there is an opening for a?
dyer, there being but one in the town,. — an:
old woman.
You are aware of the sudden rise and im
provement of this place : the present population
is said to be 10,000 ; though Mr. Williams,,
editor of " The Western Spy," told me that he
considers it does not exceed eight, including
blacks, who are rather numerous. The town
is built upon the model of Philadelphia ; and
should it ever become as large, which I think
not improbable, its whole appearance will be
more pleasing. There are five churches bev
longing to methodists, episcopalians, presby-
terians, quakers, and baptists : two others, large
in size, and handsome in appearance, are now
erecting. EDUCATION.
The School-house, when the whole plan is
completed, will be a fine and extensive structure.
In the first apartment, on the ground-floor,
the Lancasterian plan is already in successful
operation : I counted 150 scholars, among whom
were children of the most respectable persons
in the town ; or, to use an American phrase,
" of the first standing." This school-house
is, like most establishments in this country —
a joint stock concern. The terms for educa
tion, in the Lancasterian department, are, to-
o. 3

230 SCHOOLS.
share-holders, lis. 3d. per quarter; others
13s. 6d. There are in the same building three
other departments (not Lancasterian) ; two for
instruction in history, geography, and the clas
sics ; and the superior department for teaching
languages. Males and females are taught in the
same rooms, but sit on opposite sides. The
terms for the historical, &c. department are —
to share-holdters, 22s. 6d. per quarter ; others,
27s. : there were present 21 males and 19 fe
males. In the department of languages, the
charge is — to share-holders, 36s. per quarter ;
others, 45s. Teachers are paid a yearly salary
by the company: these men are, I believe,
New Englanders, as are the schoolmasters in the
western country generally. -
I also visited a poor half-starved, civil school
master : he has two miserable rooms, for which
he pays 22s. 6d. per month : the number of
scholars, both male and female, is 28: the
terms for all branches 13s. 6d. per quarter: he
complains of great difficulty in getting paid ;
and also of the untameable insubordination qfhis
scholars. The superintendant of the Lancas
terian school informs me, that they could not
attempt to put in practice the greater part of
the punishments as directed by the founder of
that system.

NEWSPAPERS. 231
NEWSPAPERS.
This town produces two newspapers, " The
" Western Spy," and " Liberty Hall." The
impression of each is said to be 1200 per week.
As the terms upon which they are- sold are an
index to the want of capital, though not of pro
perty, in this country, I extract the following
statements verbatim from the XlVth volume of
" Liberty Hall," Nov. 10. 1817.
" The price of this paper is three dollars and
" fifty cents for 52 numbers ; but which may
" be discharged by the payment of three dollars
" within the year, or two dollars and fifty cents
" in ADVANCE.
" Subscribers must pay the postage of their
" papers. " Payments in advance being to the mutual in-
" terest of both parties, that mode is solicited.
" A failure to notify a discontinuance at the
"expiration of the time subscribed for, will be
" considered a new engagement.
" When subscribers wish to discontinue, all
" arrearages must first be paid..
" Letters to the Editors must be post-paid.
" Terms of advertising 1 12 lines, or less,,
" for three insertions, one dollar : each conti-
" nuance 25 cents.
" Longer advertisements in the same pro-
" portion. Q. 4

232 newspapers.
" When a customer's advertising amounts, in
" the course of a year, to $12 and not exceed-
" ing $25, a deduction of 20 per cent, will be
" made ; and 25 per cent, on all sums above
" S25." Terms from the " White Water Gazette."
" Wheat, Rye, Corn, Oats, Whiskey, Pork,
" Bacon, Sugar, Linen, Flax, Feathers, Wool,
" Beeswax, Tallow, Candles, Furs, Rags, or
" CASH (notes), at market prices, and deliv-
" ered at such places as may be agreed upon,
" will be taken in payment for subscriptions."
The type and general execution of the above-
named papers are superior to those of Phila
delphia; but, in common with all American
newspapers, they are extremely uninteresting,
relying almost entirely for matter upon adver
tisements and English news, the latter being
always made their leading article. From the
paper mentioned above '(" Liberty Hall"), and
of the same date, I take the following, which
is a fair sample of the general contents of every
news publication in the United States : —
LATEST FROM ENGLAND. New York, Oct. 22.
" By the schooner Weymouth, Benedict, ira
" 33 days from Liverpool, the editors of the
" Mercantile Advertiser received, at a late hour

SPECIMEN OF NEWS. 233
" last evening, the papers of that place to the
" 17th, London to the 15th ; and by the Maria
" Theresa, from Havre, French papers to the
" 13th ultimo, all inclusive. They contain no
" news of moment.
" Accounts from Ireland state, that the
" typhus fever had begun to subside.
• "The Prince Regent was landed at Brighton
" on the 13th, having been at sea four days
" and three nights, during which time he visited
" the coast of France. ;
" Mrs. Cobbett, with her two sons and three
" daughters, sailed from Liverpool on the 16th,
". in the Aurora, for New York.
" The papers speak of the universal revival
" of trade in all parts of the kingdom, and parti-
" cularly of the rise of cotton and linen goods.
" Paris papers to the 13th contain nothing of
" interest. Desbands and Chayoux, who plotted
" the assassination of Monsieur and son, had
" been shot in the plain of Grenoble.
" Lord Wellington had been non-suited in
" his prosecution of the printer of the Ghent
" Journal, and adjudged to pay the costs. It
" is said the duke had appealed from this de-
" cision." TRADE AND MANUFACTURES.
The, woollen manufactory, the steam grist
mill, and a glass-house, are on a tolerably large

234 TRADE.
scale : the two former are said not to pay the
proprietors. In the main street, English goods
abound in as great profusion as in Cheapside. A
first-rate shop sells every thing ;- keeps a stock
of from 20 to 30,000 dollars ; annual returns may
be 50,000 dollars, upon half of which they give
from 6 to 18 months' credit. Some of their goods
they import direct from England, but more com
monly purchase at i Philadelphia; their journey
for which purpose, to and from that city; occu
pies them three months : goods average 50 day*
in arriving. A house at Pittsburgh advances
money in payment of carriage, and attends td
the receipt of the goods by waggon and their
shipment by boats, for which the dealer here
pays 5 per cent, commission. The credit which
they receive at Philadelphia is from six to seven
months, but they can seldom pay at the speci
fied time, and are then charged 7 per cent.
interest. Shopkeeping has been very profitable,
but it certainly is now very much over-done :
all complain that trade is extremely dull. I re
mark what appears to me an universal and most
important error in alii the stores — too large a
stock : by this means tradesmen, in, every coun
try, are exposed to lose as much as by bad
debts. I find much difficulty in deciding whe
ther any manufactures in which our Yorkshire
and Leicestershire friends could engage would
be successful : English ascendancy is so strongly

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.  PAPER MONEY. 235
established, that America must be tributary for
many years to our country. Some of the best-
informed inhabitants are of opinion that cotton;
woollen, linen, and stocking-making would suc
ceed, if large capital, with competent and varied
skill, were employed; but in these opinions I
place little confidence.
The imports are — nearly every description
of English goods, and some French and India :
these are received via New Orleans, Baltimore,
or Philadelphia ; chiefly the two latter cities
The exports are flour, beef, pork, and butter:
The town contains two chartered banks and one
unchartered, all in_respectable credit ; a branch
of " the United States Bank" is also just esta
blished there ; the paper money system has gone
beyond all bounds throughout the western coun
try. Specie of the smallest amount is rarely to be
seen, and the little which does exist is chiefly cut
Spanish dollars, which are divided into bits of
50, 25, and 12i- cents. Notes of 3£d.-, 65d., 13d.,
and 2s. 2d. are very common ; indeed they con
stitute the chief part of the circulating me
dium. I purchased Cincinnati notes in Pitts
burgh at 5 per cent, discount, and Louisville
notes at 74. This does not proceed from want of
faith in those banks, rtor are the latter esteemed
less safe than the former : the increase of dis
count arises from Louisville being 150 miles
farther distant. The same principle applies* to

236 PAPER MONEY. — CINCINNATI*
every other town, and operates vice versa upon
Pittsburgh. The paper of banks which are not
chartered, or which are deficient in reputation^
can be bought, at similar distances from the place
of its first circulation, at from 10 to 40 per cent.
discount : had I sufficiently understood this trade
when I landed in America, I think I could have
nearly paid my expenses by merely buying in
one town the notes of that to which I was
going. There is no difficulty in obtaining them,
as there is always a stock on hand at the shavers
(brokers) and lottery offices. Had I brought
pistoreens (lOd. pieces) from Philadelphia, I
should have made 25 per cent, by them : they
pass here, in consequence of the want of specie,
for thirteen pence. Before I leave Cincinnati,
let me say, that I think it a very handsome
town ; a town, in fact, that must astonish every
traveller when he recollects how recently it
has been established. Mr. Piatt is building a
house here which "would not disgrace the very
first London squares. The number of moderate-
sized, well-built brick buildings is considerable;;
the three markets are excellent establishments ;
the churches are neat and elegant ; the post-
office would bear a comparison in its arrange
ment and management with that of London;
some pf the streets are paved, others are now
paving; ground for building in the town is
enormously dear; Mr. Piatt (banker and met-

"KENTUCKY. 237
chant) informs me that one particular spot,
which cost when he first settled here (18 years
ago) 30 dollars, is now worth 20,000.
• The next consideration is, does this town
offer substantial inducement to settlers ? I think
not ; it has advanced rapidly, but it cannot
continue to do so ; the future progress is certain,
but it must be gradual. Property is as high
here as in Philadelphia, and all occupations are
filled. On the road, every emigrant tells you he
is going to Ohio ; when you arrive in Ohio, its '
inhabitants are " moving" to Missouri and Ala
bama ; thus it is that the point for final settle
ment is for ever receding as you advance, and
thus it will hereafter proceed and only be ter
minated by that effectual barrier — the Pacific
Ocean. KENTUCKY.
Being in the neighbourhood of Kentucky, I
felt anxious to see a State that forms so very im
portant a part of the " Western Country ;" and
although I knew it was a slave State, yet having
seen so much of practical, slavery in those States
denominated free, I did not anticipate that one
in which this deplorable order of things is
legalized, could be really worse. Ln addition to
-this, I had received an impression that the ge
nuine Kentuckian had many excellent traits of
character. Mr. Mellish says that " they resemble
" the Irish ; are frank, affable,- polite, and hos-
" pitable in a high degree j they are quick in

238 SOCIALITY. — LAND .
" their temper, sudden in their resentment, and
" warm in all their affections." A variation of
character was evident in a trifling occurrence at
the first tavern at which I put up : six gentle
men were seated at the dining-room fire drink
ing wine and engaged in varied and rational
conversation ; this was an instance of sociality
which, common as it may appear to you, I had
not witnessed in my previous western travels.
I proceeded into the interior with the intens-
tion of seeing Lexington and then proceeding
to Louisville, but found the roads so excessively
bad, winter rapidly approaching, and my objects
not half effected, that I relinquished that design.
This at the time was a source of regret, as I had
imagined Lexington from its high reputation to
be a Paris in miniature.
A gentleman, who is a resident of Lexington,
had the politeness to forward me the following
particulars of the prices of lands in its vicinity.
lands, &c.
Lands depend on a variety of circumstances
such as the distance from the town, the conve
nience of shipping produce, the contiguity of
the same to some populous town, the quality of
the land, its water privileges, and the perma
nency of, such streams. A general estimation
may be made as follows : — Those within five
miles are from twenty to forty dollars per acre;
five to ten miles, ten to twenty dollars ; ten to

LAND. — NEGROES. 239
fifteen miles, from five to fifteen dollars. This
statement supposes no improvements to have been
made on the land. Such land is computed to
produce from fifty to seventy-five bushels of
Indian corn per acre, and very frequently one
hundred bushels when well tilled. As wheat
requires land not so rich, its produce is less,
being from twenty to thirty bushels per acre ;
thirty to forty of -oats ; twenty to thirty of rye ;
one thousand to .fifteen hundred pounds of to
bacco, and about the same quantity of hemp,
may be taken as fair averages, although fre
quently a much greater quantity, is produced.
" The price of good field negroes is now about
" eight hundred dollars. The annual expense of
" such hands may be estimated at from seventy-
" five to one hundred dollars ; ditto for clothing,
" at from twelve to fifteen more ; — say together,
" eighty-seven to one hundred and fifteen, or an
" average of one hundred dollars per annum.
" Their provisions differ but little from hired
" white servants." In general, farmers command
a ready cash sale for their produce. The old cus
tom of carrying it to the New Orleans market is
nearly superseded by the creation of a new order
of tradesmen, who are a medium between the
western farmer and the Orleans merchant.
The state of education is improving. The
terms are various : the best is 451. per annum,
including board. Schoolmasters of talent and

240 TREES.  SOIL.  PRODUCE.
respectability are in demand in Kentucky. In
stances exist of their realizing from seven hun
dred to fourteen hundred dollars per: annum.
Rents may be said to be high in Lexington:
there are so few persons really poor, that all
houses command great prices. Even buildings
of mean appearance let for from fifty to five
hundred dollars per annum ; and stores and
shops for double these amounts.
The trees of this State are various, and some
which I have seen are of a very enormous size.
The black oak and honey locust denote the
richest lands : they grow thirty feet in height.
The white and yellow poplar, and cucumber
tree, measure in circumference twenty feet.
The general character of the soil is chalk,
covered with a stratum of vegetable earth from
eight to twelve feet in depth. A want of water
in the summer season is much felt, except in the
vicinity of great rivers and their principal
dependent streams. Indian corn is raised here
in vast abundance, and almost without labour.
Stock of various kinds is raised for the New
Orleans, southern, and Atlantic markets. Thirty
thousand hogsheads of tobacco were shipped
from this State last season, and eighty thousand
barrels of flour ; the price of which latter ex
periences great fluctuation, varying from four to
eight dollars per barrel : at present it is six to
seven. Pork is well fed, and of excellent qua-
12

EXPORTS. 241
lity : the present price is three to four dollars per
cwt. Beef is also of gppd quality, and the stock
has received considerable attention by the mix
ture pf English breeds. Whiskey is an extensive
article of manufacture : the export of last sea
son was one million of gallons. Cordage,
yarn, and bagging, have been important busi
nesses ; but European competition has materi
ally decreased their consumption. The following
statement of exports for the last season may be
considered correct. Such a statement is useful,
as aiding us to form an estimate of the produc
tions and wealth of Kentucky. Dollars.
Flour and Wheat - - amount of 1,000,000
Pork, Bacon, and Lard - - 350,000
Whiskey ... - 500,000
Tobaccp - - - 1,900,000
Wool and fabrics of Wool and Cotton 100,000
Cordage, Hemp, and fabrics of Hemp 500,000
Cattle .... 200,000
Horses and Mules - - 100,000
Salt-petre and Gun-powder - - 60,000
White and Red* Lead - - 45,000
Soap and Candles - - 27,000

4,78i?,000 "

Being at, Middletown, in my way to Louis
ville, I met with Mr. ....-¦ . and Mr.  ,
@f Liverpool, together with Dr. B — rrr- and
Col. B-t — r-, whp were going to New Or-

242 LAWES' HOTEL.
leans. They had been two days and nearly two
nights coming in the stage from Lexington, a
distance of about fifty miles. We all went to
" Lawes' Hotel," the following charges and rules
of which are posted up in the public-joom.
Board for Horse, per year -
Ditto, per week
Ditto, per night
Ditto, single feed
Dinner for Man
Supper -
Bed -
Breakfast -
Board, per year
Ditto, per week
Ditto, per day
Rules to be observed by all Gentlemen who choose to board
at Lawes' Hotel, Middletown, Kentucky ;
1st. All Gentlemen to give in their names to the Bar
keeper. '
2d. Na Gentleman shall enter the Dining-room un
til the second bell rings.
3d. No Gambling allowed in the Bed-rooms.
4th. The doors closed at ten o' Clock, except on the
night of public amusement.
5. No Gentleman shall take the Saddle, Bridle, or
Harness of another Gentleman without his consent.
TREATMENT OF NEGROES.
A few minutes before dinner, my attention
was excited by the piteous cries of a human
voice, accompanied with the loud cracking
of a whip. Following the sound, I found

Dollars.

Cents.

120

3

Oi

.

0

18J

0

37t

0

25

¦ 0

12*

0

25

120

3

FLOGGING A NEGRO. 24<3

that • it issued from a log barn, the door of
which was fastened. Peeping through the logs,
I perceived the bar-keeper, together with a
stout man, more than six feet high, who was
called Colonel  -, and a negro-boy about
14 years of age, stript naked, receiving the
lashes of these monsters, who relieved each
other in the use of a horse-whip : the poor boy
fell down upon his knees several times, begging
and praying that they would not kill him, and
that he would do any thing they liked : this pro
duced no cessation in their exercise. At length
Mr. Lawes arrived, told the valiant Colonel and
his humane employer, the bar-keeper, to desist,
and that the boy's refusal to cut wood was in
obedience to his (Mr. L.'s) directions. Colonel
 said, that " he did not know what the nig-
" gar had done, but that the bar-keeper requested
" his assistance to whip Caesar ; of course he
" lent him a hand, being no more than he should
" expect Mr. Lawes to do for him under
" similar circumstances." At table Mr. Lawes
said, " that he had not been so vexed for seven
<? years." This expression gave me pleasure,
and also afforded me, as I thought, an opportu
nity to reprobate the general system of slavery ;
but not one voice joined with mine ; each gave
vent in the following language to the super
abundant quantity of themilk of human kindness,
with which their breasts were overflowing : —
D 0

244 PROPERTY rNJURED.
"• I guess he deserved all he got."
" It would have been of small account if the
«* niggar had been whipt to death."
" I always serve my b  d niggars that way ;
" there is nothing else so good for them."
It appeared that this boy was the property of
a regular slave-dealer, who was then absent at
Natchez with a cargo. Mr. Lawes' humanity fell
lamentably in my estimation when he stated,
" that whipping niggars, if they were his own,
" was perfectly right, and they always deserved
" it ; but what made him mad was, that the boy
" was left under his care by a friend, and he
" did not like to have a friend's property in-
" jured." There is in this instance of the treatment of
a negro, nothing that in this State is at all sin
gular ; and much as I condemned New York,
Pennsylvania, and Ohio, when in those sections, I
must now give them the character of enlighterfed
humanity, compared with this State, in which
such conduct as that I have described is to
lerated and approved, and where such public
notices as the following, extracted from a news
paper* are of every day occurrence : —
« 20 DOLLARS REWARD.
« RAN AWAY on the 27th instant, a NEGRO
" MAN named JACK, about 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high,
" very stout made, of a dark complexion, and has seve-
" ral of his fore teeth rotten or out, about 25 years of

SLAVERY. — LOUISVILLE. 245
" age. He was brought from Lexington, Kentucky,
" by Messrs. Jacoby and Stone, negro traders, where I
" think it is likely he will try to get to. The above re-
" ward will be paid on his being apprehended and
" lodged in any jail, so that I may get him, together
" with all reasonable, expenses, if brought to the
" subscriber. Bash Lamar."
Is it possible to read and to hear of these
things, without exclaiming, in the indignant
language of the poet, who, after describing the
miseries of war, adds,
" Thus man devotes his brother, and destroys;
" And worse than all, and most to be deplored,
" As human nature's broadest, foulest blot,
" Chains him, and tasks him, and exacts his sweat
" With stripes, that Mercy, with a bleeding heart,
" Weeps when she sees inflicted on a beast.
" Then what is man ? And what man seeing this,
" And homing human feelings, does not blush
u And hang his head to think himself a man ?"
LOUISVILLE.
Louisville, at the falls of the Ohio, is daily
becoming a most important town, being the
connecting link between New Orleans and the
whole western country. It must soon take the
lead of Lexington in extent of population, as
it has already done in the rapid rise of tbwn
property, the increase of which during the last
four years is said to have been two hundred
per cent. Rents, prices of provisions, nature of
employment,, and earnings of mechanics, prices
r 3

246 LOUISVILLE.  HABITS.
of land in the neighbourhood of the town, &c.
do not possess a difference of sufficient import
ance to those given in the previous part of this
report, to require minute detail. Mechanics can
have immediate employment, and are paid 40s. 6d.
to 54s. per week. Shoes that are very inferior in
wear, though not in make to English, are from
15s. 3d. to 18s. a pair. Best hats, 36s. to 45s..
each ; and every other article of clothing in pro
portion. The population of this town is from 4 to
5,000. Good brick buildings are fast increas
ing. One of the hotels (Gwathmay's) is said to
be rented at 6,000 dollars per annum : from 150
to 200 persons dine at this establishment daily.
About every tenth house in the main street is
a doctor's. Louisville is said to be improving in health :
the prevalent diseases are fever and ague ; be
sides which, the common disorders of this State
are consumption, pleurisy, typhus, remittent
and intermittent fevers, rheumatism, and dysen
tery. I do not feel myself competent to con
firm or deny the general claim of the Ken-
tuckians to generosity and warmth of character;
of their habits I would wish to speak with equal
diffidence ; that they drink a great deal, swear
a great deal, and gamble a great deal, will be
apparent to a very brief resident. The barbarous
practice of gouging, with which they are
charged, I have not seen occur, though I have

GANDER-PULLING. 247
good reason to believe in its existence. They
have also another practice, nearly akin to this,
called " gander pulling." This diversion consists
in tying a live gander to a tree or pole, greasing
its neck, riding past it at full gallop, and he
who succeeds in pulling off the head of the
victim, receives the laurel crown. I think I have
heard of a similar pastime as practised in Hol
land ; but these are not to be taken as unmixed
characteristics. * Society is unquestionably im-
* American newspaper advertisements have frequently
the character of singularity, at least to an English concep
tion : as the following one from the " Kentucky Reporter,"
published at Lexington, possesses, in addition to this quality,
a partial illustration of Kentucky society, I copy it for your
perusal : — « TAKE NOTICE,
" And beware of the swindler JESSE DOUGHERTY, who
" married me in November last, and some time after mar-
" riage informed me that he had another wife alive, and be-
" fore I recovered, the villain left me, and took one of my
" best horses — one of my neighbours was so good as to fol-
" low him and take the horse from him, and bring him back.
" The said Dougherty is about forty years of age, five feet
" ten inches high, round shouldered, thick lips, complexion
" and hair dark, grey eyes, remarkably ugly and ill natured,
" and very fond of ardent spirits, and by profession anoto-
" rious liar. This is therefore to warn all widows to beware
" of the swindler, as all he wants is their property, and they
" may go to the devil for him after he gets that. Also, all
" persons are forewarned from trading with the said Dough-
" erty, with the expectation of receiving pay from my pro-
*' perty, as I consider the marriage contract null and void
" agreeably to law ; you will therefore pay no attention to,.
R 4

248 MANUFACTORIES.
proving, and Lexington probably already pos
sesses inhabitants who are polished and refined.
In drawing towards the conclusion of my re
marks upon Kentucky, I wave the usual import
ant consideration, whether or not emigration
here would be desirable; because I am sure
that were gold to be obtained in countless quan
tities for the mere asking, that there is not a man
or woman among you who would leave England
to become citizens of a slave State ; but as Ken
tucky is perhaps the strongest member of the
western body,- and .must, of necessity, influence
its growth and healthfulness, and as in this State
the vitally interesting subjects of agriculture and
manufactures have received a considerable de
gree of attention, I forward you an estimate
which has been just made by1 some very judi
cious men of the state of manufactures in Lex-,
ington; — -12 cotton manufactories, employing a
Capital in the whole of 67,5001. ; 3 woollen
ditto, 32,6001. ; 3 paper ditto, 20,2501. ; 3 steam N
gristmills, 1 6,875k ; gun-powder mills, 9,0001. j
lead factory, 14,8001.; founderies for casting
iron and brass, connected with a silver-plating
" any lies he may tell you of his property in this county.
" The said Dougherty has a number of wives living, per-
" haps eight or ten, (the number not positively known,) and
" will no doubt, if he can get them, have eight or ten more.
" I believe that is the way he makes his living.
« MARY DODD.
" Livingston county, Ky. Sept. 5, 1817.— 38 at (ch. W.G.)"

MANUFACTORIES. 249

establishment, 9,OOOl. ; 4 hat factories, 15,0001. ;
4 coach ditto, IS, 6001. ; 5 tanners and curriers,
20,0001.; 12 factories for cotton bagging and
hempen yarns, 100,4001. ; 6 cabinet-makers,
5,6001. ; 4 soap and candle factories, 12,1501.;
3 tobacco factories, 11,4501. ; sundry others,
120,0001. ; total amount of capital employed in
the manufactories of Lexington, 467,2251.
I believe that the capitalist could employ his
money to much advantage in Kentucky. Per
haps, in the way of manufacturing, hat-making
might be suggested. Farming is lucrative, as is
also distilling. A good woollen dyer is wanted.
Oil crushing mills are established, but upon
principles which are susceptible of great im
provements ; the part which affords what is
termed the oil cake is thrown away. Flax and
hemp seed* sell from 2s. 3d. to 2s. 8|d. per
bushel. The price of boating goods from New
Orleans to Louisville (distance 1412 miles), is
from 18s. to 22s. 6d. per hundred. The freight
to New Orleans from hence, is 3s. 4|d. to 4s. 6d.
per hundred. The average period of time which
boats take to go to New Orleans, is about
28 days ; that from New Orleans, 90 days.
Steam vessels effect the same route in an average
of 12 days down, and 36 days up, when their
machinery does not meet with an accident.

250 HOTELS.
HOTELS.
Having been twice at Louisville, I boarded
at both the hotels (Allen's, Washington Hall,
and Gwathing's, Indian Queen) : they are similar
establishments, both upon a very large scale,
the former having an average of 80 boarders
per day, the latter of 140 : their charges are —
breakfast, Is. 8d. ; dinner, 2s. 3d.; supper,
Is. 8d. ; bed, 13d. ; if fire in room, an extra
charge of 6|d. per night ; board and lodging, per
day, 6s. 9d. ; ditto per day for three months
certain, 4s. 6d. These charges, with such an
immense extent of business,, must insure a man,
moderately careful, a large fortune. These
hotels are conducted differently from, those
with which you are acquainted. A person de
siring to put up at one of them, applies to the
bar-keeper, and he must not feel disappointed
should he be refused admittance from want of
room. The place for washing is in the open
yard, in which there is. a large cistern, several
towels, and a negro in attendance. The sleeping-
room commonly contains from 4 to 8 bed-steads,
having mattrasses,butfrequently no feather beds;
sheets of calico, two blankets, a quilt (either
a cotton counterpane, or made of patchwork);
the bedsteads have no curtains, and the rooms
are generally unprovided with any conveniences.
The public rooms are — a news-room, a boot-
room, in which the bar is situated, and a dining-

HABITS, &C. 251
room. The fires are generally surrounded by
parties of about six, who gain and keep posses
sion. The usual custom is to pace up and down
the news-room in a manner similar to walking
the deck at sea. Smoking segars is practised
by all without an exception, and at every hour
of the day. Argument or discussion in this
part of the world is of very rare occurrence ;
social intercourse seems still more unusual ; con
versation on general topics, or the taking en
larged and enlightened views of things, rarely
occurs ; each man is in pursuit of his own indi
vidual interest, and follows it in an individual
ized manner. — But to return to the taverns :
at half past seven, the first bell rings for the
purpose of collecting all the boarders, and at
eight the second bell rings ; breakfast is then
set, the dining-room is unlocked, a general
rush commences, and some activity, as well as
dexterity, is essentially necessary to obtain a
seat at the table. A boy, as clerk; attends to
take down the names, in order that when bills
are settled no improper deduction should be
made. The breakfast consists of a profuse sup
ply of fish, flesh, and fowl, which is consumed
with a rapidity truly extraordinary ; often, be
fore I had finished my first cup of tea, the room,
which when I had commenced was crowded to
suffocation, had become nearly empty.
. At half-past one, the first bell rings, an-

252 HABITS AT HOTELS.
nouncing the approach of dinner ; the avenues
to the dining-room become thronged. At two
o'clock the second bell rings, the doors are
thrown open, and a repetition of the breakfast
scene succeeds. At six, tea, or what is here
called supper, is announced, and partaken of in
the same manner. This is the last meal, and
usually affords the same fare as breakfast. A
billiard table adjoins the hotel, and is generally
well occupied. At ten o'clock, nearly all have
gone to bed, or what they call " turned in."
At table there is neither conversation nor yet
drinking ; the latter is effected by individuals
taking their solitary " eye openers," " toddy,"
and "phlegm dispersers," at the bar, the keeper
of which is in full employ from sun-rise to bed
time. A large tub of water, with a ladle, is
placed on the bar, to which customers go and
help themselves. When spirits are called for, the
decanter is handed, and you take what quan
tity y«u please ; the charge is always 6|d. It is
never drunk neat, or with sugar or warm water.
The life of boarders at an American tavern;
presents the most senseless and comfortless
mode of killing time which I have ever seen.
Every house of this description that I have been
in is thronged to excess, and there is not a
man who appears to have a single earthly
object in view, except spitting and smoking
segars. I have not seen a book in the hands of
13

LORD SELKIRK. 253
any person since I left Philadelphia. Objec
tionable as these habits are, they afford decided
evidence of the prosperity of that country, which
can admit so large a body of its citizens to waste
in indolence three-fourths of their lives, and
would also appear to hold out encouragement to
Englishmen with English habits, who could
retain their industry amid a nation of indolence,
and have sufficient firmness to live in America,
and yet bid defiance to the deadly example of
it's natives.
When at Gwathway's hotel, I had the plea
sure of meeting with Lord Selkirk : he was on
his return from his unsuccessful expedition in
the north western territory. I procured for
him, from the respectable house of Vernon and
Blake, some Boston papers which were only
two months old: they contained, as usual,
English news. He. had not heard any intel
ligence from Europe for nine mpnths, and was
therefore much pleased with the novelty. When
first in this town, I addressed a letter to
Mr. Birkbeck, at either Princeton or Vincennes,
not having determined at that time to visit
Illinois. On leaving Kentucky, I have to
regret that so much remains to be done for the
habits of the people, and to feel from my soul
the most sincere sorrow, that men who can
form a theoretic constitution, in which it is
declared, that " men when they form a social

254 MR. MELLISH.
" compact are equal ; that no man or set of men
" are entitled to exclusive, separate public
" emoluments or privileges from the community,
, but in consideration of public services ; that
" all men have a natural and indefeasible right
" to worship God according to the dictates
" of their consciences;" I cannot, I say, but feel
sorrow that men who can in theory lay down such
principles, can in their practice continue, and
even boast of the most demoralizing habits, treat
their fellow-creatures worse than brute beasts,
and buy and sell human beings like cattle at a
fair. In quitting this State, I can by no means
coincide with Mr. Mellish, when he says " The
" only serious evil that I had to complain of in
" my journey through this country, arose from
" the proneness of many of the natives to
" swearing." If this be a fact, I cannot envy
Mr. Mellish his feelings, although his love for
universal liberty is so great, that he could
neither remain in England, nor bear to set his
foot in Canada. Neither can I agree with this
profound philanthropist, that " these sad
" doings are outdone every day by transactions
" in the capital of a nation who think themselves
" the most polished on earth, and some of these
" even supported and encouraged by the
" Corinthian capitals of polished society." Mr.
Mellish calls Mr. Ashe " a hireling." When I

MOTIVES FOR GOING WEST. 255
find a writer at times thus blindly glossing
over the most glaring faults, and at others
enlarging and exaggerating, and finding excel
lences and signs of prosperity which only exist
in his own imagination, I confess I am in
clined to suspect that he is himself a candidate
for an occupation by no means dissimilar to
that which he thus attributes to his rival
traveller. ILLINOIS TERRITORY.
I am now in the Illinois territory, which it
was not a part of our original views that I should
have visited ; but conceiving the practicability
of a comfortable settlement in the eastern States
extremely questionable, and finding that the old
settled States, even on this side of the mountains,
offered not much greater encouragement, pro
perty in all the towns which are possessed of
reasonable advantages having attained the full
amount of Philadelphian value, and, in the
country, speculators having laid their hands upon
a vast number of fine tracts, I thought it best
to seek elsewhere ; not that in the States of
Ohio, &c. there were no land yet to be purchased
at government prices ; but it appeared to me,
that if a removal from England should become,
under all circumstances, our duty, and if, as
was by no means improbable, we should be in
duced to mark out a new channel for our. ex
ertions, by becoming agriculturists, it would be

256 ILLINOIS TERRITORY.
no great addition to our privations to, proceed a
Httle farther west than Ohio, where, if we could
not find cheaper lands, we should at least have
a greater variety for selection, and possess all
the advantages enjoyed by the first proprietors
of well-chosen sections. With these impressions
I have advanced thus far, and am now anxious
to close this report in time for the post, pre
vious to the farther pursuit of my objects. As
it is written close, and on very thin paper, I
trust the postage will not be extravagant. It
will go by way of New York, inclosed to the
care of Messrs.  of that city, I pass over
Indiana, a State to which there exist some strong
objections that may be detailed in my -next.
The territory of Illinois, though but very thinly
populated, has been inhabited at Kaskaski, and
a few other places, for many years, originally,
I believe, by the French from Canada.
The mean breadth of the territory is said tp be
200 miles, length 350, lying between N. latitude-
36° 30' and 42°. The Ohio river is its southern
boundary, extending from the mouth of the Wa
bash to the junction of the former with the Missis
sippi, a distance of 150 miles. The Mississippi
forms the western boundary, stretching from the
above junction tp the rocky hills, a distance of 600
miles, following the course of that river, but the
windings are so great that the real distance is
much less. The Wabash river separates Illinois
from Indiana : an imaginary line, which it is

ILLINOIS. — ACRES. — RIVERS. 257
proposed shall extend due east from the Rocky
Hills, will separate it from the north-western
territory. The number of acres is calculated
to be 35;000,000 ; that of square miles, 50,000.
Exertions are now making to have <this territory
admitted into the Union, and you will join with
me in praying that slavery may not form a part
of its constitution, as, should it do so, that, I
conceive, will form an insurmountable barrier
to the emigration of every man possessed of a
humane or independent mind. The popula
tion, at present, is chiefly on the Wabash, below
Vincennes, and on the banks of the Kaskaski,
Ohio, and Mississippi rivers. The means of
internal navigation, without the expense of
cutting canals, are truly extraordinary ; added
to which, the facilities of export afforded by
those " fathers of waters," the Ohio, Missis
sippi, and Missouri, present a picture of future
greatness dazzling to conceive — impossible to
estimate.
? The estimated courses of the waters of this
territory are, in length,

Wabash,

230 miles.

Mississippi,

600

Ohio,

150

Illinois,

300

Kaskaski,

300

Various tributaries,

1400

258 soils, &c.
Amount of internal navigation, 2000 miles ;
ditto of frontiers, 1000 ; the distance from Shaw
nee Town by water to Buffalo, through the
ljlkes, 1200 miles; ditto from the same place
to New Orleans, 1130 : thus securing a most
immense internal water communication, as well
as a direct one with the ocean ; the face of the
country must, in so large an extent, possess con
siderable variety. Thei general surface of the
lands in the Shawnee Town and Kaskaski dis
tricts, and in the neighbouring parts of the Il
linois, is more than ordinarily level, though to
this there are some exceptions. The alluvial
lands of both the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
occasionally terminate in bluffs, in some places
high and craggy, in others more gradual in
their rise, and easy of ascent. There are through
put the State a vast number of prairies, of
boundless extent, and presenting a most de
lightful contrast to the sombre character of an
American wilderness. The soil is infinitely
more varied than the face of the country. It
has been classified by some as follows: 1st. Hills
of a barren soil, and covered with pines and
small oaks. 2d. Moderately hilly land, and well
watered. 3d.- Wet prairies, which are remote
from streams, the soil cold and barren, abound
ing with swamps, ponds, and covered with a
tall coarse grass. 4th. Dry prairies, bordering
the rivers, lie, on an average level, higher by
60 feet, are from three tp fifteen miles wide, and

sPils, animals, &c. 259
possess a rich soil, well adapted for cultivation.
These natural meadows are generally destitute of
trees, except where crossed by streams. Some
have clusters of trees, which maybe denominated,
what they very much resemble — islands, though
upon terra firma. The prairies of this territory
are said to cover more than a million of acres.
The soil in some places assumes the hue of iron
rust, interspersed with a light sand. 5th. Un
ripe alluvial, which bears sycamore, water-
maple, ash, and willow. This land is generally*
found at the mouths and confluences of rivers,
and, as a place of residence, in "the present un
cleared state of the country, is considered as
highly injurious to health. 6th. Ripe alluvial.
This land is of the best quality, and is found in
various degrees of extent on all the rivers. It
bears honey locust, pecan, black walnut, and
sugar maple trees. In autumn, the fruit and
leaves of the black walnut are saicLto produce an
agreeable flavour. This land is considered to
be remarkably fertile, in proof of which some
part of it is asserted to have been cultivated to
profit without manure, for the last hundred
years. Squirrels, racoons, foxes, deer, wolves, and
bears abound ; as do wild turkeys and quails;
geese and ducks partially ; hawks, buzzards, and
pigeons in tolerable quantities ; the rivers con
tain several species of fish ; in the prairies there
s 2

260 ILLINOIS TOWNS.
are rattle-snakes ; the woods supply grapes,
pecan nuts (similar to our walnut), and hickery
nuts ; hops, raspberries, and strawberries grow
wild ; there are several salt ponds — the produce
is sold at the saline works, 26 miles below the
Wabash, for 3s. 4|d. per bushel. The annual
produce of this establishment is from one to
two hundred thousand pounds. Copper and
lead have been found. The French, when in
possession of this territory, procured mill-stones
<near the Illinois lake. Coal has been dis
covered ; and also white clay. Limestone
abounds. ILLINOIS TOWNS.
Kaskaski, the seat of the territorial govern
ment, contains about 150 houses, built on a
plain ; some of them are of stone. This town
is 150 miles from Vincennes, and 1000 from
Washington. The inhabitants are chiefly
French : their principal occupation is raising
stock. This town has been settled more than
a century. Shawnee Town (from which I now am writ
ing), about 30 houses (log). The chief occu
pation of the inhabitants is the salt trade.
There is here a " United States Land-office,"
and a log bank is just established. The chief
cashier of this establishment was engaged in
cutting logs at the moment of my arrival.

TOWNS. — INDIANS. 261
Wilkinson Ville, a miserable settlement, takes
its name from General Wilkinson, who, in 1801,
established a station here for the American
troops ; it then prospered, but has since fallen
into complete decay. The other towns of this
territory are — Cahokia, containing 150 small
houses, chiefly inhabited by French. St. Philip,
fifty miles from Cahokia, is smaller but more
pleasant. Prairie du Rochers, containing 60
French families : this is a fine prairie. There are
also three very small places, called Belle Fon
taine, L'Aigle, and Edward's Ville.
The lands belonging to the Indians lie chiefly
between the Wabash and Illinois rivers. They
have considerable reservations, north of the Illi
nois river. The United States have lately ob
tained a cession of six miles square, at the end
of Peoria lake. The aborigines now remaining
are the Soukies, who have three villages ; — ..their
number is about 3000. The Kaskaskians, Caho-
kias, and Peorias, are much decreased in num
bers, in consequence of their wars with the
Soukies and Foxes.
Private sales at the Land-office are here, as
in all other parts of the Union, fixed at 2 dollars,
or 1 dollar 64 cents, for prompt payment. The
public sales by auction have not, for the most
choice tracts, exceeded six dollars per acre : the
old French settlements are from one to fifty dollars
per acre. The land tax is levied on the same prin-
s 3

262 CROPS. — PRICES.
ciple as described in Ohio. The military bounty
lands in this State amount to 3,500,000 acres.
They are appropriated to the soldiers who were
engaged in the late war, and are frequently
sold by them in the eastern States, for a quarter
and a half dollar per acre. Indian corn (maize)
is the leading article of produce. There are
some fields of 500 acres,, cultivated in common
by the people of a whole settlement. Wheat is
abundant, except where the soil is too rich. Flax,
hemp, oats, potatoes, and cotton are also produc
tive, giving very considerable crops. The French
have made excellent wine from a wild grape, which
grows here luxuriantly. Indian corn, I am in
formed, produces, with moderate care, and in a
favorable soil, 50 to 70 bushels per acre ; wheat,
20 to SO; barley, 20 to 30; oafs, 30 to 50;
tobacco, 10 to 13 hundred. Indian corn sells
from 13d. to l6|d. per bushel ; wheat, 3s.4|d. ;
oats, 1 91 d. ; tobacco, 20s, 3d. per hundred. TJie
price of horses is from 131. 10s. to 181. ; cows,
41. to 51. ; a good sow, 21. 14s. ; beef is sold at
22s. 6d. per hundred ; pork, 15s. 9d. to 18s.
Labourers are paid 2s. 3d. per day, and board.
Clothing and groceries are extremely dear.
Indian corn is gathered in November. Wheat is
cut in June, and housed in July. Pork for ex
port is killed in December. Freight from this
place to Louisville (distance 307 miles) is 5s. per
cwt. \from Louisville, Is. 8d. ;from hence to New
14

BUILDING. — BOCIETY. 268
Orleans, (distance 1130 miles,) 4s. 6d. ; from
New Orleans, 20s. 3d. ; hence to Pittsburgh, (dis
tance 1013 miles,) 1 5s. 9d>; from Pittsburgh, 4s. 6d.
This vast disproportion in charge of freight is pro
duced by the difference in time, in navigating up
and down the streams of the Ohio and Mississippi.
I have not had sufficient experience in these
back woods, to feel confidence in the following
estimate of expenses for erecting a residence ;
it is, however, the most authentic that I have
been enabled to procure. A log cabin of two
rooms can, I am informed, be raised for 111. 5s.
to 161. ; a frame house, 10 to 14 feet square,
for 130 to 1501. ; a log kitchen, 7l. to 81. ; a log
stable, 7h to 91. ; a barn, 181. to 221. ; fencing,
13d. per rood ; ditching, in prairie land, l6d;
to 2s. per rood. INHABITANTS OF ILLINOIS.
The inhabitants of Illinois may, perhaps, be
ranked as follows : First, the Indian hunters,
who are neither different in character or pursuits
from their ancestors in the days of Columbus.
2nd, The " Squatters," who are half-civilized
and half-savage. These are, in character and
habits, extremely .wretched : indeed, I prefer
the genuine uncontaminated Indian. 3rd, A
medley of land jobbers, lawyers, doctors, and
farmers, who traverse this immense continent,
founding settlements, and engaging in all kinds
s 4

264 STATE OF SOCIETY. — CLIMATE.
of speculation. 4th, Some old French settlers,
possessed of considerable property, and living in
ease and comfort.
Concerning the state of society, my expe
rience does not allow me to say much, or to speak
with confidence. Generally, I suspect that the
powers of the legislature are, as yet, weak in
their operation. Small provocations insure the
most relentless and violent resentments. Duels
are frequent. The dirk is an inseparable com
panion of all classes ; and the laws are robbed
of their terror, by not being firmly and equally
administered. A general character of indepen
dence, both as to the means of living and habits
of society, appears universal. Here, no man is
either thought or called " master ;" neither, on
the other hand, is there found any coarse vul
garity.! A cold, selfish indifference is the com
mon characteristic of the labourer and the
judge ; and I should hope that Illinois-state
constitution will not, when formed, authorize
and legalize slavery ; yet the Ohio practice
will, I have no doubt, continue as it now is in
Illinois, — indenturing negroes for a term qf
from 10 to 15 years. This baleful practice
promises a perpetuation of practical slavery
throughout America.
Of the climate 1 know but little from personal
experience. The mornings and evenings, at
this time, are extremely cold. In July and August

WESTERN EMIGRATION. 265
Fahrenheit ranges from 85 to 105. In the win
ter (which is not long), from 10 below to 20 above
zero. The wildness of the country implies an
unformed climate. The disturbance of a great
body of surplus vegetable matter, upon the first
settling of land, together with the dampness
arising from stagnant waters, frequently pro
duce bilious fevers and agues.
My mind continues undecided concerning
our removal. When in England I had hoped,
in common with yourselves, that the old settled
States of America, which must be so much better
suited to our habits and pursuits than an un
cultivated wilderness, would have afforded suf
ficient inducement to emigration, particularly
as our objects are the continuance in well-
established habits of industry, and not rapid
fortunermaking. With the means of forming
a judgment on this subject, I have endeavoured^
as -far as lies in my power, to supply you in the
course of my preceding reports.
Should your minds be favourable to a western
country settlement, I should wish to press upon
your deliberate re-consideration the following
ideas :
First, — Is it essential to your prosperity and '
happiness that you should leave England ?
Second, — Do the habits and character of the
American people afford you rational grounds for
desiring to become their fellow citizens-?

266 EMIGRATION TO ILLINOIS.
Third, — Have all of you the dispositions
requisite in order to become cultivators^ of a
wilderness ?
Fourth, • — Assuming that you have those dis
positions, are you fitted for such an entire
change of pursuits, and can you endure the
difficulties and dangers necessarily attendant on
such a situation ?
If, after cool, deliberate, and rational con
sideration, with your minds as free from en
thusiastic expectations connected with this
continent, as they well can be under the ex
istence of the present order of things in Eng
land, you can answer in the affirmative, then I
have little doubt of the propriety of recommend
ing to your attention the Illinois territory.
P. S. Should I resolve upon taking New Or
leans in my route to Washington, I shall most
likely address you from the former city.

SIXTH REPORT.

LEAVE THE TERRITORY OF ILLINOIS FOR NEW ORLEANS.
— CITY OF NATCHEZ. — BOAT LOADS OF NEGROES FOR
SALE.  PREVALENCE OF BRITISH GOODS. — HABITS,
AND STATE OF MORALS. — ' EMBARK ON BOARD STEAM
BOAT ORLEANS. — MISSISSIPPI RIVER ; ITS SCENERY.
 ARRIVAL ,AT NEW ORLEANS. — VAST IMPORTANCE
TO THE WESTERN COUNTRY. — HABITS, CHARACTER,
MORALS, AMUSEMENTS. — THE MAYOR'S BARBAROUS
PROCLAMATION CONCERNING NEGROES.  LEAVE NEW
ORLEANS FOR THE CITY OF WASHINGTON. — A REVIEW
OF THE WESTERN COUNTRY. — CHARACTER OF TRADES
MEN  MODE OF EMPLOYING CAPITAL. — ARRIVAL IN
WASHINGTON.  ITS SITUATION.  FINE SCENERY. 
CAPITOL AND PRESIDENT'S HOUSE  BRITISH CRUSADE.
— EFFECTS IN INCREASING THE PROSPERITY OF THIS
CITY. — ARISTOCRATICAL ABSURDITY OF THE ORIGI
NAL PLAN OF THE CITY. — POPULATION. — GEORGE
TOWN AND ALEXANDRIA. — PRICE OF PROVISIONS. —
RENTS. — MECHANICS. — PREVALENCE AND PRICE OF
BRITISH GOODS. — PAPER ALMOST THE ONLY CUR
RENCY. — THE " VIRGINIAN DYNASTY." — ENGLISH
AMBASSADOR.  MR. CLAY.  PRESIDENT'S DRAWING
ROOM. — HABITS. — CUSTOMS. — THE THEATRE. —
INCLEDON. — INDIAN JUGGLER. — COBBETT AND HIS
FRIEND OF PHILADELPHIA.  HIS ILL TREATMENT
BY THE LEGISLATURE OF PENNSYLVANIA, AND HIS
STATEMENT OF THEIR POLITICAL CORRUPTION. —
AMERICAN MANUFACTURES; THEIR PRESENT RUINOUS
STATE. — CAPITAL EMPLOYED DURING THE LATE WAR.

268 SLAVERY.
— VETERANS OF THE REVOLUTION  GENERAL ST.
CLAIR. — ATTEND BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS. — THEIR
FORMS; MEMBERS; SUBJECTS DISCUSSED. — CORRUPTION
IN CAUCUS ELECTION OF PRESIDENT. — GENERAL HAR-
PER'S AND MR. RUFUS KING'S SPEECHES UPON THE
SUBJECT  POET MOORE.  OPPOSITION TO NAPOLEON.
 EUROPEAN POLITICS OF WASHINGTON..  MR. BIRK-
BECK'S LETTER TO MYSELF.
State of Virginia, and Washington City,
March, 1818.
At the date of my last, in December, I had
not left the Illinois. Since my departure from
that territory to the present time, I have
travelled more than two thousand miles, and
I lament to say that there is not one spot,
in the whole of that vast distance, in which I,
or indeed any man among you, could be in
duced to make a permanent settlement. The
white population are the victims of demoralizing
habits. _ The native Indians present, of course,
nothing but a picture of mere savage life ; and
the poor negroes suffer even more than commonly
falls to the lot of their oppressed and degraded
condition. What a foul stain upon the republic,
professing, as they do, the principles of liberty
and equal rights, that, out of twenty States, there
should be eleven in which slavery is an avowed
part of their political constitution ; and that in
those called free (New England excepted) the
condition of blacks should practically amount to
slavery ! Like fhe Greeks of old, they talk of

NATCHEZ. 269
freedom, while the degraded Helot is within
their doors.
Previous to entering into details concerning
this city, I would wish to call your attention to
two others, certainly not under any idea of their
being suitable places fpr emigration, but in con
sequence of their immediate and important con
nection with the whole Western country. First,
Natchez, in the State of Mississippi ; and
second, New Orleans, on the Mississippi River,
one hundred miles above its entrance into
the Gulph of JVTexico. Natchez stands on a
bluff, about 250 yards above the level of the
river ; a situation, from what I have seen, very
unusual on the Mississippi, the greater part
being level, and often overflowing its banks.
The landing-place is on the river-edge, about half
a mile from the town. At this place there are
about thirty houses, the greater part of which
are whiskey shops, gambling and other houses,
in which there is a degree of open profligacy,
which I had not before witnessed in the United
States. While contemplating this melancholy
scene, my attention was directed to the number
of boats which were then in port. They consisted
of twenty-five flats, seven keels, and one steam-
vessel. The flat, I should explain, is a square,
covered vessel, of considerable capacity, used
for carrying freight from Pittsburgh, and
other places below that town, down to New

270 CARGOES OF SLAVES.
Orleans; their construction is temporary, and
of slight materials, being broken up at New
Orleans, as not sufficiently strong to be freighted
tip the river. The keel is a substantial, well-
built boat, long, and in form resembling the
floating bath at Blackfriars Bridge.
Observing a great many coloured people, par
ticularly females, in these boats, I concluded that
they were emigrants, who had proceeded thus
far on their route towards a settlement. The
fact proved to be that fourteen of the flats were
freighted with human beings for sale. They had
been collected in the several States by slave-
dealers, and shipped from Kentucky for a
market. They were dressed up to the best ad
vantage, on the same principle that jockeys do
horses upon sale. The following is a specimen
of advertisements on this subject : —
" TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD,
" Will be paid for apprehending and lodging in jail,
« or delivering to the subscriber, the following slaves,
" belonging to Joseph Irvin, of Iberville : —
" TOM, a very light Mulatto, blue eyes, 5 feet 10
'.' inches high, appears to be about 35 years of age, an
" artful fellow — can read and write, and preaches occa-
" sionally. " CHARLOTTE, a black wench, round and full
" faced, tall, straight, and likely — about 25 years of
" age, and wife of the above-named Tom.
" These slaves decamped for their owner's plantation,
" on the night of the 14th September inst.
" William Kenner & Co."

INDIANS. — TRADE. 271
, The treatment of the negroes throughout these
States is as villainous as can be well imagined ;
and although they are themselves not insensible
to the evils of their condition, they do not seem
to feel it so acutely as might be anticipated, or
as the man of common humanity would feel on
their account. This, however, is natural enough,
and easy to account for. As the body is en
slaved, the mind becomes degraded, and loses a
sense of its own dignity, and of the value of in
dependence. I observe that there are a few native Indians
who raise cotton, and hold slaves; others (but
only women) are hired to pick the cotton, their
fathers or husbands receiving their wages. No
male Indian would submit to the supposed de
gradation of being in the employ of any one. —
A man possessed of from 2 to 10,0001. capital,
with a pliable conscience, above the common
feelings of humanity, and whose only object is
gain, would soon realize, by the culture of cot
ton in this district, a very large fortune.
There are here numerous stores ; three fourths
of the stock of every one consist pf British
goods. Shopfeeeping is profitable. Mechanics
are very highly paid, and at this time much
wanted in consequence of their having, more
than the other classes of society, fallen victims
to the late contagious disorders. — " Packwood's
li razor strops" have even penetrated into this

272 HOLY LOTTERY. — HEALTH.
remote quarter of the globe : the Negro barbers
do not, omit making that circumstance a leading
point of attraction.
Lotteries are as prevalent here as in the east
ern States ; the one carrying on at this time is
for building a Presbyterian church! The "scheme"
is preceded by a long address upon the ad
vantages of religion, and the necessity, of all
citizens supporting Christianity by purchasing
tickets in this holy lottery ! !
The church-yard is opposite to Irvine's hotel
(at which I stopped). Two young men that were
standing at the door had been warmly engaged
in a debate ; one was a resident in Natchez, the
other not so ; their subject of controversy was
the healthiness of the city ; the latter contended
that it was sickly ; his friend could not endure
so foul an aspersion upon his native town ; the
other explained that he did not mean any thing
personal, but he considered Natchez was sickly,
and as a strong proof that his opinion was cor
rect, he pointed to the church-yard, in which
one fourth of the late population had been en
tombed in the course of five weeks. This ex
planation was of no avail — he should call him
out for daring to say that his city was sickly ;
to be sure, five hundred people had died in a
short time, but men did not live for ever, even
among the Yankies (New England). " I say,
" Sir, that there is not a more healthy place in

A SERJEANT-AT-ARMS. 2J3
" the world than Natchez." — I find it indeed
a universal trait of character, that no American
will allow any place to be so healthy as the one
in which he resides. — Upon the whole I leave
Natchez with little knowledge of its inhabitants
indeed, but with an impression of its comparative
prosperity exceeding any town which I have ever
seen. The streets are literally crammed, with
cotton bales for the Liverpool market, they are
carried to the water-side in carts drawn by two
mules, horses being little used, — in consequence,
it is said, of the severe chastisement usually
inflicted upon them by negro drivers ; thus
these much-injured men revenge upon the dumb
animal the wrongs they themselves receive from
their common owner. During my residence at
this town I twice visited the State legislature,
which is composed of men who appear any thing
but legislators. Their place of meeting was in
a kind of superior hay-loft. The imitation of the
forms of the British Parliament was rather ludi
crous : — • the only business transacted during my
stay was the election of a sergeant-at-arms !
NEW ORLEANS.
Viewing this city as intimately connected with
the considerations of a western country colony,
I felt desirous of seeing it. I was aware
besides, that this would be desirable to assist
my judgment in forming a correct estimation of

27* THE MISSISSIPPI.
the whole American people ; for I feel per
suaded, that for myself I could not make up a
final judgment without personal acquaintance
with the entire " body politic." The steam
boat " Orleans," being upon the point of de
parture, I engaged a place for New Orleans —
fare, including board, 81. 7s- 6d. ; distance
800 miles ; time 56 hours.
The scenery of the Mississippi in the immediate
neighbourhood of Natchez is interesting: till
within afewmilesof that cityit becomes extremely
dull, being a dead flat, with banks overflowed;
for 150 miles, urttil we came near Ppint Caupee
church, we were moving through an immense
and dreary. forest, without openings or breaks
of any kind, destitute of variety, and only pro
ducing by its sombre monotPny the most melan-
chPly sensations.
Approaching to New Orleans, a more civilized
country than I had previously seen presented
itself, though there were (according to the
old story) no men hanging in chains. The
banks were cultivated, settlements multiplied,
good houses were not uncommon ; while nu
merous extensive sugar plantations bespoke
wealth and population. Upon my arrival at
New Orleans, it is hardly possible to conceive
the delight which I experienced ; after a tedious
and dreary journey, even the masts of ships
afforded me pleasure, as recalling by association
i4

NEW ORLEANS. 275
what I should now denominate the comforts of
New York and Philadelphia. The increase of
this city since it has become a part of the United
States is truly extraordinary, affording another
proof of the advantages possessed by a people
who are unshackled. Originally its trade was
conducted by men who purchased the right of
monopoly from the parent country, or the
viceroys and governors. While this enriched the
few, it of course impoverished the many, and
was wholly inconsistent with general prosperity.
Trade is a plant that can only luxuriously flourish
in a free spil. Under the government of Ame
rica, every man is left to pursue the bent of
his own inclination, and to go to the full extent
of his means; —-there exists no monopoly, ex
cept that which superior talent or property
always must, and always ought to confer. The
consequence of this state of things is, that the
United States are making unprecedented strides
towards substantial wealth and national great
ness, though cursed, as I am sorry — mortified
to the heart to be obliged to confess, with a
population undeserving of their exuberant soil
and free government.
The French language is still predominant in
New Orleans. The population is said to be
30,000; two thirds of which do not speak
English. The appearance of the people too was
French, and even the negroes evinced, by their
T 2

.2,76 MANNERS AND HABITS.
antics, in rather: a ludicrous manner, their, pre
vious connection with that nation.
The general manners and habits are very re
laxed. The first day of my residence here was
Sunday, and I was not a little surprised to find
in the United States the markets, shops, theatre,
circus, and public ball-rooms open. Gambling
houses throng the J city: all coffee-houses, . to
gether with the exchange, are occupied from
morning until night, by gamesters. It is said,
.that when the Kentuckians arrive at this place,
they are in their glory, finding neither limit to,
nor punishment of their excesses. The general
style of living is luxurious. Houses are ele
gantly furnished. The ball-room, at Davis's
hotel, I have never seen exceeded in splendour.
Private dwellings partake of the same character ;
and the ladies dress with expensive elegance.
The sources of public amusement are numerous
and varied; among them I remark the following:
" INTERESTING EXHIBITION.
" On Sunday the 9th inst. will be represented in the
" place where Fire-works are generally exhibited, near
" the Circus, an extraordinary fight of Furious Animals.
" The place where the animals will fight is a rotunda of
"160 feet in circumference, with a railing 17 feet in
" height, and a circular gallery well conditioned and
" strong, inspected by the Mayor and surveyors by hira
" appointed.

INTERESTING EXHIBITION. 277
" 1st Fight — A strong Attakapas Bull, attacked and
" subdued by six of the strongest dogs of the country.
" 2d Fight — Six Bull-dogs against a Canadian Bear.
" 3d Fight — A beautiful Tiger against a black Bear.
" 4th Fight — Twelve dogs against a strong and fu-
" rious Opeloussas Bull.
" If the Tiger is not vanquished in his fight with the
" Bear, he will be sent alone against the last Bull, and
" if the latter conquers all his enemies, several pieces of
u fire-works will be placed on his back, which will pro-
" duce* a very entertaining amusement.
" In the Circus will be placed two Manakins, which,
" notwithstanding the efforts of the Bulls, to throw them
" down, will always rise again, whereby the animals will
" get furious.
" The doors will be opened at three and the Exhibi-
" tion begin at four o'clock precisely.
" Admittance, one dollar for grown persons and
" 50 cents for children.
" A military band will perform during the Exhibition.
" If Mr. Renault is so happy as to amuse the specta-
" tors by that new spectacle, he will use every exertion
" to diversify and augment, it, in order to prove to a
" generous public, whose patronage has been hitherto
" so kindly bestowed upon him, how anxious he is to
" please them."
I visited the theatre : it is an old building,
about two-thirds the size of the little theatre in
the Hay-market. The ¦ play was " John of
." Calais," well performed by a French com?
pany to a French audience. At a tavern op
posite, I witnessed a personal conflict, in which
t 3

278 LAW AT NEW ORLEANS.
I supposed one of the parties was dirk'd. These
things are of every-day occurrence ; and it is not
often that they are taken cGgnizance of. by the
police. I was present at a criminal trial : the pleadings
were a mixture of French and English. The jury
consisted of ten French, and two Americans.
The counsel were equally divided, being two of
each language : the judge was American. The
French counsel requested leave to quote the code
Napoleon, which was granted, on condition that
he should explain to the French part of the
jury that it was not law, and that he adduced
it on the same principle that he would the
works of a poet, merely to illustrate his .ideas.
The English law is the law of Louisiana, with
such additions as local circumstances have ren
dered necessary ; one of which that was cited
upon this occasion, is a law against " biting
" off the ear, the nose, tearing out the eyes," &c.
1 was proceeding to remark upon the condi
tion of negroes in Louisiana, but an official docu
ment, lying before me upon the subject, I pre
fer forwarding to youj without note or com
ment, except to observe that such regula
tions as these exist iti spirit throughout nine
at least, if not eleven' more of the State re
publics!

SLAVE-REGULATIONS. 279

" CITY COUNCIL OF NEW ORLEANS.
" An ordinance in relation to slaves in the city and sub-
" urbs of New Orleans, as also in the neighbourhood
" thereof, and to no other persons herein mentioned.
The City Council ordains as follows :
" Art. 1. No slave or slaves within the city and
" suburbs of New Orleans, and the neighbourhood
" thereof, shall have, hold, occupy, reside or sleep in
" any house, out-house, building or enclosure, other
" than his or her owner's, or, his or her owner's repre-
" sentatives, or of the person whom he is or they are
" serving for hire, without first obtaining a ticket or
" tickets from his, her, or their owner or owners,
" expressly describing the place which such slave or
" slaves is or are allowed respectively to occupy, re-
" side, or sleep in, and specifying also the time during
" which the aforesaid permission or permissions is or
f are granted ; and every slave holding, occupying, re-
" siding or sleeping in any house, out-house, building
" or enclosure, without obtaining the permission afore-
" said, shall be committed to the jail by any officer of
" police, or any other white person, there to receive
i. twenty, lashes, on a warrant from the mayor, or from
" a justice of the peace, unless , the owner or owners qf
" such sl(cve or slaves shall previously pay a fine, of five
" dollars for each of them, with all costs and charges." — >*
fi Aut. 6. The assemblies of slaves for the purpose
«' of dancing or other merriment, shall take place only
'* on Sundays, and solely in such open or public places
«*'. as shall be appointed by the Mayor, and no such
" assembly shall continue later than sunset, and all
" slaves who shall be found assembled together on any
'-' other day than Sunday, or who, even on that day,
T 4

280 SLAVE-REGULATIONS.
" shall continue their dances after sunset, shall be taken
" up by the officers of police, constables, watchmen or
" other white persons, and shall be lodged in the public
" jail, where they shall receive from 10 to 25 lashes, on
" a warrant from the mayor or a justice of the peace ;
" the clauses specified in the preceding article against
" all owners or occupants of houses or lots, forming or
" tolerating such assemblies on their premises, being in
" full force against them.
" Art. 7- No person giving a ball to free people qf
" colour shall, on any pretext, admit or sirffer to be ad-
" mitted to said ball any slave, on penalty qf a fine from
" 10 to 50 dollars, and any slave admitted to any such ball, '
" shall receive 15 lashes.
" Art. 8. Every slave, except such as may be blind
" or infirm, who shall walk in any street or open place
" with a cane, club, or other stick, shall be carried to
" the police jail, where he shall receive 25 lashes, and
" shall moreover forfeit every such cane, club or other
" stick, to any white person seizing the same, and every1
" slave carrying any arms whatever, shall be punished
" in the manner prescribed by the Black Code of thisr
" state. Art. 9. If any slave shall be guilty of whooping or
" hallooing any where in the city and suburbs, or of
" making any clamorous noise, or of singing aloud any
" indecent song, he or she shall for each and every such
" offence, receive at the police jail, on a warrant from
" the mayor, or any justice of peace, a number of
" 20 lashes or stripes, and if any such offence be com-
" mitted on board any vessel, the master or commander
" thereof shall forfeit and pay a sum of 20 dollars for
" each and every such offence.
" Art. 10. Every slave, who shall be guilty qfdis-
"¦ respect towards any white person, or shall insult any

PROVISIONS. 281
" free person, shall receive 30 lashes, upon an order from
" the mayor, or justice of the peace.
" Art. 1 3. The present ordinance shall be printed
" in the usual Gazettes, and shall moreover be published
" by drum-beat, within the city and suburbs twice a
"•• week during fifteen days, and once every month, after
" that time. J. SOULIE, Recorder.
" Approved, October 15th, 1817.
« AUG. MACARTY,
" Nov. 3. Mayor."
. Provisions are of very bad quality, and most
enormously dear. Hams and cheese from Eng
land, potatoes, butter, and beef from Ireland,
are common articles of import. Cabbages are
now ten-pence per head ; turkeys, three to five
dollars each. Rents are also very extravagant.
Yet to all men whose desire only is to be rich,
and to live a short life but a merry one, I have
no hesitation in recommending New Orleans.
Proposing at once to transport you to the city
from which part of this is written, that of Wash
ington, I have only now to take a general retro
spect of the country which I have left behind. It
would be useless to fill up a chasm, which will be.
thus left in my narration. I am become morally
certain, that the intervening States afford no spot
which either you or any conscientious friends of
rational liberty could make your residence. With
regard, then, to the western country generally, lef

282 WESTERN COUNTRY.
me first observe upon the strong evidence which it
affords of increasing national wealth, strength,
and population. This, indeed, is striking to a de
gree which has been the subject of astonishment
in various ways. The rapid ratio of its increase,
the maturity of its establishments, the ignorance
of real freedom among the people, the immense
advantages resulting from an enlightened poli
tical constitution, and the probable future con
dition of this part of the American continent,
are all themes calculated to excite speculation,
and each affords abundant sources for reflection.
Throughout the western country, there are
many men of real, but more of fictitious capi
tal. In their occupations they are not confined
to any one particular pursuit, the same person
often being farmer, store and hotel-keeper, land-
jobber, brewer, steam-boat owner, and slave-
dealer. In their characters they bear evidence
of this diversified, though, I think, but in few
instances able application of talent. They talk
much of American genius, persuading themselves
that because they were born on this continent,
there is prepared for them, in every department
of knowledge, a royal road. All are specula
tors ; and each man anticipates making a for
tune, not by patient industry and upright conduct,
but by " a lucky hit." Should he be disappointed,
the consequences must, of course, fall upon his
creditors; but neither those who suffer by his

MERCHANTS AND TRADERS. 288
failure, nor his neighbours, nor himself, attach
to him any kind of disrespect for the trans
action. I witnessed some whose success had
been astonishing, both as to amount, and the ra
pidity with which it had been collected ; as,
indeed, must ever be the case with a speculating
people in a new country, particularly in one un
burdened with taxes, and in which the habits of
trade are yet unsettled. Merchants and trades
men bear little or no similitude to those of Eng
land : their diversified pursuits, and migrating
character, cause them to possess more general,
but less particular and substantial knowledge.
The impression which they convey on first ac
quaintance, is that of being well-informed, and
comparatively enlightened; but this wears off
Upon more intimate acquaintance, if, at least, by
the expressions well-informed and enlightened
we should imply men of reading or of thought,
men possessed of sound information, who take
large views, who feel liberally towards men
Qf opposite sentiments, and attached to the ge
neral cause of human happiness : looked at in
this point of view, they are, in truth, any thing
but enlightened. This order of men, the mer
chant and tradesman, here generally compose
the second, some of them rank, in the first class
of society. Though residing in a republic, they
are, in fact, more really aristocratic than English
men similarly circumstanced. The mechanic in

284 BIECHANICS. — TOWNS.
this country is naturally an important character,
the more so if the town or settlement in which
he resides be of recent establishment. If in
dustrious and economical, his earnings soon
place him on an equality with the second-rate
tradesmen ; and should he feel disposed for
agriculture, and be willing to forego the comforts
of a town life, he may purchase a tract of land,
which, if judiciously selected, will in the course
of twenty years make him a rich man. I saw
many families in this part of the Union in rags
and wretchedness : but there is this peculiarity
about American poverty — it seems free from
anxiety, exhibiting a total carelessness about the
future, and apparently leaving the morrow to
provide for itself.
Towns, which are of any importance, are not
what we understand by " country towns :" they
are miniature cities, containing numerous first-
rate brick buildings; all new, very neat in their
exterior, and always high rented. Town pro
perty is as high as in Philadelphia, and more so,
than in London. The "tide of emigration, it
should be observed, is eternally changing its
course. The attractions of Ohio are now lost
in those of Missouri, Alabama, and, Illinois.
LexingtPn was, a short time since, the general
magnet : its advances towards prosperity have
now, however, ceased to be rapid, and property
there has become stationary in value, whilst at

PRICES. — BANKS. 285
Louisville it is rising prodigiously. This last-
mentioned place, with St. Louis on the Missouri,
promise to be ranked among the first towns in
the western States. Provisions in the country
are cheap, and groceries and clothing enor
mously high in price. In towns, 25 per cent.
may be added to the former, and the same,- per
haps, deducted from the latter ; though, at the
lowest market, you would be surprised at the
charges, arising from the high price of labour,
combined with the extraordinary fact, that the
crockery, hardware, linens, cottons, and wool
lens, which fill the log-stores of even the most
remote parts in the wilderness, are imported
from Great Britain.
Banks, as I have before remarked, are ex
tremely numerous. They afford, to an unlimited
extent, all the facilities within the possible ca
pacity of an immense paper currency. But
still even this species of capital is rarely em
ployed in agricultural pursuits : it is engrossed
by town lots, building, steam-boats, and mill
seats ; in any of which occupations there is cer
tainly a profitable opening for the European
capitalist. Without further dwelling on this country, or
on my journey, I shall now at onee take you. to
WASHINGTON.
It has been so fashionable with natives, as

286 WASHINGTON.— THE CAPITOL.
well as foreigners, to ridicule the federal city,
that I had anticipated the reality of Moore's
description of -
" This famed metropolis, where fancy sees
" Squares in morasses, obelisks in trees." .
But in this I was pleasingly disappointed.
The river Potowmac, at this place, is only na
vigable for small craft near its banks. Besides
the Potowmac, the River " Tiber" runs through
the city; its stream is about the width of
the Paddington canal. The ridiculous, though
characteristic vanity displayed in altering it
from the original name of " Goose Creek,"
to that of the Tiber, has been happily exposed
by Moore.
The President's palace, and the Capitpl, si
tuated on opposite hills, are the chief public
buildings, both of which were nearly destroyed
by the buccaneering incursions of our country
men, who acted, perhaps, agreeably to their
orders, but certainly in opposition to the feel
ings, judgment, and character pf the British
people. These buildings are now rapidly rising
into increased splendour. The Capitp}, in which
are both houses of the legislature, and several
public offices, stands on a hank of the Po
towmac, seventy feet above the level of that
river : it as yet consists of but two wings, in
tended to be connected by a centre, surmounted
by a dome. The architect is Mr. Latrobe:

' FOREIGN ORNAMENTS. 287
Iri the internal construction of this building, he
has not evinced even a common knowledge of
what contributes to convenience, and still less to
elegance of appearance. The apartments are
small, crowded, and without unity of design :
the exterior, when completed, will, however,
produce a really grand effect. Some of the pil
lars are of a native marble, of a peculiarly novel
and beautiful description, bearing some resem
blance to the finest specimens of mosaic. The
Americans, however, are not content with the
productions of their own country : they have
made large imports from Italy of its most ex
pensive marble ; and so anxious is even the
President himself for " foreign ornament," that
he has imported chairs at one hundred dollars
each, though the cabinet-makers of Baltimore
would have equalled, and I believe surpassed
them in every particular, at the price of sixty
tdollarsJ . The President's house is at the opposite end.
of " Pennsylvania Avenue," commanding a most
beautiful prospect. On each side of it stands a
large brick building ; one of which is the trea
sury, the other the war and navy offices. These
are to be connected with the palace, "which,
when completed, would form an ornament even
4o St. Peter-sburgh itself. Upon a second visit
to the: Capitol, I explored nearly all its recesses.
Marks of the late conflagration are still very ap-

288 PATENT-OFFICE. — LIBRARY, &C.
parent, while the walls bear evidence of public
opinion in relation to that transaction, which
seems to have had the singular fate of casting
disgrace upon both the Americans and British.
Some of the pencil drawings exhibit the mili
tary commander, hanging upon a tree ; others re
present the President running off without his hat
or wig ; some, Admiral sCockburn robbing hen
roosts : to which are added such inscriptions as,
" The capital of the Union lost by cowardice;"
" Curse cowards ;" " A  sold the city
" for 5000 dollars ;" " James Madison is a ras-
" cal, a coward, and a fool ;" " Ask no ques-
" tions," &c.
The post-office is a large brick building, situ
ated at about equal distances from the president's
house and the Capitol. Under the same roof is
the patent-office, and also the national library,
for the use of members of congress. In the first
of these departments, I witnessed upwards of
nine hundred specimens of native mechanical
genius. This would appear to afford decisive
proof, that Americans are not deficient in in
ventive talent, though it cannot be extensively,
or with profit, called into action, until your
little .island ceases to be the universal workshop.
The library is small, consisting of but 3000
volumes ; but it is select and well chosen, and
includes various classes of literature, having
d)een the property of Mr. Jefferson, for which

THE LOWER ORDERS. 289
he obtained from the United States 20,000
dollars. The former library, containing from
7 to 8000, Was destroyed by our enlightened
countrymen. So great has been, at some
periods, the depreciation of property in this city,
that in 1802, what had originally cost 200,000
dollars, was sold for 25,000. This decay con
tinued to go on, until the visit of General Ross,
and the subsequent signature of peace : since
that time it seems to have risen, like the phcenix
from the flames, and is once more partially in
creasing in prosperity. There are now a num
ber of two and three story brick buildings, none
of which are uninhabited ; and also some small
wooden houses, though, according to the ori
ginal plan, none were to be built less than three
stories high, and all to have marble steps. But
the childish folly of this scheme was soon sub
verted by the natural course of events; and
though the existence of " lower orders," even
in the capital of the republic, may not accord
with the vanity of its legislators, they ought to
be told, that neither prosperity nor population
can be possessed by any nation, without a due
admixture of the natural classes of society.
-The population of Washington city is about
9000; of Georgetown, 6000; of Alexandria,
8000 ; and of all other parts of the district of
Columbia, 7000 ; making a total of 30,000.

290 PRICES.
Alexandria, which is seven miles from the city;
may. be considered the sea-port. Georgetown is
the residence of shopkeepers, and Washington
the depot for office-holders, place-hunters, and
boarding-house keepers ; none of whom would
appear to be in possession of too much of this
world's goods. Between these three divisions
of this district there exists considerable jea
lousy. prices, &c.
There are three market-houses in Washington,
and I believe, four market days per week.
Negroes are the chief sellers. The supplies at
this time are neither good nor various. Beef is
from 4fd. to 6|d. per pound; pork the same ;
potatoes, 3s. 4 id. per bushel; bread, 2d. per.
pound ; beer, 6'^d. per bottle ; milk, 5§d, per
quart ; tea, 4s. 6d. to 13s. 6d. per pound ; coffee,
12|d. to l6d. ; sugar, from 54s. to 90s. per.
hundred. Rents are as high as elsewhere..,
Mechanics are fully employed, and well paid.
Shopkeepers are too numerous, and none, of
them remarkably successful. British goods>
abound, as in every other part of America..
When I had been here a few hours, I went to
a store to purchase a pair of worsted gloves :.
they were of the commonest kind, such as are
sold in London at, 8s, 6d. per dozen. The price
was half a dollar per pair. I presented a Phila-

PAPER MONEY. 291
delphia one dollar note ; it would not be taken
without a discount of 2| per cent. I then tenT
dered a Baltimore bank, of the same amount.
This being one hundred miles nearer was ac
cepted. The store-keeper had no silver change ;
to remedy "which, he took a pair of scissors and
divided the note between us : I enquired if the
half would pass, and being answered in the
affirmative, took it without hesitation, knowing
the want of specie throughout the country, and
being previously familiarized with Spanish
dollars cut into every variety of size. I jiPw
find that demi-notes are a common circulating
medium. Capital is generally wanted,- though
my enquiries do not lead me to believe that it
can be employed here with any thing more than
ordinary advantage. The increase of the federal
City cannot be rapid. Here is fine natural
scenery, but no decidedly great natural advan
tages; little external commerce, a barren soil,
a scanty pppulation, enfeebled too by the deadly
weight of absolute slavery, and no direct means
of communication with the Western country.
For the apparently injudicious selection of such
a spot, upon which to raise the capital of a great
nation, several reasons are given. Some have even
gone so far as to attribute to Gen. Washington
the influence of pecuniary interest, his property
being in the neighbourhood. But the most com
mon-argument adduced in support of the choice
u 2

^92 SITE QF WASHINGTON.
is thaj; it is central, or rather that it was so ; for
the recent addition of new States has removed-the
centre very far west, so much so indeed, that
the inhabitants of Lexington affirm, that their
town must on that ground soon become the,
capital ; and even the people of St. Louis, in
the Missouri, put in their claim, that city be
ing said to be geographically the exact centre
of the Union. But assuming that Washington
were central, I dp not see much validity in the
argument ; — at least if we are to be influenced in
our judgment by any country in the old world —
where is the important nation, whose capital is
placed exactly in the centre pf its dominions?
Spain is perhaps the only country which can be
adduced, and no very favourable conclusion
can be drawn from such an instance : though
unquestionably if rivers and soil, if roads and
Canals, all united to recommend that situation,
it would be in some other respects extremely
convenient; but this not being the case, the
knowledge of Euclid must be dispensed with
for something of more practical, though perhaps
more vulgar utility.
There may be other objections to this capital :
among them I would venture to suggest, that
the legislators, and rulers pf a nation, ought to
reside in that city which has the most direct
Communication with all parts of their country,
and of the world at large j they ought to see.

VIRGINIAN DYNASTY. ggS
with their own eyes, and hear with their own
ears, without which, fhoUgh possessed of the
best intentions, they must often be in error.
Newspaper communications, letters and agents,
are but substitutes, and sometimes very poor
ones; besides which, I conceive that mere expe
dients should not be admitted in national legis
lation. Unless this city increases with a ra
pidity unsanctioned by the most sanguine anti
cipation, the American lawmakers will be half
a century behind what they would become by a
residence in New York or Philadelphia. Another
objection to Washington may suggest itself to
some minds, in its neighbourhood to Virginia.
The "Virginian dynasty," as it has been called,
is a subject of general, and I think very jUst,
complaint throughout other parts of America.
This State has supplied four of the five presi
dents, and also a liberal number of occupants
of every other government office. The Virgi
nians very modestly assert, that this monopoly
does not proceed from corrupt influence, but is
a consequence of the buoyancy and vigoUr
of their natural talent. Without entering into
the controversy, whether or not seventeen States
can supply a degree of ability eqUal to that
«f Virginia single-handed, I must express my
want of respeCt for a State in which every man
is either a slave-holder, or a defender of slavery —
a State in which landed property is not attach
able for debt — a State in which human being*,
u 3

294 CUSTOMS. — DRAWING-ROOM.
are sold in the streets by the public auctioneer,
afe> flogged without trial at the mercy pf their
owner or his agents, and are killed almost with
out punishment; — yet these men dare to call
themselves democrats, and friends of liberty ! —
from such democrats, and such friends of liberty,
good Lord deliver us !
The customs of society at this season, differ,
I presume, in some degree, from those portions
of the year when congress is not sitting. ,Tea>
parties, and private balls, are now very frequent*
Mr. Bagot, the English . ambassador, and his
lady, are particularly assiduous in their attentions
to all classes, and maintain a strict conformity
with the habits of the place. Their cards of invi
tation are left at my boarding-house for different
gentlemem every day. The speaker (Mr. Clay)
gives public periodical dinners. A drawing-
room is held weekly at the President's house:
it is generally crowded. There is little or no
difficulty in getting introduced on these occa
sions. Mr. Munroe is a very plain, practical man
of business. The custom is shaking, and not
tiie degrading one of kissing, hands. Con
versation, tea, ice, music, chewing tobacco, and
excessive spitting, afford employment for the
evening. The dress of the ladies is very elegant,
though that of the gentlemen is too frequently
rather ungentlemanly.
The theatre is a miserable building. I have,
attended several representations in it by the

INDIAN JUGGLER.  COMFORT. 295
sahie company which I saw when in Pittsburgh,
Incledon has been here — the Washington critics
think him too vulgar, and also an indifferent
singer !
In this city I witnessed also the exhibitions
bf Sema Soma, the Indian juggler, from London.
My chief attention was directed to the audience;
their disbelief of the possibility of performing
the numerous feats advertised, and their incon-
ceiveable astonishment at witnessing the actual
achievement, apppared extreme, — apprpachjng
almost to childish wonder and astonishment.
The few private families to which I have had
introductions, do not evince a more accurate
knowledge of that English word comfort than I
have remarked elsewhere -, indeed, I would class
them a century inferior to Boston and half a cen
tury behind New York. The boarding-houses
and inns partake of the same characteristics. I
first applied at the chief, which is Davis's In
dian Queen tavern : most of the door-handles
are broken ; the floor of the coffee-room is
strewed with bricks and mortar, caused by the
crumbling of the walls and ceiling; and the cha
racter of the accommodations is in unison with
this unorganized state of things : the charges
are as high as at the very first London hotel.
Mr. Law, brother of Lord Ellenborough, re
sides here, and is the owner of numerous houses.
Mr. H  ¦, a Lancashire Cotton-bleacher and
u 4

296, MR. COBBETT.
friend of Mr. Cobbett, has lately emigrated to
this country, and has been recently here, en
deavouring to induce this government to lay
double duties on all British goods ; what his
success has' been I have not learned.
. Observing the following statements in the^
Philadelphia Aurora, I forward them to you, as
shewing Mr. Cobbett's impressions of the Penn-
sylvanian government.
" FROM THE HARRISBURG ORACLE.
« THE CASE OF WILLIAM COBBETT.
" While the subject was before the senate on Tues-
" day and Wednesday last, considerable discussion took
" place, advocated chiefly by Mr. Lowrie, and opposed
" by Messrs. Reed of Westmoreland, C. Smith, Reed
" of Philadelphia, and B. R. Morgan. And on the
" question of agreeing to the resolution, it was nega-
" tived. — Ayes 9. Nays 20.
" Immediately after this decision, Mr. Cobbett, who
" was present during the debate, walked up to the
". speaker's chair and handed the following to the
" speaker, which was read and laid on the table,
" To the Honourable the Senate and House of Repre-
" sentatives qf the Commonwealth qf Pennsylvania,
" in General Assembly met.
" The petition of William Cobbett, an Englishman,
" this 19th day of February, 1818,
" MOST RESPECTFULLY SHEWETH :
" That your petitioner has heard with inexpressible
" surprise that the senate of the commonwealth has re-
" jected the petition lately (presented to that honourable
" body by your petitioner ; that seeing the flagrant enbr-
" mity of the injustice of which he complained, he con-

MR. COBBETT. 29^
Kt ndently hopes that such rejection has arisen from
" some great misunderstanding as to the circumstances
" of the case ; that he, therefore, most respectfully, but
" most earnestly, prays that the honourable senate will,
" without loss of time, be pleased to permit him to ap-
" pear in person at the bar of their honourable house,
*• there to support the prayer of his said petition ; that
" he feels the more confidence in the making of this'
<* respectful request, since it appears that his petition
" has been opposed upon arguments drawn from the
" laws and usages of England, where similar requests,
*' under similar circumstances, are never refused ; and
** he finally begs leave to be permitted to state (which
" he does with the most profound respect) that a sense
** of duty towards his beloved country and his sovereign,
" his love of truth and justice, his attachment to real
" and his hatred qf sham freedom, are the principal mo-
" tives of this his most respectful petition.
" Wm. Cobbett.
" to the editor of the aurora.
" Philadelphia, 23d February, 1818.
" Sir, — I have read, in the Democratic Press of this
*¦ day, an article, purporting to be an ' extract of a
" letter from Harrisburg;' in which extract it is said,
" that, after that most honourable body, the senate, had
" refused to hear me at its bar, in support of my peti-
" tion, another petition was presented by me to the
" house of representatives; that this petition was, by
'i some of the members, thought ,' to cast a reflection
" on the political, institutions' of this country ; but that,
" the subject was an important one, and that, ' if the
" individual could he forgotten, it would, perhaps, be
" viewed in a different light' -
.** This, Sir, is a pretty sort of shuffle indeed! £o,

•298 tvir: cobbett.
« because I complain of great and shocking injustice,
" suffered by me, under these institutions, I am to be
*{ accused of casting reflections on the institutions them-
" selves, and, on the ground qfthat accusation, my claim
" is to be rejected ! — This mode of arguing is afinisher
" as to all petitions for redress of grievances. No, no,
M Sir ! It is not the ' individual concerned' that needs to
" be 'forgotten.' Say, rather, the six thousand three
" hundred and seventy three dollars. If these could be
*« forgotten, the writer of the extract would, I fancy,
" view the matter in the right light in a moment.
" It is impossible, Sir, for this* stain on the govern-
" ment of the state to be wiped away without the doing
" of complete justice. I can perceive, clearly enough;"
ei what some persons think will do. They are gently
" preparing the way for hushing the people by recom-
" mending an act to prevent the like in future ; and thus,',
*' to keep the dollars, and, at the same time, as they
" imagine, to remove the odium. You remember, I
" dare say, the story of La Fontaine's Nun, who, having
" had one bastard, became a virgin for the rest of her
« life ! " I am, Sir,
" Your most humble,
" And most obedient servant,
" Wm. Cobbett."
Mr. H. informs me that he was with Mr. C. at
Harrisburgh ; that Mr. C. declares that during
thife several years which he resided near the
Treasury in London, he did not witness so much
bribery, corruption, and place-hunting as he had
seen in one week in Pennsylvania ; that the
members of the legislature were engaged in
IO

MANUFACTURES. 299
little except smoking, drinking, and gambling ;
and that he could certainly have carried his
point had he condescended to bribe. In all these
opinions Mr. H. joins his friend.
. Although I cannot go the length of Mr. H.
and Mr. Cobbett in their wholesale censures,
-perhaps from not having had the same opppr-
tunities with them of forming a judgment, yet
I have become acquainted with facts in Wash
ington which no man could have induced me to
believe without personal observation.
MANUFACTURES OF THE UNITED STATES.
The object of Mr. H.'s visit to the capital is
one of high national importance, and in which I
should have individually felt much interested at
an earlier period of my acquaintance with this
country ; but I am now, after the most deliberate
examination, convinced, that our Yorkshire and
Leicestershire friends could not profitably suc
ceed as manufacturers. This opinion is amply
borne out by memorials to Congress from vari
ous parts of the Union, and in these documents
it is essential to remark that the request is not
for Government to erect new establishments,
but to protect those which are in existence from
utter ruin. The memorial from Oneida county,
in the State of New York, contains the following
striking passages :

300 STATE OF MANUFACTORIES.
" A. Memorial presented to the Senate qf the
" United States, January J. 1818.
" To the Honourable the Senate and House of
. " Representatives of the United States, in
" Congress assembled, the Petition of the
" Inhabitants of the County of Oneida, in
" the State of New York, as well Manufac-
" turers as Others,
" RESPECTFULLY SHEWETH :
" That the above county contains a greater
" number of manufacturing establishments, of
" cotton Vand woollen, than any county in, the
".State, there being invested in said establish-
" ments at least 600,000 dollars.
" That, although the utmost efforts have been
" made by the proprietors to sustain those esta-
" blishments, their efforts have proved fruitless,
" and more than three-fourths qf the factories
" remain necessarily closed, some of the pro-
" prietors being wholly ruined, and others strug-
" gling under the greatest embarrassments.
" In this alarming situation, we beg leave to
" make a last appeal to the Congress of the
" United States. While we make this appeal,
" at the present crisis, the extensive embarfass-
" ments in most of the great departments of
" industry, as well as the peculiar difficulty in
" affording immediate relief to manufacturers,
" are fully seen and appreciated. Yet your
" petitioners cannot believe that the legislature

STATE OF MANUFACTORIES. 301
" of the Union will remain an indifferent spec-
" tator of the wide-spread ruin of their fellow-
" citizens, and look on, and see a great branch
" of industry, of the utmost importance in every
" community, prostrated under circumstances
" fatal to all future attempts at revival, without
" a further effort for relief. We would not
" magnify the subject, which we now present
" to Congress, beyond its just merits, when we
" state it to be one of the utmost importance to
" the future interests and welfare of the United
" States.
" We hope to find excuse in the importance
" of the subject, for submitting- to the consider-
" ation of Congress the following principles- of
" political economy, which have been adopted
" by the most enlightened governments, and are
" deemed not altogether unapplicable to the
" United States.
" That the public good requires of government
" to restrain, by duties, the importation of arti-
" cles which may be produced at home, and to
" manufacture as much as possible of the raw
" material of the country.
" That the branches of industry particularly
" necessary or useful to the independence qf the
" community ought to be encouraged by govern-
" ment.
" That the most disadvantageous commerce ?>
" that whieh exchanges the raw material for
" manufactured goods.

302 MANUFACTORIES.
" That any nation who should open its ports to
" all foreign importations, without a reciprocal
" privilege, would soon be ruined by the balance
" of trade.
" The policy of Great Britain, in support of
" which, no wars, however bloody, no expense,
"however enormous, are too great a. sacrifice,
" ought never to be lost sight of by the United
" States. That nation assumes to manufacture
"for all nations, but will receive the mamfactures
" of none.
" But let no one imagine that a general system
" qf manufactures is now proposed to be in'tro-
" duced into the United States. We would be
" understood as limiting our views to the manu-
" factories already established; to save those which
" have not already fallen, from the ruin which
" threatens them.
" It might have been expected, that the pre-'
" sent fallen condition of manufacturers would
" have soothed prejudice and disarmed hostility.
" With all their alleged war profits, there are
" now none so poor. Is it not seen, that the
" destruction of the present manufactories must
" inevitably produce the same evils of extrava-
" gaintprices in the event of a future war, as
" were experienced in the last.
" It is objected, that the entire industry of
" the country may be most profitably exerted
" in clearing and cultivating our extended va-'
" cant lands. But what does it avail the farmer,'

MANUFACTORIES. 303
" when neither in the nation from which he
" purchases his goods or elsewhere, can he find
" a market for his abundant crops. Besides,
" the diversion of labour from agriculture to
" manufactures, is scarcely perceptible. Five
" or six adults, with the aid of children, will
" manage a cotton manufactory of two thousand
" spindles. " From the gloomy condition of the manu-
" facturers, the mind, turning to another quar-
" ter, is cheered with the brightest prospects
" to others. In the more southern states, it is
" believed, that the amount received, during
"the last year, from the export of two or three
" articles of agricultural produce only, exceeds
" forty millions of dollars."
. The manufacturers of Baltimore use not dis
similar language.
The amount of capital, real or fictitious, said
to have been employed (though I suspect erro
neously) in manufacturing establishments pre
vious to the late peace, is the following :
Hats, - ... ,£2,000,000
Iron, ----- 2,500,000
Leather, - 4,000,000
Cotton and Wool, - - - 10,000,000
Spirituous Liquors, - - - 3,000,000
Wood, - - . - - 500,000
Soap, Candles, Tallow, Oil, Sugar, &c. 600,000
22,600,000

304 MANUFACTURES.
Total amount of capital employed in all the
manufactories of the United States 22,600,0001.
At present this must be greatly reduced ; per
haps even two-thirds would not be too large a
deduction. Fine sites for cotton and woollen
factories exist in every State which I have visited:
the Falls of Pasaic, near New York, cannot, for
such purposes, be exceeded. Mr. Casey, lately
of Liverpool, is endeavouring to form a cotton
twist establishment at this place.
Much diversity of opinion exists amongst
Americans as to the policy which it would be
desirable their government should pursue with
regard to domestic manufactures ; and it would
still appear to remain an unsolved question among
them, whether the strong arm of government
should or should not, in the present infant stage
of the republic, be held out to protect and en
courage those establishments, by the usual
means of bounties on the one hand, and duties
or prohibitions on the other ? Mr. Jefferson
originally took the negative side of this ques
tion : he wished Americans to remain a nation
of agriculturists, deprecating the time when
that people should be changed from " robust
" and virtuous farmers, into deformed, sickly,
" and profligate manufacturers :" but it should
now seem, from his letter to the " American
" Society for encouraging Manufactures," and
also from another letter of his, inserted by Mr.

MANUFACTURES. 305
Mellish in a pamphlet he has recently written
at, I am informed, the dictation of Mr. Hulme,
that he (Mr. J.) has changed his opinions.
The general arguments against manufactures
are, that their. encouragement will enhance the
price - of. clothing : that this will operate as a
heavy tax upon the whole community, for the
benefit of but a few: that the revenue of the
United States would be materially injured, as its
chief supply is from duties on imports : that in
an. extensive country,. with but a scantypopu-'
lation, it is most beneficial to direct the mass of
labour to the clearing of. new lands, and other
agricultural pursuits : that by so doing they will
make greater and more rapid advances in extent
of population and amount of national wealth,
than by drawing off a part of their capital and
labour, and devoting it to purposes of .manufac
ture ; . more especially while most of the^articles'
wanted can be imported from England 30 to
50per cent, cheaper than it is possible for them
to be. [produced, within the Union : that as la
bour, is so high and land so cheap, there is an
ever-existing, inducement for men to leave fac
tories, and free themselves from masters, to be
come lords of. their own domain : and that this
has been uniformly found to be. the case, — the
slow.. advance of manufactures, . and . the conse
quent high price of the articles having been a
natural result of the situation of the .country:

306 MANUFACTURES.
that, in a word, it is the true interest of Ame
rica to continue supplying Europe with raw
material and with agricultural produce, both of
which find there a certain market, while labour
is from 25 to 50 per cent, higher than in England,
and from 50 to 75 more than on the European
continent. On the manufacturers' side of this truly great
national question is Mr. De Witt Clinton, go
vernor of New York : in a speech which has had
few equals in comprehensive and philosophic
views, addressed to the legislature, he makes
the following able reflections :
" The excessive importation of foreign "fa-
" brics was the signal of ruin to institutions
" founded by enterprising industry, reared by
" beneficial skill, and identified with the ge-
*i neral welfare. The raw materials of iron,
" woollen, and cotton manufactures are abun-
" dant, and those for the minor and auxiliary
" ones, can, in most cases, be procured at home
" with equal facility. Nothing is wanting to
" destroy foreign, competition but the steady
" protection of the government, and the public
" spirit of the country. High duties, and pro-
" hibiting provisions applied to foreign produc-
" tions, afford the most efficient encouragement
" to our manufactures; and these measures
" appertain to the legitimate functions of thena-
" tional government. — But much maybe done

Manufactures. 307
" by the State government, by liberal accommo*
'V dations, by judicious exemptions, and by the
" whole weight of its influence ; and much more
" may be accomplished by the spirit of the com-
" munity. For I am persuaded, that if every
" citizen who adopts the fabrics of other na-
" tions, would seriously consider that he is not
" only paying taxes for the support of foreign
" governments, but that he participates in un-
" dermining one of the main pillars of our
" productive industry, he would imitate the
" honourable practice which you have this day
" evinced in favour of American manufactures."
', Mr. Mellish stands forth prominent in this
discussion : his picture of present distress, if
well founded, would be truly deplorable. For
myself, 1 have seen nothing in the district of
Philadelphia, or indeed throughout America,
which justifies his calculation, " that nearly one-
" fourth of the whole population are engaged in
M unproductive labour ;" but as I wish to put
you in possession of the materials from which I
draw my conclusions, I forward you Mr. Mel-
lish's ideas in his own words :
" Failures," he says, " innumerable have
" taken, and are taking, place ; and the com-
« mercial character of the country is sunk and
" degraded in consequence. The surplus wealth
'* of the country is drained off, to support our
"rivals in Britain; and, in many districts of
x 2

308 MANUFACTURES.
" the, country, a great portion of the citizens
" are at a loss for employment ! Yes, in this
" very country, this industrious population are
" absolutely at a loss for something to do. It'
" is really painful to contemplate the picture ;
" but contemplate if we must ; for in no other
" Way can we do justice to the subject.
" This melancholy picture pervades the coun-
" try throughout, less or more ; but it is very
" prominent on the Atlantic coast, and parti-
" cularly in and about the great commercial
" cities. It is calculated that, in Philadelphia
" city and county, at least 15,000 people, all
" able and willing to work, are either idle, or
" occupied in unproductive labour. The pro-,
".portion .-along the seabord is prpbably equal to,
" this, through its whole extent; and half, this;
". proportion may be- the estimate fpr all ..thfti
" other parts of the country.
-j< This will give, along the Atlantic coast,
" about - - - - - 150,000.
" And in other parts - - - 350,000
"'Making a population, in all, who have 
" either nothing to do, or are engaged'
" in unproductive labour, of - 500;000'
« Now, by looking at the last census of — ¦ 
" the U. S. we will see that the : whole,
"population is - - ...- _ 7,239,90$.
"Of these, the free white males, between 
" 16 and 45, amount to - - 1,1 19^,944
"'Females ¦--•' - . ; - 1,105,824'
- , ;¦¦  ,,'>-r.{, <•
"Total '2,225,768

MANUFACTURES. 309
" This we may assume as the number of in-
" habitants in the U. S. fit for productive labor ;
" and we find, that if the estimate of those who
" are rendered unproductive by existing cir-
" cumstances be correct, it amounts to nearly
" one-fourth part of the whole !"
How these statements of want, of ruin, and of
unproductive labour, can be reconciled with a
romance in two volumes, called, " Travels in
" America," by the same author, I am at a loss
to conjecture. It is not to be denied, that there
may be individuals unprofitably employed, but,
I believe, there is no person in health, and dis
posed to labour, but what may, at this moment,
obtain advantageous work in America. To con
clude, upon this subject of manufactures, as far
as I have been enabled to form an opinion, I
should incline to think that it is not now the
interest of the United States, artificially to en
courage their growth, by granting them pecu
liar advantages. It appears at any rate certain,
that in the present state of things, none of our
friends could engage in the cotton or woollen
•establishments without a certainty of loss.
VETERANS OF THE REVOLUTION.
I have been highly interested upon several
occasions, by being in company with some of
the veterans of the revolution. There is a
something in the: associations connected ''-'with.
x 3

310 VETERANS OF THE REVOLUTION.
that immortal cause, which attracts insensibly
towards those who were engaged in it, feelings
pf respect-r-almost of reverence. The attention
of the government has lately been directed to
wards these men in consequence of discussions
which have taken place in congress relative to
what is called " Revolutionary Claims :" these
claims are for monies advanced, or services ren
dered, which have never been repaid or recom
pensed. The leader of this poor but sacred
band of national creditors, is General St. Clair.
This respectable veteran is now 80 years of age ;
he was the companion of Washington, engaged
ip his country's service at the gloomiest periods
of the revolution, fought and bled in the cause
of liberty; when the national finances were bank*
rupt he advanced 1800 dollars of his private
property fpr the common defence : this sum has
never been repaid ; and in consequence of the
scanty amount of his annual income, he has
been compelled tP take up his abode in the
wilderness. This aged patript, with clothes
which might seem from their appearance to
have felt the effects of all the seasons for the
last ten years, with flaxen hair, tottering limbs,
a care-worn countenance, deeply dejected from
supposing his country ungrateful, and with one
foot in the grave, is now a petitioner to that
people in whose service he spent his youth, his
treasure, and his blood, aiding theapk in their

THE SENATE. 311
emancipation from external dominion, and in
raising them into a great and an independent
nation. CONGRESS.
Congress being sitting, I have several times
attended their debates. Their present place of
meeting is a temporary one : it was designed, I
believe for an hotel, and is in the immediate
neighbourhood of the Capitol.
My first visit to congress (which assembles at
11 o'clock in the morning, and adjourns at 4
in the afternoon) was to the senate. This body
is at present comprised of forty members, the
States having increased from their original num
ber of thirteen to that of twenty, and each State,
regardless of its population, sending two. The
gallery is open to all, without orders from mem
bers, or __ half a crown to the door-keeper .•• the
only form to be observed, is taking off the hat
in obedience to a public notice to that effect;
The chairman's seat is central, under a hand
some canopy ; the members are placed on rich
scarlet cushions, some at double, and some at
single desks. There are two large fires. The
room is carpeted, as is also the gallery. The
forms of business are taken from those of our
parliament, with a few minor exceptions. One
point of variation, at least, from the British senate,
is, that every speech is apparently listened to, and
x 4

312 : SENATORS.
all, whether good of bad, whether marked by su
perior excellence or by unequalled'dullness, seem
regarded with equal apathy and complete lifeless
endurance, neither applause nor censure being
allowed ; and it Would not be an easy task to dis
cern which were felt, judging from the counte
nance. I have heard nearly all their usual speak
ers: Mr. Otis, -of Massachusetts, is an eloquent
man, butnot remarkable for solidity of reasoning.
Mr. Rufus King is a true gentleman, and one
whom I should conceive has not many superiors
among the public men of any country. Mr. Bar
bour, called Governor Barbour, of Virginia, is a
speaker who, perhaps, violates all the rules of
theoretic oratory, but who, notwithstanding,
possesses an irresistible charm from his evident
sincerity, and the manliness of his deportment,
which, while it rivets the attention of his au
dience, compels them to love the object of their
admiration. His countenance is one of that kind
which, in a few minutes, enlists in its favour all
the social affections, and you insensibly feel
anxious and predisposed to take that side of the
argument of which. so apparently kind and able
a man professes himself the advocate. A friend
from Boston replied to some observations of
mine concerning him, " I entirely agree with
" you, in relation to Mr. Barbour; — he is a man
" in whom you cannot be deceived, he carries
" his heart in his hand.'' There are, in the

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 313
.senate, a great proportion of men of experience,
of sound ability, and who would do credit to
any nation upon earth.
The Representative chamber is in the same
building, and of about twice the extent. An
admission to the gallery is equally easy, and is
also open to both sexes. This assembly consists
pf nearly two hundred. They want in appearance
the age, experience, dignity, and respectability
which we associate with the idea of legislators,
and which are possessed by the superior branch'
of the congress. The interior decorations of
this room are marked by an inferiority to the
senate, which is rather anti-republican. The
members sit on very common chairs, at un-
painted desks, which are placed in rows, the
whole resembling a Lancasterian school, though
without its regularity. Some two or three
speakers regularly command attention ; others
talk on as long as they please, the members being
occupied in writing letters, and in reading or
folding up newspapers. This is carried to such
an extreme, that it appears fully to justify the
charge of Mr. Randolph, that " the House of
" Representatives consisted only of a large col-
" lection of printers' boys." Spitting boxes are
placed at the feet of each member, and, con
trary to the practice of the Upper House, at
once members and visitors wear their hats. I
have been present at numerous discussions,

S14 GENERAL ST. CLAIR.
among' which were the subjects of " Revolu-
" tionary Claims," " a General Bankrupt Bill,"
-and " General St. Clair's Claim." The latter
was the topic when I first entered the gallery of
this assembly. The fact of his having advanced
1800 dollars of his private property for national
purposes was proved by a receipt, attesting
it at the time, given by the next in command.
I was surprised to find the question of repay
ment of this sum could be made a subject of
debate, naturally concluding that this powerful
nation would not have suffered itself, even for a
moment, to remain debtor tp poor individuals ;
and that the mere fact of a revolutionary ge
neral having fallen into distress, only required, to
be known in order that he should be relieved'..
To my extreme surprise and regret, however,
I was speedily undeceived. General St. Clair's
claim was so strongly opposed, that I concluded
it would necessarily be lost. The arguments
advanced by its advocates were, first, that the
money was due to him, and if not paid, the
country were neither more nor less than swind
lers ; and, secondly, that having been one of
their political saviours, they ought to go hand and
heart to pour oil and wine into his wounds, and
not to suffer his gray hairs to descend with sor
row to the grave. These reasons met with
the following mercenary,, cold-blooded argu
ments, in the way of- reply: — "General

MR. HENRY CLAY. 315
"> St. Clair certainly has claims upon our grati-
" tude ; and if we could be directed by our
"wishes, we should assent to the bill: but we
" were not sent here by our constituents to be
" governed by, or to legislate according to our
" feelings. The obtainment of our liberties,
ft also, was certainly a valuable acquisition :
" but those are arguments foreign to the pre-
" sent discussion.* We have now got our con-
" stitution, and how it was obtained is, at this
" time, a matter of little moment. We are not
" eternally to be looking at the past : we are
" now free : that is our main consideration :
" our duty and true policy is to look at the fu-
" ture." The prominent leader of this side of
the question was a man gifted with great volu
bility of speech, much self-importance in de
livery, considerable occasional violence of man
ner, and who seemed to command much atten
tion, rather from the strength of his lungs, how
ever, than the solidity Of his reasoning. This
gentleman I found to be Mr. Henry Clay,
speaker of the House of Representatives, an
active man of business. He is said to under
stand the forms of the house better than any
other member. His manners are not exactly
gentlemanly. His natural talent I should sus
pect to be good, though but little cultivated, at
least by present application. His mode of speak
ing possesses strength, but is totally destitute

316 REVOLUTIONARY CLAIMS.
either ¦> of pathos, or of logical arrangement.
His arguments against General St. Clair I thought
ably refuted. It was proved to demonstration,
that, although gratitude ought not to be over
looked, this claim was not of that class. It was
a demand upon their justice ; and if they did
not pay the money, principal and interest, they
were actually robbing their creditor. Upon a
division the original motion was lost, and an
amendment carried, allowing him, on the ground
qf national gratitude, 131. 10s. per month. I
believe there is not a man in Washington who
would insure the General's life for a year and a
half. The claims of some of the private soldiers of
the revolution were met in a similar spirit. A
great number were rejected altogether. Those
whose claims were admitted, received, after
numerous discussions, the liberal allowance qf
L3s. 6d. per week during life. Two of the, Phi
ladelphia federalisfc newspapers, in reporting
.this debate, were printed . in deep mourning,
considering the honour and character . of the,
country compromised by such a mean provision
for, men towards whom the nation was deeply in
debted. Nearly all the members, of the repre-,
sentative chamber are young men ; and out of
the .190 members, 150, at the least, are lawyera*;
a class of men whose minds, here, as elsewhere,
appear moulded and contracted by their pro
fession, and not possessed of that general know-

LAWYERS. 317"-
tedge, or not taking those large and equitable
views of things, which should be the distinguish-'
ing characteristics of the legislators of a great and
a commercial people. Last session the member
from Baltimore, who is a merchant, introduced
the late " tariff." While giving the details, and
necessary statements on this most important sub
ject, he perceived that nearly the whole assembly,
Mr. Speaker included, were inattentive or slum
bering. Stopping in the midst of his speech, be
apologised for his own deficiency of ability, stat
ing " that he perceived the subject he was speak-
" ing on was not understood by the body he was
" addressing. The exact cause of this he could
" not pretend to determine ; but of this he felt
"^ quite confident, that there was not a boy in his
"counting-rooms but would comprehend the
" subject perfectly." This roused the " learned
"gentlemen;" and throughout the remainder.
of the subject they put on, at least, the aspect of
attention. The Statedegislatures are equally infested
With lawyers. They occupy, in fact, eight-
tenths of all the public situations in America..
This is a great and a crying evil, and being. one
that is more likely to increase than diminish,
may naturally give rise to some melancholy,
forebodings concerning the practical continua
tion of this excellent constitution.
In relation to the laws of the United States^

318 JUDGES.
I have remarked, on a previous occasion* the
dependence of judges upon the counsel. I
have been present in courts where this has
been strikingly injurious to the cause of justice,
though this is not to be understood as an uni
versal feature of judicial proceedings ; at least I
saw no evidence of it in the Supreme Court at
Washington, where Judge Washington is among
those who preside. He is nephew to the late
general, and resides at Mount Vernon.
Some of the judges are, doubtless, men of
superior legal knowledge, and high. standing in
society ; but there are others who certainly are
not in possession of the former, though they may
be of the latter qualification ; as, for instance,
the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas at New
ark, who is a butcher — not a butcher retired
from business, and become a lawyer, but he
attends to both trades, even on the same day,-
selling at 7 c'clpck in the morning a> leg of
mutton, and at 11 supplying his customers with
a slice of Blackstone. Much evil must necessa
rily result from this heterogeneous admixture of
ignorance with learning. Although we might hail
the appointment of plain men of business, and
possessed of good solid understandings, to award
justice to their fellow- citizens as an important
benefit conferred on society, in substitution of
the legal quibbling and learned oppression of
the bar and bench ; yet if such men are not per-
]3

LAWYERS. 319
mitted to follow the plain dictates of their own
understanding, but are tied down by legal forms,
by ancient precedents, and by the laws and prac
tice of a country with which they are entirely
unacquainted, then, indeed, the . appointment of
such men becomes an evil instead of a benefit to
society ; and it would be better to place indi
viduals on the bench, who, — whatever may be
their characters in other respects, — their arro
gance of deportment or their political subser
viency, — yet, at any rate;, understand the busi
ness upon which they are employed.
Although there may be, and doubtless are
many members of the legal profession who are
honourable men, yet from all I have seen, or
have been able to understand, the lawyers of this
country do not seem to merit a particularly high
character. My impression of them is, to use an
American mode of estimation, at least thirty-
three and a third per cent, lower than of their
brethren in England. There are various causes
which may have produced this deterioration.
In the first place, deep and solid research in any
occupation, is neither so much wanted, so much
esteemed, nor is it so " marketable" a commodity
as in Great Britain ; further, the greater equality
of society, which renders men more independent
of each other ; the non-classification of the pro
fession of the law, which prevents either portion
from being deeply studied, while the ease with

320 ELEfaiONS.
which, even legal gentlemen can and do alter
their mode of obtaining a livelihood, naturally
weakens the motives to exertion, and lessens
too that strong impression of having at once a
reputation, and the very means of existence
at stake ; — these latter causes we know to be
powerfully operative in England. The vast
number of lawyers also, as compared with the
amount of American population, divides the
business into so many channels, that when a
job is obtained, no means. can be afforded to be
left untried to render it profitable. These causes,
aided by that prolific source of chicanery, our
statute book, may account for that of which
Americans complain so loudly — the expense of
law proceedings, and the want of principle in
their professional men. ELECTIONS.
To pass to another subject. — In all the elec
tioneering addresses which I have seen, it is
deserving of remark, that the defeated party com-,
plain of the corrupt influence of " Caucus."
I have often enquired the meaning of this .term,
or the nature of the power exercised, but.have;
not received any very satisfactory information,,.
An American writer says that it is " a cant
" term . fpr (those private , meetings which are
" held by the political parties, previous to- elecr
" tions, for the purpose k of agreeing upon can*

the; Caucus. 321'
" didates for office, or concerting any measure
'* which they design carrying at the subsequent
" public meeting." The other day I called
upon a resident of this city, a person of some
political importance. Aware that the subject is
already and very variously discussed throughout
the States, I casually enquired, " Who do you
f think, Sir, will be your next president?"
He gave no reply, except by a significant
nod. I followed up. my enquiry by, " Do you
" think, Sir, Mr. Adams will be selected?"
To which he answered, with decided confidence,
" No; I guess not, Sir; we have the man, we
V have the man, we know our man. — Crawford
" (the present secretary of the treasury) had it
" in caucus last time, within a few." I enquired
what he meant by having it in caucus ; for that
Mr. Munroe was elected by an overwhelming
majority. His answer was, " Ah ! I guess you
" don't understand our modes ; when you have
" been here a few years, you will comprehend
" these things. Only mind, I tell you Adams
" never can be president ; for. he. will not be
'.' able to do any thing with caucus." From
minute enquiry, I understood that this thing
called* caucus, was practically invented by Mr.
John Adams, during his presidentship ; and
that it is now universally. practised in the elec
tion to every 'office in America. Since the first
choice of Mr. Jefferson, the presidential' elecr
tions are managed by private meetings (or
Y

322 THE CAUCUS.
caucus) of the democratic members of congress,
previous to elections : they settle among them
selves who shall be president. This, is what is
called getting " the appointment in caucus,"
and an instance never occurs qf the votes being
in opposition to caucus. When they have de
termined upon who they wish to be president,
they send circulars, to their different States,
pointing out, by a kind of eonge d'elire, who
they have resolved should be elected : and as
the right of voting for presidents is confined
to a very limited number, there is no instance
of the caucus being disobeyed. Mr. Munroe
being a democrat was, as a matter of course,
voted for by the democratic States ; and those
of New England being federal, would not, I be
lieve, give a vote upon the occasion. It: ap
pears that the membersof the Washington caucus
were almost equally divided between Mr. Craw
ford and Mr. Munroe; but that some accom
modation being agreed upon, the latter got
" the appointment." Had his rival obtained this*
he and not Mr. Munroe would have been voted
for by the democratic States, as a matter of course.
These are alarming facts; for thus we see that
the very men (the, members of congress) who
are directly excluded i by the constitution from,
voting, become, by means of a secret something
unknown to that constitution, and at variance with
both its letter and spirit, the real electors. to the
presidentship. How necessary are the most un-

THE CAUCUS. 3@S
ceasing vigilance^ and the greatest degree of pub
lic principle and public virtue, to preserve even
the best institutions from gross perversion ! No
oligarchy can be more dangerous than this,
which deludes the people with a belief that they
are all-powerful, and the electors of their chief
magistrate, while virtually they are the mere
tools of a faction, and have not a voice in the
matter. By a reference to the proceedings of Con
gress, it would appear that this vitally important
subject was brought under their public consider
ation in 1816; upon which Mr. Rufus King,
and General Harper, made the following obser
vations, every syllable of which deserves your
most marked attention :— ?
Mr. King said, " If there was any part of
"the constitution, deemed by its framers and
" advocates to be better secured than any other
" against the enterprises which have since oc-
" curred, it was the very provision on the sub-
" ject of election to the presidency. The idea
" was, that the action of that particular agency,
" which has since controlled it, was as much
" displaced by the constitutional plan of elect-
" ing the President and Vice President, as could
" possibly be devised. We all know the course
"which this thing has taken. The election of a
** President of the United States is no longer that
" process which the constitution contemplated/ In
" conformity with the original view of the authors
• y 2

3M ABUSES "OF ELECTION.
" of that instrument, I would restore, as the
" roughly as possible, the freedom of election to
" the people. On the contrary, our progress in
" government is not for the better ; it is not
" likely, hereafter, to be in favour of popular
" rights. It was with the people, the constitu-
" tion meant to place the election of the chief
" magistrate ; that being the source the least
" liable to be corrupt. But if , under the name
" of the liberty of the people, we put this power
" into other hands, with different interests, we.
" place it in a situation in which the rights of the
" people we violated. Men now live, who will
" probably see the end of our government, as we
" now go on ; terminate when it will, the termina-
" tion will not be in favour of public liberty.
" For five years past, I have seen a character
" developing itself, the predominance of which
« I fear."
' General Harper said, "As to the main propo-
" sition, he was decidedly in its favour ; for this
" general reason, that its adoption would tend
" to make the election of President less a matter
" of juggle and intrigue than it now is.
" He would not say that it would have the ef-
" feet of wholly excluding intrigue ; of placing
" this great election on the footing, on which the
" great men who framed the constitution vainly
" imagined they: were placing it, of a free, un-"
" biassed expression of the public will ; but it

ADMIRAL COCKBURN. 325
" would bring it nearer than at present. Party
" arrangements and bargains would not be so
" easy. Bargains could not be so readily struck
" with one State for this great office, with another
"for that ; as according to the present mode of
" election. Districting the States for electors,
" would have a tendency to render the presi-
" dential election more free and independent ;
" to remove it more from the grasp of party
" arrangements ; to prevent bargains between
ie profligate agents, and the selling qf the nation
"for offices to the highest bidder."
The motion to remedy these evils was lost by
a large majority.
The prevailing American politics of Wash
ington at this time are, what is here called
democratic. Previous to what they consider the
piratical attack of the English government, some
among them were strong federalists. The con
duct of our soldiers, with the exception of de
stroying the public buildings, is said to have
been exemplary; private property, and individ
uals, receiving the most complete protection.
Anecdotes are related of English officers as
sisting the ladies — the male population having
all run way, leaving their homes to the protection
,pf the women and children.
The ,children, particularly in Alexandria, have
a dread of the name of " Admiral Cockburn,"
Similar to that I used to entertain of Buonaparte
y 3

326 GENERAL LAC0CK.
and the Devil. General Ross is an universal
favourite, from being, I presume, more humane,
and enforcing the orders of his government
with less rigour than that exercised by the naval
commander. General Lacock, senator from
Pennsylvania, who boarded at the same house
with myself, and with whom I had the pleasure
of a slight acquaintance, amused me one even
ing by a humourous detail of what foreign
travellers have said against America^ especially
the celebrated poet Thomas Moore, who had
visited America in 1803. With the following
epistle, dated from Washington, the general
was particularly familiar : —
" The lover now, beneath the western star,
Sighs thro' the medium of his sweet segar ;
The weary statesman*, for repose hath fled
From halls of council to his negro's shed,
Where, blest, he woos some black .Aspasia's grace,
And dreams of freedom in his slave's embrace.
In fancy now, beneath the twilight gloom,
Come, let me lead thee o'er this modern Rome,
Where tribunes rule, where dusky Davi bow,
And what was Goose Creek once is Tiber now.
This fam'd metropolis, where fancy sees
Squares in morasses, obelisks in trees,
Which travelling fools and gazetteers adorn
With shrines unbuilt and heroes yet unborn ;
Though nought but wood and  they see,
Where streetsshould run, and sages ought to be.
* Supposed to refer to a charge made by the federalists
against a celebrated politician of Virginia.

MOORE, THE POET. 327
Oh, great Potowmac ! Oh, you banks of shade,
You mighty scenes ! in nature's morning made ;
Say, were your towering hills, your boundless floods,
Yohc rich savannahs, and majestic woods ;
Oh ! was a world so bright but born to grace
Its own half-organised, half-minded race
Of weak barbarians, swarming o'er its breast
Like vermin gender'd in the lion's crest ?
Were none but brutes to call that soil their home,
Where none but demi-gods should dare to roam ?
O'er lake and marsh, through fevers and through fogs,
'Midst bears and Yankies,  and frogs,
Thy foot shall follow me ; thy heart and eyes
With me shall wander, and with me despise."
The old general laughed at Moore's conceit ;
and observed, that foreigners were commonly
disappointed with this country, more particularly
those that were, in Europe, friends of liberty.
He thought, however, that such a publication
was discreditable to our poet, only because he
had received while here much personal attention.
This same argument was adduced to me by
Mr. Boyd, son of Colonel Boyd, with whom I
-dined at New Orleans, concerning Moore, and
other writers, who told unpleasant truths of
their country, or did not view it as the great
and faultless political Elysium. That a distin
guished individual receiving attentions in a
foreign land is a proof of the existence of
the common habits of civilized society is un
questionable ; but that that should be the
criterion by which he is to judge of the whole
Y 4

328 NATIONAL CHARACTER.
mass of a country, requires no refutation. . Yet
I have generally found this to be the standard
by' which Americans themselves estimate the
different parts of their own continent, as well as
of Europe :. it is not .what they saw, but how
they were personally; treated, : which forms the
burden of their song ; as though in describing
a country, either for our friends or the public,
we are not bound by every moral tie to speak
the truth of. that country, and its inhabitants
too, whatever may have been the personal con
duct of. individuals towards ourselves. There
can be, surely, in this no breach of hospitality ;
on the contrary, the man who fells the honest
truth of a nation is, as I should conceive, its
best friend. Seeing it with the eye of a stranger,
he discerns defects which, perhaps, custom has
rendered invisible to the eye of the native, and
by candidly pointing them out, he affords an
opportunity of amendment which would nof
otherwise be gained. EUROPEAN POLITICS.
What the European politics of Washington
are at this time, I should feel some difficulty in
ascertaining: what they were in 1813, maybe
judged by the following exti'acts from a small
pamphlet which has just fallen into my hands :
it is entitled " The celebration of the Russian
" victories, in Georgetown district of Columbia,
" 5th June 1813,including the oration of MriCus-

WASHINGTON POLITICS. 329
" tis and the address of Mr. Harper. — Printed by
" James B. Carter." After describing in glow
ing language the " second Lucifer" (Buonaparte),
who, like his archetype, was envious and jealous
of the poor remains of human happiness — who
spread devastation with his sword, and medi
tated the banishment of all true religion ; the
writer adds, — " In the redemption of the world
" by the arms of Russia, all nations must re-
" joice ! And the heart that would not join in
" the " Te Deum " which religion and huma-
" nity shout for the deliverance of mankind,
" must be already attuned to the fell discord
" of fiends howling in frantic despair. Can
"it then excite surprise that, in America,
" among a people enjoying the blessings and
"'happiness of a government of their own choice,
"the news of Buonaparte's defeat was re-
" ceived with a burst of joy and gratitude, such
" as a virtuous and humane people would dis-
" play upon the downfall of tyranny, and the
" promised restoration of peace and prosperity
," to an emancipated world ? Could they con-
" template, without emotions of sympathy,
" any , portion of the human family, hunted
" down by the " dogs qf war," and panting un-
*«, der a load of oppression, extortion and cruelty?
" While you rejoiced at the successes of Russia,
" you evinced a sympathy known only to vir-
4f,,tuous hearts. Then glory in the sexample
" you have set the world — shew the parasites

830 RUSSIAN VICTORIES.
" of power, and the creatures of ambition, that
" freedom and virtue expand and warm your
" hearts with general benevolence to mankind
" — and teach a tyrant and his minions, that
" when the grand destinies of the United States
" are most beautifully developed, they will be
" seen in sympathy with'those who suffered by
" his wrongs, and exulting in his overthrow.
" Influenced by such considerations as are
" here briefly and faintly described, it was pro-
" posed at a meeting of the citizens of George-
" town, in the district of Columbia, to testify
" their gratulation, and to evince their grati-
" tude to the Dispenser of all good, by a suit-
" able commemoration of the late Russian
" victories." Saturday, the 5th of June, was fixed upon
" for the celebration ; and John Peter (Mayor),
" Robert Beverly, William Marbuary, Thomas
" Peter, Washington Bowie, Francis Dodge,
" John I. Stull, and John Lee, Esquires, were
« appointed a committee to prescribe and su-
" perintend the arrangements for the day.
" NARRATIVE OF THE CELEBRATION.
" The celebration of the Russian victories
« commenced on Saturday, the 5th of June, at
" the hour of 2 o'clock, P. M. The company
" principally assembled previously, at the Union
" Hotel, where the committee of arrangement
« announced the following as the

the president, &c. 331:
" Order of the Day.
" In procession to the church — 1st. Ladies.
" 2d. President qf the United States, (Madison,)
" and Heads of Departments !! 3d. Senators and
" Representatives in Congress. 4th. Members of
" the Maryland legislature. 5th. Strangers of dis-
" tinction. 6th. Citizens. The assembly seated
" — 7th. The Russian minister, with his lady,
" and suite. 8th. Foreign consuls. 9th. Re-
" verend clergy and orator pf the day. 10th.
" Committee of arrangement. Exercises in
" church — 1st. Solemn music. 2d. Introduce
" tory prayer. 3d. Music. 4th. Oration. 5th.
" Music. 6th. Concluding prayer. 7th. Grand
" Russian march, and adjournment to the hotel.
" This order was punctually observed, and
" contributed much to the regularity and so-
" lemnity of the occasion. - Agreeable to its
" terms a vast crowd assembled in the Presby-
" terian church at the hour appointed. At half
" past two the Russian minister, his lady, coun-
" sellor of legation, and secretary, reached the
" place in his carriage of state. They were
" received by the committee of arrangement,
" and escorted to a large pew appropriated es
pecially for their accommodation. At the
" same time the foreign consuls, accompanied
" by the president and vice-president of the
" day, were conducted to another large pew

332 RUSSIAN VICTORIES.
" adjoining that occupied by the Russian le-
" gation. The reverend clergy and the orator
" of the day, (Mr.Custis,) were next introduced
" by the committee.
" The hearts of all in sympathy being suit-
" ably tranquillized, the Rev. Mr. Balch, in a
" pathetic and reverential strain, addressed fhe
" throne of heaven, imploring the blessing of
" God upon the assembly. Mr. Custis, after a
" short interval of music, then delivered an
" highly interesting, historic, and didactic ora-
" tion, in a style peculiar to his oratory, and re-
" fleeting warm and sympathetic encomiums
" upon Russian valour. The scene in the church
" was closed with prayer, when the lady of
" the Russian minister was conducted to her
"carriage, the band playing a fine exhilarating
" Russian march. The Russian legation, suc-
" ceeded by foreign consuls, and other persons
" pf distinction, including senators and reprer
" senfatives in Congress, were escorted to the
" Union Hotel.
" At four o'clock the company entered the
" dining rooms, and was seated in the most
".perfect order — the Russian Legation and
"foreign consuls ranged on the right, the
" Orator pf the day on the left, of the Pre-
" sident. , The whole entertainment was sump-
" tuous, and beautifully ordered, to which a
V company of near three hundred gentlemen
" sat down.

IMPERIAL AND REPUBLICAN TOASTS. 333
" After the cloth Was removed the President
" announced the following toasts :
" The United States of America — May justice
" be her guide, neutrality her policy, and liberty
" the essence of her national existence.
" [Music — Hail Columbia.
" The Empire of Russia — May this Northern
" Star break the power of attraction that has
" fastened the Continent of Europe to the mag-
" net of France. [Grand Russian air.
" When the fourth toast was to be given, the
" President called on Mr. Harper of Baltimore
" who gave " Alexander the Deliverer."
" (This toast was accompanied by a course of
" remarks made by Mr. Harper, that' excited
" bursts of applause highly descriptive of the
" feelings which animated this patriotic as-
" sembly.)
" Moscow in Flames — This is the holy confla-
" gration, that lights the nations of the earth to
"independence and peace. [Solemn Russian air.
" The Memory of Washington —Oh ! that thy
" canonized form, hearsed in death, could burst
" its cearnlent and raise a drooping empire !
" [Washington's March.
" The heroes of the Revolution— Alas ! the
" fruits are fast withering of your patriot toils.
" [Solemn Dirge.
" The American navy — This is the cradle of
" our rights, here let- us cherish, foster and

334 TARS. — ROMAN MATRONS, &C.
" honour those heroic spirits, who are destined
" to punish the aggression of hostile powers.
" [Tars of Columbia.
" Capts. Hull, Jones, Decatur, Bainbridge,
" and Lawrence; ' and ye too have scattered
" thunderbolts.' — Columbia, these thy chosen
" sons, outstrip the world in deeds of valour.
" [Decatur's March*
" The native Tars qf America — Eternal war,
" when necessary, for their essential rights.
" [Freedom and our Native Land.
" Agriculture mourning — Commerce in tears —
" You have our sympathies, we can do no more.
" [Guardian Angelsl
" The. Fair of America — With what Roman
" matron may we not compare ?
" [Sweet Passion of Love."
OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION FROM THE LAND-OFFICE.
Having been invited to visit the tomb of the
great Washington, which is about 10 miles from
hence, I hasten to a conclusion ; and shall leave
my own reflections to my next and last report,
which I design shall follow this in about three
weeks, when I shall have seen Baltimore, and
also visited some of the smaller eastern towns.
By a private letter to my friend R  you
are aware of an application which I have made
to the land-office, concerning a tract of 40,000
acres ; I inclose you Mr. Meigs's reply.
io

u

TERMS FOR LAND. 335
" SlR, General Land-Office.
" In reply to your letter : I have to say, that
" the public lands north-west of the river Ohio,
" are sold at two dollars per acre, payable one-
" fourth cash ; one-fourth in two years ; one-
" fourth in three years ; one-fourth in four
years. A discount of eight per cent, per
'¦' annum for prompt payment reduces the cash
" price to one dollar sixty-four cents per acre.
" If the instalments are not all paid within five
" years, the land is offered at public sale, if it
" brings more than the principal and interest
" due to the United States, the surplus is paid
" to the original purchaser ; if the principal and
" interest is not bid, the land reverts to the
" United States, and the monies paid on account
" are forfeited.
" These are the terms of sale without respect
" to persons or quantity.
" I am very respectfully,
"Sir,
" Your obedient servant,
" Josiah Meigs."
" Mr.' Henry Fearon,
" At Mrs. Lindsay's, Washington."
The present report will go by the British
packet free of expense, the English ambassador
having acceded to my application in the follow
ing polite note, though I had not an introduction
to him :

336 LETTER FROM MR. BIRKBECK.
" Mr.Bagot presents his compliments to Mr.
" Fearon, and has the honour to inform him
" that if Mr. F. will send the papers alluded to
"in his letter, to Mr. Bagot's house in the
" course of Friday next, he will endeavour ; to
" transmit them to England in his bag should,
" they not prove voluminous."
" Washington,
" Mr. Henry Fearon, Pennsylvania Avenue."
Wishing health and happiness to you all, and
indulging the anxious hope that I shall soon see
you either on this or the other side of the
Atlantic, I for the present take my leave.
P. S. I break open the package to inclose a
letter from Mr. Birkbeck, in reply to mine when
1 first visited Louisville, it is addressed to me at
Baltimore. "SlR, Princeton, Nov. 29. 1817.
" It would give me much pleasure to afford
"you satisfactory information on the several
"particulars you mention, but I am, like your-
" self, a stranger in this country, and can there-
" fore only communicate to you my opinions in
" answer to your inquiries.
" To the first, as to the most eligible part of
" the United States for obtaining improved'
"farms, or uncultivated lands for Englishmen,-
" &c. I reply, that with a view to the settlement
" of the number of families you mention, it will

mr.birkbeck's letter. 337
" be vain to look for improved farms in any
" part that I have seen or heard of. Probably
" a single family might be suited in almost any
" large district, as the changes which are con-
" tinually occurring in human affairs, will occa-
t( sionally throw eligible farms into the market
" every where. But you can have no choice of
" cultivated lands, as those you would prefer
" are the least likely to be disposed of; and it
" is altogether unlikely you should meet with
" a body of such lands, for the' accommodation
" of thirty or forty families ; considering, too,
" that, by travelling a fow days' journey farther
" west, you may have a choice of land of equal
" value at one-tenth of the price, where they
" may settle contiguous, or at least near to each
"other, I have no hesitation in recommending
" you to do as I have done ; that is, to head
" the tide of emigration, and provide for your
" friends where the lands are yet unappro-
" priated.
" After traversing the states of Ohio and
" Indiana, looking out for a tract suited to
" my own views, and those of a number of
" our countrymen who have signified their in-
" tentions of following our example, I have
" fixed on this spot in Illinois, and am the
" better pleased with it the more I see of it..
« As to obtaining labourers. A single settler
" may get his labour done by the piece on

338 MR. birkbeck's letter.
" moderate ..jterms, not higher than in spine
" parts of England ; but if many families, settle
" together, all requiring this article, and none
^supplying it, they must obtain it from else-
" where. Let them import English labourers,
" or make advantageous proposals to such as
" are continually arriving at the eastern ports.
" Provisions are cheap of course. Wheat three
" and fpiuvpence sterling per bushel. Reef ajid
" pork two-penqe per pound, groceries and
" clothing dear, building moderate, either by
" wood, or hrick. Bricks are laid, by the thpu-
" sand, at eight dollars or under, including lime.
" Privations I cannot enumerate. , Their
" amount depends on the previous habits and
" present disposition of individuals : for myself
" and family, the privations already experienced^
" or anticipated, are of small account compared
" with the advantages.
" Horses, .60 to 100 dollars, or upwards;
" cows, 10 to 20 dollars ; sows, 3 to 5 dollars. >
" Society is made up of new-comers chiefly,
" and, of course, must partake of the leading
" characters, of these. There is generally a
" little bias of attraction in a newly settled
" neighbourhood^ which brings emigrants from
" some particular state pr country, to that jspot?j
" and thus a tone is given to the society. Where
" we are settling,, society is yet unbprn.as it
" were. It' will, as in other places, , be made
" up of such as come ; among whom English

MR. birkbeck's letter. 339
" farmers, I presume, will form a large pro-
" portion.
" Roads as yet are in a state of nature.
" Purchases of land are best made at the land-
" offices : payments, five years, or prompt ; if
" the latter, eight per cent, discount.
" Mechanics' wages, 1 dollar to 1|. Carpen-
" ters, smiths, shoemakers, brickmakers, and
" bricklayers, are among the first in requisition
" for a new settlement t others follow in course ;
" — tanners, saddlers, tailors, hatters, tih-work-
" ers, &c. &c.
" We rely on good markets for produce,
" through the grand navigable communication
"we enjoy with the ocean.
" Medical aid is not of difficult attainment.
" The English of both sexes, and strangers in
" general, are liable tp some bilious attacks on
" their first arrival ; these complaints seem,
" however, simple, and not difficult to manage
" if taken in time.
" The mamfactures you mention may here-
« after be eligible ; cotton, woollen, linen, stock-
" ings, &c. Certainly not at present: Beer,
"spirits, pottery, tanning, are objects of imme-
" diate attention.
! " The minerals of our district are not much
"rknown. We have excellent limestone ; Ibe-
" Beve We" have coal : wood will, however, be*
" the cheapest fuel for some years.
z 2

340 mr. birkbeck's letter.
" Implements are cheap till you commence
" with the iron. A waggon, 35 or 40 dollars;
" exclusive of,;tier to wheels. A strong waggon
" for the road complete will amount to 160
" dollars or upwards.
" The best mode of coming from England to
" this 'part of the western country is by an
" eastern port, thence to Pittsburg, and down
" the Ohio to Shawnee town. Clothing, bed-
" ding, household linen, simple medicines of
" the best quality, and sundry small articles of
" cutlery and light tools, are the best things for
" an emigrant to bring out.
" I can hardly reply to your inquiry about
" the manner of travelling ; it must be suited to
" the party. Horseback is the most pleasant
" and expeditious ; on foot the cheapest : a
" light waggon is eligible in some cases; in
" others the stage is a necessary evil. I. see I
" shall render you liable to double postage, but
" I wished to reply to each of your inquiries as
" far as I could.
" To serve you or your friends will be a plea-
" sure to, Sir, " Yours, &c. &c.
" To Mr. H. Fearon, « Morris BlRKBECK.",
" Post-Office, Baltimore.*'.
Note.*— In preparing these pages for the press, I observe
that this communication , of Mr. Birkbeck's forms a part of
his recent publication, called " Letters from Illinyjs/'
Aug. 1818.

SEVENTH REPORT.

LEAVE WASHINGTON. — ARRIVE IN BALTIMORE. — CHA
RACTER OF THE PEOPLE. — CHURCHES; THEIR ARCHI-
¦ TECTURE. — RELIGIOUS SECTS. — MODE IN WHICH CAPITAL
COULD BE ADVANTAGEOUSLY EMPLOYED. — NEW YORK
FORUM. — POLITICS OF AMERICANS IN RELATION TO"
EUROPE.  THEIR. FEELINGS TOWARDS CITIZENS OF
FOREIGN BIRTH.  PUBLIC RESOLUTIONS UPON THIS
SUBJECT.  MY FRIENDS COMMISSION MR. FLOWER TO
PURCHASE LAND IN ILLINOIS. — REVIEW OF THE CHA
RACTER AND CONDITION OF AMERICANS. — THE FIRST
SETTLERS.  PROGRESSIVE ADVANCEMENT TOWARDS
THE COMFORTS AND INTELLIGENCE OF EUROPE. : — THE
COLONIAL GOVERNMENT. — THE REVOLUTION ; ITS CAUSE.
 MR. JEFFESSOn's STATEMENT CONCERNING THE EFFECT
OF-PAINE's "COMMON SENSE."  EFFECT.OF REVOLUTION..
UPON MORAL AND NATIONAL CHARACTER. — DISORDER.
OF THE GOVERNMENT. — REVISION OF THE CONSTI
TUTION. — RISE OF THE PARTIES CALLED DEMOCRATS .
AND FEDERALISTS ; THEIR ADVERSE EUROPEAN POLI
TICS.  ADMINISTRATION OF MR. ADAMS.  RISE OF
MR. JEFFERSON. — INDOLENT CHARACTER OF AMERI
CANS ; ITS CAUSE.  THE WAR OF 1812. — DEPRECI
ATION OF GOVERNMENT SECURITY.  NATIONAL LAWS...
New York, April 21. 1818..
Having now again arrived at the point from.
which I set out in the summer of last year, I
have determined to take up my residence in this
z 3

342 BALTIMORE.
city, at least until I receive the long wished-for
letters of my friends  ,  , and  ,
which will, of course, govern my future pro
ceedings, and inform me whether to prepare for
your reception, either in this city or that of
Philadelphia, or return to the western country
and make a final arrangement concerning some
lots in either Ohio or the Illinois ; or recross
the Atlantic, making Liverpool the port of my
destination, in order to visit our friends in York
shire and Leceisfefshire, previous to my arrival
in,London. — — — — —

BALTIMORE.
On leaving Washington for this place, I
took Baltimore in my way, and resided, there
sometime. It is a commercial city of great
importance ; and, though not at present of the
first rank, is rising with a rapidity almost un
paralleled, The substantial features- of the American cha
racter appear here to be the same as throughout
the Union, although the " Baltimorians" them
selves, lay claim to a superior reputation for hos
pitality, enterprise, and bravery. Taking my
own experience as a sample of the first, I most,
willingly bear favourable testimony to their cha
racter ; but then it must be understood com-'

BALTIMORE. 343
pa'ratively, and not in the English sense of the
Word. In regard to the second, they appear
entitled to it, judging from their shipping, much
of which is engaged in hazardous pursuits, to
gether with the speculative improvements of
their town, and their having, by superior ac
tivity, supplanted Philadelphia, in part of the
western country trade ; yet the merchants of
this city are said to be deficient in capital. Of
their bravery; history will speak when recording
their gallant and successful defence of their city,
though attacked by the combined naval and
military forces of England.
Dancing and music are the prevailing amuse
ments. The ladies dress extravagantly gaily, and ex
pensively. Rents, occupations, price of labour, clothing,,
employment for, and wages of mechanics, are
here so precisely similar to those of the other
Atlantic cities, that a detail is unnecessary.
Some idea may be gained of the rapid progress
of certain parts of the United States, from the
;faet, that 70 years ago Baltimore consisted of
10 houses : it now contains 60,000 inhabitants.
• The principal street runs east and west, pa
rallel with the river, and is intersected by nu
merous others, containing many excellent build
ings. North and east of the town the land
rises, affording beautiful views of the city and
bay. — Steam-boats proceed from here to Nbr-
z 3

344 RELIGION. — TRADE.
folk in Virginia, and to New London in Con
necticut, by way of New York. In the winter
months this delightful mode of travelling is
interrupted : miserable stages and bad roads
are then its substitute.
There are several religious sects, the most
numerous of which are Roman catholics. Epis
copalians, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists,
and Quakers, have each a respectable number
of partisans ; and an Unitarian church is now
building. . In connection with churches, let me
observe, by the way, that the architecture of
several displays first-rate talent ; and it seems
not a little surprising, that such ability should
have been overlooked by the conductors of the
national buildings at Washington.
The most accurate information which I can
obtain, causes me to believe that capital could
be profitably engaged here, in importing dry
goods from Great Britain ; that mechanics, in
the usual businesses, can get ready employment,
will receive 40s. 6d. per week, and pay for their
board and lodging, 15s. 9d. to 18s. In politics
Baltimore is a singular exception to all other
American sea-port cities, in being anti-federal,
or what is here denominated democratic. It lies,
however, in a slave State, and seems by no means
deficient in all the horrors of that barbarous
system. This city also occupies the foremost
ranks in deadly, animosity towards England.
Having returned through many parts of my

" THE FORUM." 345
former route, I have no new facts to, commu
nicate, but can say that my impressions of Ame
rica are generally confirmed. NEW YORK.
There is a highly respectable public assembly
occasionally held in New York, called " the
Forum :" I have attended twice — the place of
meeting is in the ball-room of the city hotel.
In the centre a sort of stage is erected, from
which the orations are delivered. The charge
is 6|d., with free admission for ladies. The
receipts are appropriated to charitable purposes.
The speakers, as I understand was once fre
quently the case in London, are young lawyers,
who practise as an assistant»to their more pro
fitable exercises. Though the speaking is ex
temporaneous, inasmuch as it is not written, yet
it appears by no means spontaneous, bearing de
cided evidence of previous rehearsal and hard
labour. The number of orators upon those oc
casions, when I was present, was six. To each
side of both the questions was allotted an equal
number of advocates ; who, though following
each other with the regularity of mechanism,
did not even risk a glance at the line of argu
ment pursued by their predecessors, each having
got his task, by rote; and when their memories
failed them, immediate recourse was had to the
written speech, carefully deposited in the

346 AMERICAN ORATORY.
pocket. Although the talents of these young
gentlemen for public display do not rank in the
first class of American oratory, yet they may be
regarded as presenting a fairaverage sample of the
elocution of both the bar and senate ; an elocution
which, though saidtobefounded upon the English
and French models, is so essentially different from
either, that it deserves to be regarded as a distinct
species. It is chiefly distinguished by a set logi
cal arrangement with regard to matter, but ex
pressed in inflated language, unaccompanied by
correspondent action ; strong expressions are
used to express minor ideas ; words of six syl
lables are substituted for deep thought or sound
argument; and there is evidently a constant
labour after allusions and simile, which are often
thread-bare and broken. The manner of their
speakers is generally marked by an equal ab
sence of modest diffidence and manly boldness :
they show little evidence of possessing a literary
mind ; their train of argument and their choice
of j language are, in their general effect, cold,
measured, legal, and bombastic.
The question discussed upon -the first evening
of my attendance was the following : "Is the
" present peace of Europe likely to be of long
" continuance ?" The number of the audience
was; about 700, full one-half of which were
ladies, and all highly respectable in their ap
pearance. The place ' of assembly is not suf-
12

POLITICAL VIEWS. 347
passed by any ball-room which I have seen in
London. The native political views of all the
speakers were the same, though they took oppo
site grounds in this debate upon foreign affairs.
The. folio wing is a summary of their principles :
America, the greatest country in the world ; re
publics, the best form of government in the world;
the revolution, the most important epoch since the
establishment of Christianity ; war, occasionally
necessary ; a state of perpetual peace would be a
perpetual curse ; Russia, the greatest country in
Europe, — will soon be enabled to contend with
England at sea ; Napoleon, a fiend — the French,
a nation of atheists who do not deserve peace ;
English government, very excellent — English
people, the contrary ; Alexander, the deliverer,
the most virtuous and magnanimous monarch.
ever known ; evil necessary in society — a long
digression to prove its origin; missionary societies
of incalculable benefit, particularly those which
were sent to the wild parts of Kentucky and
Indiana ; death of the Princess Charlotte must
entail upon England dire calamities ;, the holy
league, a wise, pacific, and humane combination;
liberty and happiness of all parts pf Europe
rapidly progressing.
The next subject which I heard spoken upon
was?i " Is.fit necessary for the interests, of the
•" United States,, that its government should -he
" in the hands, of a party ?" This elicited, ,simi-

348 POLITICAL SENTIMENTS.
lar trains of ideas to those delivered upon the
previous evening. There was the same strange,
incongruous mixture of republican and anti-re
publican sentiments, mixed up in the speech of
every orator. The advocates of reform in Eng
land were ridiculed with the same breath that
praised their own revolution ; popular meetings
censured, and the United States' constitution,
founded upon the rights of the people, extolled
to the skies. Lord Cochrane was abused, the
American navy flattered, the rights of man and
the excellence of the Emperor Alexander in
sisted upon, dangers of parties and cabals ex
posed, and popular meetings execrated.
This being the close of the season, a valedictory
address was delivered by Mr. Fessenden, a gen
tleman of very middling talent, and somewhat
conceited in his manners. He laid down as the
basis of good government, a variety of axioms
favourable both to liberty and tyranny. " The
" first qualification for all offices, from the presi-
" dent down to the lowest constable, ought (he
"¦'said) to be, that the candidates were natife
" born citizens." This sentiment was frequently
repeated, and always tumultuously and unani
mously applauded! I was previously well aware
of the firm hold which this feeling possesses
in the minds of all native Americans ; but I
did not anticipate its fearless avowal in a large
and mixed assembly. Throughout the States, I

" FOREIGNERS !" 349
have remarked that there is a strong line of
distinction drawn between citizens of native and
qf foreign birth ; and, in some cases, where the
latter have professed principles of republicanism
in Europe, (a sin which. might, at least, one
should suppose, be forgiven them in the United
States of America) they are treated with scorn,
as out-casts, who ought to have remained in
their own country, and have submitted to what
ever form of despotism it chose to exert over
them. So deeply rooted, indeed, are these sen
timents in the American mind, that they give
some colour to, though they can hardly justify
the address which, I find, unanimously voted
in the year 1809, at a meeting in New York of
five hundred adopted citizens, from which the
following are extracts :
" At a respectable meeting, consisting of about
" five hundred Adopted Republican Citizens
" of the city of New York, held at Lyon's
" Hotel, Mott Street,— Mr. Archibald Taylor
" being unanimously called to the chair, and
" Dr. Stephen Dempsey appointed secretary,
" the subjoined address was unanimously
" adopted, and ordered to be published.
" To the adopted Republican Citizens of the City
" of New York.
" FELLOW CITIZENS,
" A long train of disagreeable circumstances
" have called us together, and induced us tc

350 " FOREIGN CITIZENS."
" address you upon a subject which, for years, we
" have acutely felt and deeply deplored. ' Some
" of you, groaning under oppression in your na-
" tive land, have voluntarily emigrated from it,
" whilst others, more afflicted by despotism, and
" less favoured by propitious events, find your-
" selves in the condition of involuntary exile.
«' All, however, have chosen; as a resting place in
" the journey through life, this ' asylum for the
" oppressed of all nations.' Here, perhaps,
" mistaking the character Pf human nature, we
" pleasingly anticipated, from those who avow
" themselves the friends of freedom, exemption
" from that religious persecution and civil ty-
" r'anny, whose inexorable reign had fofCed Us
" from our native country. Alas ! how greatly
" were we mistaken! how egregiously have we
" been disappointed ! Our constitutions and gd-
" vernments are indeed free, but between these
"Admirable institutions and ourselves a tyranny
" is intervened, much less tolerable than that from
" which we fed. We have made permanent set-
" tlements in the land of our forefathers ; we
"admire and we are attached to our republican
" institutions; we have domplied with the di
sjunctions of the constitutions and the laws,
" and we will support them, upon equal terms,
" with our lives and our fortunes. But how are
" we. treated? What has been our reception?
" Has goodfaith been observed? Have the pro-

" FOREIGN CITIZENS." 851
'.' mises been performed ? Arc not we, who are
" citizens by all the solemnities and obligations of
" law, treated as aliens — stigmatized as foreign-
" ers. We complain not of the constitutions
"and the laws : they are liberal in principle and
" benign in operation. They enjoin an abju-
" ration of former allegiance : have we not with
" alacrity complied with the injunction ? They
" require an oath of fidelity to the union and to
" the states : devoted in spirit and in truth to
" both, we have eagerly taken it. What more
" is required ? What more can be expected ?
" The laws require no more. Shall an under-
" plot, a counter operation, individual jealousy,
" and pale faced cabal, frowned upon by the very
" elements of the State, subvert the law— put it at
" defiance — trample it under foot? The law
" places upon the same undistinguishable level,
" the citizen of native andthe citizen of foreign
" birth. Are we to be told, in this enlightened
" age, that the law is not to govern ; that the
" essence of well-ordered society is not a go-
" vernment of laws, but a government of the
" worst passions? Go back then to a state of
" anarchy ; tear out the bowels of society ; re-
" tvert to the rude condition of untutored nature,
" and let the strongest govern. We have never
" ceased to cherish and to inculcate those
" opinions which are most consonant to the
" civil and social state. We' have remonstrated

352 REPORTS DELAYED.
" against distinctions, at once impolitick and un-
" just, between native and adopted citizens ; but
" have not our remonstrances and efforts been
" in vain ? No zeal, no exertions, no services,
" however disinterested, unremitted, or great,
" have been sufficient to shield us from an epi-
" thet which, while it poisons the social and
" impairs the enjoyment of political life, must
" ultimately terminate in the ruin of the repub-
" lican party in this city. Alas ! has our repub-
" lie turned upon itself, and in the short period
" of a few years from the adoption of the con-
" stitution."
" Resolved unanimously, that 500 copies of
" the above address and resolution be printed
" in hand-bills for the benefit of our fellow, re-
" publican adopted citizens.
" Archibald Taylor, - Chairman.
" S. Dempsey, - - Secretary."
24th April. — Upon my return from an ex
cursion to New Jersey, I received a letter from
my friend C  , dated " Hertford, Jan. 30."
brought by Mr.W.Walford of Bishopsgate-street,
who came in the " Minerva, Smyth," and is im
mediately proceeding on to Mr. Birkbeck. I am
much: concerned to hear, that even at that date,
my first was the only report which had reached
you. Of the accident which occurred to the
" Electra of Philadelphia," and the melancholy
catastrophe of Captain Williams, I was apprised

REPORTS. 358
by-Loyd's list; but as she -was taken safely
into St. Maloes, I had indulged the hope, that
before the date of the above letter, you had
safely received my communications : they were
accompanied by a large packet of newspapers,
pamphlets, and some curiosities. Had I been
so thoughtful as to have mentioned to Mr.  -,
of Philadelphia, that I wished a parcel taken to
England, he assures me that Mr. Rush, the am
bassador, who sailed in the Franklin, seventy-
four, would have most willingly conveyed it to
London ; — however, this knowledge is now un
availing, but I trust that my several reports,
including the last from Virginia and Washing
ton, dated in Ivf arch, are, by this time, in your
possession. Your commission to Mr. Flower, Mr.
Birkbeck's associate, to purchase 9,000 acres in
the Illinois, is certainly a bold measure ; but as
you desire my immediate return, I shall defer
the discussion of its merits until I am blessed
with the pleasure of meeting you all face to
face, and once more enjoying the indescribable
delight of your society and an English fire-side.
I shall, in all probability, embark by about the
middle of next month. Captain H.  sails
in a few days, and1 1 am sure will take parti
cular care of this communication.
The remark is now an old one, " That
" Americans have no national character." Half
a century ago the observation was probably Cor-
A A

854 moore's view of Americans.
rect; but I think a personal acquaintance will
show its utter want of foundation at the present
period. Their national character, irt my judg
ment, is broadly and distinctly marked ; and, as
is common with that of other nations, partakes
of a mixture of wisdom and folly, of virtue and
vice, of some excellences and of great defects.
Although I cannot go the whole length of
Moore's description of them, yetwith a mind con
stituted, as I presume his to be, and with the
disappointments which his strong prepossessions
in favour of America must have given rise to, I
can easily conceive that he would not find much
difficulty in concluding that — " The ru'de 4&-
" miliarity of the lower orders, and indeed the
" unpolished state of society in general, would
" neither surprise nor disgust, if they seemed to
" flow from that simplicity of character, that
" honest ignorance of the class of refinement',
" which may be looked for in a new and inexpe-
" rienced people. But when we find them arrived
" at maturity in most of the vices, and all the pride
" of civilization, while they are still so remote
"from its elegant characteristics, it is impossible
" not to feel that this youthful decay, this crude
" anticipation of the natural period qf corruption,
" represses every sanguine hope of the future
" greatness and energy of America."
National, like individual character, must be
-in a great measure formed or controlled, by the

SITUATION OF THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA. 355
circumstances in which men are situated. For
the creation of a valuable standard of character;
Americans are disadvantageously placed : they
are far removed from that mass of floating in
telligence which pervades Europe, but more
especially England ; and in addition to this, as^
people, and in their political eapacity/they have
nothing to contend for — nothing to call forth
their energies, and but little of external excite
ment beyond the pursuits of gain, and merely
animal gratification. In their civil condition,
all obtain a living with ease. For religion,
their priests think for them ; they have neither
persecution to excite zeal, opposition or con
troversy to awaken them to enquiry, nor yet
virtue or knowledge sufficient to show them
its advantages ; whilst, in their political capa
city, they have the cheapest, theoasiest, and the
most reasonable form of government in the world.
To illustrate nations by individuals is an old, and
iby no means inappropriate mode of estimating
political character ; and, for myself, I never
knew an individual who was freed from strong
'external excitement, or who possessed every
fching which he desired without personal exer
tion, that did not sink into indolence, indiffer
ence, selfishness, and actual vice. This seems
to be made, and wisely so, one of the terms and
conditions pf our nature — " Whom the Lord
" loveth he chastiseth," is a sacred maxim ; that
a a 2

356 CONDITION OF AMERICANS.
chastisement is, I believe, as valuable as it is
necessary. I have not indeed ^een the character
whom I could call excellent, that had not under
gone trials, privations, and sufferings. To be
come intellectual, energetic, and virtuous, in the
present state of our existence, seems to require
that we should first know sorrow, and have been
acquainted with grief ; not that I am the advo
cate for political oppression in order to produce
those consequences, or that I wish to see trans
planted into this free and hitherto unoppressed
country, enormous taxation — iniquity in high
places — civil disabilities — religious exclusions
— standing armies — and hired spies and inform
ers; but that a something must occur, before this
people can be roused from their present lethargy,
— made, even in a limited degree, deserving of
their unparalleled natural and political advan
tages — that something of this nature, among
the wise dispensations of Providence, will occur, I
have no doubt ; for I cannot allow myself to draw
the melancholy conclusion of Moore, that what
we now see of the character of the people,' bad
as it may appear, " represses every sanguine
" hope of the future energy and greatness of
" America."
To understand America correctly, it is, in
some measure, necessary to recur to the character
and condition pf its first civilized population.
They were, in the first instance, emigrants from

EARLY POPULATION. 357
the several European nations, particularly Eng
land ; the most respectable class of which were
those who fled from religious persecution ; no
inconsiderable number Of transports ; the great
body of the rest were as emigrants ever are —
the most enterprising, the most needy, but by
no means the most intelligent of their native
country. It is such only, generally speaking,
that can be induced to quit the land which gave
them birth ; even although the exchange should
bring with it the most decided advantages^
The word home contains a sacred spell, which
rarely can be broken. We cling to the hovels,
the rocks, and the sands of our birth-place,
with a filial affection which, seldom ceases but
with our existence.. These feelings the Deity
seems to have implanted for wise purposes in the
bosoms of all men. ! The emigrant to a wilder
ness will therefore rarely be a man even moder
ate in his worldly circumstances ; and he will
still more rarely be possessed of regular habits,
or a cultivated mind. Exceptions will exist of
persons who take distant views, and who can
bring every feeling and thought under the guid
ance of reflection and principle ; but such will
ever be but exceptions, while our nature remains
the same. Such then were the seeds of America^
society; let us look at the circumstances in
which these men were placed ; in a country
where civilization had iriade no progress ;, where
a a 3

358 PROGRESS OF SOCIETY.
every man, both in mind and body, was fully
occupied in obtaining the bare means of subsist
ence ; and where their relative situation towards
the natives of the soil, was calculated to deaden
every just, benevolent, and humane sentiment.
As society advanced, indeed, the whole popu
lation no longer remained " hewers of wood
"and drawers of water." Classification com
menced ; but still those whose views, means* or
habits could be mental, were extremely limited
in number. They left Europe at a dark period,
not themselves the finest specimens of the na
tional picture ; even those .amongst them who
had leisure for literary objects, met with ob
stacles at every step — the want of books*
the" want of society, and of communication with
learned individuals or of scientific bodies. There
was besides no history attached totheir country ;
they lived indeed in a new world, " which was
" endeared to them by no recollections, and
"which could neither excite nor gratify their
" CuriPsity, by the records of the past." The
first accessions of strength from the .?' old
c&mtry," furnished little besides, an increase
of the manual labour. The colonial govenjr
ment introduced some men of information's
public education was attended to; riches 'in
creased ; the slave-trade was encouraged ;
negroes were introduced in every American
colony;; the extermination of Indians went on,

THE REVOLUTION. 359,
the invaders gradually seizing pn their country.
Literature was now in some respects advancing,
though the colonists depended for their mental
as well as bodily ,: clothing upon the mother
country ; English, Dutch, Irish, Scotch, Grer-
mans, and their several descendants, were be-
cofning to speak one language, and have one
common interest. They were, as colonists ever
an4 necessarily are, inferior to the parent country
in the first class of its intelligence, but above its
grosser ignorance. Society had at this time ac
quired stability. The Revolution now took place.
The motives and causes which led to this most
important event are deserving of marked atten
tion: they were not, as had been the case with
most other great national struggles, a dissatis
faction generally with their government, or a
desire to be an independent people. Their resiatt-
anee went to one specific claim of the English
ministry, taxation without representation ; this
object defeated, their design was to return to
their former political condition : that there was
no original intention to establish an independent
constitution, is admitted by Mr. Jefferson in his
" Notes on Virginia" In the April of 1776,,
Ibree months before the; declaration of inde
pendence, Paine's "Common sense'' appeared*
Previous to the publication of this book, the
leaders ia the contest were made acquawrtei
with its object and general purport. They were
A A 4

360 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
then alarmed — completely frightened at the
bare idea of declaring themselves independent.
Six individuals could not be found, who, at
that time, would go the length of a separation
from the mother country, from which a small
concession, with regard to the stamp-act,- was
hailed with the most enthusiastic delight — the
wish of the whole people being to heal the
existing differences, and return to their former
dependent situation. These facts are necessary
to be borne in mind, as they will account for
much which exists in the people of the United
States at the present day. The effect of
" Common Sense" upon the public mind was
electric. Men were alarmed indeed — but they
read, and conviction flashed upon their minds.
Three months after the appearance of this book,
the " Declaration of Independence" was signed.
The contest now assumed altogether an altered
aspect, the struggle was no longer for a rescue
from a peculiar mode of taxation, but for the
maintaining of rights, political and national, for
vital and fundamental principles, which, if once
established, would build upon their shores a
temple of freedom, and leave it there, a model
for other nations and for after ages. The friends
of human liberty in Europe crossed the Atlantic
to fan their darling flame. Others also emi
grated of a more dubious character : America
became the receptacle for speculators and

RISE OF FEDERALISTS AND DEMOCRATS. 361
fortune-hunters, for adventurers and base and
demoralized characters of every shade and de
scription. The peaceful pursuits of agriculture
were exchanged for those of the sword ; society
was shifted from its base, and every thing
became disorganized. Peace was at length'
proclaimed, but it failed to bring with it those
halcyon days, of which the olive-branch is
generally considered the precursor, i America
was now a chaos, bankrupt alike, it was feared,
in morals and in finances. Their warmest
patriots doubted whether their independence
were not in fact a curse to them. The admi
nistration of Washington, which succeeded, was
marked by policy, by sound views, and by
political wisdom ; but, in drawing up the con
stitution, the desire to guard against the possi
bility of corruption, nearly produced the effect
of destroying all government — a jealousy of
power, carried to an imprudent excess, had too
much weakened the pillars which should support
the political fabric. A revision of the principles
of the federal union became necessary to the
salvation of the republic. This question gave
rise to two great political parties*, practically
though not theoretically possessed of opposite
* Those who advocated the measure of a revision of the
Constitution, for the purpose of increasing the powers of the
(general government, took the. name of Federalists,, and their
opponents that of Democrats.

36% THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.
principles of government, and fostering in their
breasts, even unto this day, the most impla
cable hatred. The friend of. domestic peace
and of public morals, feeling, perhaps too
acutely, present evils, without calculating, that
*a time for their correction must arrive, fondly
dwelt upon a remembrance of those days when
they were children of the English family ; for*
getting, as men too frequently do when reviewing
the past, all that was painful and unpleasant,
and only cherishing the recollection and sigh
ing after advantages of which they had been
deprived. European politics became. now the
subject of general attention. The French
revolution naturally produced unusual exciter
ment : a large majority were its advocates.
They considered the event as only a continua-
tion.of the struggle which they bad commenced,
for the emancipation of the world. Others,,
sickened with the effects of their own change,
viewed it with jaundiced eyes. Great Britain^
joining, in the confederacy against the new
Republic, and the excesses committed by the
French, afforded fresh food for the nourishment
of political parties on this continent. The
federalists now obtained the additional title of
English tories, and the democrats, that of
French jacobins. ! Revolutionists upon the
wildest principles flocked to America. • The
French party became so riumerous and so
strong, that those who differed from them were

MR.ADAMS'S PRESIDENCY. 863
in fact exposed to a system of practical pro
scription throughout the Union. I A head, less
deliberate and cool than Washington's, would
baye been driven into an open alliance with
republican France; as it was, the Gallic am
bassador ( Jenet) nearly set the administration at
defiance. So triumphant indeed were these
advocates of desperate measures, that at one
period an expression of difference of opinion
endangered personal safety, and even a list
of proscribed Americans (among which was
Mr. John Quincy Adams) was suspended from
the mast-head of a French frigate in Boston
harbour. This danger^ however, was by pru
dence ultimately avoided, and peril from the con
trary side would seem next to have followed.
The presidency of Mr. Adams (a federalist)
succeeded that of Washington. Some of his
measures were perhaps compelled by the cir
cumstances of the times ; but no friend of
liberty can advocate his fourteen years' natu
ralization law ; his frequent public prosecutions
for libel ; his plans for a standing army, and his
aim to obtain the state and style of royalty;
The effect of his administration was to re-excite
all the violent and turbulent feelings of the de
mocratic party, which Washington's policy had
allayed. At the termination of the first period
of his presidency, a desperate conflict ensued :
the federal party were defeated in his person for

364 INCREASE OF POPULATION, &C.
the Presidentship by a majority of one. Mr. Jef
ferson rose upon his ruins, and from that time to
the present, the democratic party have sat at the
helm of state. The unsuccessful attempt at re
volution in Ireland, threw into America a con
siderable number of well-intentioned perhaps,
but certainly very diseased members of the body
politic ; while the accession of multitudes of
the most ignorant classes of society from Hol
land and Germany, together with the vast in
crease of black population, Tapidly added to the
numerical population, extending the range, and
increasing the produce of manual labour without
adding any thing that was valuable to, if I may
so express myself, the stock of national mind;
America, in the meantime, in her political capa
city, was making rapid advancestowards taking
her standing as a first-rate power. Her infernal
resources were boundless ; her geographical
situation secured her from attack during the
weakness, as it were, of infancy ; her populatipn
went on increasing in a ratio not paralleled in
modern times, but easily to be accounted for
upon well-known principles of political economy.
At this time it was that the disturbed state of
Europe threw into her hands the carrying trade
of the world, and enabled her to erect a mer
cantile marine, Only second to that of Great
Britain. This unexpected, and unpreparedfor
influx of wealth, demoralized, while it enriched;

SUDDEN PROSPERITY. 365
with the people, there was no preparation, no
pupillage, no gradation, no step from the pri
mitive log-house to the splendour of fhe palace.
European luxury and vice, unadorned by Euro
pean knowledge, and not ameliorated by Eu
ropean habits of refinement, rapidly overspread
the land, and produced their natural and unavoid
able consequences. The pursuits of the whole
people assumed also a hazardous and speculative
cast ; opportunities for indulging which were
constantly presented by the disturbed state of
European commerce, and by their own vast un
peopled continent. The means of living were
in the hands of every man, with the occupation
of but one-fourth part of his time. They were
in -possession of political and domestic ease, the
sources, or the value of which their want of
reflection prevented them from estimating ; and
having at once the means, the time, and the
opportunity of gratifying their passions, or
indulging their indolence, they have not pur
sued learning beyond their school-books. Thus,
neglecting to encourage . any pursuits, either
individually or collectively, which may be, called
-mental, they appear, as a nation, to have sunk
Into habits of indolence and indifference ; they
are neither lively in their tempers, nor gene
rous in their dispositions ; though a great poli
tical nation, they have little science and no
'literature ; and, as individuals, while they are

366 war of 1812.
theoretically possessed of freedom - and inde:
pendence, they are too frequently but mere ma
chines in the hands of interested and unprinci
pled men.
The war of 1812 forms an important epoch'
in their history ; it not only called into action
all their latent animosities, but it produced an
effect which had not been anticipated. It Was
found that their resources, though vast,; and
even boundless, were as yet unorganized, and
not of a kind of which they could immediately
avail themselves. Party violence was extreme —
loans could not be negotiated — government
securities sold at 33% per cent, discount — specie
had disappeared, and penny and two-penny
notes were a common circulating medium. A
convention was held of the New England States,
which, had not peace intervened to prevent
their views being carried into execution, would
probably have terminated in a division of the
States. Loans, contracts, jobs, smuggling,
peculation, and fraud infected every part of the
Union. The nation suffered, — but, as their
sufferings were of short duratiPn, they have now
almost forgotten their existence.
Looking fairly therefore at all these circum
stances, we ought not to be surprised to find
that American theory is at least two ceniWtes,
in advance of American practice. We have
usually connected with our ideas of repUblicari-
*3

CAUSES OF PRESENT CHARACTER. 367
ism and unpolished manners, a simplicity and
honesty of mind which more than compensate
for all minor defects. That we should not meet
with even an approach to these characteristics in
America is by no means extraordinary, when we
reflect upon their origin and the materials from
which their present character is derived. They
were not originally a new people, who have
gradually advanced from barbarism to a know
ledge pf enlightened political principles; on the"
contrary, they formed not even the best portion
of an old stock, and they have been placed in
novel circumstances, and occupied in pursuits
'little calculated to increase political virtue, or
advance mental acquirements. Their constitu
tion itself is not an original production ; it is
modelled, in fact, uppn that of England, par-
staking of most of its forms, intermixed with many
peculiarities of the colonial regime. In the
instance of Rhpde Island, the original charter of
Charles the Second is its present form of govern
ment. The laws of England are at this moment,
almost without even an attempt at improvement,
the laws of America. Old Bailey, Hicks's Hall,
and Westminster Causes, with the acts of George
the Third, &c. &c &c. are now cited in the most
distant courts of law — in the wilderness as well
as in 'old America : even the French lawyers in
Louisiana are compelled to substitute Coke's In
stitutes, Blackstone's Commentaries, and East's

368 ENGLISH BOOKS. — THEATRE, &C
Reports^ in the stead, of the laws of the qncien
regime, or the modern assistance which could
have been derived from the Code Napoleon/ ,
The theory of education is British, at least
so far as that name can be given to mere exter
nals ; the plans of public schools, mode of study,
and the authors used, being taken from English
practice, but without the solidity of enquiry, and
variety of assistance derived both from writers
and professors,: which characterize our present
establishments. , » ,_ ,,
The reading of Americans (for I have, not
seen in society an approach to what can be
called study) is English ; there being few native
writers, and but a small number of these who
possess the respect of even their own country
men. Our" novels and poetry, not excepting
those which proceed from the Minerva, presjs,
meet with an immediate reprint, and. constitute
practically the entire American library.
There are theatres, either stationary or occa
sional, in most towns of which , the population
is two thousand and upwards; yet I know,. of
but one native play . (Bunker's. Hill) : itbe per
formers too are English, at least in the propor
tion to Americans of eight out Of every ten ; so
that the stage of this country may justly be de:
nominated British. Many of the vulgar sayings,
and still more vulgar prejudices, of our little
island are transported hither. Frenchmen and

DISLIKE OF THE ENGLISH. 369
leeks, Irishmen and bulls, are even the subjects
of American ridicule, and in the uncontaminated
style of Spitalfields and Shoreditch.*— Another
source of intimate communication with England
exists in the articles of clothing, and nearly
every domestic utensil, being also the manufac
ture of our island. Yet, in spite of all these var
rious ties of connection with England, and with
Englishmen, theyappear generally to regard both
'with jealousy and hatred. Did this dislike pro
ceed from correct principles, I should think it
honourable to their national character; for
we, or at least our government, have certainly
left no means untried to prevent them, in
the first instance, from obtaining the natural
rights pf men, and — "when that was found to be
impossible, then to blast all the advantages they
had gained, and crush their rising prosperity.
But the American hatred of our country is not
bottomed upon causes which reason would have

[n Washington, on last St. Patrick's day, according to
-¦custom, a figure was stuffed similar to our Guy Faux, and
called Paddy; he was placed within the gate of the Navy-
yard, with pipes, tobacco, and whiskey. — In Philadelphia
a gentleman informed me that there were numerous Paddies
exhibited in the same style ; some were carried by boys,
begging to " remember poor Paddy." This offensive practice
was carried to such an extent in New York a few years"back
that serious riots were produced by it. There ie now a Jaw
ofthat corporation prohibiting " Paddies" being exhibited oa
the mhofMaiih.

370 IMITATION OF THE ENGLISH.
dictated': its component parts cannot be deno
minated to be either rational or reflective : — it
is, in source, and in mode of expression, an ex
act parallel to that of our most uneducated
classes concerning^ the French people, who ai
rways dislike Frenchmen, and the only reason they
can give for such feelings is, because they are
Frenchmen — and because the newspapers say
Frenchmen ought to be hated.
To copy from a nation like England, which is
so pre-eminently distinguished by knowledge, as
varied as it is profound, can reflect disgrace on
no country; but in the act of imitation there
should be judicious selection, and not an indis
criminate application of institutions and prac
tices, which, though perhaps suited to a peculiar
country, and a very mixed state of society, cannot
be expected to harmonize with the wants or the
character of an other people, under circumstances
and in civil condition essentially different. The
Americans seem to'have forgotten this, and, like
most imitators, very peculiarly excel in the defects
of the original. This conduct, on their part, is at
tended with serious disadvantages to themselves,
and pi events their possession of a solid base upon
which to erect a purely American superstructure.
At present their mental streams are derived from
two sources, (those of the old and of the new
world,); of opposite qualities^ either of which used
separately, or by a limited and judicious ad.
11

IMITATION.  VANITY. 371
mixture, would be beneficial ; but as they are
suffered to flow on to the point of their junction
without interruption or purification, they only
produce muddy and infectious waters. Con
verse with an American upon the condition of
the world at large, its political situation and true
interests, he is rarely clear-headed; not from
want of capacity, but the sources of his know
ledge have been so jumbled, and his information
in general is so ill-arranged, that he is often, in
the same breath, an advocate for the extremes
of liberty and of slavery. The nation at large
dislike England, and yet, both individually and
collectively, would be offended should a hint be
expressed that they were of Irish or of Dutch,
and not of English, descent. They contend for
the superiority of their genips in taste, mechanical
arts, and literature, and yet they disregardfashions
or books which are not imported from* Great Bri*
fain. Notwithstanding this voluntary -national
dependence, there are, perhaps, no people, not
even excepting the French, who are so vain as
the Americans ; their self-estimation, and coolr
headed bombast, when speaking pf themselves
or their country, are quite ludicrous. An anec
dote is told of General Moreau, who, at the
commencement of the late war with England, was
in America : a friend, addressing him, observed
that his military talents would be of essential
service to the Republic. He replied in the.
b b 2

37? NATIONAL VANITY.
negatiye ; adding, that there was not a drummer
in^th^American army who did not think himself
equal^p General Moreau. This- fact will apply
tpi.aH occupations with an equal degree of faith
fulness. . Every man here thinks he has arrived
at the acme of perfection :, the mechanics them
selves possess the same feeling. When at Newark,
I was informed that some choice designs in chair;
japanning and-coach-plating were latelyprodpced
by two emigrants^.the natives turned upon their.
heels, '' Ay, they guessed, them /ere were
" fashions they had left off." ; Every American
considers that it is impossible .for a foreigner to
teach him any thing, and that his head contains
a perfect encyclopaedia. This excessive inflation
of mind must be attended with many disadvan
tages ; though when I look at fhe various causes
which have combined to prodvice it, I am not
much surprised at its existence. As a people,.they
feel that they have got to gain a character, and,
like individuals under similar circumstances, are
captious and conceited in proportion to then-
defects. They appear to aim at a standard. of
high reputation, without the laborious task of
deserving it, and practise ..upon themselves the
self-deception of believing that i they really, are
that which they only wish to be. This feeling
has not been lessened by their successes in the
late contest with Great Britain ; for, although jn
several engagements on our favourite- element

NAVAL SUCCESSES. 373
they had an overwhelming superiority, yet there
were instances when that was not the case ; and
the defeat of '. English frigates, with evejli any
disparity of force, was too great an honour to be
estimated exactly as it merited. The boasting
upon this subject is so extravagant that it bur-
lesques'the object of its praise. " America is now
the ruler of the waves ;" and every song and
joke, fact and falsehood that we have bestowed
upon our tars, are transferred to the " Star1-
" spangled banner, and: the brave sons of Co-
il lumbia," with the characteristic fidelity of a
national intellect,, rendered barren from want
of culture ; and even on such an occasion has
hardly produced an attempt at originality.
* The following naval songs are in high repute. The
servility of imitation which they exhibit (it is not even pre
tended that they are parodies) is a just characteristic of not
merely American song-making, but of almost every pursuit
in this country.
SONG.
" Tune— Battle qf the Nile.
" Arise ! arise ! Columbia's sons arise !
" And shake off the torpor of sloth and inactivity;
" And while the loud cannon reverb 'rates to the skies,
" United swear to perish or be free ! —
" For mark where her Genius, on her mountains standing,
""Cries with a voice impressive and commanding,
" When Heart and hand unites
"To guard our country's rights,
". Then death or independence still the watch-word shall be.
B B 3

87* THE LATE WAR.
My knowledge of the detailsof the late war
was extremely limited when I first landed in
this country. A short residence here, however,
will force upon the attention of air persons an
acquaintance with naval history. Every man,
woman, and Child in America talk about the
Guerriere, the Java; the Macedonia, the Frolic,
Lake Erie, Lake Champlain, and the " vast
** inferidrity of British sailors and soldiers to
" the true-blooded Yankees.*' A non-inter
course act seems to have passed against the
sciences, morals, and literature in American' so
ciety ; even the ladies are content to be silent',
or, when they do express an idea, it is sure to

" Huzza! Huzza! Huzza! Huzza! Huzza! Boys!
" Rally round the standard which Liberty first
". planted here ;
" Huzza! Huzza! Huzza! Huzza! Huzza! Boys!
" Columbia's sons will perish or live free ! '¦
SONG.
" Tune— >Pull atudy yeo ho,' boys
" Yankee sailors have a knack,
" Haul away! yeo ho, boys!
i! Pulling down a British, Jack,
," 'Gainst any odds you know, boys*.
« Come three to one, right sure am I,
" If we can't beat them, still we'll try,'
« Tb make Columbia's colours fly,
« Haulaway! yeo ho, boys!

NAVAL AFFAIRS. 37-5
seontain the refined and intellectual names of
Commodore Hull, Captain Laurence, and Ge
neral Jackson- A knowledge of such events
is certainly desirable'; but to cause them, as
they are here, to be the never-ending theme of
conversation, the circle round .which every thing
revolves, is to make the going into, society a
punishment instead of a pleasure. This ten
dency is stated to have been finely ridiculed by
Mr. Jeffrey, of the Edinburgh Review, who visited
this country soon after the war. To a question
said to have been put to him by Mr. Madison,
" What did you think of the war, Mr. Jeffrey ? "
he cooly replied, " Upon my word, Sir, I did
" not hear of it."
, Naval affairs being so frequently the subject
of remark,; I took some trouble to investigate
the real facts relating to them; and found that
3, large body of the American seamen were
British subjects ; and that, more particularly,
the forces of their vessels almost ensured suc
cess. In the first victory, that of the " Consti
tution" over the "• Guerriere," Mr. James states
fhe broad-side metal in pounds of the American
was 768; of the British, 517: the American
complement of men, 468 ; of British, 263 : of
size in tons of the American, 1533 $ of British;
1084. In the. affair of the .« United States-'*
and " Constitution," which defeated the " Mace>-
donian" and " Java," a similar disparity existed $
b b 4

376 LORDS GE ' THE', OCEAN.
and in the Lake Erie" fleet, the American amount
of broad-side metal in pounds was 928 ; of
British, -459 : the size in tons, 1530 ; of British;
865 : in complement of men, 580>; of British,
345. These are matters about which I should
have known little, and cared less, had they not
been in American society the eternal source
of conversation, to the exclusion of every sub-
ject-of taste, morals, orliterature, — indeed of
every other, except the price of cotton, flour; and
niggars. The tyrannical conduct of our government
in- naval affairs, their system of impressment anfl
of ^flogging, and the absurd and insolent claim
of the right- of search, might well, 'particularly
the last,' have exasperated the American nation,
and more especially her seamen ; still 'the
Americans are deserving of great honour for
what they really achieved. School-boys in the
art of war, they were yet better prepared for it,
and evinced more practical dexterity, than our
hoary-headed practitioners. But with this
limited degree of praise, they are not content;
theyNare, forsooth, " the Lords of the ocean!"
«: Neptune's choicest sons!" " Victorious,
" though the English had great superiority of
" force U" " The star-spangled banner is the
" astonishment, the admiration, and the glory
'.' of the- world! "— with; volumes more of such
frothy, senseless bombast.

ACCOUNTS OF AMERICA. 377
' Other causes of their great national pride and
vanity suggest themselves to the mind. One
may consist in their being so far removed from
the seat of the arts and sciences, that their ac
quirements arenot tried by the only effectual stand
ard — comparison. They are left in undisputed
possession of the belief that infancy is manhood ;
that puerility is superiority ; and that medio
crity is first-rate talent. They have a political
republic within themselves; but they send
scarcely one representative to the general re
public of letters. European writers too, who
have never actually visited America, taking
•their ideas of the inhabitants, their manners
and, institutions, from the laws and political con
stitution of the country, have frequently been
profuse in their eulogies. Speculating emigrants,
from interested motives, have followed in the
same track. American authors,, in the sincerity
of their hearts, have re-echoed these praises/while
politicians, among whom I regret to see Mr.
-Munroe occupying a prominent part, have told
ihem that they are " the most enlightened nation
" in the world ! !" Americans, would be more
rthan. human, were . they not injured by this
powerful combination against their national im
provement. Man's vanity is of all points the
•most tender ; and there are few, I believe, willing
to reject flattery, . even from any source or to
any extent. So far indeed is this carried, in the

378 SOCIAL, INSUBORDINATION.
United States, that if a, traveller shpuld point
out the smallest defect or error, no inquiry ia
ever made by, the Americans into the truth
of the charge ; the writer is immediately viewed
as a foul calumniator, or guilty of premedi
tated falsehood and , intentional insult; and is
not unlikely to be denominated a hireling,
in the pay of some foreign government. Should
this tone of thinking remain uncorrected, it can-
hot but produce the most pernicious effects. By
such a course, improvement must be checked and
error perpetuated. The vanity of this people
may thus be gratified ; but they must be content
to remain children in knowledge and im
provement of every kind, and submit to be
rocked for ages in the cradle of European
intellect. .,
There are additional Considerations worthy pf
our attention in forming a correct estimate of
the American people. One which suggests it
self is, fhe . want of social subordination which
exists among them* Servants feel themselves
independent of their employers, and children, of
their parents. This may be attended with some
advantages : it may please when contrasted with
the degrading slavery pf the European world ;
but it is not free from serious and-peeuliar evils.
It increases selfish feelings and pursuits ; it in
dividualizes society, and prevents a developed
ment of those social qualities which areofim-

EARLY MARRIAGES. 370
portant benefit to, as well as the greatest orna*
ment of our nature. Early Marriages partly
proceed perhaps from this state of things, though
the great source of their frequency is certainly, in
conformity with a well-known theory —the ease
with which the necessaries of life can be ob
tained. Arguments are not wanting in favour
of youthful, matrimonial engagements ; and,
without considering the matter in an individual
point of view, it certainly contributes to the
more rapid advancement of a country re
quiring population. Yet, strong as such rea
sons may be, I should, if morally considered,
hesitate in bearing my testimony to their so
lidity. The youth of twenty, and the female
of fourteen, are ill fitted for the cares, anxie
ties, and education of a family — neither their
bodily nor mental strength has attained ma
turity. Those days also which ought to be
devoted to the acquirement of solid information,
and to the improving, perhaps it may be said,
to the creating the character, are necessarily
devoted to other objects! The cares of life,
under such circumstances, begin to press upon
individuals who have not previously had time or
opportunity to learn its duties. No provision has
been made for the support of a rising family — to
this therefore every other object will generally
be sacrificed : by these means a sordid and calcu-

380

THE FEMALE CHARACTER.

lating spirit is engendered — the more generous
feelings of our nature acquire neither strength
nor- stability; and every mentaL and ennobling
pursuit is abandoned with a view to the getting
on in life.
The American female character requires oufJ
attention : in mental ; pursuits it would appeal5"
to be at present but little advanced. This pro
ceeds no doubt from a variety of causes ; alt
that has been said of the male population, by a
natural re-action affecting the female also. The
demand, too, (if I may be excused a mercantile
phrase upon such a subject,) exceeding the sup
ply, together with the comparatively less value
set upon domestic comfort^ may, perhaps,, have
tended to produce the extreme attention to mere
personal ornament, and the universal neglect of'
either jmental or domestic knowledge, which ap
pears, tp exist among the females here, as com
pared with those of England.
The .reflections ^generated by these consider
ations are, what my personal observation has'
confirmed — that a great part of the nation are
content to.be employed in procuring the first
necessaries of life, and in mere animal enjoy
ment. These several causes may have assisted
in the prpduction of a general fact, that here
all knowledge, beyond that of immediate pecu
niary interest, is superficial.
The statesman of America has heretefore been

STATESMEN. 381
altogether of a different, and, perhaps, a superior
race tp those of Europe. There has been in this
country nothing of the regularly -trained and
family -bom great man. A senator, a secretary of
state, or a president, is commonly a lawyer, who
has risen by his talents, or perseverance ; and, in
addition, he is not unfrequently a farmer: and
when his official duties have terminated, he re
turns from Washington to his home, and re
sumes his former occupations. Erom this
domestic and sound mode of conducting the
public weal, there has of late years been a par
tial deYiation. : Certain families have edged
themselves into government-offices, and have
proved to; be, in practice at least, •• adhe
rents of the doctrine, of hereditary descent •;.
yet the general features remain as described :-
and, however, discordant the fact may appear
with the principles of legitimacy, I believe none
will be found hardy enough to •¦ assert, that these
men display any want of the knowledge or
ability required by their station ; or that they do
not play their parts with as much vigour, effect,
and integrity, as if they had been the descend
ants of an ancient and titled aristocracy.
* To judge indeed by the amount of salaries, there mus.t
be a lamentable deficiency of intellect on the part of the,
Republican-statesmen : —
The President of the United States receives an annual
salary of only 56251. . and this is found to procure.able.roen,
toho have really talent and mirid at their own disposal. The

382

SLAVERY  . INDIANS.

The existence of slavery in the United States
has. -* most visible effect upon the national
character. It necessarily brutalizes the minds of
the southern and western inhabitants; it lowers,
indeed, the tone of humane and correct feeling
throughout the Union ; and imperceptibly con
tributes to the existence of that great difference
which here exists between theory and practice.
The treatment of the Indian natipns is but ill
calculated to excite liberal cr humane feelings ;
for, however Mr, Munroe and others may at
tempt to -philosophize upon the benefits which
arise from uncivilized man's making way before
a more " dense population^" the admitted fact
is, that Americans are making continued en.
croachments upon the aboriginal inhabitants,
either under the semblance of treaties, or by
direct warfare, produced, as the present one
is said to have been, by designed" aggressions;
and aggravating insults on the part of the people
©f the United States.
The diversity of laws in separate States, by
which acts considered as a crime in one part
are not punishable in another, and also many

Vice-President, Secretary of State, and Chief Justice, each
are paid 11251. per annum; other Judges, 9001.; the Se%
cretaries of the Treasury, War and Navy department, eacli
9001. per annum ; the Governor of the State of New York,
16871. 10s. ; ditto of Vermont, 1351. ! !

LAWS. — BANKRUPTS. — PAUPERS. 383
confused impressions of right and wrong, gene
rate much evil, while the state of the bankrupt
laws, and an immense and complicated paper cur
rency *, are universal and increasing evils; each
of these having opened an extensive field to the
calculations of avidity and the speculations of the
dishonest. The list of insolvencies in the State
from which I now write is enormous. Failure
in trade, so far from being a cause of loss, or
subject of shame, is generally the means of se
curing a fortune ; and so callous upon this sub
ject has the public mind become, that no kind
of disadvantage or disgrace attaches to the indi
vidual, who takes, therefore, little pains to dis
guise the source of his wealth.
Although pauperism has not arrived at Eng«
fish maturity, nor does it often attract the pub
lic eye (for myself, I have seen but three
beggars, one of whom accosted me in the gal
lery of the House of Representatives in Wash
ington) ; yet it does exist, and that to an
extent which I had not imagined until the pe
rusal of Governor Clinton's most able address
to the New York legislature. He there re
marks — " Our statutes relating to the poor are
* The New York brokers publish a weekly list of the
price of the notes of all parts of the Union, in the money-
market of that city. There are notes of all the banks to be
had at every variety of price, from $ per cent to 40 per cent.
discount.

384 POOR-LAWS. — LOTTERIES.
" borrowed from the English system. And the
"•.5*£eil'ence of tnat country as well as our own,
" shows that pauperism increases with the aug-
" mentation of the funds applied to its relief.
" This evil has proceeded to suqh an alarming
*' extent in the city of New York, that the
" burdens ' of heavy taxation which it has im*
"posed, menace a diminution of the pppula-
" tion of that city, and a depreciation of its real
"property. The consequences will be very
•" injurious to the whole State ; for the decay of*
" our great market will be felt in every de-
*' partment of productive labour, Under the
•" present system the fruits of industry are ap-
" propriated to the wants Of idleness; a labo*
<f rious poor man is taxed for the support of an
" idle beggar ; and the voice of mendicity, no
" longer considered degrading, infects a con-
¦" siderable portion of our population in large
" towns. 1 am persuaded that the sooner a ra-
" dical reform takes place, the better. The evil
"¦ is contagious, and a prompt • extirpation' can
"alone prevent its perniciPus extension ."
To padperism maybe added lotteries, which
are numerous in, all the States ; and in many
the English exploded iniquity of insurance, and
" little goes," exist iii full operation.
The commerce of the United States has expe
rienced a great revival since 1815. During the
calamitous period of war, the merchant-ships

exports, 1817. 385
were rotting, and their owners became bank
rupt. The following statement, the amounts
of which are in dollars, copied from official re
ports, presents a most interesting detail of "the
trade of America at this time : —
Exports for the Year ending Sept. 30. 181/:
The domestic products or manufactures ex
ported, amounted to - Dollars 68,313,500
: The foreign products or manufactures - 19,358,069
Total - Dollars 87,671,569
The exports were, Domestic. Foreign.
To the northern countries of Europe 3,828,563 2,790,408
Dominions of the Netherlands 3,397,775 2,387,553
Ditto. of Great Britain 41,431,168 2,037,074
Ditto of France - 9,717,423 2,717,395
Dkto of Spain - 4,530,156 3,893,780
Ditto of Portugal - 1,501,237 333,586
All other dominions - 3,907,178 5,198,283

Dollars 68,313,500 19,358,069

The exports were,

Domestic.

Foreign.

Total.

From NewHampshire

170,599

26,825

197,424

Vermont

913,201



- 913,201

Massachusetts -

5,908,416

6,019,581

11,927,997

Rhode Island -

577,911

372,556

950,467

Connecticut -

- 574,290

29,849

604,139

New York -

13,660,733

5,046,700

18,707,433

New Jersey -

5,849

¦ 

5,849

Pennsylvania

5,538,003

3,197,589

8,735,592

Delaware

38,771

6,083

"44,854,

Maryland -

5,887,884

3,046,046

8,933,930

Dist. of Columbia

1,689,102

79,556

,1,768,658

Carried forward 34,764,559 17,722,784 52,789,544
c c

386 exports, 1817.
Domestic. Foreign. Total.
Brought forward, Dol. 35,764,559 17,724,784 52,789,54*
Virginia - 5,561,238 60,204 5,621,442
North Carolina 955,211 .1,369, , 956,580
South Carolina 9,944,443 428,270 10,372,613
Georgia - 8,530,831 259,883 £,790,714
Ohio - - 7,749 — ^— - - - 7,749
Louisiana - 8,241,254 783,558 9,024,812
Michigan territory 64,228  64,228
Mississippi do- 43,887  43,887

Dollars 68,313,500 19,358,069 87,671,956
Of these exports, there were —
1. Derived from the sea - . Dollars 1,671,000
2. from the forest - -¦ 6,484,000
3. from agriculture - - - 57,222,000
4. . from manufactures - - 2,202j00O
Uncertain - - - .- - 734,000
The duties collected .on the importation of articles,
which were afterwards re-exported, without being en
titled to drawback, amounted to 627,206 dollars, 37" cents.
Thejffoar exported from October 1. 1816, to Sep-
" tember 30, 1817, amounted to - Dollars 17,751,376
The Sea Island Cotton exported within the same
time  3,240,752
Other cotton exported, amounted to - 19,386,862
Tobacco, amounted to - - - 9,230,020
Rice - .... 2,378,880
Fish - -¦ - - 1,328,050
Timber and Lumber, of all descriptions - 3,381,349
Pot and Pearl Ashes - - - 1,967,243
These form the principal exports of domestic pro
duct: the iron, in all shapes, exported, amounted to>
138,579 dollars. Amongst the most curious exports
may be yanked maple sugar, which amounted to. 4,374
dollars. The gun-powder exported, amounted to
356,522 dollars.

FINANCES.  LIBERTY OF THE PRESS. 3S7
Although this does not equal in amount the
business done previous to the issuing of the
English Orders in Council, it is still very large
in extent ; and the articles of export being all
bulky, they operate as an important nursery for
seamen. The finances of the United States are de-*
rived from sale of lands, and duties on imports.
The latter, in an especial degree, are found very
, productive. Still this is in fact, though it may
not be in name, internal taxation. It may be
well to remember, that one-half of the amount
collected is upon British goods, most of which
are articles, not of luxury, but of necessity • so
that the population of America perform the
double duty of defraying their own taxes,' and
Contributing towards the payment of ours.
The Liberty of the Press exists here to an al
most unlimited extent ; and yet it is not used as
an organ for putting the people in possession of
even domestic information. The newspapers
are miserably edited, seldom containing any
thing but advertisements, shipping intelligence,
and English extracts. The proceedings of Con-
* Among the articles of import to the ports of New York,
Philadelphia, and Baltimore, it is a curious fact, that English
coal, cheese, potatoes, and porter are frequent : in the more
southern States, including even New Orleans (the depot for
western country produce), Irish .provisions, and English
cheese and hams are imported ! !
c c 9.

388

-NEWSPAPERS.

gress are not systematically reported. Some
times the substance of a debate will be given
three weeks after its occurrence. The business
of the State-legislatures rarely appears at all
in the public journals, except in the shape of
bare lists of bills passed or rejected. The
transactions in courts of law, and all minor home
proceedings, rarely appear upon record. These
sins of omission are certainly to be lamented, as,
by, their existence, an interest fails to be ex
cited in the public mind on those occurrences,
and those subjects, which are, unquestionably,
of first-rate importance.. During the late war, it
is stated, a military scheme, modelled upon the
French law of conscription, was in the' contem
plation of the then .Secretary, but now President,
Munroe ; the chief of the naval department also
recommended to Congress, a plan for the im
pressment of seamen, to man their infant navy:
but, such is the habitual indolence of the people,
and their indifference with regard to public
affairs, that theseievents are known but by few
individuals. • . The Government, it will be seen, are not free
from charges of mal-administration ; but, when
compared with England, America can afford an
annual increase of corruption for, at least, a few
centuries to come ; and although the people
are unworthy of, and not alive to their une
qualled advantages, they still are their own go-

GOVERNMENT. — MECHANIC ARTS. * 389
vernors, and they are vain of the distinction.
This one fact, assisted' by the jealousy of rival
parties, must preserve the United States for
many years from any lengthened series of ob
noxious measures, and protect the people from
gross inroads upon their liberties or their con
stitution. The state of mechanic arts varies, of course,
according to the profession. Those which have
been encouraged by not being exposed to Eu
ropean competition, and which have had the com
bined benefit of emigrant and native ingenuity
have excelled. Among these I would class
shoe, coach, and cabinet making, together with
steam-boat and ship-building : I was going to
say bank-note engraving, but that would not,
perhaps be correct as a general statement of
the art in America, though the house of Murray,
Draper, and Fairman, of Philadelphia, probably
surpass, in the excellence of their art, any
others in the world : their notes, executed for
the United States Bank, exhibit such eminent
talent, that forgery may safely be said to be im
possible. Why does not your Bank of England
employ this house ? or, if that would be too hu
miliating to their pride, why not engage a first-
rate English artist, instead of issuing premiums
upon forgery (which they afterwards cause
to be visited with death) in their disgracefully
executed national notes? Piano-forte making
c c 3

890 LITERATURE.
may be similarly classed : generally, it has not
arrived 'at much perfection, although an indi
vidual, (Mr. Stuart,"an English gentleman,) who
lives at Baltimore, manufactures pianos which
I should have little fear of their comparing with
those of Clementi or Broadwood.
Of the literature of the United States I can
say but little. Having examined booksellers'
collections, private and public libraries, I find
that, like dry goods stores, < their stock consists
only of British manufactures. Three American
works have lately appeared : the first, a novel,' >
called " Keep Cool," I have met with in most of
the western and southern States. < Upon its merits
I cannot pretend to give an opinion. I took it
up several times, with a previous resolution to
read at least six pages, but at no one time could:
I force myself through a third* With Mr. Wirt's*
" Life of Patrick Henry" I have been much in
terested : it evinces a mind familiar with polite
literature ; and if the title ;were altered from the
" Life of Patrick Henry,'' to that of " Sundry
" Essays, designed to prove the elegance of the >
"English Language, the extent of the author's.
•**' powers of imagination and talent of descrip-
" tion,' with occasional hints concerning the Life
" of Patrick Henry," it would be more descrip
tive of the book : for any reader who takes up;
this work with the design of becoming acquainted
with the late Virginian patriot, will find fre-

Sew works. 391
quetit disappointment, on the introduction of
eafch incident of Mr. Henry's life, by the extra
vagant bombast of the biographer. The work,
in short, though bearing evidence of consider
able talent, evinces, from the commencement
to the termination, a disregard of the requisites
for the task which is undertaken, and this by
allotting to Patrick Henry a station in the drama
inferior to that of the author, Mr. Wirt.
Mr. Bristed's " Resources of the United
" States" has just been published. The au
thor, I am informed, is an Englishman by birth.
His work evinces that he is an American Fede
ralist by adoption. It contains many important
statements, and the usual political admixture
Which distinguishes the American writers (par
ticularly those of this gentleman's party) upon
Government. The following maxims are laid
down, in connection with the broadest principles
of liberty, the whole presenting a code of poli
tical economy for which it is difficult to in
vent a name. " It is the duty of every free
" Government to train its people gradually to bear
" a due weight of internal taxation" — " It is
" worse than childish, it is insane policy" (#
compliment to the President) " to trust for the
" public revenue to the duties upon imported
" goods." — " The reduction of the direct tax*
" from six to three millions of dollars, and the?
" limitation of those three millions to only one
cc 4

392 MR.BRISTED-S POLITICS.
" year, are fehrful omens of the entire extinction
" of that tax !" — " The liberties of Britain are
'¦ not about to expire under the pressure of her
".military, or the encroachments ofhergovem-
" ment. If they are to perish, they will perish
" under the daggers of her Democracy* If she
"is to be blotted out qf the list qf independent
" and powerful nations* it will be by the para-
" cidical hand qf her own rabble, led on to their
" own and their country's ruin, by anarchical re-
*' 'formers, alike bankrupt in fortune, reputation,
f( character,- andprinciple !" — Yet, it is said, " to
" : crown all, the Political Sovereignty qf the
" nation residing in the people gives the American
" people an elevation unknown and unattainable in
' * any o titer country.' ' — " Liberty has struck deep
" root in this country. It is entwined with the
"first affections of the heart: it is spun into
" th\e primitive staple of the mental frame of
*c the Americans. It thoroughly pervades, and
" perceptively modifies even their domestic life.
" It has, in fine, becpme the common reason,
" and fhe want of the whole American people."
** — The prosperity and happiness of the Ame-
" rican citizens seem too great a price to pay
" for the privilege of manufacturing a few yards
" of broad cloth, or a few pieces of muslin.
" England herself is' a portentous illustration of
" this truth: now at this time, and for. the. last
" five and twenty years, her manufacturing dis-

ENGLISH REFORMERS. — SALMAGUNDI. 393
« tricts have sent forth,' and are issuing out, full
.«¦' bands of Luddites and Spenceans, and Jaco-
." bins and anarchists, and rebels and assassins,
«!. that continually put to the strength, and
« strain the nerves of her Government." —
I send these extracts for the purpose of present
ing, you at 'one view the mind of the whole
Federal party, and indeed that of the entire
American, people, concerning English reformers
and United States liberty.
. Salmagundi *, a work written after the man
ner of the Citizen of the World, is a most
able native production: for amusement, wit,
talent, and. satire I should conceive it can have
few 'equals. Mr. Erving, the present ambas
sador at the court of Madrid, is said to be one
of the authors. Mr. Quincy Adams has pub
lished Lectures delivered at Cambridge college, in
two volumes. You have, 1 believe, Joel Bar
low's national epic, " The Columbiad." There
are several other American works ; but,, upon
the whole, the native library is extremely cir
cumscribed. In the Fine Arts much "advancement has not
been made. Individuals have excelled, as in
the cases of Mr. Alston and Mr. West, both na-
* Of this work I perceive an English edition has been pub
lished, with notes and a preface by the editor, illustrative
of the, character of the Americans; but upon' the merits of
those, not-having read them, I can give no opinion.}-,

39* FUTURE IMPROVEMENT.
fives of America. The proofs of their talent,
but particularly those of the latter, must descend
to future ages. Still, the mind of the American
nation is scarcely alive to an enjoyment of the
more noble productions of art, or the higher
¦Walks of mental cultivation.
. I have thus endeavoured to lay before you a
true representation of the American character,
with the sources from which it may have been
formed, and the causes which have conduced
to its production. Although I believe it must
improve, yet I am by no means sanguine in my
anticipations that improvement will be imme
diate, or even rapid in its progress. Many of
the causes, external and internal, which have
already operated, will continue to exist; and, as
I have before said, there would appear to be
placed in the very stamina of the character of this
people, a coldness, a selfishness, and a spirit of
conceit, which form strong barriers against im*
provement. Let us, however, still hope for the
best. In opposition to these obstacles, there are
strong and living truths abroad. The princi
ples at least of liberty are acknowledged, and
the fact of a free government exists as an ex
ample to the world. As rational men these
things are worthy of our respect ; and, in the
hand of Heaven, we may be assured that all the.
rest, however dark and unintelligible to us it
may appear, will still finally and effectually
« work together for good."

MR. BIRKBECK'S " NOTES." 395
27th April, 1818. — A packet of your letters
is just arrived, bearing date March 3d. You can
scarcely conceive, my dear friends, the delight
which their perusal has afforded me. I could fain
have launched out into praises of the inventor of
writing and the establishment of post-offices : but
these are stale topics. Your statement of the
non-arrival of my Philadelphia and Illinois Re
ports gives me some uneasiness, though I can
have little doubt but that they are now in your
possession ; as I perceive, by the recent ship news,
that the vessels which conveyed them had ar
rived in England. You state that Mr. Birkbeck
has published a book in London, " Notes on a
" Journey to Illinois," and that it has produced
an extraordinary sensation. This intelligence
does not at all surprise me, and my ideas, upon
the perusal of that work, as published in this
country, are, that in several of its occasional ad--
missions it confirms my sentiments. I have this-
day re-read it with minute attention, and feel so-
confirmed in my first impressions, that I expe
rience an increased dependence upon my views'
of this nation, from having the support of
Mr. Birkbeck's high authority.
As Captain  will not sail until the 29th,
I have nearly two days of -leisure, and I do.
not know that they can be -better occupied
than in making some remarks upon Mr. Birk
beck's "Notes," which may tend to illustrate
at once that gentleman's views of America and

396 mr. birkbeck's notes.
my own. My references are to, the American
edition ; this will occasion you some trouble,
but that, under my present, circumstances, I
cannot prevent.
Mr. Birkbeck's entrance into this republic
was not, with regard to local circumstances,
quite so favourable as mine. The State in which
he landed is one of the twelve in which absolute
slavery exists, whilst, on the contrary, in that
I first visited, actual slavery had" been abolished
by law, and it only continues to linger among
the practical institutions of the people.
Mr. B. says, (at page 22.) "I could hardly
" bear to see negroes handled like cattle ; in
" selling these unhappy beings, little regard is.
" had to the parting of the nearest relations."
While waiting at a tavern, Mr. B. is fur
nished with evidence of the intellectual cha
racter of the Virginians, of which, by the way,
I cannot but think his estimation is far beyond
their deserts : —
" As it rained heavily, every* body was con-
" fined the whole day to the tavern, after the
" race which took place in the forenoon. The
" conversation which this afforded me an op-
" portunity of hearing, gave me a high opinion
" of the intellectual cultivation of these Vir-
" ginian farmers." (Page 16.)
I have frequently partaken in the conversa
tion of the same class of individuals, and in no

VIRGINIA PLANTERS. 39*7
instance-could I conscientiously draw the same
conclusion with Mr. Birkbeck. Mr. B. however,
in the succeeding paragraph, furnishes his
readers with the evidence upon which his
judgment is formed.
" Negro slavery was the prevailing topic,
" the beginning, the middle, and the end, — an
" evil uppermost in every man's thoughts, which
"all deplored, many were anxious to fly from,
" but for which no man can devise a remedy.
" One gentleman, in a poor state of health,
" dared not encounter the rain, but was wretch-
" ed at the thought of his family being for one
}' night without his protection from his own
"slaves. (Page 17.)
Yet at the same time it is said, " Virginia
" prides itself on the comparative mildness of
" its treatment of slaves !" (Page 22.)
, Mr. Birkbeck's gratitude for the liberal re
ception which he experienced from " the high-
" spirited independence of the Virginians,"
must surely have biassed his judgment, when he
concluded, " that slavery was an evil uppermost
" in every man's thought, and which all de-
" plored." . That indeed many feel they cannot
defend this system by a reference to abstract
principles, or the rights of man; that they
dread the terrible though rarely inflicted Ven
geance of their victims, is probable enough ; and
that when they are engaged in argument with

398 mr. birkbeck's Notes.
an able and enlightened opppnent, and cannot
defend the strange inconsistency existing be
tween their professed love of political freedom
and their actual domestic tyranny ; that they
should then,. I say, and under such circum
stances, deplore the evils of slavery; is natural
enough ; but that they are sincere advocates for
its abolition, or even for a mitigation of its hor
rors, is what I have not seen the shadow of ati
evidence to induce me to believe ; neither could
I have supposed that Mr. Birkbeck would have1
been so unphilosophical as to conclude, that the
mere assent to an abstract proposition when th6
mind is not at the moment interested in its
denial, is to be fairly taken as a just criterion,
by which to judge of the true feelings and cha
racter of a people. Let them be judged by their
actions ;¦ — it is these only that speak the man. "
Mr. Birkbeck says, " A Virginian planter is
" a republican in politics, and exhibits the high-
" spirited independence of that character."
(Page 16.)
Feeling a sincere respect for a character really'
deserving of this high commendation, I cannot
willingly award it to slave-holders. The fol
lowing advertisements I take from a newspaper^
as affording some evidence upon the consistency
of the " Virginian character :" they were printed
as they stand, adjoining each other. They
speak a language too plain to: require comment;
I therefore leave them to their naked merit.

THANKSGIVING, AND NEGROES ,ON SALE. 399
" The Synod of Virginia having, at their last meet-
" ing, appointed the first Thursday in December to be
" observed, by all the churches under their care, as a
u day of thanksgiving to God for the bounties of his
*' providence and the blessings of his grace, to be ac-
** companied with humble supplfcation for the conti-
" nuance of the former and the increase of the latter; I
" propose, in cheerful compliance with the resolution of
" Synod, to preach on the occasion to-morrow at eleven
" o'clock in the forenoon, in the new methodist church
15 on Shockhoe-Hill ; leave having been given.
"John i). Blair."
" NEGROES AT AUCTION.
" This morning, in front of our office, at 1 1 o'clock,
" will be sold fpr cash, 4 Likely Negroes.
" J. Brown, Jr. and W. Finney, Auctioneers."
Mr. Birkbeck's departure from this State is in
a tone of liberal feeling. He observes (page 30.),
"¦ On taking leave of Virginia I must observe
" that I found more misery in the condition of
" the negroes and a much higher tone of moral
" feeling in their owners than I had anticipated,
"¦ and I depart confirmed in my detestation of
" slavery in principle and practice, but with
" esteem for the general character of the Vir-
" ginians ! !"
The precise nature of Mr. Birkbeck's expect
ations as to the " tone of moral feeling" which he
should find existing among the Virginian planters,'
it. is scarcely perhaps possible to ascertain, or;
Consequently, to canvass. I can only hope
that the use of such an expression at all may

400 Mr. birkbeck's notes.
not, however unintentionally, have the effect
of misleading ; for I must own I can have
no conception of the existence of a " tone qf
" moral feeling" among men who falsify, and
that not by occasional misdeeds, but by the whole
tenor of their conduct, and every habit of their
character, even the possibility of its existence!
Indeed I would put it to any advocate of
liberal and of enlightened political principles,
how far it is really possible for us, on cool re
flection, to entertain " esteem for the general
" character of the Virginians," or whether it
be possible to respect men who profess the most
enlightened opinions, and yet are, in Mr. Birk
beck's language, " slave-masters, irascible, and
" too often lax in morals /" and of whom " a dirk
" is said to be the common appendage to their
" dress."
The character of the Americans generally
is a subject of great interest to all who contem
plate becoming their fellow-citizens. Mr. Birk
beck is diffuse upon this subject ; he remarks
(page 40.) " that in every department of cpm-
" mon life we here see employed persons supe-
" rior in habits and education to the same class
" in England;" and further (page 72.), the
" inhabitants are friendly and homely, not to
" say coarse, but well-informed; surprisingly
" more so than the English peasantry ;" and
that, during his journey from Norfolk to the
heart of the Allegany mountains, " he had not
10

habits of labourers. 401
" lost, sight for. a moment of the manners of
" polished life." (Page40.) These are certainly
rcaptjvating descriptions, and such as I had anti
cipated, before I left England, to he the charac
ter, of the Americans. Some explanation, how
ever, I conceive to be necessary : the difference
between American .character and society and
those of England is so great, that I almost
despair of conveying to your minds a faithful
impression on the subject. The agricultural
labourer, here is certainly better educated than
one of the same class in England ; he is not
born nor dpes he continue to vegetate on the
spot which gave birth tp his father and grand
father ; he not only frequently changes his
station, but a^sPjhiSjOceupation ; this necessarily
.communicates a range of ideas more extensive
than that possessed by the English labourer ;
but when the whole character is looked at, and
not the mere freedom from rusticity of man
ners, and an extension of geographical know
ledge, a different conclusion would, perhaps,
present itself; and J much doubt, could I now
converse with Mr. Birkbeck, with his present
improved knowledge, of the American people,
whether.he would af this moment award to them
the meed of superiority pf character, more espe
cially in connection with their " habits," — -and
with regard, to the ." manners of polished life"
and their being carried " even to the heart of the
OD

402 MR. birkbeck's " NOTES

>>

" Allegany mountains." —I am surprised at the
assertion ; but wishing to speak with proper de
ference of Mr. Birkbeck, and in looking back to
what I myself saw of the inhabitants of those
mountains, I really cannot see how we can talk
of " the manners of polished life" in a tract of
country which presents an absence of all regard to
manners, togetherwith an absolute indifference to
every person, and a cold disregard of all objects,
except as they may promote the merely mercen
ary and selfish pursuits of each individual. In
deed, without calling upon you to trust to my im
pressions, I can scarcely see how the existence of
these " manners of polished life" is recondileable
with what Mr. Birkbeck himself acknowledges,
— and that unwillingly too ; but that feeling by
no means weakens the force of his testimony on
the subject ; he says, then, " that he has seen a
deformity so general, that he cannot help esteeming
" it national," which is, " that cleanliness in
" houses, and too often in person, is neglected
" to a degree which is very revolting to an Eng-
" lishman." In comparing the two countries, and
previous to awarding the palm of excellence in
morals and manners to the inhabitants ' of the
New World, let us remember also the strong
but too well-founded assertion of Mr. BirkJieok
(page 105.), that " intellectual culture has! "frfet
" yet made much progress amohg.the generality
" pf either sex ;" and more than this,'and worse
than this, that "All America is now suffering

MANNERS.  KNOWLEDGE. 403
" in morals through the baleful influence of negro
*' slavery, partially tolerated^ corrupting justice
" at the very source" (page 25.) ; and if, turn
ing from general representations, we look to the
more newly settled part of the country, we shall
find Mr. B. declaring that " an unsettled coun-
" try, lying contiguous to one that is settled,"
(which must .be more or less the case with most
parts of the western country, and in an especial
degree with Illinois,) " is always the place of
" retreat forvrude and even abandoned charac-
" ters, who find the regulations of society in-
*' tolerable." (Page 109.) ?
If it be therefore from Mr. Birkbeck's work
that you would form your estimate of this coun
try, you ought to do so, not by individual parts,
but by a candid consideration of the whole ; and
should inconsistencies appear, to which, from
various causes, any writer on a new country may,
be exposed, then of course you will take into
your consideration all the circumstances of the
case, and form your judgment accordingly. The
fact, with regard to the state of knowledge in
'this country, to me appears to be, that men are,
in ipoint of information, almost upon a dead
i level ; that gradation of intellect which exists in
England being here unknown ; so that, in con-
ceding the point of greater intelligence to the
American labourer, it by no means implies a ge
neral superiority. Let us go a little higher in the
dd 2

404 MR. BIRKBECK V " NOTES."
scale of society than our " hewers of wood and
" drawers of water ;" suppose, for an illustration,
we take the English country gentleman in the
person of Mr. Birkbeck, and compare him with
the American land-owner, then indeed the con
trast becomes striking. His agricultural pursuits
will doubtless be conducted with vigour and ac
tivity, and with that application of scientific
knowledge to practical pursuits, so common in
the country he has -quitted ; while literature,
experimental philosophy, or other departments
of mental culture, will occupy his leisure hours.
On the other hand, to use his own language,
" they cultivate indolence as a privilege, exist
" in yawning indifference, surrounded with nui-
" sances^ and petty wants, the first to be-re-
" moved and the latter supplied with a tenth of
" the time loitered away in their innumerable
" idle days." (Page 143.)
The American character is, in one passage,
(p. 74.) represented to us as arrived at so high a
state of perfection, : that even national antipa
thies are annihilated. " National antipathies are
" the result of bad political institutions, and
" not of human nature. Here, whatever their
" original, whether English, Scotch, Irish,
" German, French, all are Americans ; and
" of all the unfavourable imputations on the
" American character, jealousy of strangers
" is surely the most absurd and groundless,

national antipathies. 405.
" The Americans are sufficiently alive to their
" own interest, but they wish well to strangers,.
" and are not always satisfied with wishing, if
" they can promote their; interest by active ser-
" vices." My judgment faltered upon the first perusaF.
of this passage ; — it so entirely contradicts every
conclusion which I had come to upon the subject,
that it caused me to hesitate as to the correct
ness of my own impressions: but surely Mr.
Birkbeck here claims for the Americans a per
fection, which is not only, contrary to what they
practise, but perhaps is superior to human, nature
itself, or, at any rate, to that class of earthly
beings with whom, in this age, we must be con
tent to associate.. That national antipathies, in
deed, are weakened, in infant colonies, similar to
that in which Mr. Birkbeck himself is now en
gaged, is, no doubt, as consistent with fact as it
is with the laws of our being ;. for. in such cases
each individual is so dependent upon his neigh
bour, that self-interest breaks down minor feel
ings : but from what I have seen of this country, I
have no hesitation in saying, that any English
man who had candidly surveyed it as a whole,
and observed the feelings of its inhabitants, par
ticularly in the old settled parts, and where the
population is dense, would declare that national
"foipathies exist here to an extent exceeding
any thing, which he had ever seen, or. could have
d d 3

406' MR. BIRKBECK'S " NOTES."
conceived] when in England. I have already
stated many facts which will tend to support this
assertion. Let me now observe, that the State
of Pennsylvania presents a further illustration
of this subject. Between the Americans of
Irish and of German extraction, there exists the
most deadly animosity, " even unto the third
" and fourth generation." In the mind of a
German American, the term " Irishman" is
one of the most foul reproaches with which his
range of ideas supplies him. Throughout Ame
rica, (the parts at least which are populated,)
Irishmeu are despised, and Englishmen are
viewed with cool malignant jealousy and hatred.
Instead, indeed, of Americans " wishing well to
*¦* strangers and promoting their interest by active
" services," they appear to me to possess in alarge
degree, and from similar motives too, the feelings
which Mr. Birkbeck ascribes to some classes of
the back woods men — " a dislike to and jea-
" lousy of all strangers." Mr. B. in this case, I
presume, judges from his own individual expe
rience ; but it should be remembered that he
is himself a man of property ; that such persons
generally meet with a liberal reception — no
Where more so than in America ; and also, that
as his residence has been in the heart of a
wilderness, he may be expected to know but
little of the manners, feelings, or state of so
ciety of the whole United States, the greater

WAGES, &C. AT PITTSBURGH. 407
portion of the most populous parts of which he
has not even visited. There are some minor
points that it may be well just to glance at.
Mr.B. says, (page 46.) " The journeymen of
" Pittsburg, in various branches — shoemakers,
" tailors, &c earn two dollars a day," (54s. per
week,) and that those among them who are im
provident, do not expend their money " in ab-
" solute intemperance and profligacy ; they in
" general waste their surplus earnings in ex-
" cursions or entertainments." — I have only
to remark on this, that in October 1817, when
1 was at the place in question, the earnings
per week were, according to the statements
given me by the mechanics themselves, — tailors,,
31s. 6d. to 45s. ; shoemakers, 31s. 6d. to 36s. :
and all the mechanics with whom I conversed
complained of the difficulty which they expe
rienced in getting paid for their labour, much
of what they did receive being given them
in orders upon shops for necessaries and cloth
ing ; the extra price charged by the store
keeper, under these circumstances, causing, in
their judgment, a clear loss to them of three
quarters of a dollar per week. As to the pur
suits of this class of men, in Pittsburgh par
ticularly, it will, I believe, tie found upon
enquiry, that their " surplus earnings" are ex
pended in " absolute intemperance and pro-
" fligacy." D D 4

408 MR. BIRKBECK'S " NOTES."
It is perhaps from a passage like the following
that you may have been induced to form some
conclusions on the state of this country ; — :
" Vessels," says Mr. B., (page 48.) " of all
" sorts and sizes, from 500 tons downwards,
" continually passing, and steam-boats crowded
"With passengers (on James River); the
" same on the Potowmac ; and in the winter,
" when the navigation is interrupted by frost,
" stages twelve or fourteen in file are seen
" posting along to supply the want of that
" luxurious accommodation." — This descrip
tion, I fear, would give you too flattering an
idea of the state of things here. The com
merce of the Potowmac will be seen, by a re
ference to American imports and exports, to
be extremely limited. - At George-town, there
may be an average, at any one time, of ten
sloops ; at Alexandria, an average of twelve
square-rigged vessels, and perhaps 20 sloops.
As to " stages travelling twelve or fourteen
in file," I have frequented the best roads when
steam-boat navigation has been interrupted by
ice, and have never seen a number exceeding
four, and not commonly more than one stage,
during a route of several days.
Upon the principles of taxation, this govern
ment appear to be considered by Mr. Birkbeck
as complete novices ; — " so new (page 75.) is
" the government of this country in the1 art and

Taxation. 409
" mystery of finance, that the revenue derived
" from all this wealth hardly exceeds 40s.
" sterling per square mile."
A reference to the articles taxed during the
late war will be, perhaps, the best mode of as
certaining in this particular the talents of the
American government. In the session of congress
in 1813, duties were laid on stills ; on brandies ;
on carriages of every description; licences for
retailing all goods of foreign manufacture ; the
same for selling spirits ; the same on auction
sales ; on sugar ; and on paper. In 1814, further
duties Were laid on these several articles, and
also on various goods manufactured within the
United States ; among which were household
furniture, leather, tobacco, beer, shoes, boots,
saddles, bridles, cards, umbrellas, paper, caps,
hats, candles, and iron ware ; and to illustrate
the subject of taxation I subjoin a list of stamps
as sold in the city of Philadelphia.
" Stamps for sale by John Bioren, Printer and
Bookseller, No. 88, Chesnut Street.
" Internal Duties, payable by law, after December
31st, 1813.
" On Carriages. Dolls. ;CtS.
" Upon every coach, the yearly sum of - 20 00
Upon every chariot and post chaise - -17 00
Upon every phaeton and every coachee, having
pannel work in the upper division - 10 00

410 MR. BIRKBECK'S " NOTES."
. Dolls. Cenis
Upon every other four wheel carriage hanging
on steel or iron springs - - 7 00
Upon every four wheel carriage hanging upon
wooden springs, and every two wheel carriage
hanging on steel or iron springs - 4 00
Upon every other four or two wheel carriage, 2 00
" On licences to distillers qf spirituous liquors.
'.' For a still or stills employed iri distilling spirits from
domestic materials, for each gallon including the
head thereof;
For 2 weeks (per gallon) - - ,9
For 1 month - - 18
For 2 months - - 32
For 3 months - - - 42
For 4 months - - - 52
For 6 months - - - 70
For 1 year - - - 1 08
(< For stills employed in distilling from foreign materials
For 1 month (per gallon) - 25
For 3 months 60
For 6 months - - 1 05
For 1 year - - 1 35
" On sales by auction.
" On goods, wares, and merchandize, for every
100 dollars - - - 1 00
On ships or vessels, for every 100 dollars 25
" On refined sugar.
" On every pound - 4
" On licenses to retailers of wine, spirituous liquors, and
foreign merchandize.
" On retailers of merchandize, including wines
and spirits - - - 25 00

STAMPS. . 411
n . , Dolls. Cts.
Un wines alone - - - 20 00
On spirits alone - - - 20 00
On domestic spirits alone - - 1 5 00
On merchandize other than wines and spirits 15 00
" Where the population is not more than 100 families
to a square mile.
" On retailers of merchandize, including wines
and spirits - . - 15 00
On wines and spirits - - 1 5 00
On spirits alone - - - 12 00
On domestic spirits - - 10 00
On merchandize other than wines and spirits 10 00
" On notes of banks, bankers, notes, bonds, fyc. dis
counted by banks, fyc. and on bills qf exchange.
" On any promissory note or notes, payable either to
bearer or order, issued by any of the banks or
companies, who issue and discount notes, bonds or
obhgations, either incorporated or not incorporated,
which now are, or hereafter may be established in
the United States, or by any banker or bankers, ac
cording to the following scale : viz.

" If not exceeding

1 dollar

-

-

1

If above 1 and not

exceeding

2

-

2

2

-

-

3

-

3

3

-

-

5

-

5

5

-

-

10

-

10

10

-

-

20

-

20

20

-

-

50

-

50

50

-

-

100

-

1 00

100

-

-

500

-

5 00

412 MR. BIRKBECK'S " NOTES." Dolls. Cts.
If above 500 and not exceeding 1000' - 10 00
1000 - - - 50 00
" On any bond, obligation, or promissory note or notes,
not issued by any bank, companies, or bankers
aforesaid, discounted by any such bank, cdmpanies
or banker, and on any foreign or inland bill or
bills of exchange above fifty dollars, and having
one or more endorsers, according to the following
scale : viz. *
" If not exceeding 100 dollars - 5
If above 100 and not exceeding 200 10
200 - 500 25
500 - 1000 50
1000 - 1500 75
1500 - 2000 1 00
2000 - 3000 1 50
3000 - 4000 2 00
4000 - 5000 2 50
5000 - 7000 3 50
7000 - 8000 4 00
8000 - 5 00=
" The secretary of the treasury may agree to an
annual composition with any bank, in heu of stamp duty,,
or one and a half per centum, on the amount of the
annual dividend made by such bank."
On the grand subject — that of emigration*
notwithstanding all the captivating circum
stances stated as attendant upon it, a few facts
are admitted by Mr. B. himself which require
your most deliberate and serious consideration.
— First, then, that gentleman informs us, that

EMIGRATION.  SUCCESS. 413
" every service performed by one man for
" another must be purchased at a high rate,
" much higher than in England ; therefore, as
" long as the English emigrant is obliged to
" purchase more than he sells of this service, or
" labour, he is worse off than at home." (Page
48.) Second, " After you have used yourself
" to repose on your own pallets, either on the
" floor of a cabin or under the canopy of the
" woods, with an umbrella over your head and
" a noble fire at your feet, you will then escape
" the only serious nuisance of American tra-
" veiling, viz. hot rooms and swarming beds,"
(126.) Third, " A traveller should always
" carry flint, steel, and a large knife, or toma-
" hawk, &c. &c." (Page 108.)
The instances of great success, of which
Mr. Birkbeck states several, are no doubt cor
rect : but he certainly might have enlarged the
view he has taken ; and perhaps rendered it
more correct by the enumeration of many
failures. At least, I am myself in possession
of several cases, on both sides of this ques
tion ; but thinking the criterion to be alto
gether an uncertain one, I wave their enu
meration. Such individual instances exist in
every nation, and in every state of society;
and are very frequently caused, not by
peculiarity of country, but of individual cha
racter. I notice this, because I know that a

414 MR. BIRKBECK'S " NOTES."
reader, whose situation is similar to that in
which the persons described were originally
placed, might naturally be disposed to imagine,
that if he were in America, he would be
equally successful ; when probably, he may be
altogether unfitted for such circumstances. A
writer, adverse to this country, could find no
difficulty in selecting instances of failure. In
deed Mr. B. has himself, upon another subject,
said, that " hundreds of these speculations,"
(making settlements,) " have failed ; " so that
if the criterion be a correct one, the argu
ment might be turned against himself, for these
instances of failure would prove that success
is not attainable in the United States. A
subject, however, of this magnitude, must be
viewed in the general and not in the detail. A
man that can " turn his hand to any thing," be
active, industrious, sober, economical, and set
privations at defiance; 'will- 1 believe be more suc
cessful in America, than in any other country on
the globe. CAUSES OF LEAVING ENGLAND.
The soundness of Mr. Birkbedk's political
reasons for emigrating - must be left for every
man to judge of in his own mind. By us they
will be viewed favourably, because they are pre
cisely our own. 'His moral reasons requiresome
remark: his objects he states to be, "topro-
12

POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS.- 4l5
« cure for his children a career of enterprise
" and wholesome family connexions, in a society
" whose institutions are favourable to virtue.
(Page 8.)
" That institutions favourable to virtue, shall
" produce effects' correspondent to their cha-
" racter upon the society blessed with them, is
" a conclusion so natural, that we should be in-
" clined to suspect an error in the estimate of the
" institutions themselves, if we found a vicious
" people under a good government." (Page 9.)
These are conclusions, I conceive, exactly
such as a man versed in theoretic speculations
upon the nature of society would arrive at, when
Contemplating a country like this, previous tp
his leaving Great Britain. But I am sorry to
Say, that a very brief residence in America will
most effectually dispel the charm; and I am
much concerned, that Mr. Birkbeck, when writ
ing his book in this country, should have, I
think, so unnecessarily and gratuitously placed
in the1 hands of those, who always oppose correct
principles, a weapon with which, from his own
ddmissidns, they can so effectually cut down him
self, and, what is of infinitely more importance,
the principles which he advocates. When he
averts that the constitutipn Pf the American
government is ^good, he takes a position so
strong, that he cannot by any combinatipn of
talents be dislodged from it ; but when he ex-

416 MR. BIRKBECK'S " NOTES."
tends his ground by concluding "that we should
" be inclined to suspect an error in the estimation
" qftkejnstitutions themselves, if we find a vicious
" people under a good government," his line is
most effectually weakened. The American
people " are like their fellow men, have," as he
himself expresses it, "their irregular and rude
" passions ; their gross propensities, and their
" follies ; so that after all this is the real world
" and no poetical Arcadia." (Page 131.)
Could we begin society anew — transported
from our present abodes, could we be placed
in another Eden, possessing there the aid of
all the knowledge and virtue, and freed from
all the error and vice of the present day,
then we should have rational grounds to an
ticipate, that, under a gpod^gpyernment, there
would necessarily be found a virtuous people.
But as this is not the case, we must, in form
ing our judgment on such a subject, look at
man as he is, and speculate on society as we find
it ; and I think we shall discover, that the ma
terials which go to ; the formation of individual
and of national character, spring up from a
thousand other sources besides that afforded by
political institutions. This view of the subject
may assist us in solving an otherwise difficult ques
tion, namely, why it is, that the people of England
are so much in advance of their government ;
and why, on the other ¦ handj the people of

•AMERICAN REVIEW. 417
America remain so very far behind the princi
ples upon which their political system is founded.
I have met with but one American Review of
Mr. Birkbeck's work ; it is contained in No. 207.
of " the Port Folio," a respectable and long
established literary publication, edited by Mr.
Hall, of Philadelphia. As this article contains a
fair specimen of American writing, and also ad
mits some awkward political facts, which under
other circumstances might perhaps have been
concealed, I copy if for your information : —
" Mr. Birkbeck landed at Norfolk, with which town he
" is not much pleased. A Virginian tavern he describes
" as resembling ' a French one with its table d'hote,
" though not in the excellence of the cookery; but,'
" he adds, that it ' somewhat exceeds it in filth, as it does
" an English one ,in charges.' The gentlemen, he
" thinks, are republican Ln politics, but irascible, and
" often lax in morals. On his approach to Richmond,
" he found himself at once in the society of persons
" ' who appeared to be as polite, well dressed, and well
" instructed, as if they had been repairing to the capital
" of Great Britain, ' — whereat, no doubt, he marvelled
«¦ mightily., In the city he finds a population of 13,000
" inhabitants, of which nearly one half is stated to be,
«' we hope erroneously, negroes. Provisions are scarce,
" dear and bad, in that city. The author was horrified,
" he says, and well he might be, at the sale of negroes,
" in open market. This is a foul blot in an escutcheon
li which is blazoned with high honour, with intelligence,
" beauty, and taste. The good folks of Richmond, he
" says, are making s a grand stir about a monument to
E E

418 AMERICAN REVIEW OF
" the memory of Gen. Washington ;' and he takes oe-
" casion to point out 'the mutilated bust of La Fayette
" in their capital, which now stands an object of horror,
"of derison,' — as worthy of attention. The project
" of a monument was settled long ago, as may be seen
" by reference to the debates in our congress (particu-
" larly in the senate) soon after the accession of Mr.
" Jefferson. Our traveller bears testimony to the ' ur-
" banity and real politeness ' of the citizens; of Rich-
" tnond; and is pleased to declare, that he saw 'as
" good husbandry as would be expected in some well
" managed districts of Great Britain.' We were about
*' to make some remarks upon our author's practice
" of making comparisons, but an intimation at the end
" of the volume, which just presents itself, renders all
'*' observation unnecessary. We find that the volume
" |s intended to contain 'just the particulars ' which
<l the author wished to communicate to his friends, and
" therefore it may not be improper to take England as
" the standard of excellence, in order to disabuse honest
" John Bull of the impositions which have been palmed
" up°h his voracious credulity. When we find such
" gross ignorance respecting this country, as was dis-
" played in debate by one of the hereditary counsellors
" of the qrown (Lord Stanhope— vid. Port Folio, 1816,
" page 341.) — it seems to be absolutely necessary to
" permit writers to say at once, that what they wish to
" describe is ' exactly like what we have here in Lun-
" nun.' It may then be believed that we are white,
" can. speak the English tongue, and do not carry our
" heads under our shoulders : and when lord Stanhope,
" or any other expounder of the laws, undertakes to
" state, that an, action against a clergyman, on a bond,
" cannot be entertained in Connecticut, he must be in-
" formed, that in matters of this sort, the courts of
14

BIRKBECK'S " NOTES." 4l"9
" Connecticut and Westminster Hall are governed by
" the same principles. If the earl has inferred the fact
" from the rule de non apparentibus, it is very probable
" that a New England docket would bear him out; at
" least we should be certain of finding, for one of our
" clergymen in this predicament, at least a hundred in
" England scampering at a fox chase.
" But to return to Mr. Birkbeck. In travelling and
" travelling along, he came to some paths, ' which, for
" the most part, were only distinguishable from the
" rugged waste by a slight trace, like that of a new
" formed road, or, in some instances, by rows of Lom-
" hardy poplars.' Here he looked up, and he saw a
" splendid palace ; but he ' could liken it to nothing in
" America, except the painted face and gaudy head-
" dress of a half-naked Indian.' The reader will be
" mortified to learn, that these paths are the ' intended
" streets radiating from the capital' and the palace, the
" very capitol of the far-famed City of Washington.
" Year after year, the most excellent schemes for im-1
" proving our moral and political situation, are sub-
" mitted to congress, and the veterans of the revolution
" are borne on ' trembling limbs' to the seat of govern-
'' ment, to implore for a settlement qf their accounts ; but
" neither our ancestors, nor those who are to follow us',
" can be heard, until this morass shall be drained, and
" the ' rugged Vaste' be filled with houses. If Great
" Britain is cursed with a national debt, we have our na-
" tional city, from which it is to be feared, that nothing
" short of Aladdin's Lamp will ever relieve Us. ' What
" is the matter ?' said a gentleman at the head of his
" fable, addressing a guest who arose almost immediately
" after the removal of the last dish, at an entertainment
" given in this splendid city — 'I beg you to excuse me
" — I have promised to take tea with your neighbour — .'
E E 2

420 American review of
" ' Well, well, — there's time enough for that —
" pray sit down. — It is only six o'clock.' * True,
" my good sir,' said the guest — ' but you forget that
" I have seven miles to ride, and your roads are very
" deep ! ' If the money which has been exchanged
" for the costly columns that have recently arrived
" from Italy, had been expended in the construction of
" ' good roads, substantial bridges,' and a few lamps,
*' our traveller would have found less reason for ridicule
u and complaint.
" Mr. Birkbeck commences his journal in April, 1817,
" "five hundred miles east of Cape Henry.' He informs
¦" us that hehas quitted England for the purpose of be-
" coming a citizen of the United States. Of his situ-
" ation as an English farmer, he draws a picture whicli
4i appears to him very gloomy. He had no voice in the
""appointment of the legislature — he had no concern
" in public affairs — he could not appear at county
" meetings, &c. It is impossible to reconcile the reports
"concerning the state of Great Britain, which are made
" by travellers and emigrants. Within a few days past^
" we were assured, by an intelligent gentleman, who had
"recently visited Europe, most certainly with no favour-
" able prepossessions in favour of England, that he had
" not seen so much -contentment and cheerfulness in any
*' other country. We hope Mr. Birkbeck has too much good
" sense to rate his share qf felicity by the considerations
" .which he mentions. If he does, his new settlements will
" make but slow progress. We understand the trade qfpoli-
" tics herequite as well as they do in foreign parts ; and it
" is just as difficult for modest merit to rise from' obscurity,
" when opposed by the intrigues of a caucus, or the glare qf
" wealth. We have no rotten boroughs to sell ; but when
" a voter is to be seduced or supplanted, we have powerful
" engines in the shape, of an enviable appointment. abroad,

birkbeck's " NOTES." 421
" or a profitable contract at home. Man is the same in
" all countries. These inestimable privileges, for which
" our author sighed in vain, may easily be purchased in
" any of our states, unless we except Massachusetts,
" where a vote may sell high, because an office there
" makes a man honourable during life." *
You will perhaps censure me for occupying
your attention with selections from Mr. Birk
beck's publication, when you are in possession
of the original : my reasons for so doing, are
derived from a fear, and indeed, from what you
say, a belief that, because Mr. B. sets at de
fiance every difficulty, treating the most serious
privations as a mere jest, you might possibly feel
disposed to join in the opinion. The fact is, that
by his style and manner he has so captivated
many of his readers (Americans excepted) that
they begin to feel the conveniences and establish-
* In confirmation of this assertion of the reviewers, I would
remark that Honourable, and other titles, are much sought
after in America. The following extract from the " Boston
Sentinel," of August 27th, will illustrate this idea : —
" Dinner to Mr. Adams. — . Yesterday a public dinner was
¦¦"' given to the Hon. John Q. Adams, in the Exchange
" Coffees-House, by his fellow-citizens of Boston. The Hon.
" Wm. Gray presided, assisted by the , Hon. Harrison Gray
" Otis, George Blake, Esq. and the Hon. Jonathan Mason,
" vice-presidents. Of the guests were, the Hon. Mr. Adams,
,-" late president of the United States, his Excellency Go-
«, vernor Brooks, his Honor Lt. Gov. Phillips, Chief Justice
" Parker, Judge Story, President Kirkland, Gen. Dearborn,
'« 'Com. Hull, Gen. Miller, ' several of the reverend clergy,
'"and many public officers, and strangers of eminence."
e e 3

422 MR. BIRKBECK.
ments of civilized life, a source of misery, instead
of an advantage. There is, moreover, some
thing very imposing in the circumstance, that a
man of his talents and propefty should be per
fectly satisfied with the change, notwithstanding
all its attendant privations. This certainly has
its weight, but having once taken the step he
has done, I would merely suggest (without pre
tending to enter very deeply into the recesses
of the human mind J a few considerations, why
any man, under his circumstances, 'would
naturally look with a very lenient eye upon all
defects, and where even a mole-hill in the
way of excellence existed, feel inclined to
magnify it into a mountain. In leaving Eng
land he evidently turned his back upon it for
ever. He was disgusted with the government,
and hardly any extent of disappointment would
probably induce him to place himself in the
humiliating situation of returning. He has
gone into the wilderness — purchased a large
quantity of land — has made his final election —
has reasonable hopes of the speculation^ proving
profitable — would not be disappointed with
having neighbours natives of his own coun
try,] and similar to himself in property and in
information — must desire that the value of
his lands should advance as largely and as
rapidly as possible ; which can only be ef
fected by emigration being directed to that

EMIGRATION. 423
point, and he having no claim to the character of
a superhuman being, would not feel his sense
of importance lessened, by being the founder of
a large English colony. Taking these con
siderations into our calculation, and reflecting
upon their necessary effect on the mind of any
man so circumstanced, we may be supplied
with an explanation of much that is contained
in the " Notes on a Journey to Illinois."
Upon the subject of our emigration, I con
fess, ' I cannot make up my mind ; and that,
among other reasons, causes me to desire to
return to England as expeditiously as possible,
that I may personally consult with you all.
But with regard to the " very favourable" ef
fect of Mr. Birkbeck's book, if you will care
fully go through it again, detaching his state
ments from his individual feelings, you will,
I think, find that if my " Reports" have reached
ybu, they will receive no ordinary support from
Mr. Birkbeck's admissions.
As to America generally — it possesses some
most important advantages, among which are
to be enumerated, an extensive and, in parts,
a very fertile country — a population not filled
Up — and, above all, a reasonable and a cheap
government. These give to. the poor man a
recompense for his labour ¦proportionate to his
deserts : they also open numerous sources for
the valuable employment of capital j andi they
E E 4

424 ORIGINAL IMPRESSIONS.
give a solid satisfaction, as to the future, in the
mind of a man of family or of property, which
it is impossible to derive from a contemplation
of the present condition, and the present
policy of any of the old governments.
In your commission to Mr. Flower for the
purchase of Illinois land, you have, I doubt
not, exercised all the caution which such an im
portant procedure requires; for myself, I feel
anxious for the full discussion of the subject;
but I shall defer stating my ideas further, until
I have the pleasure of doing so in person. In
conclusion, let me express my anxious hopes
that you are all in perfect health ; and as this
Report will close my communications to you
upon the subject of America, I assure you, it is
the warmest wish of my heart, that my conduct
and exertions, during the course of this short
but important mission, may have deserved and
may receive your full approval. Should my
statements have received credit, and should they
have made a similar impression upon your minds
which the reality has produced upon my own,
you must have found, like myself, frequent
cause of surprise and astonishment. I perfectly
remember, indeed, the impressions with which
I first visited America — impressions which you
all possessed in common with myself. America,
we believed to be (and I am sure I wished to
find it so) the abode of freedom and.tpleratipn,

SANGUINE EXPECTATIONS. 425
in practice no less than in theory. We fondly
regarded it indeed, as,
" That land where * self government' calls forth the mind,
" And the rights and the virtues of man are combined ;
" Where thethought, unrestrained, 'midtruth's regions mayfiy,
" Uncaged from the earth, may aspire to the sky ;
" What the bosom conceives, that the. tongue may express ;
" Not bounded by bigots the power to bless ;
" That land where Religion's sweet voice may arise,
" Where, with Liberty, Virtue may xoalk'neath the skies;
" Where, safe from each danger, secure from each storm,
" Lovely Freedom may nurse youthful Piety's form;
" - Where man, feeling his value, the impulse once given,
" May dare to deserve the rich blessings of heaven !"
How far the country may have answered
these our sanguine expectations — at least, how
far I have believed them answered, I must leave
each of you to conclude from the facts I have
forwarded, and the general tenor of my observ
ations upon them.

EIGHTH REPORT.

ILLINOIS LAND. — COMMISSION TO MB. FLOWER  ME.
BIRKBECK'S MODE OF EXTOLLING ILLINOIS. — CLIMATE
OF EASTERN CITIES.  OHIO LAND. — PROFITS ON CA
PITAL.  SOCIETY IN THE WESTERN COUNTRY.- —
EMIGRATION. — LETTER FROM CINCINNATI.  SPANISH
PATRIOTS. — WHAT CLASSES OF EMIGRANTS MAY SUC
CEED AND WHAT NOT. — PLAN OF MR. BIRKBECK'S
SETTLEMENT. Plaistow, Essex, England, Sept. 1st. 1818.
Agreeing with the suggestion of our friend
L  , that my Reports require some general
observations, as a sort of wind-up on the sub
ject of America, I sit down for the purpose of
endeavouring to give such accordingly ; which,
when effected, may remove the necessity of my
frequently communicating with our more dis
tant friends in Leicestershire and Yorkshire. I
propose also, at the same time, to adopt the
hint of Mr. A  , relative to our supposed
property in the Illinois; and shall further
give my opinion of Mr. Birkbeck's " Letters"
from that State.

MR. BIRKBECK'S " LETTERS." 427
In regard to the first, we should, I think, be
particular in correcting an idea which many
entertain, that we are actual land-owners in the
Illinois; when the fact of the case is, that
Mr. George Flower, (the associate of Mr. Birk
beck,) who sailed in the " Anne Maria" from
Liverpool, some weeks before my arrival in
England, was v commissioned to purchase for
us nine thousand acres, adjoining his and Mr.
Birkbeck's settlement ; and as we have since
received but one letter from him, and that
merely announcing his arrival in New York,
after a fine passage of thirty days ; we are
not yet, at least to our knowledge, American
land-proprietors. With respect to Mr. Birkbeck's " Letters
" from Illinois," several of our London friends
(who had seen some of them in manuscript
long before their publication) know my opi
nion ; but to those in the country, who had
not even heard of them, until their appearance
before the public, I would offer a few brief re
marks ; though to make such must necessarily
be extremely difficult, as the work consists of
copies of private correspondence, in which the
details necessary for the consideration of a
proposed emigrant not being required, are
therefore but very partially given. I shall,
¦however, be relieved from a lengthened con
sideration of them, as much of what I have said

428 MR. BIRKBECK'S " LETTERS.
in my communication from New York,, con
cerning .the " Notes," will be strictly applicable
to the " Letters ;" the latter giving but little
additional information. One thing I would ob
serve, and which is a subject of regret to those
who wish well to Mr. Birkbeck's reputation, that
the charge would seem but too wejl founded
that his " Letters are less impartial, less philo-
" sophic, and less disinterested than his Notes."
In * his exclusive recommendation of the Illinois,
there would seem almost a fixed determination tp
be self-satisfied ; indeed he admits, " that lopk-
" ing at it now with a favourable eye as I wish
" to do, I see new advantages continually rising
" before me." (P. 79.) And it must be lamented
by Mr. Birkbeck's friends, that his eagerness to
advance his own settlement is rather too ap
parent ; for not only Great Britain, but also
every other part of America must be pressed
into the service of extolling Illinois. We are
told, in regard to England, that " the soil is
"worn out;" and in relation to old America,
that the climate of the eastern cities presents
" melting, oppressive sultry nights, succeeding
" broiling days, and forbidding rest, which are
" said to wear out the frames of the languid in-
" habitants of the eastern cities, but which are
" unknown here."
That the climate of the eastern cities is pro
bably not so healthy as that of England, I believe;

PRAISES OF ILLINOIS. 429
but much which causes this difference equally
exists in the western States. For myself, ; I
heard more of " sickness" (the term by which
every kind of indisposition is designated,) in
the western than in the eastern States ; and the
appearance of the people entirely confirms the
belief that, as yet, old is more healthy than new
America ; not, I should presume, from a na
tural superiority of climate, but the more ex
tended cultivation of the country gives it, of
course, an actual, although probably only a tem
porary superiority.
English emigrants are told in the " Notes,"
that " those who are not screwed up to the full
" pitch of enterprise, had better remain in Old
" England than attempt agriculture, or business
"of any kind, (manual operations excepted,) in
" the Atlantic States." — What does Mr. Cobbett
say to this, as from personal knowledge he can
recommend the Atlantic States only? — And in
the " Letters," that even " land in Ohio cannot
" be had at less than from 20 to 50 dollars per
" acre ;" that it is " technically called im-
" proved," but it is in " fact deteriorated ;"
that it was "impossible to obtain a good posi-
«' tion in Ohio, at a price which common pru-
" dence could justify, or indeed at any price."
To fairly consider those statements would re
quire a repetition of the information which J

430 MR. BIRKBECK'S "LETTERS."
sent you from Kentucky and Illinois ; to that,
therefore, I wish to direct your attention ; and
I here merely insert an advertisement taken from
the Philadelphia " Democratic Press," January
1818. « OHIO LANDS.
" Eleven hundred and ninety acres of land, for sale for
" Cash, or Real Estate in Philadelphia, situated on the
" East Fork of Todd's Creek, a branch of the Little
" Miami, in the county of Clinton, about ten miles from
" the seat of justice, Wilmington ; about 5 miles from
" Lebanon, the next county town, and about 3 miles
" from the great mail road to Cincinnati. For terms,
" apply at the office of the Democratic Press, or of
" William Lowry, Lebanan, Ohio.
" Jan. 2i.— wfm3t."
The price asked for this land is seven dollars
per acre. = <
The power of capital is depicted very strongly:
Mr. B. states, " the fact is, however, that the
*' profits of capital on every thing in this country
*' are marvellous. In the case of live-stock, the
« outgoings are so small, that the receipts are
" nearly all clear." (P. 18.) Looking at this
paragraph, and several others throughout the
*' Letters" of a similar tendency, I must observe
that these " marvellous profits" are matters qf
speculation, and, like all such, are liable fo
afford great success, or equally exposed to great
and ruinous failure : even in Mr. Birkbeck's

INDUCEMENTS TO EMIGRATE. 481
own case, they are, as yet, in anticipation. These
miraculous schemes belong more to the age of
Sir Walter Raleigh, than to the sober character
pf the year eighteen hundred and eighteen ; but
in Mr. Birkbeck's letter to his son, he remarks
upon "profits," that " housekeeping and other
" expences being paid, there remains a profit of
*' 22 per cent, on the capital ; and you are im-
" proving your own estate." (P. 49.)
From this, which is a defined statement, you
may derive some satisfaction in calculating the
profit and loss of a removal to the western coun
try ; and not be induced by general assertion to
expect to find the territory of Illinois " paved
" with gold," or to discover there the, philo
sopher's stone.
¦ Among other inducements held out to his
friend tp emigrate, Mr. B. represents even the
society of the wilderness as desirable. He says,
" In good faith, I think you would have nothing
*¦'. to regret in exchanging such a circle as I
" fancy yours to be, for any society that woidd
** surround you in these wild woods." (P, 26j)
What this latter society would prove, I might
pourtray from the information which I have
myself collected; but I shall prefer quoting
Mr. Birkbeck's own excellent description from
other parts of his work. l
" Its elements" (those of society) " are rude
" certainly, and heterogeneous. The first settlers,

482 MR. BIRKBECK'S " LETTERS

j,

" unprotected and unassisted, amid, dangers and
" difficulties, have been accustomed, from early
" youth, to rely on their own powers ; and they
" surrender with reluctance, and only by halves,
ft their right, of defence against every aggression,
"even to the laws which themselves have-con-
*« stituted!" (P. 97-)
These laws, we are told, have been made,
" anxiously studious of mildness ;" but that
in practice "they seem inefficient:" for that
5' deeds of savage and even ferocious violence"
ai;e committed, " too common to be viewed
" with the. abhorrence due to them." (P. 97.)
This admission of such a difference between the
theory of law and its practical execution, is of the
first importance to every man who contemplates
becoming a member of such a community : and
this though we are told in the succeeding para
graph, that the innate feeling of justice is so strong,
that " if a man, whom the public voice has
" proclaimed a thief or a swindler, escapes from
" justice for the want of legal proof of his guilt,
" THOUGH THE LAW AND A JURY OF HIS FEL-
" LOW-CITIZENS HAVE ACQUITTED HIM, ten to One
*' but he is met with before he can quit the neigh-
'.*' bourhood, and, tied up to a sapling, receives a
" scourging that marks him for the rest of his
" life!!!" (P. 97, 98.)
This is certainly another most important ad
mission ; and although it may be passed off in

MR. BIRKBECK'S " LETTERS." 4)33
half seriousness — half raillery — yet it is no joke
fo be told that a man, whom " the laxvs and a
"jury of his fellow-citizens have acquitted,"
should be liable " to be tied up to a sapling, and
" receive a scourging that may mark him for the
" rest qf his life." , There are no doubt some
instances where this barbarous procedure wpuld
be merited; but how often is the "public
"' voice" mistaken in its " proclamations?" It
is also to be presumed, that many of these innate
lovers of justice were not in court, could not
have heard the evidence, and yet they exercise,
at the dictation of their own sovereign will, the
power of inflicting a punishment more severe
than would have attended convicted villainy.
The judges too wpuld seem to partake of this
" free" order of things. " A notorious offender
" had escaped from confinement, and, mounted
"on a capital horse, paraded the town where
";the judge resided, with a brace of pistols,
" calling at the stores and grog-shops, and de-
" claring he would shoot any man who should
'r attempt to molest him. The judge hearing
" of it, loaded a pistol, walked deliberately up
" fo the man to apprehend him, and on his
" making a shew of resistance, shot him imme-
« diately !" (P. 62.)
Of what benefit, I would ask, can civilization,
of what advantage can " mild laws," or any
laws be, to a. people that have such judges,
F F

434 LOVE OF LIBERTY.
and who set their own legislature at defiance?
who disregard the verdict of a jury,, and who
inflict upon an acquitted fellow-citizen " deeds
" of savage and even ferocious violence?"
And these form part of that society con
cerning which Mr. Birkbeck writes to a friend
in England, that he would " have nothing to
" regret in making the exchange." But Mr.
Birkbeck is satisfied, and " liberty is no sub-
" ject of dispute or speculation among • us
" back Woods men — it is the very atmosphere we
" breathe." " In passing" also " from theory
" to practice," Mr. B. " has experienced no di-
" minution of his love for freedom :" nor have
I done so either ; but I certainly have expe
rienced a most sensible diminution in my love
for the possessors of freedom ; and so, when I
consider his language elsewhere, I must con
clude has Mr. Birkbeck,. when I find him de
claring that he wants language to express " the
" loathing" he feels for personal slavery ; that
when " practised By free men it is most de-
" testable ;" that " it is the leprosy qf the
" United States, a foul blotch, which, more or
" less, contaminates the entire system in public
" and in private, from the President's chair
" TO THE CABIN OF THE HUNTER ! " (P.- 71.)
Previous tc my offering some explanation re
lative to the Kentucky resolutions in favour qf the
Spanish patriots, I would remark, that the Ame-

MR. BIRKBECK'S " LETTERS." 435
riean emigration to the western country is cer
tainly very great. Mr. Birkbeck says upon this
subject, that he had " just read a statement of
" 500 emigrants per week passing through Al-
" bany westward. This occurred on one road,
'*" and that far to the north. If it. were really
" so unwise to migrate westward, out of the
" tens (I was going to say hundreds) of thou-
" sands who move annually from the eastern
" 'States into this western wilderness, we shpuld
" hear of some returning." (P. 10, 11.) With
regard to the force of the remark, that so many
pass on one road, and that for to the north, it is
well to understand, that there are but two roads
to the western country which are generally fre
quented by emigrants ; and indeed but one which
is travelled by stage waggons. Respecting none
returning, I insert the following letter from the
" Eastern Argus ;" not because it conveys my
ideas, for, in fact, I differ from the writer, but to
shew that opposite opinions are entertained upon
the subject of western emigration.
" EMIGRATION TO THE WEST.
" The following is an extract of a letter from a gentle-
" man who recently left this place in company with two
" others, for the purpose of establishing themselves in
" business in the western country. The letter speaks
" too plainlyfor itself to stand in need of any comments
" of ours. We have never had a doubt that a vast
'• numher of the emigrants, we believe a very great
F F 2

436 WESTERN FAILURES.
" majority, have been sorely disappointed in their oal-
" culat-ion. , Many have returned, , and many more,
" after spending a considerable part of ¦ their property
" in a long and expensive journey, have found them-
" selves obliged, much against their will, to continue.
" Some we have known who, after spending all their
" property in journeying over the country to find a
" suitable place for settlement, have returned as soon as
" Jhey could save, with great frugality, enough from
" their earning to pay their expences home. We re-
" commend this letter -to those who are about to seek
" for mines of wealth beyond the mountains ; but , at all
" events, before embarking their fortune in such an en-
" terprise, we would urge upon them tb see and. con- ;
" verse with some judicious person who has had an
" opportunity of seeing the country and judging from
" his own observation. " Cincinnati, Aug. 13. 1817.
Dear Sir,
" I arrived here the first day of the present month,
" after a tedious journey down the river of twelve days,
" and must confess I am greatly disappointed in my ex-
" pectatiofls. I received two letters to this place from
" the brother of Ruggles Whiting, he being at Boston
" himself. After showing my documents to the gentle-
" men to whom they were directed, and receiving from
" them all the civilities they could bestow, and opinions
" as to business, I am convinced that it would be folly
" in the extreme for me to attempt to do any thing in
" the grocery line. Business, they say, is duller than
'.' it ever was before known. We all, to tell the truth,
" are disappointed, and are determined not to stop here
" longer than a week from this. We . are at present
" undetermined what route to take ; thefe are only two
" that we have iri mind; one is, to wait here about

MR. BIRKBECK'S " LETTERS." 437
•** three weeks, and then take passage to New Orleans,
" for which we can receive fifty dollars a piece, and not
•"' much labour, only to use the oars to keep the boat
" from striking rocks. These boats are about 25 feet
" long and 15 wide, and carry from 3 to 500 barrels
" salt, flour, &c. : the current sets them, in good water,
" from 80 to 100 miles per day. The other route is to
" tramp from here to Alexandria (Col.) which is not far
" from 600 miles. I think we shall adopt the former.
" I will state some of the disadvantages that present
" themselves : the first is, my goods must come from
" New Orleans, which is 1700 miles from this: I have
" to pay five cents on the pound for transportation :
" their usual passage from here to that place is about
" 30 days, from that to this 100 days ; and by the time
" I could get my goods here, it would cost me all the
" cash I have for board, which is from three to seven
" dollars per week. Shop rent is higher here than in
"Boston. You cannot hire a store here like one in
" Haymarket Row [Portland] under 1300 dollars the
" year. As to health, I am told by a doctor whom I
" have had to vaccinate me, that there are in this place
" eighteen of his profession, and all of them getting
" rich; and I should think they would — he charged
" me two dollars for vaccinating.
" Upon the whole I must say, that I wish myself in
-«*¦ New England, and probably shall be in about three
" months. I should .advise no friend to emigrate, to this
", place,, except he be a farmer, and he ought to come
" (if at all) at ten years of age, and by the time he is
"forty, if he is industrious, may do.
" This probably will be the last you will hear of me
«¦ until about the first of October, < when I expect to be
««¦ in New Orleans. "Respectfully, &c.
FE 3

438 SPANISH PATRIOTS.
At page 103. Mr. Birkbeck inserts the excel
lent Resolutions passed in the State qf Kentucky in
favor qf the Spanish Patriots. The inference
which the reader must naturally draw from
thence is, that these resolutions are expressive
of the feelings of Americans generally, upon that
interesting subject. Mr. B. observes, in intro
ducing them, that they ** shew that the citizens
" of Kentucky are sensible that to be in the
" possession and exercise of the rights of self-
" government is a blessing ;" — {Kentucky is a
slave State) — " and that their hearts are enlarged
" by it, and inflamed; not by jealousy cf their
" neighbours* welfare, but with zeal to promote
" it." $That " these resolutions are indicative
" of a good spirit, and thus are in accordance
" wiHi the general feeling, as far as I can gather,
" of the Citizens of all the States qf the Union.-"
Now what are the simple facts of this case? —
Mr. Clay, the speaker of the House of Repre
sentatives, is a resident of, and member deputed
from, Kentucky;; he is well known to be strain
ing every nerve to obtain the next Presidency;
he is extremely mortified at Mr. Adams's having
received an appointment to the office (Secretary
of State) which is considered that of the " heir
" apparent;" he is taking every safe means to
thwart the proceedings of the general govern
ment; he sees that they are backward in thfc
cause of the patriots; he knows that by being
13

MR. BIRKBECK'S " LETTERS." 439
its advocate he will not endanger any acquired
popularity, for the Americans theoretically cannot
oppose the glorious cause of the Spanish colo
nies, and in the probable event of their success
he will acquire the character of a great statesman.
He therefore set on foot, in the legislature of that
State in which he had most influence (Kentucky),
resolutions in favour of the patriots. When they
were discussed in the senate of Kentucky, counter
resolutions were proposed by Mr. Owens, as a
substitute for those of Mr. Bledsoe ; but upon.
the vote the latter passed. Let us next look at
the assertion that these resolutions are in accord*
ance with the general feelings of the " citizens
" of all the States in the Union." From what
sources, I would ask, and I ask it with regret, are
we justified in drawing this inference ? Is it from
the law recently passed to prevent the shipment
of warlike stores? is it from the seizure of
Amelia Island? is it from the imprisonment and
barbarous treatment of the British officers at
Philadelphia, who were there on their route to
join the patriots (and because they were going to
join the patriots) ? or is it from the very remark
able fact, that, I believe, up to the day qfmy leav
ing America, which was fhe 10th May, (although
the resolutipns are copied from the " Western
"¦ Citizen" pf the 10th. February,) not one state,
county, city, or borough throughout the whok
Union, had followed the example of Kentucky ! /./.
f e 4

440 MR. BIRKBECK'S " LETTERS."
I have been thus free in my strictures upon
Mr. Birkbeck's " Letters," because I have seen
the effect which they have produced upon your
minds, and I believe that effect to be an improper
one. This has arisen, I apprehend, more from
the mode in which the information is conveyed
than from the information itself; forit appears
to me that throughout the work there are those
admissions which no colouring ought to prevent
the mind of a reader from viewing as most
serious considerations, connected with an Illinois
settlement. Mr. Birkbeck, in fact, writes with
such superior talent, throwing at the same time
such a charm over every thing he describes,
that it is difficult not to be captivated: — and
influenced, as he has naturally been, by his
situation ; giving little or no attention to the
important consideration that the mass of those
who read his book know nothing of the objec
tions to the country concerning whieh he writes ;
that they really can have no conception of the en
tire change of life which is required — of the
extreme difference which exists between an Eng
lish residence, and one in the back woods of
America ; and that many of them may possess
neither the enthusiasm nor the accommodqteable-
ness (as a correspondent of mine at Liverpool
expressed it) of which Mr. Birkbeck and his
family so evidently and so largely partake :  I
say, not perhaps sufficiently attending to these
circumstances, he appears to me to bring every

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. 441
thing which is pleasing in his new settlement
forward upon the canvass^ throwing every ob
jection into the shade, insomuch that his two
works, however contrary to his actual intention,
have, I really fear, the effect, to general readers,
of making " the worse appear the better reason."
For myself, highly as I think of Mr. Birkbeck,
and anxious as I certainly am, that, in the event
of our going to Illinois, we should be in his
neighbourhood, yet we must all of us be ready
to allow that every one in resolving upon a
measure so important, not only to himself
but to his posterity, as emigration certainly is,
should examine and re-examirie every statement ;
exercising the most deliberate caution, and, if
possible, expelling altogether the mere sug
gestions of the imagination, remembering that,
in the language of Mr. Birkbeck, the country he
describes " is the real world, and no poetical
" Arcadia."
In going to America then, I would say generally,
the emigrant must expect to find — not an eco
nomical or cleanlypeople; not a social or generous
people ; not a people of enlarged ideas; not a
people of liberal opinions, or towards whom you
can express your thoughts " free as air ;" not a
people friendly to the advocates of liberty in
Europe ; not a people who understand liberty
from investigation and from principle ; not a
people who comprehend the meaning of the
words " honour" and " generosity." On the

442 THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
other hand he will find a country possessed
of the most enlightened civil and political ad
vantages; a people reaping the full reward
of their own labours, a people npt paying
tythes, and not subjected to heavy taxation
without representation ; a people with a small
national debt ; a people without spies and in
formers ; a people without an enormous stand
ing army ; a people in possession of an extent
of territory capable of sustaining an increase of
millions and tens of millions of population ; and.
a people rapidly advancing towards national
wealth and greatness.
Perhaps some useful information upon the
important subject of domestic expenditure may
be derived from the two following statements-
The first is a list of household furniture, which
was sold by auction in Chesnut-street, Phila
delphia, by order of the sheriff, for the payment
of rent, at the sale of which I was present.
None of the articles were very old, but nearly
all were in bad. condition. The second is a
statement of Mr. H — — 's expenses for six
months, ending the first of March 1818. This
gentleman is an English emigrant ; the account
he allowed me to copy from his petty ledger,,
and is, I presume, correct.

SALE OF FURNITURE. 448

SHERIFFS SALE IN CHESNUT-STREET. Amounts in English Currency.
I. S. d.
12Chairs, (wood, painted,) each - - 0 5 10
A small writing desk - - - 1 0 3
A lady's work-box - - - 0 9 0
2 Plated candlesticks and snuffers - 0 13 6
A bed-room looking-glass - - 0 1 8 0
A smaU'toHet table . - - 0 4 9
A mahogany wash-hand stand - - 0 14 8
4 Pair linen sheets, (Irish,) per pair - 1 1 4f
Cotton counterpane, (12 quarters square,) - 2 2 3
Marseilles quilt, (ditto,) - ' - - 2 2 3
Bed curtains, lined with blue, for a small
four-post bedstead - - - 6 1 6
(The furniture print was by John Low,
calico-printer, of Manchester, and worth
in England, 15|d. per yard. The lining
worth about 14d. per yard.)
A large and good "hair mattress
A straw ditto, - -
A breakfasst table - - -
A card table -
An .English Brussels carpet and rug
A feather bed, at per pound
2 vols. Edgeworth's Patronage, Scott's Lady
of the Lake, Byron's Chrlde Harold, and
•Curran's Speeches - - - 0 3 41
No Auction duty.
MR. H  'S EXPENCES FOR SIX MONTHS.
This family consists of thirteen : Mr. H  , Mrs.
. H  , three Misses H — ¦ — , sixteen years of age and
upwards, two ditto, younger, four boys, four to twelve
years of age, one woman servant, one girl.

5

4

0

1

O

6

2

0

6

2

0

e

7

«

0

0

2

6

444 EXPENSES OF HOUSEKEEPING.
They occupy the whole (store excepted) of an excellent
house in Market-street Philadelphia ; in it there are 13
rooms, kitchen included, and three cellars. The rent
is 500 dollars per annum. , The following account is
for the first six months of their residence in the United
States. It includes rent, and what little clothes the
females may have found necessary to purchase, in conse
quence of the difference of American fashions j also
about one hundred dollars for travelling expenses.
Their style of living is extremely plain, respectable,
and economical. 1817, Dollars. Cents.
Sept. 1st to 8th. One week's board and lodging
at a boarding-house
Sept. 8th. Wood,^ (for firing)
Wine and spirits
Other expenses
Wood,, (firing)
Other expenses
Wood, (firing)
Shoes. - „
Other expenses
Schooling for two boys.
Wine .and spirits
Aurora newspaper
Schooling, (eldest boy)
Wood, (firing)
Ditto , ditto
Other expenses -
Schooling, (for two boys)

80

P

19

76 \

9

50 \

199

6 '

21

18

149

•2

39

39

25

50

221

36

15

65

15

0

5

0

21

50

50

0

39

50

388

37

12

0-

Total, 1st Sept. 181? to March 1818, 1313 79

This account does not include the expenditure for
household furniture: they have paid for Scotch carpetr

CLASSES WHO SHOULD EMIGRATE. 445
mg, yard wide, (commonest qualities) 1 70 cents per
yard ; stair carpeting, narrow, strong, and common, of
domestic manufacture, 100 cents per yard; oil-cloth,
yard wide, 175 cents per yard ; Windsor chairs, 216
cents each ; fancy rush bottoms, light and genteel, 375
cents each.
The classes of British society who would be
benefited by an exchange of country, are, I
conceive, first, that large and much ..injured
body of men, who are here chained to the
country and the political system, which op
presses and grinds them to the earth, — - 1 mean
our extreme poor. They would not be in
America a week, before they would experience
a rapid advance in the scale of being. Instead
of depending for subsistence upon charity soup,
occasional parochial relief^ and bowing with
slavish submission to the tyrant of the poor-house ;
they would, if industrious and willing to labour,
earn 4s. 6d. to 6s. 9d. a day, have meat at least
seven times in the week, and know " no one who
" could make them afraid." The second class
would be the mechanics,/in branches of first ne
cessity, with the general exclusion, however, of
those acquainted with the British staple manu
factures of. cotton and woollen only; but for
others, whose earnings here are under 30s. a
week, or whose employment is of that precarious
nature, that they cannot reasonably calculate,
by the exercise of prudence and economy, on

446 CLASSES WHO SHOULD EMIGRATE.
laying by any thing for what is called " a rainy
day," or on malting a provision for old age —
for such persons as these, particularly if they
have, or anticipate the having a family, emigra
tion to America will certainly advance their pe
cuniary interests, though it may not enlarge their
mental sphereof enjoyments. To these two classes,
I would further add that of the small farmer who
has afamily, for whom he can now barely provide
the necessaries of life, and concerning a provision
for whom, when his own gray hairs are approach
ing to the grave, he can look forward with but
little confidence or satisfaction ; to such a man,
if he should have one hundred pounds clear,
that is, after paying, all his expenses of re*
moval, &c, America decidedly offers induce
ments very superior to those afforded by this
country. Such a father would there feel him
self relieved from a load of anxiety, the
weight of which upon his spirits,: and its in
fluence in repressing his exertions, he is per
haps himself scarcely aware of, till he feels the
difference by comparison when he has shaken
it off in the New World ; — but stiU to every
proposed emigrant, even of these classes, I would
say, that he must not expect to find eithear the
country full of gold, or its inhabitants as agree
able or as soeiable as the perhaps unequalled
people of England. He must prepare to©
for very many privations, and should previously

CLASSES WHO^SHOULD EMIGRATE. 447
have the mind of his family, particularly that
of the mother of his children, so entirely in
unison with his own, that they can all have the
fortitude and good sense necessary to bear under
the numerous privations they will certainly be
subjected to,, keeping in mind the substantial
advantages they will enjoy, and setting off pre
sent evil against their future and increasing
prosperity, which, in such a country, with a
soil yet uncultivated, and in the infancy of its
resources, may be considered as almost insured
to them.
The man of small fortune, who cares little
about politics, to whom the comforts of England
are perhaps in some degree essential, but who
wishes to curtail his expenditure, would not
act wisely by emigrating to America. In
deed, should such a man make the attempt, he
would return as expeditiously as did a family who
arrived at New York in the Pacific, on the 25th
March, with the intention of continuing, but who
took a passage back in the same vessel the fol
lowing week ; — they went to America in the
cabin,, they departed from it in the steerage.
The artist may succeed, but the probability
is, that he will not do so. I know instances on
both sides, where, perhaps, equal talent has
been possessed. A Mr. Shiels, a portrait painter,
who was a fellow-passenger of mine in the
Washington, has been eminently successful in

448 EMIGRATION.
New York ; Mr.  , who arrived about
the same time, has been unable to procure his
boarding expenses. Generally^ I should, hot
anticipate, judging from the character and
habits of the people, that, at least, the superior
artist would find it to his advantage to emigrate.
The lawyer and the doctor, and, turning to an
other class, the clerk and the-shopman, will find
no opening in America.
The London linen and .woollen draper, and
haberdasher, who has large, capital, good con
nections in this country, and who would adopt
the' most improved English modes of transacting
retail business, would, I think, be very success
ful ; — though, it should be understood, that
shopkeeping is overdone throughout America ;
but their plan of doing business is so defective,
that I conceive there may be a good, opening
for a person with the above qualifications.
A literary man will not meet with any en
couragement, the American library being im
ported, and newspaper editors having no in
ducement to occupy their talents upon any
topics beyond extracts from English papers,
advertisements, and shipping intelligence.
The very superior mechanic, in a business pf
which the articles have heretofore been import
ed, might succeed ; and if he did so at all, it
would probably be in an eminent degree. Two

CLASSES TO EMIGRATE. 449
cases of this sort came tinder my knowledge :
Mr.-  , of P-  , manufacturer of bird-cages,
fenders, and brass stands for fire-places, arrived
in America without property, has brought up
a large family, and is now a man of considerable
wealth. Mr. — — — — , of  , a piano-forte
maker, has been similarly successful. I do not
state these cases on the ground that there is now
an opening in either of these callings, but
merely as illustrative of the idea given at the
commencement of this paragraph.
The merchant I do not conceive would be very
successful, his being a profession so adapted to
the native American habits, and it is entirely
pre-occupied. To the capitalist, as such, I hardly know
what to say : America is the country of specu
lation, and therefore, as such, capital might be
employed with singular advantage. On the
whole, to such I can only recommend a perusal
of the previous details.
Knowing that you feel interested in Mr. Birk
beck's settlement, I forward a plan of it, which
was sent from Illinois to this country a short
time before my arrival in that territory, by a
gentleman connected with Mr. Birkbeck.

G G

450

MR. BIRKBECK'S RESIDENCE.

Plan shewing the situation qf Mr. Birkbeck's and
Mr. Mower's first purchase in the Illinois territory.-
Range X. Township II. East of 3d. Meridian.

East ist

Note. — Every square in the above is one mile, or 640
acres, 36 miles forming a toiunship ;. the squares are called
sections.

REFERENCES, &c.
" English Prairie," in lat. 38° 30' N. and long.
88° W. of London, is 4£ miles long, and 4 miles
wide ; it is high on the N. and E. sides, and lies on a
ridge about equal distances (6 miles) from the great and
the httle Wabash.
The strong lines inclose Mr. Birkbeck's and Mr.
Flower's purchases.

MR. BIRKBECK'S RESIDENCE. 451
f Site, said to be that intended for Mr. Birkbeck's
house.  Proposed line of cottages.
o A hunting cabin of Mr. Birkbeck's party.
 Entries of American back woods men, all but
six of which are said to have been made between August
and November 1817.

G G 2

APPENDIX.

FOR THE INFORMATION OF EMIGRANTS.
Choice of a vessel. — A ship is preferable to a brig,
as the sea motion in the former will be less felt, and the
accommodations are generally superior. The English
ships in the American trade are not equal to those in
other trades ; whilst, on the contrary, the best American
vessels are in the British trade ; so that it is well to select
an American ship, the safe age of which will be according
to the quality of the timber and the building, and these
can only be known by persons very conversant in those
subjects. There are certain ships of established reputation,
a few of which go to the port of London, and a greater
number to Liverpool ; among the former are the
Electra, Captain Robinson, and the Tontine, Captain
Tudy, for Philadelphia; the Criterion, Captain Averyj
and the Minerva Smyth (a very superior ship), Captain
Allen, for New York ; there is also the Venus of New
York, the character of which is, I believe, respectable ;
but I cannot speak of her from personal knowledge.
From the port of Liverpool there are a great number of
first-rate ships for Philadelphia, Boston, and New York;
among the latter is what are called the " Packet Line,"
which consists of the Pacific, (an old but good vessel,)
Captain Williams; the Amity, Captain Stanton; the
Courier, Captain Bowne; and the James Munroe,
Captain Watkinson. (Captain Watkinson is a careful
and excellent seaman.) One of these vessels sails punc
tually on the first of every month from Liverpool. The
g g 3

454 APPENDIX.
charge for passage is, in the cabin, 45 guineas, which
includes wine, and, indeed, almost every luxury — in
the steerage 9l. exclusive of every thing but water.
The house of Crapper, Benson, and Co. at Liverpool,
are the agents for these ships, which are first-rate in
every respect, and all their Commanders are men of
great experience. There are also, quite equal to these,
the Nestor, Captain Stirling; the Atlantic, Captain
Matlock; and the Anne Maria, Captain Waite (of the
latter vessel and -captain, Mr. Flower, who recently went
in herewith a large party to1 the United States, speaks in
the very highest terms) : to these I would add, as re
spectable ships, the Ann, the Carolina Ann, and the
Importer. There are several others of this class with
whose names I am not familiar ; but it would be judicious
in every person to make minute enquiries as to the
character of the ship and captain with' which they pro-
' pose engaging; for it should be known that there are
some very indifferent American ships, which go to both
Liverpool and London, and particularly the latter port.
A regular trader is generally to be preferred to a chance
ship. The prices (with the exception of the packet ships)
will vary according to circumstances ; for the cabin from
30 to 45, and for the steerage, from -7 to 10 guineas.
It should be remarked that even this is a subject of
barter. A few ships sail from Bristol and Greenock for
New York — the Fanny from the latter port is rather
celebrated. A passage from Havre, in France, to Ame
rica, is often to be obtained much cheaper than from
this country. Should a large party engage the same
vessel, they would act prudently to procure an extra
boat, for in case of accident or shipwreck, the two ship-
boats would not be found sufficient; and upon such
melancholy occurrences the crew commonly escape, and
the passengers are lost.

ADVICE TO EMIGRANTS. 455
Cabin Passengers, though supplied by the Captain,
would find a small private stock desirable. A plum
cake, soda powders, a few good apples and oranges (the
latter will keep if not previously bruised, and if each
orange is carefully rolled in paper), preserves of several
kinds, and cider, which will be found particularly plea
sant at sea.
Steerage Passengers should provide for seventy,
though they may not be out more than fifty days. They
are compelled by law to take 80lbs. of meat. I
should recommend a variety; say 30lbs. beef, 20 of
ham, 20 of tongue, 10 of bacon : herrings are plea
sant, and salt cod particularly so, when eaten with egg-
sauce : 50lbs. bread, of the best biscuit, and loaves cut
in slices and toasted : rusks will be found very pleasant in
tea: 30 to 40lbs of flour ; a few pounds of oatmeal; ditto
of rice; ditto of groats; ditto of arrowroot; 10 of cheese;
lOOlbs. potatoes: have a small 'net bag to boil them
in : this will prevent confusion with the cook, and also
their being exchanged for others of, perhaps, an inferior
quality : 5lbs. coffee, ground, and kept corked in a bot
tle, for the purpose of excluding the atmospheric air :
lib. tea; 14lbs. sugar: a small quantity of spirits, of
wine, and bottled porter : the latter, mixed with an equal
^quantity of water, with sugar and nutmeg, will be
found very agreeable. Have a definite understanding
for the quantity of water per day. A filtering machine
can be bought at 79, Titchfield-street, London, for 20s.
Eggs to be kept in bran, and frequently turned. lOlbs.
-butter. Milk will keep, if boiled, and mixed with sugar,
in the proportion of 2lbs. to the quart. If the articles
enumerated under the head Cabin Passengers can be
afforded, they would be found, particularly pleasant. If
there are females in the party, there should be some
fowls. A few tin articles for the purposes of cooking,
g g 4

456 APPENDIX.
&c. Sea sickness cannot be prevented by any thing
with which I am acquainted, though it Can be materially
lessened by being as much as possible upon deck, and by
eating little at a time, and frequently.
In choosing a bjrth^ either in the cabin or steerage,
the middle of the vessel, or as near to it as can be pro
cured, is desirable, on account of the ship?s motion
being there less felt. Books will be an occasional, and
but an occasional, rehef to the monotony of a sea
voyage. Those of a light and amusing character are
the most suitable. Reading for more than half an hour
at any one time ^produces the head-ache, and sensibly
affects the eyes. Medicines are an important article of
sea stores : they should be in pills, and taken frequently,
with great exactness, at stated periods, and in as small
quantities as can possibly produce the effect. Steerage
passengers should have a specific agreement with the
captain for the use of the place of convenience : this is an
¦important consideration; and I have heard of great in
convenience experienced by such persons in being denied
this. A flute, a violin, and a pack of cards, are plea
sant companions.
Packing up. — A selection should be made in a box
by themselves, of clothes intended to be worn at sea.
Those of the most inferior kind will do as well as the
best. A warm great coat will be found useful. The
provision casks should be written on " Stores." Bag
gage must be entered at the Custom-house; and in
procuring a cocket, care should be taken that the whole
of the packages are enumerated: if this is neglected,
an additional expense will be incurred;
Articles desirable to be taken .out. — Clothing of every
kind, except silks and silk pocket handkerchiefs. Females
would do well to take no article of dress, particular
in appearance. Men's trowsers should be of the Wei-

ADVICE TO EMIGRANTS. 457
Ungton kind only. The American fashions differ in some
things from ours ; and any deviation from them is much
remarked upon. Most convenient and unbreakable
articles of domestic utensils. No cabinet furniture. A
good stock of table-linen and bedding : whether feather-
beds are desirable or not is, I believe, questionable.
Carpeting, if it can be cut to suit other sized rooms ;
stationery of every kind ; agricultural implements ;
musical and philosophical instruments.
United States Duties on Importation upon fhe following
Articles :

Per Cent.

Side and Fire Arms

-

20

All articles manufactured of brass
Buttons -

-

20 20

Bonnets - - -

-

30

Bridles and Saddles

30

Books (blank)

-

30

Cutlery -
All articles manufactured of cotton

im

' 20 25

Millinery -
All articles manufactured of copper

_

30 20

Ditto of pewter
Ditto of steel

J

20
20

Ditto of tin

20

Parasols and Umbrellas

-

30

Paper - - - -
Printing Types
All articles manufactured of wool

-

302025

Ditto of wood

-

30

Ditto of earthen and stoneware -

20
Ale and Beer in bottles, per gallon
8d.
Ditto in casks -
5|d.
Shoes (leather), per pair -
13d.
458 APPENDIX.
Articles free qf Duties :
Philosophical Apparatus, if specially imported by order,
and for the use of any society, incorporated for phi
losophical or literary purposes, or for the encourage
ment of the fine arts, or by order and for the use of
any seminary of learning.
Anatomical Preparations.
Animals imported for breed.
Wearing Apparel, and other personal baggage, in
actual use. Rate of Coins :
English Pound Sterling is 4 dollars, 44 cents.
Irish ditto, 4 dollars, 10 cents.
- French Livre, 185 cents.
Dutch Florin, or Guilder, 40 cents.
Fees qf Officers :
To the Collectors and Naval Officers,
Every port entry, 2 dollars.
Permit to land goods, 20 cents.
Every bond taken officially, 40 cents.
Bill of health, 20 cents.
(There is commonly a demand of two dollars made
for this by the captain : this is, of course, an
imposition.) Passengers' Baggage, fyc.
Entry is to be made by passengers of all clothes, tools
or implements of trade, or profession, arriving in the
United States to settle, which articles are exempted from
duty. The form of such entry, and oath respecting the
same, as follows :

ADVICE TO EMIGRANTS. 459
Entry qf baggage, wearing apparel, fyc. imported by
in the master, from
New-York,
{Here the particulars to be inserted.)
District of
Port of
1, do solemnly, sincerely, and truly
swear, {or affirm,) that the entry subscribed by me and
hereto annexed, contains, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, a just and true account of the contents of
the several mentioned in the sard
entry, imported in the from
and that they contain no goods, wares, or merchandise
whatever, odier than the wearing apparel and other per
sonal baggage {or if the case require) and the tools of
the trade of all which are the pro
perty of who has, or have arrived, who
is, or are shortly expected to arrive in the United States :
and are not directly or indirectly imported for any other
person or persons, or intended for sale.
So help me God.
If the articles shall be entered by any other person
than the owner, bond to be given in a sum equal to the
amount of what the duties would be, if imported subject
to duty ; that the owner shall within one year verify such
entry on oath, or the collector may direct such baggage
to be examined ; and if any article is contained therein,
which ought to pay duty, entry must be made thereof;
and if an entry is made as aforesaid, and upon exami
nation thereof, any article is found therein subject to
duty, {not having been expressed at the time qf making
the entry,) it is forfeited, and the person in whose bag-

460 APPENDIX.
gage the same shall be found, forfeits and shall pay
treble the value thereof.
Mechanics, intending to continue as such, would do
well to remain in New York, Baltimore, or Philadelphia,
until they become familiarised with the country. Per
sons designing to settle in the western States will save
some expenses by landing in Philadelphia. Those to
whom a few pounds is not an object, will shorten their
voyage two or three days by arriving at New York.
The summer route from thence to Philadelphia is par
ticularly pleasant, with the exception of 25 miles land-
carriage, and sleeping one night on the road : the whole
can be completed for about ten dollars. In winter,
there are excellent stages, (by far the best in America)
from New York to Philadelphia : the fare is from eight
to ten dollars, and the journey is completed in four
teen hours, — distance, 96 miles.
The route to the western country, by way of New
Orleans, is attended with many disadvantages: it is much
longer, and more dangerous, in consequence of a great
deal of coasting, and the difficulties of the gulph of
Florida. The voyage from the Balaize, at the junction
of the Mississippi with the gulph , of Mexico, to NewQrr
leans, though but 100 miles, is always tedious, and some
times vessels are three weeks in getting up that distance.
The yellow fever is of annual occurrence at New-Or
leans. The steam-boats, though numerous, cannot
proceed at slated periods, and a residence at New
Orleans may be long, and must he expensive ,• and to
take passage in a keel-boat up the stream,, would be an
almost endless undertaking..
The best mode, in my judgment, is to proceed from
Philadelphia by way of Pittsburgh. Horseback is very

ADVICE TO EMIGRANTS. 461
preferable to the sta^e, particularly on the Allegany
mountains. A poor family would have their baggage
conveyed in the cheapest way by the regular stage-
waggons, — themselves walking; and this they will find
in crossing the mountains to be better than riding (ex
cept on horseback). They should take with them as
good a stock of eatables as they can with convenience,
the charges on the road being very extravagant. Those
who have their own waggons should have them made as
strong as possible, and their horses should be in good
condition. Small articles of cutlery, and all the ma
chinery necessary for repairs on the road, are of first
necessity. When arrived at Pittsburgh, the cheapest
and easiest mode of travelling is to float down the river ;
for which purpose there are boats of almost every variety,
(steam-boats excepted,) from 2s. 3d. upwards, per hun-
di'ed miles. Upon this mode of travelling I do not en
large: half an hour's residence in Pittsburgh will convey
more information than I could in twenty pages. Warm
clothing should be taken, as there is sure to be some
severe weather fn every part of America. The articles
required in floating down the river will be nearly as fol
lows:— The " Pittsburgh Navigator^" a small volume,
and which may be had at Cramer and Spears ; nails,
hammer, hatchet, tinder-box, box for fire, gridiron, iron
pot, coffee pot, coffee mill, teapot, plates, spoons, knivea
and forks, mugs, candles, coffee, tea, sugar, spirits, meat,
potatoes, bread, pens and ink, paper, medicine, and a gun.
If there is what is called " a good stage of water," that
is, if the waters of the Ohio are high, which they always
are in the spring and autumn, boats will be taken
by the stream, without rowing, from three to four
miles per hour. Except in cases of dense fog, they can
be allowed to float at night in the Ohio. In the Mis-

462 APPENDIX.
sissippi this would not be safe, the navigation of the
latter river being both difficult and dangerous. Unless-
the waters of the Ohio are very high at its falls near
Louisville, a pilot should be engaged to navigate the
boat over them.

THE END.

03* The Author will take pleasure in attending to any
communications on the subject of America, if letters arc
addressed to him (post paid) at No. 39.. Paternoster-
Row.

Printed by A. Strahari,
Printers- Street, London.

3 9002 00561 1406

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