L I B R. A R. 1 OF THL UNlVER.ilTV or ILLINOIS I 917.3 J26s [t[:i\% Historical Survey r 1807, '^n^ THE STRANGER IN AMERICA: COXTAINIXG OBSERVATIONS MADE DURING A LONG RESIDENCE IN THAT COUNTRY. ON THE GENIUS, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES; WITH BIOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS OF PUBLIC CHARACTERS; HINTS AKD FACTS RELATIVE TO THE AliTS, SCIENCES, COMMERCE, AGRICULTURE, MANUFACWRES, EMIGRATION, AND %i)t g)lat)e %xm. BY CHARLES WILLIAM JANSON, ESQ. Late of the State of Rhode Island, Counsellor at Law. ILLUSTRATED BY ENGRAFINGS. ALBION PRESS : PRINTED FOR JAMES CUNDEE, IVY - LANE, PATERXOSTER-ROW, LONDON. 1807. PREFACE. TrHEN the Author of the folloxmig sheets, previous to his taking up the pen to commence his contemplated work, rejiected on the many volumes which have already appeared on the subject, he must acknowledge that he felt no very strong inclination to add his own lucubrations to the list. Year after year has this impression contributed to restrain a rising desire to communicate to the public the result of his observations respecting our once trans-atlantic brethren, but now the only remaining republicans in the civi- lized world. The persuasions of friends, together with the favorable oppor- tunities of obtaining a thorough acquaintance with the true character of the Americans, afforded by a long residence among them, arid the avo- cations he pursued during that time, have at length induced him to give to the world his ideas on the subject. He disclaims the vanity of aspiring to a place in the class of authors; had this been his ambition, he might have gratified it several years ago with equal facility. In perusing the contents of this volume, the reader should bear in mind this circumstance, that the author did not visit the United States for the purpose of making a regidar tour through the territories comprized in them. He removed to that country with an intention of passing a con- siderable part of his life there ; but the disappointments he met toith often caused him to change his residence, occasioning a journey Jirst in this di- rection. 489329 u PRKIACK. reclioii, then in tin: otjiir, and his nlnin, several ti/nts, to tlic samt point. To this cause must be ascii/jed the unnt of irgulaiiljj and of plan zchich some mat/ think Jit, at fist slight, to a/ledge against thin liork. On a nearer examination, hojcevcr, it nill he found that, in his remarks on each state, the author has preserved, as nearhf as possible, the geographical arrangement, commencing at the north, and ending at the south. In zchat i/ear, month, or day this observation uas made, or that circumstance happened, 7nusf be matter of perfect indiff'erence ; in their accnraci/ alone can the reader feel interested, and on this subject the i:riter assures him, that he has introduced nothing into his work but i:hat resulted from personal observation, or rested on the most indubitable authoritu. To a portion of the readers into xchose hands this book may chance to fall, some of the anecdotes contained in its pages may probably be familiar. For the younger and the most numerous class, he falters himself that they will have the charm if novelly ; the circumstances to which he alludes having occurred while they were yet unborn. If lie has occasionally had recourse to the writings of others, it has only been for the purpose of illustrating the subject under review, or supporting his opinions by their testimony. In soine ijistances, it is true, it will be found that he has en- deavored, and, as he hopes, with success, to refute error, and to combat niisreprescntation. The great length of time to zchich the authors visit to the United States was prolonged, was far from being agreeable to his inclination, for an English traveller xcill find his curiosity thoroughly satiated in as many moons . PREFACE. moons m fortune assigned years to him, in a count ry in even/ respect un- congenial to English habits, and to the tone of an Englishman's consti- tution. During the early part of his residence in America, and about the time he was planning his return to Europe, specious and tempting offers induced him to risk a considerable sum in a land-speculation, (a fatal snare laid for every emigrant) and the hopes of again reali::ing some portion of it, prevented his departure. He is obliged to confess the com- mission of a second act, equally injudicious— the embarkation of another sum in mercantile concerns, which eventually proved unfortunate, ouing, in a great measure, to the unprincipled conduct of the commanders of the vessels in his employ. Thus were his hopes beguiled, from day to day, for more than thirteen years ! The rooted aversion in the hearts of the Americaiis against the inha- bitants of Britain, was to the author a source of perpetual uneasiness. Among the lower order, in spite of his endeavors to adapt his behavior to their satisfaction, he was regarded as proud and haughty ; while a dis- tant kind of envious obsequiousness, tinctured with an affectation of supe- riority, was but too evident in the jnajority of his equals. Such being the case, it cannot be surprising that he nas never so happy as to form a true friendship xcith an American. From Germans and Frenchmen, num- bers of whom are found in different parts of the United States, he received many civilities, and these he doubts not would have been extended to acts of friendship, had he needed them. His opinion of the American character is not the effect of premature prejudice, nor is it founded on precarious observation. Had the author, like an ordinary traveller, merely rolled through the country, in the stage wag- 3 gons. viii TRErACK. sons, his strictures might uitli some shnc of justice huvc been challenged as the elf'itsiotis of spleen, or unbecoming partialifi/. So far from beitig influenced bt/ feelings of this nature, he trusts he shall he believed when he asserts, that he never uould have embarked for America, had not his mind been jwnrrf all 1/ biassed in favor of the United States and their in- habitants. Nor 7ias it till long experience had uniformly edhibited them in a point of view veri/ different from what he Jiad fondly expected, tliat he adopted his present sentiments, which have been strengtiiened and con- firmed by an attentive study of tfie genius, fiabits, and manners of t/iese people, during a constant intercourse with individuals of every class and description. The aullior is perfectly azcare of the reception ttiese remarks unll expe- rience in America, and that a liost of scribblers will rise up in arms to attack fiis work. He will, howeter, anticipate an answer. Americans make a point of denying every truth that in any way tends to expose a defective habit, or a national error. They bow before the shrine of adulation, fondly conceiving tfiemselves the merited favorites of heaven ; and the United States " a country wfiere triumph the purest principles of leoislatian which ever adorned civil society ; a country in which the human character is already elevated to a superior species of man, compared with tfie miserable zcretcfies of Europe."* All nations, it is true, liave tJieir follies, their caprices, and tJieir im- perfections ; but the manner in whicli tliey are affected by tfie exposure * Austin's Letters from London, Boston, 1804. ^ of PREFACE. ix of them, is uicleli/ dijf'ereiit. For instance— John Bull* laughs at the recital of his oicn follies; xvhik the slightest sarcasm rouses a spirit of resentment -in the bosom of the sullen Yankee. Though the Americans declaim so loudly in favor of liberty and equality, yet no where are those terms more unworthily prostituted. That equality, the establishment of which was a favorite object of the revolutionary re- publicans of France, is still the idol of the mob in the United States. The meanest plebeian zcoald he quite ungovernable, did he barely suspect you of harboring the idea that he was inadmissible to equal rank with the best informed of his fellow-citizens. Hence you are accosted by people of the lowest description with familiaritj/, and answered with carelessness. This, it is obvious, cannot be a very enviable state of society for a person educated in European notions of the decorum necessary to be observed in civilized life. With such chimerical ideas of liberty, the degradation of the slaves, and the large proportion of their numbers to that of the zchite population, in some parts of the American republic, must form a striking contrast in the mind of every reflecting reader. It will be seen, with horror, that the cruelties practised on this unfortunate race in that land of freedom, can scarcely be exceeded in the West India Islands. That this state of things cannot be of long duration, must be evident to the most superficial observer; and accordingly it appears, that very just apprehensions begin * This humorous personification of the English character is most ably delineated in the coniedv under the same title, written by tlie ingenious Mr. Colnian, who does not hesitate to lash the vices and follies of his countrymen, with unrelenting severity ; and tlie universalapprobation this piece has expe- rienced proves the good temper which John preserves under this kind of castigatiou. b already 3t PREFACE. alrcnfli/ (o he enter fii'nicd on this siilject in I lie Ameiiean States. Tlie principle of' the tnule in hinnan flesh, is too liorrihle, even for those most deephj interested in it, lo defend : huueier theij mail vidiie its pnifits, thei/ cannot possibly rcithstand the conviction of its injustice. It is rat In r a sini-nlar circinnstance, that the hist discussion, at rclfteli the author tids present, in the house of representatives, in the eitif of Jf ashingfon, rc- I(ded to this almininable traffic, and that, on his first entoini: the house of commons, after his return to London, he there heard an interesting and animated debate on the same subject. The eyes of governments appear to he opened to a serious consideration of the mischiefs nhich the prosecution of the slave trade must, sooner or later, entail on the regions to zchieh its influence extends; hut xvhether the present ben seasonable moment for its .suppression by the administration of Britain, he does not attempt to decide. yhner/ca, hotcevcr, labors under none of the embarrassments nhich an implacable enemi/ has found means to throrv in the uaj/ of the commerce of England. The question under the consideration of congress last year, Zias the propriety of imposing a tax on imported slaves, till an entire stop is put to the nefarious trajjic, tchich, by a provisionary act passed some years since, zcill take place in I HOB. Though no one can be a more decided- advocate for an amelioration if the condition of these ziretched blacks, than the author, yet he is convinced that their emancipation zcould be attended with imminent danger, as he has endeavored to shou' in the subsequent pages treating of South Carolina. Some evil cvoi attended the manumission of the slaves of the late General If ashington. The author has frequently heard the measure reprobated in the neighborhood of Mount Vernon, where he died. // ith a great part of them, liberty 3 Kfls PREFACE. xi Has prostituted to the purposes of licentiousness, tchich teas supported hi/ plunder. Many robberies tcere committed at this time, and great ?nis- chief done to the negroes still in bondage ; zcho, doubtless, xcere an.xious to participate in the outrages and idleness Gommitted and indulged in by their free brethren. The author has been at some pains to unfold the prospects that arcait the European emigrant in America. On this subject he is qualified to sjyeak, not only from his own experience, but from that of man?/ other perszns, whose delusive hopes have terminated in disappointment. He has endeavored to ejpose the knavery of American land-jobbers, and to shew the fallacy of all that native writers have advanced relative to the facility and small expence of forming an establishment in the western re- gions of the republic. The history of the author's friend, Mr. Gilpin, furnishes a striking and melancholy example to such as repair lo the new Tiorld on agricultural speculations^ The United States may still be considered as a nezv country, m eiery acceptation of the term. As such, therefore, it is but natural to suppose that those arts which supply the prime necessities of man, would there ex- perience the greatest encouragement, and be held in the highest estima- tion. Accordingly, the farmer and the mechanic must stand a better chance of success than any other classes of emigrants, and when we so often witness the failure, even of their hopes, can we be surprised at the yet more frequent disappointments of the professors of the liberal arts and sciences ; or of sucJi whose occupations are subservient only to the luxuries of life ? These can prosper only in the countries where society has ar- rived at a high degree of civilization, and where flourishing manufactures h t ami -J PRliFACK. and commerce have difiised ease and opulence. Sockiy h still in a .state of infancy in America. What encouragement is held oat to the studij of architecture, for in.^tancc, in a region zchere many of the inhahifanfs are satisfied with log-hou.^es ; or nhat progress can be expected in the arts of design, if from want of education, or dejiciencij in taste, their beauties are neither felt nor relished ? America has, comparativehj speaking, no manufactures ; and hnzi^ intimatchj the prosperity of arts and sciences is connected with these, it is unnecessary for the author even to attempt to demonstrate. All his ob.scrvafions on emigration fow from no other jnofive than re- gard for the icelfare of his country, and the happiness of his deluded fellow-subjects. Impressed with this sentiment, he has developed the illicit practices of American traders on the northern coasts of Ireland, and the injury which not only the revenue, bat likewise the empire at large mast sustain from their continuance. He falters himself that he may be the means of directing the attention of the B/ifi.^h administration to a subject which appears to him of no tripling importance ; and if his endeavors shall lead to the application of a remedy to this national mischief, or shall pre- vent only one discontented fellow-citizen from quitting the substantial blessings he enjoys at home, in order to seek imaginary comfort, happiness, and wealth amidst the unproductive zcastes and unsociable inhabitants of another hemisphere, his time and trouble will not have been bestowed in vain. During his residence in America, the author was no inattentive ob- server of passing objects and event. '< in the eTtcn.sive territories of the United States. Accordingly, the notes and observations which he made 2 arc PREFACE. xiii are both copious and varied. From them he has selected the sidjecfs of the following sheets, and on the reception ihey may experience will depend the publication of a second volume, much valuable matter still remaining unemployed in his possession. With respect to the engravings which illustrate his work, the author can assure the public that they exhibit correct representations of the ori- ginal, subjects. He was induced to give a preference to those of which they principally consist, namely, remarkable buildings, as affording a means of comparing the progress of the arts in America with that of other countries. Should it be objected that too g7'eat a proportion of them are taken from one city, the author s excuse is, that, in truth, scarcely any other city in America contains any edifice worthy of delineation. Aware that many impurfections may be found in the follozmig sheets, yet conscious of the rectitude of his motives for publishing his observations, in which he has been guided by a sincere desire that they may prove bene- ficial to his countrymen, the author throws himself upon their candor, and solicits the exercise of their indulgence in the perusal of them. CONTENTS. ERRATA. Page 108, for CHAP. XI. read CHAP. XII. Page L\9(5, instead of llie two last lines in the second column, read 17. Oliio ... - 1 Mississippi Territory - 1 Indiana Territory - - 1 Total \4J CONTENTS. CHAP. I. MOTIVES of the Author for going to America — He embarks in au American Ship — Chased by a French Privateer — Conduct of her Crew — Seizure and Recovery of the Author's Papers — Specimen of American Manners — A Squall — Singular Manner of catching a Shark — Treatment of the Passengers — American Duplicity — Noc- turnal Adventure — Arrival at Portsmouth — Curiosity of the Ame- ricans — Boston .-.------ 1 — 21 CHAP. II. Excessive Heat — Bed-bugs and Musquitoes — Processions — Orations — Bunkei's Hill — Death of Major Pitcairn — Vaults containing the Remains of the Officers who fell at the Battle of Bunker's Hill ....... 22— 3» CHAP. III. Extent of the United States — Present Number of Inhabitants — Ac- quisition of Louisiana and the Floridas — Conjectures on the Du- ration of the Federal Government — Statistical Survey of the United States - - - - - - - 51 — 34 CHAP. 16 CON : EN ! S. CHAP. IV. General Observations on the History of America — Province of Maine fnst explored by the Englisli in Search of Gokl — Artilice of the Natives — Anecdotes of Sir William Phijjps — Freebooters — Productions of the Province — Portland — Fahnouth - - 3J— 41 CIIAF. V. Connecticut — New London — Rigby's Mountain - - - 40 — 44 CHAP. VI. Adventures of Generals Whalley and Goffe, two of the Judges who condemned King Charles I. — Their long Concealment in various Parts of New England — Whalley's second Childhood described by Qoffc— Account of Colonel Dixwell — Strictuies on Dr. Stiles's Publication relative to these Regicides - - - - 45 — 56 CHAP. VII. Extremes of Heat and Cold in New England — State of Vegetation and the Produce of the Field— Direction of the Winds — Meteor- ological Observations on Rain — Uncertainty and State of the Weather - - 57 — 66 CHAP. VIII. Multiplication of Wild Pigeons in New England — Their Abundance in Carolina — Fecundity of Fisli in New England - - - 67 — 69 CHAP. IX. Mountains of the United States— The Blue Ridge— The White Mountains— Alleghany Mountains — Lakes— Survey of those with- in the Territory of the American Republic — Lake Superior — Huron — Eric — Ontario — Last Engagement between the American Troops and the Savgges - - - - - - - . ■ 70 — 79 CIIJP. CONTENTS. -i: CHAP. X. Excursion in Connecticut — Substantial Breakfast — Dinner — lloise- Corn — General Aspect of the Country — Frogs — Manners of the Inhabitants— Effect of Republican Principles — Dangerous Passage of Hell Gate — New York — Description of the City — Machinations of Genet, the French Ambassador — Dallas, the American Secretary of State - - - - - - - 80 — 91* CHAP. XL State of Religion in the United States — Sundays — Generosity of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Maryland — Shakers — Baptists, Anec- dotes of them — Camp Meetings of the Methodists - . _ loo — 107 CHAP. XII. American Public Characters — General Gates — General Hamilton — Colonel Burr — General Pinckney — General Putnam — Mr. Albert Gallatin — Mr. John Randolph — Mr. Levi Lincoln —Lord Fair- fax — Sir John Oldmixon — Tiiomas Law, Esq, — Paul Jones — Captain Hacker — Captain Peter Landois — General Arnold - 108 — 164 CHAP. XIIL Retreat of General Washington from Long-Island — Execution of Captain Hale, an American Spy — The Army — Opposition to capital Punishments — Pay of the Army Establishment - - 16.5 — 16 sails, for we had no defensive weapon on board, unless my fowling-piece could be so denominated. In an hour the enemy Avas nearly along-side, with English colours ilying at the main-top, and we were hailed in our own language. After the usual interrogatories and answers, we were ordered to hoist out our boat, and the captain, with his papers, was directed to come onboard. During the latter part of the chase our commander was decided!}^ of opinion that the enemy was English, but by constantly using my telescope, I perceived the greasy cap of liberty ornamenting the mast-head of the sans-culottes, and therefore told him to prepare for a liaternal hug. We represented, by means of our speaking-trumpet, that our boat was leaky, and therefore to comph'^ with their demand would be dan- gerous ; at the same time inviting them to board us. To this we were answered : " Out with your boat, or we will sink you." Our captain, who, like a great majority of his countrymen, was an inveterate enemy to England, could no longer contain his passion ; he cursed the iLnglisli, and swore that nothing but one of their " d ^d privateers" would act in this manner. " Go, captain," I replied, to your B friends 4 CONDUCT OF THE CREW OF THE PRIVATEER. friends the INTonsieiirs, and receive the lienodittlon of equality." "While lie went bcUiw lor his jjapers, and his sliore coat, the privateer hred anoth( r nun, lowered her Knylish colors, and hoisted the tri-colored ila"-of France. I ininiediateiy hastened after the captain, and told him that his friends were impatient ; lor they now spoke the language of his heart, which was legible at their main-top mast-head. He under- stood me, and in sullen silence put his bill of sale, manifest, and clear- ance inio bis pocket; and then came upon deck, while the crew were launchino- our leakv boat. The mask being thrown off. Monsieur le capitdiitc ioudlv vociferated, " Depcchcz vous, depecliez voim !" Botlv vesseK-, their sails a-back, had now edged within a stone's throw of each other, when l>ieutenant Minchin, on their again threatening to fire into us, roared out, in the true style of a British seaman, " Fire and be d l' ■ "^I'lus. fortunately, was not understood, except by an English- man, in " durance vile," on board the privateer, and wlio, by threats, was compelled to fulfil the derogatory olfice of hailing our vessel. His miserable companions in captivity were confined below the deck. Half an hour luid Capt. Trask undergone the ordeal of Gallic scrn- tinv, when we perceived ibur armed sum-culoltes descend into our shat- tered boat, which puslied off, rowed by two of our crew, who had con- ducted their captain on board the privateer. They were soon on the deck of the Industry, lor the sea was not much agitated. It is not in mv |)Ower to describe the appearance of this gang of raggamuffin ma- rauders. The leader was a tawny, squat, savage-looking Frenchman, in height not more than four feet and a half Over his shoulders was a thread-bare blue coat, with red facing. His paunch, and posteriors, which were disproportionably enormous, were covered with a greasy and coarse red cloth. This, as well as his coat, glared with yellow buttons of extraordinary size, on which were embossed the WTetched emblems of liberty and equality. Round his waist was girt a monstrous sabre, which a trooper would find it difficult to wield. At least a third of this instrument of death he dragged after him, while he strutted and 3 gasconadeil THEY SEARCH THE A31ERIC \N SHIP. 5 gasconaded on our quarter-deck. A pair of large ship pistols were stuck in his belt. On his head, in Avhich nature had sported until all proportion -was lost in overgrown size, was an enormous cocked hat, sur- mounted with a monstrous plume of coarse feathers. Though at the mercy of this ludicrous figure, we could not restrain our risibility. His seh-importance was evident to all, though no person on board under- stood one word of his menaces, save myself, nor could I immediately adjust the features of my face to accost him. I had, however, suiHcient command over my feelings, not only to subdue the strong impulse I felt to throw the animal overboard, but even to offer a complimentary introduction. I told him, in French, that I thought the gallantry of a Frenchman would have restrained him from intimidating a lady. 3rlrs. Minchin was near me. Having in some degree appeased the affected wrath of the intruder, who charged us with altering our course to avoid liim, he insisted on searching the trunks of the passengers, asserting, that he was sure we were English. This I stoutly denied ; and believe me, reader, it was the only time I have been reduced to this choaking humility. Looking up at me, his saffron face nearly in contact with my breast, he sarcastically replied, Jedis, encore, je suis sur au contraire. It Avas not till this moment that I recollected having the day before been employed amongst my papers, and that they lay in a deranged state and uppermost in my trunk. The fellow fortunately did not observe my confusion, yet nothing could have preserved my devoted papers. After ransacking various trunks of the other passengers, during which outrage he spared not even the linen of the lady, he came to my unfor- tunate property. Again looking up in my face, he roared out with the voice of arrogant authority, Poiirqiioi, faquin, navez vous pas expose cette malle la ? The other trunks had all been opened in rotation by their respective owners. To what indignities had I reduced myself! The idea of revenge flashed with redoubled force across my brain— a moment might have E 2 over- SEIZURE OF THE Al'TIIOR'S PAPERS. ovenvhelmtdnic, and blasted all my golden prospects in the happy land for which I was embarked. An involuntary menacing motion with my hand was interpreted as an effort to iind the key. He hastily de- mandefl it, and I peevishly answered that I had lost it. lie then jr^ve orders to his savage ibllowers to break open my trunk. At this instant one of the gang had taken up Mr^. Minchin's child, and the fears of the mother afforded me time to recover my calmness. The key was pro- duced ; seeing no alternative, l opened the trunk, and the result was such as I had apprehended. He scrambled up the i)ai)ers, uttering an hundred sacrc /J/V»'s, and grinned at me the most insulting sarcasms, Avhile another of the crew ran upon deck to announce to his comrades uue bonne prise. With my pajiei-s crammed into a dirty handkerchief, taken fi-om a still more dirty neck, the plunderers were regainingthe deck. To me alone they were of the utmost consequence, yet I knew that, without expla- nation, we might all be involved in trouble. I followed them, and after intreating my fellow passengers, in vain, to accompany me, I jumped into the boat amidst the Frenchmen, and again offended the captor by my presumption. I now used a more haughty tone— insisted on going on board the privateer, observing to ray misshapen tormentor, that there I would require justice of his superior. The Frenchmen nimbly got on board, and handed the bundle to the captain; then like true sons of equality, indiscriminately crowded round the companion- way, where the examination began. 1 followed, but found little pros- pect of gaining the place of search. The privateer was full of men, of a description calculated to recal to the imagination I'alstaff's picture of his company of soldiers. \Vithout exertion, I saw that I might be condemned, and our vessel also, without a hearing ; for the Mmsienrs were confident the papers w ould make us a good prize. Takmg, there- fore, one of the ragged rascals by the collar, and pushing anotlier aside, at the same time calling out avec permission, I reached the com- panion-way. I fijund the French captain, dressed a la mode Angloise, BECOVERY OF THEM. 7 in plain clothes. I addressed l)im in French, and he answered me v, ith politeness. He had, by this time, given a parchment (the counter[)art of a lease T had granted of a house in England) to an a])ostate American, one of the crew, and who was recognized by one of our people to be a native of Connecticut. This fellow, who scarcely knew his own name on paper, blundered out the first line of the deed, as far as " in the thirtieth year of the reign of our sovereign lord George the Third," when he threw it down, and swore it was a commission from old George. After the uproar of diahle'^ and mon Dicit's had ceased, I perceived the captain looking at me, as if for an explanation. On this point I gave him entire satisfaction ; and finding no instrument remain- ing which looked so formidable as the lease, he returned my papers, and, with Parisian complaisance, apologized for the trouble he had given me. He then invited me to drink a glass of claret with him, which the hurry of my spirits, and the exertions I had used, rendered most grateful. I therefore filled a large tumbler to the brim, thanked him, and drank it. This privateer was called L'Esperance, and had taken some prizes. I was highly gratified in reading, a short time after my arrival in America, that she did not long remain a pest to the ocean ; but that being taken by a vessel belonging to her enemj'', she was conducted into an En glish port. I could not, on this occasion, restrain a wish that my little dingy hero had been consigned to the voracious inhabitants of the deep. On taking leave of the privateer, I Avas accosted in English by a respectable looking man, who had been confined until it appeared that there was no danger from our resistance, and who informed me, that he had been taken by the Esperance a few daj s before, in an American vessel which he commanded. This man gave me his name, with that of his ship, and requested me to hand it to a printer on my arrival. I accordingly gave the particulars to Major Benjamin Russell, printer of 2 the 8 sPi;cniEN of amkrican mannkrs. the C'olmnbiaii Centinel, wlio inserted it next day in his paper. These names I have forgotten; indeed, at this remote period they would be but of httlc use. Tiiis captain hkewise informed me, that Ave had ex- perienced a hicky escape, as the most triflin;;- suspicions circumstances wouUl l)ave thrown us into *' tlie liloody jaws of ^larat." * The privateer veered round while I was again getting on board the Industry: the crew manned the yards, and g-ave us three cheers. This manceuAre, however, the lady was prevented from witnessing, for many of the Frenchmen were literally sons culottes, and being in this situation elevated on the yards and shrouds, ])resented objects not ex- actly adapted to the eye of female modesty. We returned them three hearty curses — but not before we thought them out of hearing. >A'c had contracted for our passage with Capt. Trask for thirty guineas each, including our provisions. This was a large sum to a man who confessed that he never had carried a passenger across the Atlantic. He was to lay in an ample stock of provisions, a certain quantity of wine and porter, to which were added, at oin- own expense, some bot- tled cyder, and spirituous liquors. We had also requested him to pro- cure a plentiful supply of other article s,so that we might not suffer by a vovage of longer duration than usual, and promised, in that case, an additional remuneration. We were greatly surprised to find on the first day a dinner of salt beef, but as he apologized by observing that ■ things were not vet in order to cook fresh pro\ isions, « e n)ade no com- ments. While at this our first meal on board, a specimen of American effrontery was given us by Bob, the cook-boy, a sprig of a true-born Yankee,f who, reaching his dirty arm across the table, took a tumbler • See Burke's Spi-ecli on the French Revolution. t This is so far from being considered a term of reproach by the inhabitants of New England, that it is employed by them in the same manner, and perhaps with greater complacency, than a native of Old England applies to his countrymen the appellation of " John Bull." It should likewise be observed, that the term is confined only to the people of the New England states, who are even called Yankees by those of the southern states, and CELEBRATION OF THE FOURTH OF JUNE. 9 and deliberately filled it with equal parts of rum and water. Amazed at this behavior, we waited the result. He looked round, and laniili- arlv noildinu' his head, " Good Iblks," said he, *• here's to ve." Then with jDerfect sangfroid, he swallowed the contents, and looked round for aj)probation. We stared at each other, but no one spoke, till Cratvath, the American passenger, exclaimed, " Ah ! pure nature !" We, however, perceived that Bob's countryman was not well pleased with this first exhibition of American equality. Bob was laughed at, and soon found that he had not hit upon the right plan to obtain a glass of grog. In return, he sometimes muttered among his companions, " the proud English !" A few days after our a^lventure with the privateer, arrived the fourth of June. It was not til! alter dinner that we were aware of the circum- stance, on which we agreed to have a bottle of wine each, in honor of the day ; but under a resolution of subsequent economy in the consump- tion of our store of that grateful beverage. The first glass was scarcely filled before the Englishmen, with one accord, toasted " The King," in which the American passenger joined. We then gave " The President of the United States," in compliment to Mr. Cravath, who seemed highly gratified. The great and good Washington, who then filled that office, merited the remembrance. Sentiments were then proposed, and Mr. Plank, in his turn, gave " Bloody noses to the French." This too was drunk by Mr. Cravath, without comment; but when he was called upon, he reversed the toast, and drank " Bloody noses to the English." This had nearly put an end to our conviviality. The impropriety of my countiyman's behaviour, in our then situation, forcibly struck me the moment he pronounced the toast; but I had hoped it would have been passed over, and therefore took no notice of it. I mention this trifling circumstance, to shew the reader the sentiments entertained at that time by Americans towards England. Mr, Cravath was a mild man, of few words, and never introduced politics, yet rancour against his mother- country was not eradicated from his mind ; and I fear its seeds still vegetate 10 A SQUALL. vegetate in those of tlircc-lourtlis of liis conntiymcn. Mr. Plank was al)out to make a severe retort, Avheii I interfLicd, by observing, that he had himself qiven occasion to the obnoxious sentiment, by inconside- rately wishing discomfiture to his enemies, in the presence of one whose country was at peace, and in treaties of amity with them. Here the matter rested; the Englishman was good-natured, and the American joined in wishing that nothing had been said, at such a time, by either of them, respecting the IVench. Thus, hilarity was restored, and the day concluded, as it always should with Englishmen — in good humour. Fourteen days we had run before the wind ; not a sheet or a tack had been altered : we were one evening congratulating each other on the liiir hopes of a very short passage, when, on retiring to our respective cabins, i\Ir. Minchin observed that the vessel heeled a good deal. He immediately ran upon deck, and ibund a heavy squall coming on, while the mate at the helm was giving directions to take in the tojvsails. American mariners do not always follow the example of the English in taking in their small sails before night approaches, and we severely felt the consequences of this omission. The braces and sheets having been long neglected in consequence of favorable gales, great confusion and delay took place in securing the vessel. The wind had suddenly shifted, and it now blew a heavy gale. The noise on deck alarmed us — the ladj^ was shrieking, and fear seized all the inmates of the cabin. It Mould be ridiculous to deny that I was not in a state of great dread ; for it w as the fn-st gale I had ever encountered upon the ocean. Tlie captain ■was roused from his sleep, and ran uj)on deck with no other doathing than his shirt; he seized the helm, while the mate, vith ^Ir. IMinchin, used every exertion to get in the sails. This was accomplished in about half an hour, when the latter relieved our fears in the cabin, by inform- ing us " that the vessel was now snug." I then ventured upon the deck, where the foaming of the waves, and the whistling of the wind, by no ineans tended to dispel my apprehensions. 1 applied to the mate, who had resumed his |>ost at the helm, for consolation. IIo laughed at my anxietv. ALARM OF THE AUTHOR. 11 anxiety, and said it was only a sudden puff; adding, "d n bcr, she did to be sure run off like a scalded hog." Such, however, are the perils of the ocean, that the mind of a pas- senger can never be said to be truly at ease. When lie lies down to rest, he dreads the dangers of the night; ^^bile bis meals are often in- terrupted by the unpleasant call of " All hands upon deck." 1 his gale continued four daj'^s, during which the vessel lay to, under a double- reefed fore-sail. On the morning after the squall overtook us, I \veut upon deck, and was greatly alarmed at fniding no person there, and a heavy sea running. I fancied the crew had abandoned the ship, and, under this impression, I called out for the captain or the mate. " What do you want?" replied one of the seamen, stretching out his neck from behind the binnacle. I told him mj^ apprehensions, at which he laughed immoderately. I fancied the fellow an insulting savage ; but, when he had sufficiently indulged his risibility at my expense, he told me that the crew could do nothing while the Avind continued in that point, and no- thing more was required than " a hand to look out." I now jiroceeded upon the main deck, and looking down, saw the mate busily engaged with his reckoning, some of the crew asleep, and others employed as thej' thought fit. We had now to contend against adverse winds, and a tremendous sea, till we reached the banks of Newfoundland, of which we were apprized by the thick fog that enveloped us. The sea became tranquil ; and, as it were, yielded to the influence of the fbs:. ^o- The following incident occurred not long before to a ship, in the la- titude in which we now were : The cook had slung overboard a piece of salt beef, in order to wash and freshen it for dinner; and not as a bait for the rapacious tenants of the deep. The barrel being nearly empty, he was unable to reach the beef without the assistance of a harpoon, which happened to be at hand, and which he had struck c so IS A SHARK CAUGHT. SO forcibly into it, that, fiiulinq; some difficulty in drawing out the instrument, he threw the whole over tiie side of the sliip, first fasten- ing it to a rope. A shark of an enormous si/.e, must, unperceived, have followed their track, for, in a very i'cw niiiuites, one of the seamen observed the coil of rope, to which the cook had attached the meat, di- minishing at a great rate. Ignorant of the use to which it had been put, he seized it, and finding a great resistance, called for aid, by which the course of the ravenous animal was checked, and they soon discovered it writhing in agony. It was drawn alongside, and with considerable diificulty hoisted upon the deck. On the cook's explanation, it became a matter of surprise how the shark could be held ; but, upon examina- tion, tlle\' found that a bone in the beef had been started by the introduc- tion of the harpoon, in such a direction, that, on being swallowed, it completely operated as a hook, and thus rendered all the animal's attempts to disengage itself utterly unavailing. This circumstance affords another confutation of the assertion of Lin- nrens, who says, that the shark devours her own young. On extracting the beef, three young sharks followed, in full vigour. I lad the old one received them into the stomach as food, life would, undoubtedh^ have been ex- tinguished before the expiration of half the time that had elapsed from her being hooked, to the extracting of the bait. We find that Sir Ri- chard Hawkins, in his account of his voyage to South America, upwards of two centuries ago, says, that he has observed the young sharks have free egress and regress into the mouth of the dam, and that he has found them in the stomach. Of late years. Dr. IMosely on the subject, asserts, that the young sharks retreat into the stomachs of the old ones, in time of danger. In this instance, the young ones struggled upon the deck with great activity ; and, small as they were, they excited so great a terror, that few chose to venture too near them- The cook, to whom they'were consigned, dressed them for dinner, and it required but little effort in the crew to banish their prejudice, when placed on the table. 3 In INADEQUATE ACCOMMODATIONS. 13 In the stomach of the old shark, which measureid fourteen feet, two inches, in length, were found a variety of both finny and testaceous fish, a turtle half digested, several cray-fish, two of which, having been lately swallowed, were eaten at supper; and several large bones. They were unable to determine the species of animal to which many of the latter had belonged. I have already obsen ed that Captain Trask was to receive thirty gui- neas per head for our passage, and that he was promised a further re- compence in case of a long voyage and sufficient sea stores. He pur- chased about three dozen fowls, the greater part of which died from improper treatment, the first week; two dozen ducks; two dozen bottles of port wine ; t\^o gallons of rum; two of brandy; not more than two or three dressings of iresh beef, and a single joint of veal ; with some tea and sugar, potatoes and' cabbages. We often calculated the cost oi" these articles, and found they could not amount to the price of one passage. The vessel, too, was not accommodated lor i>assengers, being, in fact, a lumber-carrier, trading with timberof every description from. AMscassett, one of the most northerly ports of the United States, to Great Britain. Neither the want of accommodation, nor the rudeness of the captain, was regarded at the moment of embarkation. J know not to how much greater inconvenience we ^vould have submitted, to be blessed with a sicht of the far-famed land to which we were bound. How sweet are the delusive dreams of imagination !— But to return to our captain. Our fresh provision of butchers' meat were consumed before the end of a single week, while the fowls were dying at the rate of three or four a day. We A\ere therefore already upon what is called " Ship's allow- ance." This was beef, pork, and biscuit. Such is the constant fare of seamen; and, being used to no other, they look not for variety. We too, though now for the first time obliged to live like seamen, should have been content, had the provisions been good. To our vexation, we found them difficult to masticate, and disairreeable to the palate. (-• 2 the 14 A IMORTII'VING DISCOVI-RY. The mate, whose name was Nye, told me, that the beef was American, and by no means the best — that it had crossed and re-crossed the Atlan- tic he knew not how often ; the pork, he added, was not worth mention- ing, because there was but very httle left; the biscuit, to which we Avere also reduced, was of" a similar description with the beef, being worm-eaten and rotten ; while our water was nearly in a state of putri- dity. Our wine and spirits too were entirely gone. It a|)peared that Citizen Bob made free with our liquors, notwithstanding the rebuff" he experienced upon his first attempt, changing only the mode, by taking his glass behind our backs. Now, Bob had almost as many different offices to fill on board, as Scrub enumerates to Archer: he was steward as well as cook, and in this capacity he had the care of our cabin-stores. He was also the onlv individual of the crew who had for yome time en- tered the cabin; for our captain had long fled from our reproaches, and had made himself a birth in the steerage. This stewardship in a consi- derable degree contributed to the pi'emature exhaustion of our liquors; for Bob, (and I never met with an American who did not) loved his glass. This, however, could not have made such obvious ravages in his charge, had he confined his glass to himself We discovered, when, alas ! too late, that our Yankee " helpmate," — for, reader, we must not use the word servant, as j'ou shall hereafter know, — had made frequent repetitions of " Here's to ye," with company more suited to his taste. In short. Bob had not only made pretty free himself, but had been most liberal to his shipmates, taking our liquor by wholesale in return for our laugh- ing him out of his glass.— A cork was jH-obably drawn as often under the (ore-scuttle as in the cabin ; and thus, our store of liquor was exhausted before we reached the banks of Newfoundland. The discovery of these misfortunes greatly encreased our clamours against the authors of them. Our captain now seldom came even upon the deck, except when called by his indispensable duty ; in the perfor- mance of which he took care to shield himself against our attacks. I have omitted to mention, that, very early on our voyage, our captain contrived AMERICAN DUPLICITY. 15 contrived to obtain from each of us the whole of our passage-money. This business Avas moved by the captain's countryman, our fellow-pas- senger, Cravath, who first paid up the balance of his thirty guineas before the whole commonwealth of the cabin. Americans are a people who seem to gather from the habits of every European nation, something which they turn to their own advantage ; and to elucidate this, it is only necessary to observe " that they stick together like Scotchmen when abroad." The example of Cravath was followed without suspicion, and a week previous to the discovery of the rapid decay of our subsistence the whole of our passage-money was paid. Now, had I been taking my passage from a British port, and in a British bottom, for Lisbon— nay, even for Calais, I should not have paid a shilling till I was safely landed at mv destined port. The case was hei'e far different : and, with Doc- tor Pangloss I would mentally exclaim, " Am I not with the true sons of freedom r — am I not about to pay them a domestic visit ?" The idea of that caution which I had ever found most useful, when a separation was to take place between my purse and my cash, I would not now for a moment endure. With what jjleasure did I pay my balance to the cap- tain ! How eagerly did I then question him upon the distance still before us ! My heart beat with a sensation not to be described, when this diild of nature was flattering me with the fair prospects of a short passage, while he pocketed my money. Our situation was a constant source of discontent, and the English passengers appeared impatient to land, that they might wreak their ven- geance on the captain, the moment they should catch him out of his vessel. The esteem 1 entertained for him w as converted into indigna- tion ; and being, perhaps, of too sanguine a constitution, it was w ith some difficulty I forbore taking some revenge on his person while on board. I however repressed the impulse, but on every opportunity loaded him with reproaches. In his society, for he now messed with his crew, by way of retaliation, he branded me w ith the appellation of " The Grumbler ;" and I am ready to confess that I put myself foremost 2 in iG Tint GRUMBLER PAID FOR GRUMBLING. ill our stnii>;t;l(; tor a redress of yrit'vances. This new title wiis soon haiulid by liuh into the cabin: my companions at first made them- selves merry npon it ; while I could not cordially join with them, lor it served rather to irritate than to soothe my mind. I replied, in order that l^ob "might carry my observation back by way of answer, that if ever we arrived at Boston, he should have an opportunity of calling me The Flogger, as well as the grumbler; tor, unless he returned me a good pait of the monej'^ of which he had completely swindled me, be the consequence what it might, I would exercise my horsewhi|) upon him. In a few minutes the captain was in full possession of my threat, with as man}' aggravating circumstances as Bob could invent; but on the next day a negociation was opened between him and the malcontents, through the medium of Mr. Cravath. After some time spent in de- bate, a restitution of five guineas each was proposed, together ^^ith the contrition of our commander; and this was accepted. I had now not only the gratification of playing off my adopted name with great advantage, but observed to the crest-fallen ca])tain, that I had worked his shame, and that he had paid me five guineas for my grumbling. Peace was now restored ; the captain, in order to insure his entire safety on landing, told us that we might most likely procure some sj)irits, or spruce-beer, trom the fishing vessels, which began to apj e ir in sight. This observation was made in consecpience of two large hallibuts, a rich, fine-flavored fi^h, being caught, from the Industry ; yet, after regaling on them, we had. nothing to drink but stinking water : for a breeze springing up, favorable to our course, the captain would not hail the fishermen. We would have compounded with the sacrifice of a Avholc week longer in our unpleasant situation, and even offered a guinea each for a single gallon of spirits and a barrel of fresh water; yet we could procure no tiirlher supply till our arrival. We now approached the land, which was evident, as well from the birds, as from an alteration in the color of the water. The reckoning, both LAND— NOCTURNAL ADVENTURE. 17 both of the captain and of the mate, v/as run out ; but Mr. jMinchin, Avho also kept one, declared that we were not so near as the others as- sei'ted. The long-wished lor object was the next day descried ii'oni the mast-head by the mate, wlio called out "land under the starboard bou." Those alone can form a judgment of our sensations, who, for tlie first time have been plowing, during six weeks, the uncertain ocean, and who have been ojjjjosed by advei'se wind:?, with intervening discord on board their httle bark. The land descried was the mountain called Agnamenticus, in New Hampshire, a land-mark for mariners. We made the shore, with a fi-esh gale, and gained the river Piscata\^ay, on which is situated tlie town of Portsmouth. We were boarded, on our entrance into this river, by a custom-house boat, with an officer, who exhibited a grotesque appearance. He was clad in the fashion prevalent among the lowest class of the country people of England in the earliest years of my youth, and his garments had suffered much in his service. Our captain, anticipating our well-grounded complaints, a|;ologized to him lor a lack of entertainment, by observing, that our long passage had entirely exhausted our stores of liquor. This iniAvel- come information, added to our only making the river for a harbour, (being bound to Boston,) soon caused him to take his leave. Before we could come to our moorings, the wind blew hard, and the rain drove the passengers into the cabin. Another night were we doomed to pass without relief in our prison, for so the vessel now appeared to us. About midnight, honest Bob roared out in the midst of his sleep, and his cries,- predominating over the wind and the rain, roused us from our cabins. Hastening to that part of the vessel Avhere he lay, I found that he had been bitten by a rat, and his upper lip was much swelled, and bleeding. He was soon thrown into convulsive fits, and it was with difficulty that we could confine him to his bed. The captain wished him to be bled, but, such is the wretched state in which many Ameri- can vessels are fitted out, though the government have, by law, pro- vided to the contrary, that no kind of article of relief) medicinal or surgical, was to be found on board. In my pocket-book was a lancet, and 18 PORTSMOUTH— CURIOSITY OF THE AMEIIICANS. and on making this known, the captain intrcatcd me to produce it, and to hleed the patient. As I could not reconcile the idea of this opera- tion to my present situation, I declined the proHored honor of draw nig American blood. Mr. Nye, the mate, then took the lancet; after many unsuccessful attempts he opened a vein, and jwor B(.b revived. He had been more terrified than hurt by the disgusting animal. The morninu' arrived, and the passengers prejiared to go on shore. To Mr. Minehin this |)ort was more agreeable than that of Boston, inasmuch as it was about sixty miles nearer the place of his destination. He informed us that he was bound to Halifax, of which i)lace, his wife's uncle, Mr. Wentworth, was the British governor. INIr. Cravath's at- fairs in Bo-ton requiring every possil)le dispatch, he determined to take the stage, by which conveyance he might arrive there in one day. A boat was procured, which received Mr. and Mrs. Minehin, the child, and their baggag*', while the remainder of the passengers got into the shiji's boat, which had been repaired, and after rowing two miles, landed us at Portsmouth, in New England. This town is beautifully situated, about four miles from the mouth of the river Piscataway. It is nearly as large as Gravesend, but built <:hictly of wood ; and about twenty sail of vcsselswere lying at the wharfs. On landing, we were surrounded by a motley group, from the well- dressed merchant, down to persons whose appearance bespoke the most squalid indigence. The first salute we received, was from at least a dozen voices, inquiring the news from England. We had been apprised that unbounded curiosity was a prominent trait in the character of the Ameri- cans. While I was attempting to satisfy one party, another had gathered round Mr. Plank. This gentleman had a little of the humorist in his composition. He answered his surrounding enquirers, with much gravity, that there was great news from England. " Pifty thousand men," CUx^IOSIlY OF THE AMERICANS. 19 ineii," continued he, " rose in the town where I embarked, the morn- ing we sailed." Here again it was very evident what satisfaction a large majority received from a supposed misfortune to old England. " Wliat then ? what did they do then r" was the next question. " Why," re[)lied Plank, " I do not know, but 1 judge"—" What: what?"— " That at night they went to bed again !" It would have required the pencil of a Hogarth lo depict the various countenances of the Yankees. Rage, it is true, appeared but momentary — the sense- of rebuke drove some away — some laughed — and one, with a better turn of mind, observed, that he was glad to fmd Englishmen merry on their arrival in the country. IMr. Cra\'ath, no doubt, dreading delay, hurried to the post-house, and we saw no more of him till our arrival at Boston. Good-humor being in some measure restored, the intelligence of the tranquillit}' of England, of the distrac- tion of France, of our detention on our voyage, with a variety of other particulars, was received by oura uditors with apparent gratification. The impression made by this inquisitive disposition upon the mind of a stranger, is at first favorable. He concludes that these interrogatories will lead to acts of kindness ; conscious that Englishmen would not take the trouble — nay, would not dare to question each other with- out making, at least, an otler of services. In England, every one appeai-s to find full employment in his own concerns; — here, it would seem that the people are restless until they know every person's business. If the Americans have any national trait, which has been denied by some writers, it is this intrusive curiositi/. Nor is it to acquire useful information that these people pester strangers ; it is habit, for they act in the same manner towards each other; and on meeting, they projjose, as it were, in one breath, a long string of questions to each other. If, however, a question is asked them by a person apparently a foreigner, they hesitate, and avoid giving a reply by demanding his business, leaving the stranger under that most unpleasant sensation which is pro- D duced 20 porvTSMOUTii :makket. duced by a doubtful and ambi^^iious recei)tion. This habit, to those unacquaintfd witli tliem, indicates suspicion that he comes amonj]^ theni to gain unfair information, or to outwit them in some favorite speculation. If he would avoid ins-ult, he must bear with this* and have in readiness an uniform set of answers, for which in travelling he will have abundant occasion, wherever he stops in his progress through New England. No farther attention was paid us, but we were left to continue our •way to the market to purchase fresh provisions. As every principal town in America has a daily market, we found no difficulty in sui>ply- ing ourselves, ha\ing submitted to all impositions. We purchased < tolerably good beef at fbur-penc^ per pound ; lobsters at three-pence, according to weight ; and bread was nearly the same price as in Eiigland at our departure. The dollar is here at six shillings ; the reader may therefore rate the beef at three^nce, and tlie lobsters at two-pence farthing sterling per pound. We soon discovered that we had paid at least a halfpermy per pound more than the market price ; but in other countries, the perversion of the scriptural expression " I was a stranger, and ye took me in," is perhaps still more strikinglj^ exemplified. On the next day we again continued our voyage, and anchored in the harbor of Boston, witliout meeting with any incident worth relating. All animosity being now at an end, Mr. Plank and myself, the only passengers remaining on board, invited the captain and mate to regale with us in tlie cabin. Boston is a large commercial town ; the port ^^as full of shipping, and the bustle of business ajipeared in all tiie streets leading to the harbor. Mr. Cravath, agreeably to his promise, soon came on board, and con- ,.ducted me to a lodging-house, kept by Mrs. Archbold, behind the old church, at the head of State Street, one of the best in the town. Mrs. Arclvl)old was an elderly married lady, but her hiu^band was a mere cypher , EXTRAVAGANT CHAR(;ES AT BOAIJDIXG-HOL'SES. 21 cypher in the house, while three or four daughters completely' filled the circle. Her price was seven dollars per week, but the extra charges, which, in all such houses in America, are unconscionable, amounted, during the week I remained there, to four more, making two pounds and twelve shillings sterling money ! For washing I was charged one dollar each dozen pieces, and the smallest handkerchief is charged equal to a shirt. It is not the price of pro\ isions which causes these exorbitant charges, nor public taxes, nor house-rent ; all these things are moderate. It is on the score of tmuble that every thing is rendered dear in America. If you comment upon the price of an article, you are sure to have the answer end with, " and then consider the trouble." If I had judged them at the time by my own feelings, I could not have demurred, for I confess it was great trouble to me to move— to eat— I had nearly said to drink ; which would have been a gross falsehood, for I drank the whole day long, and at night still craved for drink. Tiie heat to me, just landed from the cool sea-breezes, and ever used to tem- perate climates, was almost insupportable. So profusely did I perspire, that I changed my shirt several times in a day, until I was cautioned against a too frequent repetition of that comfortable practise, and told to remain with it thoroughly wet, rather than run the risk of checking perspiration by putting on cold linen. In Carolina, where the ther- mometer is much higher, I did not suffer in such a degree. The reason was evident ; my constitntioi^ was in some measure inured to the cli- mate before I visited that unhealthy country. Had I landed in Charleston, instead of Boston, I am of opinion that nature would have sunk under the effects of the excessive heat. D2 CHAF. «2 CHAP. 11. EXCESSIVE HEAT — BED-BUGS AND MUSgUITOES — PROCESSIONS — ORATIONS — bunker's hill — DEATH OF MAJOR PITCAIRN — VAULTS CONTAINING THE REMAINS OF THE OFFICERS WHO FELL AT THE BATTLE OF BUNKER's HILL, W E landed in Boston on the third of July, and the fourth w as the day of Jubilee — the anniversary of the declaration of American inde- pendence. The fatigue of getting my baggage on shore in the exces- sive heat of a meridian sun, had nearly exhausted me before I reached my lodgings. I, however, met with no detention or aggravating circum- stance at the custom-house — no extortion — no demand of tees. An oath was administered to me, that the baggage "was for my own pri^•ate use ; and this was the only ceremony I underwent. By dinner time I had lost all appetite, and, suffering under a most pro- fuse perspiration, had thrown myself upon my bed, from which I had no inclination to rise. Instead of dinner, I substituted large draughts of weak punch; and for supper, tea. I now endeavored to compose myself to sleep, but soon found the night to be more intolerable than the day. No cool breeze accompanied it — not even a breath of air ; tormented with myriads of bugs and musquitoes, which blistered me all over,* I contended against their united efforts until the morning's dawn drove • The bite, as it is called, or rather the puncture of the musquitoe, thoagh seldom felt at the inenicnt it is inflicted, is altendcd with great irritation ; and sometime'!, if improperly treated, with dangerous r(>(ise()ueuces. It is tlie buinng noise the insects make while on the wing, added to the seusc of having BOARDING-HOUSE MISSES. 23 drove them from their prey. Thus relieved,! had fallen into a refreshing sleep, from which I was soon roused by one of the Miss Archbolds, a pert virgin, though growing a little antique. She summoned me to rise and join in the festivity of the day— a most unwelcome message for a man in my situation. I craved a respite, and requested more tea ; but I found that nothing could be obtained, without a promise of rising. On mj'^ entenngthe parlour, the ladies were seated at breakfast, dressed, and ready to join in jocund sports; than which, nothing could just then have been more irksome to me. ] found their anxiety for my presence arose from the use they intended to make of me as their gal- lant to the Mall, the Parade, and the Orations ; while they intimated how much [ might think myself favored by their preference, adding a torrent of empty compliments and insipid jokes. I shrunk with disgust from the fitmiliarity of persons to whom I had been known but a few hours, and whom I expected to have found attentive to the accommo- dation which a stranger on landing from a long voyage must naturally require. To add another wound to my feelings, my body still smart- ing from the attacks of my midnight tormentors, one of the young fflt tlip effects produced by their bite, which causes a most unpleasant sensation. A traveller who visited part of the United States some years ago, Mr. Weld, speaking of this insect, says: " General Washington told me, that he never was so much annoyed by musquitoes in any part of America as in Skenesboraugh? for that they used to bite through the thickest boot." This is told with an air of gravity, and no doubt the author meant that it should be believed. I confess, though I have been in a part of the countrv through which this autlror never penetrated, where the climate and situation are more favorable to the musquitoe, I never saw or heard of sucK dangerous wounds as those must he which are inflicted by an insect capable of biting through the thickest boot. This i^ more than even a rattle-snake has the ^trem^tli {O do ; for I have seen the marks of the teeth of one on the leather breeches of a man in North Carolina, which entire!) resisted tlie bite. 1 have often heard this assertion of Mr. Weld's conjinnntea upoa ia America— not as to the possibility of the fact itself, but as an instance of the misrepresentations of Euro- peans with respect to their counti'v. It has even been treated in a contemplumis manner in their pio- Tincial newspapers ; and in some places 1 have heard it quoteil, when an improbable anecdote was elated, " that's like the musquitoes tliat bit General Washington through his boot !" Some observed jhat it must have been a joke ; while others replied, that the General was no jcter. In makii:g tliis comment, 1 would not be understood to decry Mr. Weld's p\iblication ; it arises from a duly I owetosom friends in America, and to fultil a promise I made them of e.\plaining mistakes. There ia truth in most of Wr. Weld's observations. lailies 24 ANNIVERSAUY OF AMERICAN INDE1>ENDENCE. Ivulies begaii to(juestion me in the usual manner of the country. I hiid jxtssed the ordeal on my iii-st interview, while hargaining tor my apart- ments, hut unluckily one of the family was not present, anortioned only to that of Greiit Britain, instead of five or six millions, it ought to contain two hundred and thirty-nine millions of inhabitants. Notwith- TROBABILITY OF A SEPARATION OF THE STATES. 33 Notwithstanding this vast disproportion between the population and the territory of the United States, the Americans are still farther ex- tending their limits. Considering the opposite interests of the northern and southern states, it is surj)rising that the federal constitution has so long maintained itself, and triumphed over contending parties. Some of the best informed men are, however, of opinion, that the com])act will not hold much longer, and that the next election of a president will sever the states, and leave New-York or Pennsjdvania the boun- dary between them. The northern states are firm federalists; that is, of Washington's system : in the south, they are violent democrats, bawlers for liberty in the very midst of slavery. The latter have t\A'ice elected Mr. Jefferson as president; and it is conjectured that, should the federals fail in their majority at the next election, it will be the •iocsin of disunion. For the information of the statistical inquirer, I have subjoined a table which affords a perspicuous and comprehensive view of the relative ex- tent, population, &c. of the various states, and their newdy-purchased possessions. Though, in some of the amounts, it may slightly differ from the preceding statement, yet I believe it to be as correct upon the Avhole, as it is possible to make such a survey of so extensive an empire. Every reader must be aware that, on subjects of calculation, scarcely any two writers are agreed ; and this cannot be surprizing when the difficulty of procuring accurate data is considered. I shall further pre- mise, that, from my personal knowledge, in this table the number of slaves is under-rated.. STATISTICAL C/2 Li) O d H ■2■^.■^;-• ■= -; .5 - 5 ;^ 5 5 5 r? 5 :?: 2 s5 ff .^ a 5 = --. =t 5 f c' = o r- n i- C '5 1 s i t - 5 = 5^= ^==-5 = « S * = * 2 ? =■■? =-5 S =:=-£^ * = S^ » «3 = ll i Sg ^*: ■3 c c^ '2 .5 °- -' S! :; _ - _ "^ Jl ■r. ^ '.'; :-. 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GEKERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE HISTORY OF AMERICA — PROVINCE OF MAINE FIRST EXPLORED BY THE ENGLISH IN SEARCH OF GOLD — ARTIFICE OF THE NATIVES — ANECDOTES OF SIR WILLIAM PHIPPS — FREEBOOTERS — PRODUCTION* OF THE PROVINCE — PORTLAN D— FALMOUTH. 1 HE outlines of the general history of America have been so often traced and described, that it is needless to enlarge on that subject. Every reader knows, that Columbus claimed the merit of discovering the New World— that the Spaniards, led on by Pizarro and Cortes, accompanied by priests bearing the cross of Christ, for gold, destroyed a race of their fellow-creatures, far exceeding the population of Old Spain. It is equally well known, that Canada was wrested from the French in battle, and that the conquest was sealed with the blood of the brave General Wolfe, at Quebec. Various religious sects first took possession of New England. The revolt of the thirteen colonies — their declaration of independence — the seven years* war in which they struggled against the mighty arm of their mother country — the treachery of the King of France in aiding the colonics against her, by which the acknowledgment of their independence was obtained, but which even- tually brought down ruin upon his devoted head, and all those distrac- tions that long rent the bosom of France ; while they involved nearly the whole of Europe in the flames of war — are well-known to be events connected with the history of America. It appears, from more ancient records, that several years had elapsed from the time of the discovery of Columbus, before human nature was disgraced by the rapine and murder committed upon tlie unoffendiug F natives .It) PROVINCE OF MAINE EXPLOfRED IN SEARCH OF GOLD. natives of Mexico and Pern, by the Spaniards. 'I'lie Spanish com- manders liaving discovered the mines of precious metals, tlie exercises of chivalry were neglected — the knights preferring adventures in the New World ; while tilts and tournaments gave place to the mure inte- resting game of plunder. A party of adventurers inflamed by the success of the Spaniards in the south, determined to exj)lore the regions of the north, not doubt- ing that the earth produced gold in every other part of the continent. Tradition reports, that a number of Englishmen landed in the neigh- bourhood of Casco bay, in that division of New England, now called the Province of Maine, subject, however, to the State of Massachusets. It is, at this time, a flourishing coun'ry, abounding Mith the best tim- ber, of which large quantities are exported to the British dominions. The climate, however, like almost every other part of the United States, is unfavorable to the English constitution. To strangers, the heat in the summer is almost insuj)portable, while the severity of winter is scarcely to be endured. The spring and autumn are, certainly, de- lightful ; the month of November, which is proverbially fatal to Eng- lishmen, is, in America, one of the most delightful in the year. The sun has then declined to such a point, tliat his rays diffuse a most com- fortable temperature, the frosts of winter being no farther advanced than to act as a bracer to the relaxed constitution. In this month, I could, Avithout the least inconvenience, pass the whole day, from morning until sun-set, either in the active sports of the field, or seated upon the rocks, angling for the various species of fish, with vhich the coast ot New England abounds. The European adventurers who first explored this province, it has already been observed, were in pursuit of gold. At what period their enterprize was undertaken, I could not learn. Circumstances appear, however, to concur in fixing it during the religious persecutions in England, in the reignofqneen Mary. They landed on different jjartsof this coast. ARTIIICE OF THE SAVAGE?. 37 coast, and some appearances of their search are said to remain until the present time. It is, however, very certain that success did not re^vard their labors; for no gold or silver has ever been discovered npon the " iron-bound coast " of New England. An American writer, after describing the hardships which the first settlers here met with, and particularly the disappointments of the gold searchers, relates, that the natives were drawn near to the spot where the English were perforating the earth, in a hunting excursion, and thus thev first beheld the white man. The savages, it seems, were at first inclined to smoke the pipe of peace with the strangers. They soon discovered the leading passion of their visitors, and encouraged their fruitless attempts by informing them of mountains of ore which never existed, and of riches in the interior of the country which have never been found. Ttie White Mountains, north-west of Casco bay, ht ve a singular appearance ; their tops are white like snow. There was an early expectation of finding a gem of immense magnitude and value in this mountain. It was rumoured that a carbuncle was suspended from a rock over a pool of water, at the foot of the mountain. While this belief was current, every one was afraid lest his neighbor should become the fortunate discoverer and proprietor of the prize. To keep them as Jong as possible in suspense, a tale was invented by the natives, that the place was guarded by an evil spirit, who troubled the waters, and raised a dark mist on the ap- proach of human footsteps. Thus the savages, by their cunning, ob- tained presents from the credulous adventurers, more valuable to them than the gold sought for would have proved, if found, to Englishmen. Another tradition reported, that three hills of rocks, situate up Saco river, about forty miles from the sea, were as full of silver as the mountains of Peru. Impressed with this belief, William Phipps, of F 2 Saco, 3^ ANLCDOTES OF SIR WILLIAM PIllPPS. Saco, purcliasecl these mountains in lOfiO, but neither he nor his pos- terity have ever discovered the expected wealth. Under an influence so very unfavorable to the interests of society, as well as subversive of the quiet of individuals, an accident produced m the minds of the people of New England a still more powerful impres- sion. A Sp-.uiish galleon had been lost near the Bahama Islands. The vessel had a great quantity of bullion on board, and the expectations of vaNt numbers were fixed upon obtaining a treasure by finding the wreck. William Phipps was supposed to have been the fortunate ad- venturer. In those days, the puerile delusions of visions, dreams, witchcraft, and spirits, were current in New England. They who had dreams, which the distempered mind interpreted into the miracu- lous, or that the wandering imagination supposed to have been verified, were considered as prophets, and believed to be in the secrets of the Lord. INIany innocent persons fell victims to this strange delusion ; under an accusation of their having entered into a league with the Devil, and of deriving miraculous power from the foul fiend. Mr. Phipps had removed to Boston, where he followed the business of ship-building. It was reported that he had been informed in a dream of the situation of the galleon. Whether animated by an extraordinary spirit of enter- prise, and taking advantage of the temper of the times, he pretended to the favor of a vision which he never had, in order to procure assist- ance in an undertaking which a rational calculation might not consider worthy of the hazard attending it ; or whether, having fixed his imagi- nation upon the scheme, his mind embraced the object in an agreeable manner when he was asleep, is not decided. It is, however, certain,, that be attempted it, and that his success raised him to honor and wealth. lie was afterwards governor of IMassachusets, and had the dignity of knighthood conferred upon him.. The spirit of the people about this time in America, would not bear a debate on the greatest absurdit}', or a contradiction of the most pal- 3 pable I REEBOOTERS— EXTENT AND PRODUCTIONS OF MAINE. 39 pable error, without the danger of contentions or commotions. It was doubtless, owing to this superstitious folly, that Sir William Phip[)s never disclaimed the idea of a divine interposition in his favor. In the early period of civilization in America, her maritime power was unable to protect her seas from pirates; and the infant government was too feeble to prevent depredations on the sea-coast. Rovers of this description were numerous, and long enjoyed an unmolested plunder with impunitv ; but necessity will bring every thing witbin the power of human exertion. They were at length subdued, and numbers were executed — no less than thirty suftered death together at Newport, in Rhode Island. Some of them, between the time of condemnation and execution, flattered the persons to whom they had access with stories of great wealth being concealed by them in different places. These confessions Avere made only with a view of obtaining pardon, for no money was ever found where they pretended that it was deposited. After the death of Charles the First, the district of Maine under- went many changes, both in proprietors and forms of government; and was finall}'^ purchased by the colony of Massachusets. The trifling sum of 1,^001. was jmid to the grandson of Sir Ferdinando Gorges for his patent. The wars with the Indians rendered this country a scene of blood, from the year 1691 to 1702 ; even so late as the year 174B» the English were molested by them, and some lives lost. The grow- ing importance of Maine will soon produce a political separation from ISIassachusets; when it w^ill, in all probability', raise itself to the rank of an independent state. It is three hundred miles long, and two hundred and four miles in breadth, lying between 43 and 46 degrees, north la- titude, and extending to the British dominions. The climate is healthy to the natives, but subject to extremes of heat and cold. The inhabi- tants often live to a great age. The land produces Indian corn, rye, barley, oats, pease, beans, potatoes in astonishing quantities ; and of fruit, apples, pears, plumbs, peaches, cherries, &c. The butter made !» ' here 40 PORTLAND, TUP. CAPITAL OF MAINE— FALMOUTH. here is said to excel that of every other part of New Enc;Iand, owinsf to the sweetness t)f the frpass. This is a wonderful coniitry for timlx r, al)0unding in stately and extensive forests, and the lumber trade iscon- se(]uentlv ^ery lucrative. The numerous rivers atibrd ahundance of salmon, and the sea coast furnishes such quantities of cod^ that their fisheries are very extensive and profitable. The country produces deer of various kinds, beavers, otters, sables, bears, Avolves, ralibits, moun- tain-cats, porcupines, and other animals. The sportsman may find sutficient amusement among the partridges,* squirrels, and an infi- nite variety of water-fowl. There are no venomous serpents to the eastward of Kennebeck river. The peo})le, as in every other part of New England, are very inquisitive to strangers. The principal town in the province of Maine, is Portland. It has grown into consequence within a few years; being till 1786, a part of Falmouth. The town of Portland is beautifully situated on a neck of land, at high -water nearly insulated by the sea, which renders it healthy and pleasant. I have not met with a more agreeable place in America, and have ever thought that this town claimed a preference, in many respects, to all others which I have ^ isited on this vast conti- nent. The harbor is always open, very commodious, and the trade and inhabitants rapidly encreasing. A spirit of enterprise and industry prevails in Portland, which cannot fail, with its natural advantages, to render it a poi)ulous and wealthy place. The town of .Falmouth adjoins Portland, and before the incorpora- tion of the latter, was the capital of the i)rovince. The contention of politics between England and America did not extend to Falmouth till the year 1770. At that time it had a custom-house, and various offi- cers under the crown. The appearance of a change Avill too frecpicntly alter a man's political opinions. The crown-olficers had no doubt that • The partridge, througliout all the states, is similar to what is called in England the quail. It is, in fact, a partridge in miniature. 2 the ANIMOSITY OF POLITICAL PARTIES AT FALMOUTH. 41 the parliament possessed a right to legislate for the colonies in all cases, and the committee of the town was as clear in the reverse of the pro- position. Added to this, the episcopalian minister conceived the hierar- chy to be in danger, unless the supremacy of the king was supported in church and state. To have an ecclesiastical head, without civil autho- rity, would be a fundamental error, according to the dogmas of the church; the minister, therefore, took a decided part in favor of the parliamentary claims. Civil disputes can generally be managed with calmness and humanity, unless there is a mixture of religious tenets with political opinions. The animosity between the parties denomi- nated Whis: and Torv, dailv encreased, and finally became so ex- tremely bitter, that the episcopalian minister, the custom-house officers, with numbers of the Tory party, fled for protection to the British army at Boston. This was a prelude to the hostilities which caused the de- claration of independence. CHAP. 42 CHAP. V. CONNECTICUT — NEW LONDON — BIGBY S MOUNTAIN. The reader will, doubtless, think it high time to return to my nar- rative. Wearied with my situation in Boston, particularly on account of the excessive heat, I determined to seek a place visited by cooler breezes ; and for this purpose took my passage in a sloop bound for New London, in Connecticut. The place of my immediate destination was imma- terial, and, pleased with the manners of the captain, I agreed with him for eight dollars, and to fmd my own provisions. Our course lay over the dangerous shoals of Nantucket, which we passed in safety. On our voyage we caught a quantity of haddocks, of an excellent quality. At New London, I went to Minor's Tavern, but wishing for more quiet than an inn aftbrded, I took two rooms in the house of Mrs. Wilson, who was stigmatized by the appellation of an old Tory. The uncon- scionable charges of boarding-houses were now apparent, for I lived as well by catering for myself, and infinitely more to my satisfaction, at one-fourth of the rate charged me in Boston. New London, a high-sounding name, is not larger than a middle- sized English village. It is situated four miles up a river, called the Thames, which empties itself into Long Island Sound. It is pleasant, healthy, and gratefully refreshed by the sea breeze. The inhabitants evinced FISH OF NEW ENGLAND— RIGBY'S MOUNTAIN. 43 evinced a disposition to sociabilitj^ and I was frequent!}^ invited to join in shooting and fishing parties. Here I shot the woodcock in the month of July, similar to that in England ; but, some years afterwards, I found that the bird so named in the Southern States, resembles the jay, both in its size and chatter, though of a more beautiful plumage. The fish we caught by angling from the rocks, were various and excellent. One kind resembles the tench, but is of a superior flavor. The Indian name of this fish is totog, but it is commonly called the black fish. The bottom of the Avaters here must be nearly covered with lobsters; a great number of vessels being employed in cariying them to Ncav York, and other places. The price of them is about twopence sterling per pound, and they are equal, in all resjiects, to those caught upon the English coast. In the Bay of Fundy they are taken of an immense size. In order to give me some idea of their magnitude, a person informed me that ten hungry men sat down and supped on one lobster, and that the fi-agments would have served another ! ! * Near Middletown, in this stiate, is some mountainous land, called Rigby's mountain, which I was induced to ascend. The road lay through a forest, winding and rocky. On the opposite side is a frightful cliff, in many places nearly perpendicular. The vale beneath affords a pleasing variety of landscape, but the view was frequently interrupted by shrub-oaks and cedar, until we reached the summit. Our horses had been left at a considerable distance, and our ascent was attended with much labor. At the top we enjoyed a prospect of a beautiful country as far as the eye could view, terminating with Long Island, a distance of near thirty miles. When on the brink of this precipice, Shakespear's description of the view from the Dover Cliffs forcibly recurred to my mind. Ours, however, was a land prospect — the cattle grazing in the plain appeared * The public prints of America have likewise recently given an account of a lobster, on whicii seven persons dined, and yet left sufficient to satisfy another hungry man. G no 44 RIGBY'S MOUNTAIN. no larger than sheep — horses at plough, at a farther distance, were dimi- nished to the size of a child's toy — the driver to an atom scarcely visihle. One of our company durst not approach within many yards of the verge — he said he felt a dreadful |)ropelling sensation, as though he could with difficulty restrain himself from rushing forward, and plunging into the tremendous abyss, I soon felt giddy, and retired; but others amused themselves with throwing stones, and observing their progress, with the loose rocky fragments, which tumbled, on being touched, to the bottom. The sound occasioned by their fall was awful, and the whole formed a scene that was truly sublime. Among the curiosities of Connecticut, "where we must now consider ourselves, are the caverns and other hiding-places where three English parliamentary officers, who served under Cromwell, secreted themselves for a great number of years. These were the Generals Whalley and GofFe, and Colonel Dixwell, three of the judges on the mock tribunal which condemned King Charles the First. The account of the hard- ships they underwent, collected and transcribed on the spot, is here presented to the reader. CHAP, 45 CHAP. VL ADVENTURES OF GENERALS WHALLEY AND GOFFE, TWO OF THE JUDGES WHO CONDEMNED KINO CHARLES I. — THEIR LONG CONCEALMENT IN VARIOUS PARTS OF NEW ENGLAND — WHALLEy's SECOND CHILDHOOD DESCRIBED BY GOFFE ACCOUNT OF COLONEL DIXWELL — STRICTURES ON DR. STlLEs's PUBLICATION RELATIVE TO THESE REGICIDES. 1 HE restoration of Charles II. in 1660, it is well known, proved fatal to all those who had taken an active part under the parliament. The most obnoxious could only appease the young king by their death; and sixteen of those who sat in judgment on his father saved themselves by flight. Three of the fugitives. Major-general Edward Whalley, Major-general William GofFe, and Colonel William Dixwell, took re- fuge in America. They all had commanded in the army of Cromwell, and were among the most enthusiastic enemies of the crown.* 'i il ley and Goffe landed at Boston on the 27th of Julj^, 1660, having escaped only a few days before King Charles the Second was restored to the throne, the intelligence of which event they received in the English Channel. GofFe kejit a journal of every remarkable incident which happened to them for seven years from the day they left Westminster. After his death, this journal came into the possession of Governor Hutchinson ; who kept it till the populace demolished his house, in the tumults occasioned in Boston by the stamp-act, when this curious manuscript was destroyed. It was written in characters, but which were readily decyphered. The governor, however, had fortunately taken from it some extracts ; these, together with the parti- • Cromwell himself once contemplated a flight to America. The circumstances which prevented his ' embarkation is well known. G i2 culars 46 ADVENTURES OF GENERALS WHAl.LEY AND GOFFE. iiilai-s related to me on the suhjcct in Connecticut, enable me to give an accurate account ot" the sutVerings of these unlortunatc men. When they first arrived at Boston, they did not attempt to conceal their persons or characters, but immediately ^vent to Mr. Endicot, the governor ; -who received them courteously. They were visited by the principal inhabitants; even Colonel Crown, a staunch royalist, intro- duced himself to them, They resided at Cambridge, a village four miles from Boston. They attended public worship, and recei\ed the sacrament. They were grave and devout ; and such was the respect paid them, that being once insulted, the offender was bound to keep the peace. It is not strange that they should thus have experi- enced so favorable a reception upon their landing ; for, though they Avere known to have been two of King Charles's judges, yet no official news of the restoration had reached America. Reports soon afterwards arrived by way of Barbadoes, that all those who sat in judgment on their sovereign would be pardoned, except seven. When it appeared that the royal clemency was not extended to Whalley and Goffe, the officers of government at Boston were alarmed ; while pity and com- passion pervaded the bosoms of the inhabitants. By some they were assured that the general court would protect them ; and others advised them to make a speedy retreat. On the 22d of November, 1660, the governor summoned a general court of assistants, to take into con- sideration tlie propriety of putting them under confinement, but it broke up without coming to any decision. Finding it unsafe to reside longer at Cambridge, they left the place, and arrived at New- haven, (about one hundred and fifty miles distant) on the 7th of March. Information of their retreat having been given in England, a hue and cry, as Goffe terms it in his journal, was set on foot; the day after tliey left Cambridge, a warrant was issued against them; and they were pursued, but witliout effect. At Newhaventhey were at first received as at Boston ; but on the arri- val THEIR CONCEALMENT IN A CAVE. 47 valof the king's proclamation, they were obliged to abscond. On the 27th of INIarch they removed to New Miltbrd, Avhere they made themselves known ; but at night they privately returned to Newhaven, and were concealed by Mr. Davenport, the minister, until the 30th of" April. About this time the intelligence reached Boston that ten of the judges had been exeeuted ; and the governor received a royal mandate to aj> prehend AVhalley and Goft'e. This alarmed the country, and the most diligent search was made, but the fugitives found friends, who gave them intimation of their danger. It was now too hazardous for Da- venport to secrete them any longer: they therefore went into the woods, conducted by two of the inhabitants of Newhaven. They first took refuge in a mill — then in a jilace called Hatchet Harbor, where thc}^ concealed themselves till their friends had prepared a cave on the side of a hill in the Avoods, where they remained from the 15th of May to the 11th of June. To this place they gave the appropriate appellation of Providence Hill; for while they resided there, a most diligent search was making after them ; and many of the'king's messengers passed near to the spot. There existed proof of their having been at Davenport's, and large rewards were offered for information by which they might be secured. Davenport was threatened, and the unfortunate but gratefiil wanderers, offered to deliver themselves up, rather than that any one should suffer for the hospitality afforded them. The hardships they had suffered, and to which they were still exposed, together with the little chance they saw of escaping, would not, perhaps, have proved sufficient to induce them to make such an offer. Honor has often been found to prevail even over the love of life. Influenced by this princi- ple, they actually gave notice to the deputy governor of the place of their concealment : but he paid no attention to their magnanimous in- timation, and the next day they were advised not to surrender. In this solitary abode they met with several disasters, some of which had nearly proved fatal. One dark night, when they were both laid down to rest, they were suddenly terrified by an animal of the tiger genus 4G ADVENTURES OF OENl'RALS WIIALLEY AND GOFFE. ijcniis. It liad advanced to the cave, forced its head throiigli the aper- ture, and presenting its horrid eyes, which appeared to flash fire upon them, gave a dreadful roar; but departed witlmut attacking them. At another time they were in still greater danger, but from a different cause. I laving ventured too far from their concealment, they were over- taken by iNIr. Kiniberly, the sheriif, with a warrant in his pocket for their apprehension, They defended themselves with their sticks, and repelled the ollicer, who, leaving them to obtain assistance, afforded them an ojiportunity of regaining the woods. On another occasion, being closely pursued, the}' hid themselves under a bridge; while their pursuers passed over their heads. At Newhaven they were several times concealed in houses, while they were searched by the officers of government. As soon as they thought that their enemies had given up their search, they ventured to the house of one Tomkins, near jMilford, where they remained two years, without even daring to walk into the orchard ad- joining the house. Hearing that commissioners from the king had ar- rived at Boston, Whalley and Goffe, thought it necessary to retire again to their cave. Soon afterwards some Indians in their hunting excursions discovered the place of their concealment, which caused them to bid a final adieu to Providence Hill. They wandered about in the night and retired to the woods in the day, till they arrived at Hadley, in Massachusets, near one hundred miles from the cave. Here they were received by Mr. Russell, the minister of the place, by whom they were concealed between iifteen and sixteen years. They frequently re- ceived remittances I'rom England, and some friends to their cause often relieved them. One donation, by Richard Saltonstall, Esq. who was in the secret of their concealment, amounted to fifty pounds. It is, therefjro, to be presumed that parson Russell found them profitable boarders. '< These unfortunate men were said to have lived in constant terror, 7 even WHALLhY't; DOTAGE DESCRIBED BY COFFE. 49- even when all enquiry after them was at an end. A strange reverse of fortune from the times of Cromwell ! Several years they had been principal actors in the affairs of a great nation. Whalley defeated Prince Rupert, and Goffe turned the members out of the house of parliament, and was intrusted by Cromwell with the custody of the king. At Hadley they complained that they were banished fi'om societ\-» and that their lives were miserable and burthensome. Goffe married Whalley's daughter, with whom he corresponded by the name of Walter Goldsmith, addressing her as Frances Goldsmith : and the cor- respondence was carried on as between a motlier and son. Tlieir letters are replete with fanaticism, and crowded with quotations from the Bible. The tbllowing extract from a letter from Goffe, describing Whalley's second childhood, in which he continued the last few years of his life, is interesting: " Your old friend, Mr. R. (Whalley) is yet living, but continues in that weak condition of which I have formerly given you an account, and I have not much to add. He is scarce capable of any rational dis- course ; his understanding, memory, and speech doth so much fail him, that he seems not to take much notice of any thing that is either done or said, but patiently bears all things, and never complains of any thing, though I fear it is some trouble to him that he hath had no letter for a long time fro.n his cousin Rich, but he speaks not one word con- cerning it, nor any thing you wrote in your last ; only after I had read your letters to him, being asked whether it was not a great refreshmeiit to him to hear such a gracious spirit breathing in your letters, he said it was none of his least comforts ; and indeed, he scarce speaks of any thing but in answer to the questions that are put to him, which are not of many kinds, because he is not capable to answer them. The com- mon and very frequent question is, to know how he doth, and his an- swer, for the must part, is, very well, I praise God, wl)ich he utters in a very low and weak voice. But sometimes he saith, not very well or 50 ADVENTURES OP GENERALS WHALLEY AND GOFFE or very ill ; and then if it be furtlur said, do you feel pain any where i to that he always answai-eth, no. When lie wants any thing, he can- not speak well for it, because he forgets the name of it, and sometimes asks for one thing, when he means another, so that his eye or his finger is his tongue ; but his ordinary wants are so well known to us, that most of them arc supplied without asking or making signs for them. Some help he stands in need of in every thing to which any motion is re- (juired, having not been able for a long time to dress or undress himself, nor to feed, nor ease nature either way, orderly, without help, and it's a very great mercy to him that he hath a friend that takes pleasure in being helj)ful to him. 1 bless the Lord that gives me such a good measure of health and strength, and an opportunity and a heart to use it in so good and necessary a work ; for though my help be poor and weak, yet that ancient servant of Christ could not well subsist without it ; and I do believe, as you are pleased to say very well, that I do enjoy the more iiealth for his sake. I have sometimes wondered much at this dispensation of the Lord towards him, and have some expecta- tions of more than ordinary issue. The Lord help us to profit by all, and to Avait with patience upon him, till we see what end he will make with us. " Thus far I write for myself. I will now ask him what he would have me say to his friends concerning him. The question being asked, he saith, 1 am better than I was. And being asked what I should say more to his cousin R. or any other friends ; after a long pause, he agkin said, the Lord hath visited me in much inercv, and hath answered his visitation u|)on me. (I give you liis own words.) Being desirous to draw more from him, I proposed several questions, and the sum of his answers was, that he earnestly desires the continuance of the fervent prayers of all friends for him." During their residence at Hadley, these unfortunate men received a pretty regular consolation in letters from England ; and this was the 5 only ANECDOTES OF GOFFE. 5l only remission of the highest degree of mental anxiety and distress they experienced since their proscription. Their fanaticism strengthened their hopes, as they expressed it, of the fulfilment of the prophecies; and this delusion kept alive the idea of their deliverance. They ap- peared to he greath'^ disappointed when the year 1666 passed Avithout any remarkahle political event, but flattered themselves that the Chris- tian oera might he erroneous. During their abode at Hadley, the most famous and memorable Indian war of New England took place. This was called King Philip's war. Philip was a powerful sachem, and resided at Mount Hope, in Rhode Island ; where he was soon after this war put to death by Colonel Church. All the new frontier towns of New England vsere attacked, and Hadley was then exposed as a place of that description. The time the savages fixed upon to make the assault was while the in- habitants were assembled in the meeting-house to observe a fast-dav ; but fortunately it had been some time a custom for the men to attend public worship, armed. Had the town been taken, the discovery of Whalley and Goffe would have been inevitable. The men took up their arms, and attempted a defence, but were soon thrown into con- fusion, when (as it is related to this day) a stranger suddenly appeared among them, of venerable aspect, and different in his apparel from the inhabitants ; who rallied, and disposing them in the best militar}^ man- ner, led them to the charge, routed the Indians, and saved the town. In the moment of victory their deliverer vanished. The inhabitants, unable to account for the phenomenon, believed that they had been commanded by an angel, sent from heaven for their protection. This supposed angel was Goffe, who never before ventured from his concealment. Whalley was then in a state of second childhood. Such was their caution to prevent a discovery of their retreat, that the in- habitants never knew them, or who it was that so ably led them against the savages, until they both had paid the debt of nature. In a country H where 52 ANECDOTES OF fiOFFE. Avliore the leading feature of the mind is the most familiar, and, indeed, impertinent curiosity; it is a matter of wonder how they could for so lont:: a time conceal themselves from the prying eyes of the inhabitants. What rigid confinement they must have endured ! What solitary houi-s they must have i)assed ! But their fanaticism animated them vith the hope of better days. Another story of Goffe is still current among the old inhabitants of Boston, which proves him to have been very exj)ert at the exercise of the sword. It is thus related in a print which fell into my hands there. " Wliile the judges were at Boston, there aj)peared a gallant person there, some say a fencing-master, who, on a stage erected for that j)urposc, walked several days, challenging and defying any person to play with him at swords. At length one of the judges, disguised in a rustic dress, liolding in one hand a cheese wrapped up in a napkin, and in the other a broomstick, the end of which he had besmeared in a dirtj' puddle of water; and thus equipped, he mounted the stage. The fencing-master railed at him for his impudence, asked what business he had there, and bid him begone. A rencounter ensued ; Golie received the sword of his antagonist in the cheese, while he drew the dirty end of his stick across his mouth. Another pass was made, and again re- ceived in the cheese ; and in return, he gave another mark across the fencer's eyes. At a third limge, the sword was again received as before, and the stick rubbed over the other parts of his face. The enraged master of arms then threw aside his weaj)on, and took up a broad sword, with which he advanced. Upon this, Gofie told him to stop, and added, that he had hitherto only played with him, without attempt- ing to hurt him : but as he came on in rage, with the broad-sword, his life would pay the forfeit. The fencer, struck with the manner this was said, and (earing the event, asked Goffe who he was; adiling, that he must be either Whalley, GofTe, or the Devil, as no other could beat him. The disguised conqueror retired, leaving the boasting champion to COLONP.L DIXV/EIX— STraCTURES OF DR. STILES, 53 to the diversion of the spectators. Hence it became proverbial in New England, in speaking of a champion, to saj^ that no one can beat him but Whalley, GotFe, or the Devil." Whalley died at Hadley in the year I688. After about a year from the time of his decease, all tradition of Goffe is lost. The only con- jecture that can be formed is, that he did not long survive his friend, and was privately buried near him at Hadley. Colonel John Dixvvell, another of the members of the court which condemned King Charles the First, also fled to America. He visited Whalley and Goffe in their retirement on the lOth of February, 1664, after which he went to Newhaven, where he lived until his death, under the assumed the name of James Davids, Es([. Cautiously concealing his character, he was not molested. He married in America, and left several children; but upon his death-bed he discovered his real name and former situation in England; and executed a will, signed "John Dixwell, alias James Davids." He acquired some property by luar- riage, on which, with occasional remittances from England, he lived comfortabl}^ and left some property among his children. A learned American divine, Esra Stiles, S. T. D. L. D. President of Yale College, published, in 1795, a large volume, which he calls " The Historv of the Three Juds^es." A work more eccentric I never saw. A variety of subjects, from the rebellion in the time of Charles, to the recent revolution in France, are there jumbled together, inter- spersed with old women's tales, in the most trite and barren language ; and spun out, by an insufferable tautology, to three hundred and fifty- seven pages. But the doctor published by subscription, and something voluminous was liberally paid for before it went to press. Had not this work been eagerly read, and by some greatly admired, I should not have noticed it. Of my American readers, some may be gratified, while others will be displeased at my comments ; but upon subjects H 2 collected M specimi:n of American literature, coUoclecl in my travels, I hold it my duty to notice whatever I may thinlv worthy of observation. After reading Governor Hutchinson'^ account of M'halley and Goffe, 1 found notiiing in the performance of Dr. Stiles but what provoked my risibility, or created my contempt; for, indeed, nothing more could be added on the subject. Lest my friends on the other side of the Atlantic, however, may think I treat their collegian with too much asperity, and to give my countrymen ;v specimen of this production of a literary character of the new world, I shall quote some of his paragraphs. The learned divine is solicitous to ascertain where the remains of hi* heroes were interred ; and in about twenty places he impresses his rea- der with the importance of this discovery, as though it were of any con- sequence where a man's bones are consigned to their parent earth. Cromwell's carcase rested as quietly under the gallows as it did in West- minster Abbey; and where I may moulder, or to what unworthy uses Alexander's dust may have been converted, is matter of the utmost iiidifference. On this subject, the Doctor thus narrates : — " What I have before narrated * is delivered upon sure documents. I shall now narrate what is only conjectural, and leave it to every one's judgment, only observing, that if it ever did take place, no one will doubt but that Dixvvell was concerned in it. There is somehow pre- served, not in universal or general, but in particular and strong lineal tradition, at Newhaven, which is to be considered more largely hereafter, that another of the regicides, besides Dixwell, lies buried in our burying- place, and that this other was Whalley. This is particularly preserved among the sextons or grave-diggers, who, it seems, for many years, and perhaps ever from the time especially of Dixwell's death, have shewn the stone marked E. W. for Whalley, as they have that marked J. D. for Dixwell. I have not foimd the least tradition of Gofte, till I my- ♦ This narration consisted of extracts from Ilutcliinson, copies of old records, .letters, &c. kc. 5 self SPECIMEN OF AMERICAN LITERATURE. 55 self conjectured it, Januar}^ 1793, inferring in my own mind, without a doubt, that if Whalley, who certainly died at Hadley, was afterwards removed here, Goffe must be here also. But of this, I mean as to Goffe's being here also, I can find no tradition, yet I find it tenaciously adhered to, especially in the line of the grave-diggers, that Whalley is here. I have often examined the E. W. stone, but consider the matter without proof, yet possible, but by no means certain. Nor do I wish, and least of all attempt, to gain any one's credulity to it, leaving every mind perfectly free and unprejudiced. But as I know that whoever takes the pains that I have done, to trace out, and collect, and digest the traditions in Newhaven, will find this among others, however it origi- nated among us; so, alter this precaution and notification, I shall pro- ceed, &c. ! ! " It is then supposed by some, that Whalley lies buried in Newhaven. If so, his corpse must have been taken up and secretly conveyed here, for, without repeating the proofs, it is certain he died at Hadley. Who will doubt this removal was at the procurement of his friend Dixwell ; None. If done before 1685, none but DixwelU, Jones, and Bishop, in Newhaven, and Russell, Tilton, and perhaps Smith, were privy to it; and yet probably it was after Randolph's* rage burned and became dangerous,, which was after l680, when Goffe was either dead or abdi- cated. At all events, the five or six I have mentioned must have been the persons concerned in this removal. If so, Dixwell, must have been deeply concerned in the affair ; and this event and transactioi;, however secretly performed, must become an important anecdote in his life, as being the last care and office of surviving friendship to the memory and to the security of the ashes of a venerable fellow-exile and brother judge. In this Governor Jones was unquestionably the efficacious agent. He and Mr. Tilton must have been the men who procured the corpse to be conveyed, Scc.f * One of the officers of King Charles the Second. t The Doctor must have forgotten that, a few lines above, he fi.xes thii proturemtnt upon Dixwell. "I£ 50 SPECIMEN OF AMERICAN LITERATURE AND PIET\ . " If Goft'e died at Hadley in I68O, as is probahle, the same reasong M hich would induce tlic removal of one, would induce the removal of the other, and jierhaps from a preconcerted plan, that all the three exiles should be deposited and sleep in the dust tos^ethcr, until they should rise together at the resurrection of the just." The Doctor concludes with some incoherent ravings, truly indicative of a mind labouring under religious phrenzy. He is a most violent enthusiast in the cause of his heroes ; and would, if possible, immorta- lize the arch-traitor Cromwell. He calls Monk the Dumouriez of Bri- tain ; and places Bradshaw, Ireton, and the rest of the judges, as he calls them, among the martyred patriots. Of Cromwell's character, after lavishing encomiums too gross to offer at the shrine even of a saint, he concludes in these words : — " O Oliver ! how I love thine open, thine unabashed, thy undissem- blcd, and undisguised religion !" The frontispiece of this learned and pious work is ornamented M'ith the portrait of its author, in sacerdotal robes. As I turned over the pages 1 hoped to meet with similar representations of his heroes, or, at all events, of his liiend Oliver, but in this 1 was disappointed. CHAP. ^7 CHAP. VII. EXTREMES OF HEAT AND COLD IN NEW ENGLAND — STATE OF VEG ETATION AND THE PRODUCE OF THE FIELD — DIRECTION OF THE WINDS — METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE RAIN — UNCERTAINTY AND STATE OF THE WEATHER. Considering the latitude of the New England states, the ex- tremes of heat and cold can neither be conceived by an European, nor fairly accounted for by an American. Some of the latter writers on the suliject ascribe the intense cold to their back lakes, and high lands. That this mav contribute in a small degree towards that extreme is is not impossible, though I am not inclined to adopt the opinion; but I have not met with even a probable conjecture as to the other. New England is situated in latitude 41" to 46°, yet in the months of July and August the heat is often as intense as in the West Indies. An American geographer, in describing the climate of this region, says, " The heat in summer is intense, and the cold in winter equally severe. All fresh- water lakes, ponds, and rivers, are usually passable on ice, from Christmas till the middle of iNIarch. The longest day is fifteen jiours and sixteen minutes; and the shortest eight hours and forty minutes." For several days together in the hottest weather there is not a breath of air; and the nights, with the additional annoyance of swarms of that aggravating and poisonous insect the musquitoe, upon which some ob- servations ^3 NOCTURNAL ANNOYANCE.^. servations have alreaily been made, are nearly insupportable to an Eu- ropean. He will undergo a com[)lete perforation of the skin, and every wound will poison to the diameter of half an inch, till his blood is reduced to the state of that of the natives, or the temper of the cli- mate, when he may find resi)ite from their nocturnal attacks. They" make a buzzing noise nearly equal to that of the honey-bee, and yet, w ith this notice, you cannot guard against their assaults. The croaking of the toad, of which there are infinite varieties— the crceking of the locust— and the no less offensive chirping of the grasshop|)er, together with the noises of many other restless reptiles, join in dismal discord to deprive the way-worn traveller of his rest. With these his disturbed fancy may associate the birds and beasts of prey under his window. Custom will, however, reconcile man to all things. He will soon find that these inharmonious sounds will as effectually lull him to rest, as the most soft and soothing strains. In addition to all these inconveniences, he will be sure to find his bed overstocked with bugs* and lleas, which will attack him in one quarter, while the musquitoes seize him in ano- ther. Curtains of thin gause are some defence against the latter, but, fi-om the harbour the former find in the coarse woollen bed-chamber fur- niture, they rove at large and uncontrouled. To many days intense heat, a violent storm of wind and rain will perhaps succeed, attended with tremendous thunder and hghtning; which often sweeps away whole fields of corn, and deluges the earth ; then again will the heat break out with redoubled violence, causing fevers, dysenteries, and agues, which of late years have proved a dreadful scourge in America. The following observations on the atmosphere in New England will shew the heat of the summer of 1795. On the first of August, the thermometer, being placed in the north shade, was, • The inhabitants call bed-bugs, chintie*. At HEIGHT OF THE THER^JOMlTKR— I UEL. 59 At 8 O'clock, A.M. 74. At3, T. M. 70. 2nd of August - . 78. 88. 3rd 72 74. 4th 73. ..." - . 76. 5th 72. 88. 6th - - - ^ . 85. 921. On the last-mentioned day, when moved where the sun shone upon it, in a few moments the mercury rose to 124— and when moved back again, into the north shade, it fell to 92. When we consider that 98 is blood-heat, and 112 fever-heat; we may conceive what eftect such a climate would have upon an English con- stitution. The diurnal prints of New England about this time were full of accounts of people being suddenly killed by the coup de soldi, or stroke of the sun. Strangers would do well to provide themselves, during the hot weather, with white hats, the advantages of which are obvious. The houses in America are, for the most part, built of wood, slightly put together, and covered with the same materials, made into shingles. This is but an indifferent protection from the cold. Added to this, though the continent in many parts abounds with coal, yet they use but little of that comfortable article. Wood is almost their only fuel, and though the country is abundantly furnished with that also, yet the consumption renders it daily more difficult to be procured. This article, before you get it to your fire-place, in the state of Rhode Island, will cost seven dollars, or one guinea and a half, a cord ;* and a cord a month is the calculation for one fu-e. Several masters of iamiiies have told me, that their Avood alone costs them three or four hundred * On the vast influx of French people from St. Domingo, this article rose considerably, with every other necessary of life, at the sea-port towns. TJie strangers never questioning the demanls of the dealers, they, of course, made the most of the circumstance ; and have since tenaciously kept up llie greatest proportion of the advance then demanded. I dollars 60 COMPARATIVE STATE OF VEGETATION. dollars per year ; a sum uj)on which many iamilies comfortably subsist ill England. Water will freeze within a few yards of a large fire in ten minutes, and out of doors in two minutes. In the year 1790, the thermometer, on the l8th of December, was IG below 0. 26th of January, 1792, - 151 ditto. 28th ditto -,---- II ditto. In the succeeding winter to that in which I have above given the ob- servations on the summer's heat, the thermometer was. January 3 1 February 1 ID below 0. 7 ditto. Another view of the climate may be taken from the common opera- tions of nature, the vegetable and animal productions. The times when the trees and plants put forth their buds, leaves, flowers, and fruit; or when the different seeds are planted, spring up, are in blossom, produce their fruit, and are gathered; also when the birds of passage, or other migratory animals, make their approach or departure. Observa- vations upon such phenomena are, perhaps, the truest that can be made to ascertain the relative temperature of different climates. Tiic following tal)les of the state of vegetation, taken from an Ame- rican writer, will shew the seasons of harvest in New England. TREES AND SHRUBS. Elder .... I5ikIs. l^i'uves. I'lowijrs. Maluiitv. April 5 April 14 June Id Gooseberry . (j 16 Mav 9 July 20 Currant . . . .... r, 16 ] 1 Raspberrx . . () 17 27 5 Strawbcrrv . -JO 20 4 June 28 ^^■ild Chorrv 20 28 4 28 U'ild IMumb 20 :May 4 1 . Aug. 12 Apj)le Tree . 22 I 12 18 rRODUCE COMPARATlVi; STATE OF VEGETATION— rno~!T. 61 PRODUCE OF THE FIELD. Flax Spring \Vli«^at Winter Wheat Oats Pease I'arley Rye Indian Corn - Hay Sov-n. Flowers. Gathered. April 1() 15 Sept. I April 20 ---. 10 20 Mar. 20 Mav 15 .lune 25 Mav .SO - - - - 20 June 7 May 2() June 10 Mav 27 July 12 Aug. 1 ---- 15 1 20 July 1 28 28 Oct. 1 Julv 10 The frost commences about the beguming of October, and continues • in a slight degree till the middle of May; but it is seldom severe till December, and generally ceases at the end of March. The first ef- fects are not sufficient to freeze the leaves of the trees, or other vege- tables; it only produces the congelation of the dews and vapors, and as these are only to be found in low and moist land, such places first feel the effects of the frost. Where the ground is not covered with snow, the frost penetrates three or four feet, and waters have been frozen thirty inches. " God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb," is a saying not more trite than true. Accordingly, we find that the severest weather never kills the 5^oung trees, and rarely freezes the young cattle, although they are seldom housed during the winter. The human constitution too, seems inured to the cold, the winter season being the most healthy. The winds in North America receive their general direction from the situation of the sea-coast, mountains, and large rivers. Hence south- west, and north-east winds prevail. The former are warm, moist, and re- laxing — the latter dry, cooling, and bracing. They sometimes rage with great fury for two or three days, and whirlwinds are too frequent. I2 The • )-. WIND-;— QrANTiTV OF KAlN. Tlu' followint,' Table of the directions of the winils, at ditterent places on tli;^ continent, will give the best view of their comparative courses — deduced from a nund)er of observations. N. N.I . v.. S. 1., s. s.w. ^^ . N . W .Alarvland - - 9 59 71 72 53 45 8 207 524 Viryinia- - - 122 110 104 45 22 185 70 82 740 Pennsylvania 31 56 25 32 45 97 69 ill 466 , Massachusfcts 61 127 111 36 86 271 177 226 1095 Vermont - - 153 13 16 76 272 182 125 258 109.5 Quebec - - - 1 194 1 14 26 1 2 35 508 Hudson's Bay 169 78 86 51 83 70 159 359 1055 Rhode Island 59 127 109 50 93 280 166 220 lOOo The quantity of rain Avhich falls in America, where meteorological observations have been made, is found to be more than double that which generally falls in the same latitude in Europe; and yet the lantis often surter bv drought in some places. These observations are best explained by a general Table. RAIN IN January - February - March - - AiDril - - - iMay June July August- - September October - November December MEAN ALIITI'DK IN INtllK.-. b. ^_aio.uij. \'iiL' 'iJ. 1 MaiJ^tiii^oi-. , Venn. Mil 2,6'J4 3,735 3,329 2,074 3,975 6,009 5,840 6,964 4,944 2,450 1,195 1,523 3,195 2,049 3,950 3,680 2,871 3,571 4.497 9.153 4,761 3,633 2,617 2,877 3,503 2,6 18 2,51 6 2,725 5,8G1 2,083 2,221 2,278 3,791 2,466 l,8.')l 3,483 3,497 2,784 3,102 3,112 4,716 3,914 2,313 2,313 2,481 5,662 4,101 3,491 47,666 47,038 35,396 41,179 On ALTERATION OF THE CLIMATE. 63 On the 2:2d of October, 1785, was the greatest fall of ra'm ever rc- membsred in one day in this part of the globe, being 5,217 inches. The climate lias altered considerably within a few years, and the same- observation is made in Europe. Ceesarsays, that diu'ing the winters of his wars, he passed with his army the frozen rivers of Germany and Gaul, in his line of march, with his baggage, &c. A similar circum- stance favored the French in the year 1795, but that winter was uncom- monly severe in Europe, and mild in America. Instead of remaining- fixed and settled as formerly, the climate is perpetually changing and altering, in all its circumstances and affections; and this change of late has been so rapid and constant, as to become the subject of common observation. This has been remarked in every part of the United States,, but it is most sensible and apparent in a new country, suddenly changing from a state of vast uncultivated wildness, to that of numerous settle- ments and extensive improvements. When the settlers move into a- new tov^nship, their first business is to cut down trees, clear the land, and sow grain. The earth is no sooner laid open to the iuiluence of ihesim and winds, than the effects of cultivation begin to appear. The surface of the earth becomes \\arm and dry; and as settlements increase, these effects are more general and extensive. The cold decreases, .the earth- and air become warm, and the whole temperature of the climate be- comes more equal and moderate. The stagnant pools disappear, and redundant waters are every where carried off. The snows decrease ; the winds receive new directions ; and the seasons become much altered. These changes every where attend the cultivation of the country, and have produced a remarkable change of the climate in those states which, have been long settled. The effect of cultivation with regard to the heat of the earth, so far as it can be collected from experiment, is great. The exposure of the land to the full force of the solar rays in tliis latitude, will produce heat at 04 VARIATION OF SEASONS. at tlie dci)th of ten inches below the surface, ton or eleven degrees i>Teater than that which prevails in the uncultivated parts of the coun- try ; and this effect continues, so that such rays are sufficierit to increase the heat of the earth. This additional heat in the earth will sullice to effect the same alteration in the temperature of the air; for, whatever degree of heat prevails in the earth, nearly the same will be communi- cated to the lower parts of the atmosphere. Thus, the earth and air, in the cultivated parts of the country, are heated in consequence of their cultivation, ten or eleven degrees more than they were in their natural state. In new settlements, this change is effected in two or three years. Fields of corn and wheat are attended with the most rapid vegetation, and the greatest increase on land, which, a few years betbre, had been inundated with standing waters. One of the best effects of cultivation is the dispersion of these waters, by which a swamp is changed into a fertile meadow. Though the seasons have become more variable and uncertain, yet the heat and cold in the different seasons are as intense as at the first attempt to plant New England ; but not perhaj)s of such long duration. The w inter season is of late years subject to great and sudden thaws. The spring is veiy uncertain :— after two, and sometimes three weeks of inviting weather, which tempts the gardener to commit his seed to the earth, a sudden and severe storm of snow, attended with frost, will, in a night, blast his hopes of an early crop. In the year 179.5 I experi- enced the vexation produced by such a flattering spring. I had culti- vated my little garden, and was anticipating the pleasure I hoped to derive in beholding the progressive advances to maturity of some bota- nical and culinary i)lants not common in England, when, on thetwentj'- sevenih of March, there fell the deepest snow for the time I had ever seen. This was preceded by a sharp frost, which destroyed my work, and SEASONS AND WEATHER. 65 and almost discouraged me from a second attempt. This variation be- tween heat and cold is not only unfavourable to vegetation, but attended with danger to the health of the inhabitants. Tempted b)^ a succession of warm spring weather for a few weeks, they throw off their winter garments, and are too often unexpectedly caught by a cold north wind, bringing along with it a heavy fall of snow. The spring, from the month of April to the end of June, and the autumnal season, are delightful. The harvest is not fmished till the end of November ; indeed, this month is one of the most agreeable of the year. The distressing fogs usual in England about this time, are rarely to be seen; they are, however, frequent in the summer. Annual courses of meteorological observations properly reduced, will afford the most complete information of the M^eather and meteors in different parts of North America. The following statement is taken from a philosophical work lately published in New England. The state of the Weather at mndrij 'places in North America, deduced from annual observations. Places. Time. Fair Cloudy. Rain. Snow. Hail. Fog. Thun- der. 39 Aur. Bor. ,, No. ot ""^y- Observ... Marvland - - 1753 Scl 754 314 179 14.J 21 7 10 — 493 Philadelphia - l748tol749 235 141 83 21 2 11 13 7 376 Massachusets - 1784 to 1788 564 531 71 25 4 16 22 22 1095 Vermont - - 1789 452 643 89 41 7 37 15 21 1095 Quebec - - l743Scl744 277 128 88 32 4 14 7 405 Hudson's Bay i768&1769 360 432 36 76 25 31 4 5 155 792 I have observed, that the winters become less severe in America as the country increases in population. In some degree, this effect contri- buted to the alteration of climate in many parts of Europe. The vast forests. G(J SEASONS AND WF.ATHEK. forests, into which Cocsar with difiiculty jK-netrated, are now cut down, and the dreary wastes over which he marched are now luxuriant fields of corn. It is, ho\\'evcr, certain, that in tlie poi)ulous cities of New York and Philadelphia, the cold is much more intense than under the same latitudes in the regions of Europe. CHAP. 67 CHAP. VIII. MULTIPLICATION OP WILD PIGEONS IN NEW ENGLAND — THEIR ABUNDANCE IN CAROLINA — FECUNDITY OF FISH IN NEW ENGLAND. JVIR. Richard Hazen, a land surveyor, who, in 1741, drew the Hne which divides Massachusets from Vermont, gives an interesting account of the multiplying power of nature in the wild pigeon : — " For three miles together," says he, " the pigeons' nests were so thick, that five hundred might be reckoned on beech trees at one time ; and could they have been counted on the hemlocks as well, he did not doubt but that five thousand might be seen at one turn round. " Twenty-five nests were frequently found on one beech tree in New- England. The earth was covered with these trees and with hemlocks, thus loaded with the nests of pigeons. For an hundred acres together, the ground was covered with their dung, to the depth of two inches. Their noise in the evening was extremely troublesome, and so great, that the traveller could not get any sleep where their nests were thick. About an hour before sun-rise they rose in such numbers as to darken the air. When the young pigeons were grown to a proper size, it was common for the first settlers to cut down the trees, and gather a horse load in a few minutes. The markets at this season, even at Philadel- K phi a, 68 ABL'NDANCF. OF WILD PIGEONS IN NEW ENGLAND. phia, arc often overstocked with them ; a score liaving lately been pur- chased for sixpence. But as the land becomes settled, they retire into the back forests, where they are at this day in equal numbers." In North Carolina, wild f»igeons or doves pass over the country, in such numbers as to darken the air, devouring all kinds of grain in their progress. A large musket, loaded with small shot, fn-ed among them, has killed scores ; and boys knock them down with sticks and stones. I did not see this destructive phenomenon, but was credibly informed at ]ulenton, that it occurs about once in seven, and sometimes in ten years. During my residence in that state, I cut holes in the toj) of my barn, and by placing food on the roof" soon inticed about half a dozen from the adjacent woods. In a short time they became do- mesticated, and fed with the fowls ; affording a constant and an agree- able food. When I left my residence, they had, notwithstanding the use I made of the young ones, increased to many score. They grew so familiar, that they would watch my appearance in the morning, and perch vipon me, in hopes of obtaining food, with which it was my practice to supply them. They distinguished me from my domestics, whom they would not suf^c^r to approach them. They would jiermit me to go into their dovecote, without retreating, and the dam would often oj)pose my taking her young ones. In the production of fish, nature seems to have been equally prolific in ever}' part of America, Almost all the difierent species that inhabit the European seas, arc found there in great numbers ; but I have not observed the turbot or the sole. This deficiency is amply supplied in New England by a firm and delicious fish called the sheepshead; also the black fish, ortotog, which we have not in England; the sea bass, abundance of halibut and sturgeon. The rivers of New England abound with salmon, shad, trout of different sorts, and nearly every other species of fish found in those of Euix)pe. Testaceous fish are also in the greatest plenty. There are oyster beds on the siiores of New York, Boston, and almost every other sea-|)ort, of an unknown thickness producing 2 ' ovsters FECUNDITY OF FISH IN THAT COUNTRY. 69 oysters five times the size of those esteemed in Lotulon ; a»d which, ■with the same maiiagemeut, would prove equally good. The natural quality of the uncultivated soil in this part of the globe is such as wonderfully to promote the increase offish. A dam was formerly built across a brook in New England, between twenty and thirty feet wide, and two or three deep, in which were the trout and the sucker. This dam was built for the purpose of supplying- water for a saw-mill, and covered, by estimation, al)out a thousand acres, where the trees were thick, and the soil had never been cultivated. In two or three years, the fish were multiplied to an incredible number. They had become so numerous, that at the upper end of the pond, where the brook fell into it, in the spring, the fish were seen running one over another, embarrassed with their own numbers, and unable to escape from any attempt that was made to take them. They were caught by the hand at pleasure; and the swine could catch them without difficulty. With a net, the fishermen often take a bushel at a draught, and repeat their labor with the same success. Carts are loaded with them in as short a time as the people could gather them up, M'hen tiirown upon the banks ; and it is customary to sell them in the fishing season for a shilling per bushel. While they have thus augmented their numbers, they have become more than double their former size. This extraor- dinary increase seems to be derived from no other cause than that of collecting the waters in such a quantity as to form the pond, and thus augment the means of subsistence by carrying the water over a large tract of rich, uncultivated land. Circumstances of a similar nature generally take place when an artificial pond is made in any part of the country, not before cultivated, and probably from the same cause." K 2 CHAP. 70 CHAP. IX. MOUNTAINS or THE UNITED STATES — THE BLUE EIDGE — THE WHITE MOUN- TAINS—THE ALLEOANY MO U NTAl NS— L A K ES — S U R V E Y OF THOSE WITHIN THE TERRITORY OF THE AMERICAN REPU BLI C— L A K E SU PERIOR — HURON — E R 1 E — ONIAKIO — LAST ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE AMERICAN TUOOl'S AN D TH B SAVAGES. Nature is exhibited upon a large scale in America. The lakes^ rivers, and mountains are of a greater extent and magnitude than in any other known parts of the earth, and the quadrupeds are larger and stronger than those of Europe. The loftiest part of the Andes or Cordilleras mountains in South America, has been found by some geographers to be 20,66:3 feet ; and by others 20,590 feet in height,* which is 4,917 feet higher than Mount Blanc, in Savoy. This is the highest known mountain in the world, and though in the torrid zone, is constantly covered with snow. In Virginia, according to Mr. Jefferson, the mountains of the Blue Ridge, and those of the Peaks of Otter, are thought to be of the greatest elevation, measured from their base. " From data," saith he, "which may be found a tolerable conjecture, we suppose the highest peak to be about 4000 lect perpendicular." * The American Geography, by J. Morse, describes the Andes in South America, to stretch along the Pacific Ocean, from the Isthmus of Darien to the Strtighls of Magellan, 4300 miles : and the height •if Chimhorazo, the most elcvatt-d point of this vast chain of mountains, to be 20,280 feet, which is above h ,000 higher than any other mountain of the known world. 3 III MOUNTAINS OF THE UNITED STATES. 71 In New England, the White Mountains of Ncav Hampshire are the highest. The history of that state by Belknap does not give their height by geometrical observation, but says, that their summit is below the point of perpetual congelation. On the 19th day of June, 1774, on the south side, in one of the gullies, the snow was five feet deep. On the the first of September, 1783, the tops of the mountains were covered with ice and snow. In July, 1784, snow was seen on the south side of the highest mountain ; as it also was in August, 1790. These are the hottest months of the year in America. In general, the mountains begin to be covered with snow in September ; but it goes off ai-ain, and seldom becomes fixed until the end of October, or the be- ginning of November. These mountains are in latitude 44 deg. lo min. north. The Allegany IMonntains are also of surprising extent. They reach, with but few broken ridges, from Hudson's River to Georgia, from about 45 to 32 deg. north latitude. In these mountains are large veins of coal ; and though that article is procured with far greater facility than at Newcastle and Sunderland, it is more than three times the price, and of a much inferior quality. Iron and other metals are supposed to he buried in these mountains, but the variety of objects which are daily presenting themselves to the citizens of the United States, in trade and ■speculation, have hitherto prevented their being explored. An American bard, who styles himself M'Fingal, but whose doggrel proves him to be no relative of the ancient Caledonian bard of that name, in a poem written during the late war, and greatly admired by his countrymen, comparing the extent of Great Britain with the size ©f their lakes, says, " Its «»i«K extension, longsupply'd By vast immensity of pride : So small, that had it found a station In this new world at first creation ; Ahd •72 LAKES. And for its crirtiM transported over, ) \\'f'd liiul full room for't in Lalie Erie,. or > That larger water pond, Sii]'eiinr, j yXhcrt \ortli,* on margin taking stand, Would not see shore from either strand." The late gcosfrapher to the United States, Mr. Hutchins, has given the following survey ol those parts t)t' these lakes, or inland seas, within the territories of" the American republic: ACRES. Lake Superior, 2l,ij52,780 . Lake Michigan, 1 0. ^68,000 [SlfsulS Lake Huron, -.--:-. 5,00!),920 Lake Erie, 2,66£,800 Lake Ontario, 2,390,000 Lake of the Woods, - - - - 1,333,800 Bay Puan, 1,216,000 Red Lake, 551,000 Lake Rain, 165,000 Lake St. Clair, 89,500 Lake Champlain,. which was crossed by General Burgoyne's army, is not noticed in this report. Its length is two hundred miles, reckon- ing from Fairhaven to Saint John's. It is from one to eighteen miles broad, and the mean width about five miles. It therefore will be found to cover one thousand square miles, or 640,000 acres. It is of suffi- cient depth for large ships; and loniains several islaiiils, one of which called Grand Isle, is twenty-lour miles long, and ti'om two to four miles wide. The survey of Mr. Hutchins extends only to that part of these • Lord North — Imputing to him the long continuance of the war, the Americans by no means venerate his character. waters LAKE SLTERTOR. 73 waters comprised within tlie territory of the United States. As the division Hne, or boundary, strikes nearly through tlte middle of these lakes, except Lake Michigan, we may infer l.hut they are nearly twice as large as the idea convejed by this computation ; but this may be made more clear by pursuing the American geography. I^ake Superior is confessedly the largest body of fresh water upon the earth. Accordii]ig to the French charts, it is fifteen hundred miics in circumference; but ]Mr. Carver, one of the most accurate Avriters on America, supposes, that if the utmost extent of every bay was taken, it would exceed sixteen hundred. A great part of the coast is bounded by rocks and uneven ground. The water is pure and transparent, and appears generally throughout the lake, to lie upon a vast bed of rocks. Dr. Hallev has given it as his opinion, that all perennial lakes are saline, either in a greater or less degree, and that this saline quality increases with time ; and on this foundation he proposes a method for determining the age of the world. There are lakes in many parts that, from their vicinity to the sea, are impregnated with salts. But this wonderful body of water, called Lake Superior, has been Ibund by chemical process to be as free from salt as an inland brook ; and although the surface, during the heat of summer, is affected by the sun, yet on letting down a bottle to the depth of a fathom, the water drawn up is so excessively cold, that when taken into the mouth it has the same effect as ice. This lake lies between 46 and 57 degrees north latitude, and be- tween 9 and 1 8 degrees west longitude from the meridian of Philadel- phia. It contains many islands; one of them, called Isle Royal, is about an hundred miles long, and forty miles broad. The Nipegon and Michi[)icooton, two large rivers, empty themselves into Lake Superior. Not far from the former is a small river, remark- able 74 LAKE HURON. al)lc i'or a jjcM-peiulicular fall, of upwards of six hundred feet, from the top of a mountain. Surveyed at a distance, it appears hke a white ribband suspended in tlie air. Upwards of tliirty other rivers discharge themselves into this lake. On the banks of one, there is abundance of virgin copper, and cop|)er ore in immense beds. It is ascertained that this valuable metal might be conveyed through the different lakes and rivers nearly to Philadelphia; yet it lies neglected. Lake Superior abounds with fish, particularly trout, which have been caught of the stuprising weight of filty pounds. It is agitated by storms, like the Atlantic Ocean ; and like that sea, is in many places unfathomable, or out of soundings. There is but one outlet to this great body of water. It is called the Streights of Saint Mary, through which, it is conjectured that not one tenth part can pass. How the su})erabundance is disposed of, is yet unknown. Nearly forty rivers are constantly running into it, and some of them almost as large as the outlet of St. Mary. From Lake Superior, through the Streights of St. Mar}', we come to Lake Huron. The American Geography says that this lake " is next in magnitude to Lake Superior." The boundary line through Lake Huron reserves the greatest part of it to Great Britain ; in this, partis an island called Manataulin, or the place of spirits, which is held sacred by the Indians. This lake communicates with Lake Michigan by the Streights of Michillimackinac. It is remarkable that although there is no diurnal flood or ebb to be perceived in the waters of these streights, yet, from an exact attention to th(Mr state, a ))eriodi- cal alteration has been discovered. It has been observed that they rise by gradual, but imperceptible degrees, till, in seven years and a half, tliey have reached the heigiil of about three feet ; and in the same space of time they gradually fall away to their former state, so that in fifteen years they complete this inexplicable revolution. From LAKES— FORTS. /J From Lake Huron, through the small Lake of St, Clair, (though this small lake is ninety miles in circumference) we come to Lake Erik. " It is nearly three hundred miles long, and about forty in its broadest part," The American bard -v-sould therefore have been puzzled to place Great Britain, or even that part of it called England, in these dimensions. Poets, however, must in all parts of the world have unlimited li- cence : and, doubtless, England might have floated on Lake Erie in this bard's brain. Were we not to allow the poets their flights of fancy, we might have lost the Trojan wars, Milton's heroic devils, and many other sublime productions of the human mind. Lake Erie is the most dangerous, both for navigation and the nume- rous species of serpents with which it abounds. It was, perhaps, on this account that the American, M'Fingal, wished to assign this situa- tion to England. " The margin of this lake in many places is covered with the large pond lily, the leaves of which float on the surfac'5 of the water so thick as to cover, it entirely for many acres together. On these leaves, in the summer season, lie myriads of water snakes, bask- ing in the sun." jMr, Carver's account of the hissing snake is sup- posed to be fabulous. This lake at the north-east communicates with Lake Ontario, In' the river Niagara. On the eastern shore of this river the British established a fort, and kept possession of it until the commercial treaty with America, though decidedly v. ithin the boundary line of the United States. Another fort was in like manner maintained by Great Britain on the banks of the ]Miamis river, near Detroit, between the Lakes Erie and Ontario. In the vicinity of the latter fort, the last battle took place between the troops of the United States and the savages. This engagement was an interesting event to America, and having nearly involved a question that might ultimately have been attended with L serious \ 76 WAR WITH THE INDIANS. serious consequences to England and tiie United States, a short sketch of the event may not be unacceptable to the reader. The cause of this war is well known ; and it is scarcely necessary to observe tliat the Americans charge the Indians with being thq aggressors. In the summer of 1794, Major-Gcneral Wayne, at the head of an American army, amounting to about three thousand effective men, marched against the warlike tribes of Indians, on the north-west of the Ohio, consisting of the Delawares, the Shawanese, the Miamis, the Wyandotts, and some others, then at war with tlie United States, They w^ere assisted, according to the general's report, by the Canadian militia, and some volunteers. On the 13th of August he arrived in the vicinity of the enemj', when he issued a proclamation, inviting them to terms of jieacc ; "\\ hich was disregarded. On the iOth his army marched in columns. Alter his advanced party, which consisted ot" cavalry, had proceeded five miles, they received so severe and sudden a fire from the Indians, who were concealed in the woods and high grass, as compelled them to retreat. The general immediately formed his army in two lines, principally in a thick wood, which extended several miles on his left, and for a consider- able distance in front. The ground was covered with fallen timber, pro- bably occasioned by a tornado, which rendered it impracticable for his cavalry to act with effect ; he therefore attempted to turn the flank of the savages with them, by a circuitous route. He had discovered his enemy drawn up in three lines, within supporting distance of each otlnT. At the same time he ordered his front hue to advance, and charge with trailed arms, to rouse the Indians Irom their coverts, at the point of the bayonet, and when u|), to fire and charge, so as not to give them time to load again. Another legion of cavalry was directed to attempt (o turn their left flank. By these manoeuvres the Indians wejre soon dii- lo'Jged; SPIRITED COKDUCT OF MAJOR CAMPBELL. 77 lodged; but thev killed many of the general's troops in their retreat. The vanquished fled hrough the wood, and the Americans pursued them under the guns of the Briti h garrison on the banks of the Miamis. The American army destroyed all the houses and corn-fields for a consider- able distance, both above and below Fort Miamis. They lost in this action, one captain, one lieutenant, three Serjeants, and twenty-eight privates, killed; also four captains, two lieutenants, one ensign, four sergeants, four corporals, two musicians, and eighty-four privates, wound- ed. The loss on the part of the savages was not ascertained. The bodies of more than thirty of them were found after the engagement ; and from their sudden retreat, it is probable that this was nearly the whole loss they sustained. • The Indians alledged that they were taken by surprize ; for, having waited in ambush two daj's without food, and conceiving that General Wa vne had pursued a different route, they were taking some refreshment at the very moment he suddenly came upon them, and began the ac- tion. This is highly probable, for, had the Americans fallen into their ambush, they might have shared the fate of Braddock and St. Clair. Be it as it midit, the savasres received the Americans with a resolution which induced their commander to believe that they were assisted by the British from P'ort Miamis, in sight of the field of battle. Under this impression, a detachment advanced in a m.enacing manner to within pistol-shot of the fort. Upon this, the commanding officer, Major, since General Campbell, of the 24th regiment of foot, wrote to General Wayne to know in what light he was to view such conduct, observing, that he knew of no war between the king whom he served and the United States. The general, in his answer, alluded to the battle of the preceding day with the hordes of savages, in the vicinity ot" the fort and asserted that, in case the Indians had been driven under the influ- tnce of the British cannon, they would not much have impeded the pro- gress of his victorious arm}'. After this, Wayne, in person, descended to approach the fort, and insult the British flag, as it were to provoke the L 2 garrison 78 TREATY WJTd TUE INDIANS. garrison to fire, and thus involve the two countries in the calamities of a new war. Major Caiiii)bell then wrote, that if lie should, after that notice, " approach his post in the threatcninf>- manner he was at that moment doinjx, his indispensable duty to his king and countrv wouUl oblige him to have recourse to those measures which thousands of both nations might have cause to regret, and which he solemnly appealed to God he had used his utmost endeavours to avert." This spirited remon- strance appears to have irritated the American commander, as, in reply, he domainlcd, in the name of the president of the United States, that he should innnediately desist from acts of hostility or aggression, by for- bearing to fortify the place, and withdrawing the troops, artillery, and stores, under his command. The major, whose force did not exceed two hundred effective men, answered in these words, " permit me to inform you, that I certainly will not abandon this post at the summons of any power whatever, until I receive orders from those I have the ho- nour to serve, or the fortune of war should oblige me. I must still add here. Sir, to the purport of my letter this morning, to desire that your- army, or individuals belonging to it, will not approach within reach of uiy cannon, without expecting the consequences attending it." The Americans charged the British with assisting the Indians, and General \Vayne, in his account of the battle, makes use of this ex- pression, " the Indians and Caimdian MU'itiu, and J^oluiitcers, were driven from all their coverts." There might probably have been some young Canadians, who are scarcely a degree removed from the savage, in the Indian army, but the charge of militia or volunteers, organized under the British government, assisting them, was \\'ithout foundation. It has since appeared, that when the Indians found the English did not ijrc' upon General \Vayne's army, which they were taught by the Ca- nadians to expect, should he shew himself before the Ibrt, and that no assistance whatever was given to their cause by the British, they sued ibr peace, and commissioners soon settled the terms with the savage chiefs. The STRATAGEM OF GENLRAL WAYNE. 79 The Americans having buried their dead, marched ofF the ground, without replying to Major Campbell's last notice, or making any at- tempt upon the fort. Thus happily ended this very critical affair, which might have been attended with the most dreadful consetiuences to both countries, " In naming this subject, Mr. ^'\'eld says : " Before they began to eat, the Indians had divided themselves, I must observe, into three divisions, in order to march into another quarter, where thej' hoped to surprise the army of the United States. In this situation, however, they were themselves surprised by General Wayne, He had received intelligence from his scouts, now^ equally cunning wnth those of the Indians, of their proceedings, and having made some motions as if he intended to move to another part of the country, in order to put them off their guard, he suddenly turned, and sent his light horse pouring down on them when they least expected it. The Indians were thrown into confusion, a circumstance which with them never fails to occasion a defeat; they made but a faint resistance, and then fled with precipi- tancy." — And again, " How absurd this whole plan was, however, was plainly to be de- duced from the following circumstance, allowed both by the general and his aides-de-camp, nameh", that during the whole action the Ameri- can army did not see fifty Indians; and indeed, every person who has read an account of the Indians, must know that they never come into the field in such regular array, but always fight under covert, behind- trees or bushes, in the most irregular manner," CHAJP. 80 CHAP. X. EXCURSION IN CONNECTICUT — SUBSTANTIAL BREAKFAST — Dl NN ER— HORSE — CORN GENERAL ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY — FROGS — MANNERS OF THE INHABI- TANTS — EFFECT OF REPUBLICAN PRINCIPLES — DANGEROUS PASSAGE OF HELL GATE — NEW YORK — DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY — MACHINATIONS OF GENET, THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR — DALLAS, THE AMERICAN SECRETARY OF STATE. An excursion through Connecticut, and part of Massachusets, afford- ed me an opportunity of" observing the mode of travelling, and tlic ac- commodations on the road. In order to view the country at n)y leisure, I purchased a horse, which, with a tolerable bridb- and saddle, cost me sixty dollars. Upon my new purchase I set uut, before the break of day, from New London, in order to arrive at Norwich before the smi ac- quired his full power. After riding three hours, I stoj)jicd at a decent looking house, with a vile daub of General Washington for a sign, in order to feed my nag, which had ingratiated himself in my favor by this morning's performance, and to take breakfast. I was greatly sur- prized to see a hot beef-steak, swimming in grease and onions, brought upon the table ; and still more so to find this substantia! dish fbllo^ved by another of fried eggs and bacon. My ride liad sharpened my appetite, so that the fume of these smoaking dishes was by no means unpleasant, They remained upon the table till nearly cold, before a single person came into the room. IMy patience was exhausted — hunger drove away ceremony ; I could no longer restrain its calls, and therefore commenced an attack, for the first tiihe in my lifl', upon a clumsy beef-steak, at 2 eight SUBSTANTIAL BREAKFASTS. 81 in the morning. I sa^v no appearance of tea or coffee, and concluded that I must make a dinner instead of a breakfast, but in a Httle time the room began to fill with country-looking people of l)0th sexes, to my confusion — for I was stared at with looks not very prepo^^sessing, till I observed, that being a stranger, in haste to pursue mv journey, not knowing company were expected, and above all, the steak cooling, I had began to eat. Very little notice was taken of my apology, but each followed my example, with stomachs not a whit less keen than my own. If, methought, looking round the table, and fixing my eyes upon a pretty girl, who was too deeply engaged with a plateful of eggs and bacon to notice me, — if you make a practice of breaking your fast thus, pretty damsel, you must surely be a maiden of the days of Queen Bess, preferring " to such slip-slops as tea the leg of an Ox." A few days convinced me that this is the daily custom in the morning with this class of people, who must have something hot and substantial. Besides this fere, let me not forget to mention, we were served with some most de- testable coffee. I wished for ale or porter after my steak, but was of- fered " Yankee rum," the most execrable spirit ever distilled ; and at length I allayed my thirst with a glass of sour cyder. Again mounted, I proceeded on my excursion till I came to a place where the road branched out in different directions; one of them was to be pursued, and confident that I could not miss the stage-road, I had made no minute enquiries, and not a soul appeared to direct me. After several minutes consideration, I chose the wrong branch, and thus did not get under shelter till between two and three, greatly fatigued by the heat, and the length I had contrived to make the stage. On asking for dinner, I was roughly answered by the landlord that they /tad all dined long ago ; and was about to make him understand that I had not, but betbre I could do so, he espied some swine in his garden, which the window overlooked, and, upon this, ran roaring out the disaster, and left me to entertain myself as I pleased. In vain I might have waited his return, for 1 saw him very deliberately take a spade and begin to repair the 1)2 \Ci OMMODATIONS TOR TRAVELLERS. the tlisordrr made anionj? his cabbat^es. I now beoan to explore the house, but met not a sint^le individual till I reached the kitchen, where a girl was clearing- away the fragments of the family dinner. The in- mates had dispersed, as usual in America, inuncdiatelj^ after a meal has been hastil}'^ dispatched, in several directions, and to their different avo- cations. To this Maid of the Kitchen I made known my wants, and though greatl}' out ot" humour, I was aware if I betrayed myself) my situation would not be mended. Assuming, therefore, a pleasant air, through the medium of a little flattery, I succeeded so ftir as to hear her express concern that there was nothing for me to eat in the house. I pointed to some fowls scratching on the dunghill, and observed, that one of those, accompanied by a piece of bacon, might soon be con- verted into an excellent repast. 'J'he good creature took the hint, and in an instant twisted off the head of a fine chicken. To pass the time until the business of cooking was concluded, I returned to the stable to view the condition of mv horse, who was still gaining favor with his new master, and I was determined to be grateful by attending to his accommodations. The food they give horses here is the leaves of the Indian-corn stalk, which is a substitute for hay, and what Englishmen call a feed of oats and a few beans, is here half a gallon of the corn which grows upon that stalk. Thus, the whole food of a horse is pro- duced from one single plant ! but it is not so good as hay and oats. The corn is of so heating a nature, that an over-feed often founders the cat- tle, so as to render them unable to proceed on a journey. They are so f(.)nd of this grain, that they would eat to an excess, which would prove fatal ; while the leaves are given them to use at pleasure. Thanks to the pigs, 1 saw nothing more of my landlord, and I afterwards found that, in this respect, I was very fortunate, these fellows in Connecticut being more troublesome to their guests, by prying into their business, than persons of any other description. The land over which I this day rode was almost all under cultivation. Every fixmi-house had a large orchard, from the produce of which they make CONNECTICUT SCENERY^SUPPER. 8!J make cyder, and distil brandv\ This is another vile spirit when ne\v» and it is seldom suffered to acquire age in America. The people hero, are, however, more sober than in any other part of the United States — indeed thev rarely drink to intoxication, and thus they are enabled to export spirits to the southward. Having made a good dinner, and being refreshed by two houi-s' sleep, a practice iiere in the afternoon with travellers, \vhen they can spaie time for such refreshment, I determined to proceed to Middietown,, dis- tant only a few miles. As the sun declined, this part of my day's jour- ney was delightful, through a tine cultivated country on the banks of .the beautiful river Connecticut. Could the English quick-thorn hedges have been added to the scene before me, I could have fancied myself travelling along the bye-roads of Kent. Crossing the ferry, I arrived in Middletown as the family of the inn were sitting down to supper. This meal in America is also very different from the usage of England. It is prepared and on the table between seven and eight o'clock, and con- sists of broiled salt tish, slices of ham, the relics of the dinner, bread and butter, with coffee ; and this is their last meal for the day, after which, the female part of the family generally take a walk, or pay visits. To tliis I'ecreation I was invited by two pretty daughters of the landlord, having, during supper, gratified them with the history of my move- ments, as usual ; and by these means I avoided a it'te a tete with mine host — of all things the most irksome. On my return, having visited the stable, I retired to bed, and had my choice of half a dozen, in a room the full length of the house, being fortunately the only guest for the night. It was scarcely dark, when, on lying down, my ears were sud- denly assailed by a noise perfectly new, and for which I was at a loss to account, till, by enquiry in the morning, 1 learned that it had proceeded from the frogs in an adjacent pond, and the creeking song of the locust. * Among the discord, like the bass in a band of music, was a kind of roar- ing, which particularly surprized me. It resembled the distant hello w- M ing 84 TJIE BULL-FUOf!. iii;^ oi" tlip cnni.4C(l IniU ; and this I (omul pi'dccedcd from what they aptly call tho bull-frog. Tlicse animals are ibur times the size of the l',nt(lish Irog, and raise their heads above the water tor the space of" two minutes, at interAals, (for I have since particularly noticed them,) when they continue this most discordant noise. 1 couJd seldom lind tl.-em out of water, anil when I came upon them by surprize, on the margin of a pond, they fled to it by prodigious jumps. 1 had made many efforts to catch one of them in vain, but returning one evening from a shooting- partj', being about to draw my charge, and observing one in a marsh iK'ar me, rising to make his roar, I discharged the contents of my piece, and immediately saw it floating on the water. A dog which had ac- companied us brought it to me. It measured six inches in length, and its hind legs were nearly as long as the body. In colour, and sqmewhat in shape, it more resembled the toad than our green-speckled frog. I severed its hotly, and brought home the hind quarters, more delicate in appearance thati those of a chicken. In France I had conquered my repugnance to the flesh of a frog; and having heard that some people in America extolled such food, I resolved to have a little fricassee made of this part of the bull-frog. In accomplishing my purpose I had many difficulties to combat. Not a domestic of the house would touch it, and, determined to carry my point, I seized the stew-pan, procured the ne- cessary ingredients, and cooked a dish greatly to my satisfaction — and I can assure my I'eadcr, that if he could conquer that enemy to the mind, prejudice, he would find the legs of a frog nearly as excellent as those of a woodcock, r have been thus prolix in order to draw a picture of my first day's pe- regrination in the interior of America; but shall hereafter avoid repeti- tions of this subject, there being little variation in the treatment you meet with in New England. I must, however, obsen'e, that I was greatly indebted to fortune throughout the twentj'-four hours; therefore, to give a general view of travelling in tfiis part of the Avorld, in the pri- 3 vate POLITENESS or NEW ENGLAND INN-KEEPERS. 85" vate manner I had adopted, I shall now shew the reader, without the most distant idea of giving otlence, what must sometimes be endured from the manners and customs of the people. Arrived at your inn, let me suppose, like mj^self, you had fallen in with a landlord, who at the moment would condescend to take the' trouble to procure you refreshment after the family hour, and that no pig, or other trifling circumstance called off his attention, he will sit by your side, and enter in the most familiar manner into conversation; which is prefaced, of course, with a demand of your business, a-id so forth. He will then start a political question (for here every individual is a politician), force your answer, contradict, deny, and, finally, be ripe tor a quarrel, should you not acquiesce in all his opinions. When the homely meal is served up, he will often place himself opocsite to you at the table, at the same time declaring, that " though he thought he had eaten a hearty dinner, yet he will pick a bit with you." Thus will he sit, drinking out of your glass, and of the liquor you are to pay for, belching in your face, and committing other excesses still more in- delicate and disgusting. Perfectly inattentive to your accommodation, and regardless of your appetite, he will dart his fork into the best of the dish, and leave you to take the next cut. If 3'ou arrive at the dinner-hour, you are seated with " mine hostess" and her dirty children, with whom you have often to scramble for a plate, and even the servants of the inn ; for liberty and equality level all ranks upon the road, from the host to the hostler. The children, imitative of their free and polite papa, will also seize your'drink, slobber in it, and often snatch a dainty bit from your plate. This is esteemed wit, and consequently provokes a laugh, at the expence of those who are paying for the board. No check must be given to these demonstrations of unsophisticated nature ; for the smallest rel^uke Avill bring down a severe animadversion from the parent. ]\Iany are the instances that could be pointed out, where the writer has undergone these mortifications, and if Mr. Winterbottom w I has 80 NEW ENGLAND FARMLRS. has ever travelled in the country parts of the IJaitcd States, he can, it lie pleases, attest the truth of these observations. " The American farmer, (says this gentleman) has more sim|)licity and honesty — we more art and chicanery; they have more of nature, and we more of the world. Nature, indeed, formed our features and' intellects very much alike ; but while we have metamorphosed the one, and contaminated the other, they luive retained and preserved the na- tural symbols of both." If we credit these assertions, we must admit that the inhabitants o{ the new world, far excel us, also, in mental ac(]uirements ; but I take- the very contrary to be the fact, A republican spirit makes them for- ward and impertinent — a spirit of trade renders them lull of chicanery — and under a shew of liberty, they are commonly tyrants to each other. This is observable at their public meetings, when the fumes of. whisky or apple-brandy begin to operate— the more opulent will lord it over his poor neighbor; while the robust will attack the weak, till the • w^hole exhibits a scene of riot, blasphemy, and intoxication. An English farmer, in the north cspeciall)^ when asked the price of his crain. will answer with modest diliidcnce : nav, will often be al)ashed . at the attempt to undervalue the article. In America, the meanest plariter must go through his routine of interrogatories, and perhaps mount his political hobb3'-liorse, before you receive an answer to your question. Should you happen to observe that.you can purchase for less than he demands, he will give you the lie, accompanied with a grin and an oath, and tell you to go where you can obtain it cheaper. With the other sex, whose curiosity is generally admitted in other countries to be by no means inferior to that of the men, you may natu- rally expect to fare no better. Tliis I likewise found by manifold ex- perience. FEMALE CURIOSITY — REPUBLICAN PRIDE. 87 perience. One instance, wliich occurred during tlie excursion de- scribed in this chapter, shall here suffice. Seeing a pleasant httle cot- tage on the river Connecticut, and understanding that it was to be let, , I knocked at the door, which was opened by a woman, of whom I en- quired the rent of the house — " And where are you from ?" — was the reply. — " Pray madam," I again asked, "is this house to be let i" — " Be you from New York or Boston r" said the inquisitive dame. The place was situated about half-way between those two towns. Impatient at this mode of reply — " I'll thank you, madam," I repeated, " to ac- quaint me with the price demanded for this little placer" — " Pray what may you be ?" rejoined she, as if fully determined not to satisfy my en- quiry till I had gratified her curiosity. I was not less resolute tliau herself^ and turned my back in disgust. . ' Among the females, a stranger may soon discover the pertness of' re- publican principles. Divested, from that cause, of the blushing modesty of the country girls of Europe, they will answer a fiimiliar question, from the other sex with the confidence af a French Mademoiselle. I Avould not, however, be understood to question their chastity, of which they have as large a portion as Europeans; my object is merely to • shew the force of habit, and the result of education. The arrogance of domestics in this land of republican libertj'- and equahty, is particularly calculated to excite the astonishment of stran- gers. To call persons of this description sei'ixmfs, or to speak of their master or mistress, is a grievous affront. Having called one day at the house of a gentleman of my acquaintance, on knocking at the door, it was opened by a servant-maid, whom I had never before seen, as she had not been long in his family. The following is the dialogue, word for word, which took place on. this occasion: — "Is your master at home?" — " I have no master." — " Don't you live here?" — " I stay here."—" And who are you then?"' — "Why, I am Mr. ■ 's help. I'd 88 BINDI.ING— TARRYING. I'd have you to know, inan, that I am no savvant \ none but negen are mrvunts" I liave frequently heard of an amusement in New England, and par- ticularly in the state ot" Connecticut, called bundling. It is described as bcintj resorted to by lovers. The young couple retire to bed, with their clothes on, «nd there the lover tells his soft tale. One author says, that " bundling has not its oric^in in New England, as supposed. It has beep practised time immemorial in Wales, and is also a general practice in the Isle of Portland. I was informed that servant-girls in Connecticut demand liberty to do so on hiring — they receive their gallants in the night in bed, with their petticoats tied to their ancles. In Holland, too/ this is practised amongst the peasants, who call it (jucestiug." Another author mentions tai-rijing in New England. If parents ap- prove their daughter's choice, the lover is permitted to tairtj with his love a night in bed, but not undrest; and there they either agree to marry or part for ever. Sometimes, however, a child has been the fruit of this tan-ijing, in which case, the lover must marry, or be excommunicated ! I confess I never knew a single instance of this bimdling or tarrying ; indeed, during my residence in New England, I was not happy enough to become a lover. From New London I took my passage to New York, in Captain Harris's packet, wishing to view Long Island sound, and to pass through the narrows, calletl Hell Gate. We were becalmed soon after we had cUared the river Thames, and at noon had proceeded on our voyage no farther than the Long Island shore, nearly opposite to New London. Several of the i)asscngers, and I among the rest, went ashore to make an excursion in this beautiful spot, till the tide should favor our proceed- ing for New York. A\'e were hospitably received by a Dutch farmer, who (1^ Vi ^ ^ <.^ PASSAGE OF HELL GATE.. 89 who gave us milk and cyder ; but before we could avail ourselves of such information as he might communicate respecting the country, a breeze sprung up, Avhich was the concerted signal for us to return to the boat. This we accordingly did with all expedition, the sails were immediately hoisted, and the gale proved propitious. We passed the town of New- haven at a great rate, and before dark were at the head of Hell Gate. Our captain was not inclined to pass these streights that evening, as there is great danger unless the tide suits, or the wind enables vou to stem the current. We pressed him to make the attempt, and giving way to our solicitations, though with reluctance, he contiiiued his course. This passage may well be called Hell Gate, for it lias a most teniHo appearance. In one place the water boils up with a great fjam, and this they call the pot, a place extremeh'^ dangerous when approached too near; on one side are sunken rocks, called the Hog's Back, and on the other, (a place of equal danger,) denominated the Frying-pan. I fan- cied myself between Scylla and Charybdis; and grew very uneasy on observing the countenance of our captain, who at length evinced evi- dent signs of ai)prehension for the safety of his vessel, and reflected on himself for being persuaded against his own judgment to pass through at such a time of tide. In fact, we were in greater danger than we con- ceived; for the Avind, which was brisk on our entrance, at once lulled, and we were irresistibly drawing towards the Gridiron, a place equally fatal with those already described, where, in our crowded state, many- lives might have been lost, though within a few j-ards of Hancock's rock. On this place, perhaps one hundred yards in circumference, we observed fragments of the rock that had been piled up by the crew of a vessel which had the misfortune to strike upon the Gridiron, to shelter them- selves fi'om the inclement wind until the tide permitted a boat to come and take them off. The annexed engraving, with its references, affords an accurate idea of the dangers of this tremendous passage, tliough these cannot be duly estimated 00 IMMINENT DANGliR. estimated but hy naval men, or such persons as, from actual observation, are acquainted uitli the perils ol" this hazardous; enterprize,* In this situation, such was the ai)prchension of our crew, that, with one accord, they got out their sweeps, or long oars, and the passengers as- sisted in tugging. AV'ith great labor we checked the sloop's way, by which her head swung round towards the city, and thus we fortunately avoided tliis iniininent danger. Our captain now swore and protested that he would never again be " over-|)ersuaded," as he termed it, by any set of passengers. The wind had fallen, and we had to wait the return of the tide, being now at anchor, and safe, at any rate, from being swung on this watery gate of hell ; yet the idea of remaining on board all night was far from one of the most pleasing, as there was not a third part of the births, or places to lie down to rest, required by the passengers. At midnight we were abreast of the city, and at that late hoin-, \\ hen the sober inhabitants are in bed, the boat was soon filled by * The following anecdote is related of a black man,! lie pilot of the Experiment of 50 guns, who took her through IIcU Gate, a passage before deemed impracticable for ships of war, to the great astonishment of Lord Howe, then commander-in-chief of the British naval force in those parts. At the moment of the greatest danger. Sir James Wallace, the Captain, gave some orders on the quarter-deck which, in Mungo's opinion, interfered with the duties of his oflice. Advancing, therefore, to Sir James, and gently tapping him on the shoulder — " Massa," said he, " you no peak here." The captain felt the full force of the poor fellow's remonstrance; and, to the extreme surprize of all those acquainted with the difliculiy of navigating a ship through Hell Gate, the negro carried the Experiment safe to Sandy Hook. The addition of this ship was a most seasonable reinforcement to the little ileet under Lord Howe, and so highly did his lordship appreciate the skill and adventurous spirit of the negro pilot, that he settled oi» him an annuity of lifty pounds for life, Had the Experiment taken any other than this unusual route, she would have infallibly have fallen into the hands of the enemy, as she afterwards did in the course of the war. — A British frigate which attempted this passage during the same-contest, less fortunate than the Experiment, was totally lost. Two French frigates blocked up last year, (1S06) in New York, by the Lcander and another English ship of war, gave their antagonists the slip, by pushing through this dangerous channel. The perils of the land, air, or ocean, dwindle into nothing in the estimation of the French, when compared to those of a meeting with the unmannerlij tars of Old England. such NEW YORK— FRENCH TAVERN. 9l such of the passengers as chose this alter)iati\ e to remaining on board till morning. I stepped into the boat, and landed, but soon lost sight of all my companions, who had, for the most part, some friend or rela- tive to whose house thej'^ could repair. Behold me then at this unsea- sonable hour, in the extensive city of New York ; the night was dark, a few straggling lamps reflected a dim light, and the watchmen, in monotonous discord, announced the hour. I had gone through two or three streets without seeing a single house open, when two well-dressed men before me, knocked at a door. I determined to avail myself of this opportunity ; for by a lamp I discovered that the house at which they were demanding admission, was a tavern. I stopped, and hearing them converse in French, addressed them in that language, and ac- quainted them with my situation. They behaved Avith a degree of complaisance peculiar to Frenchmen, and requested me to follow them. I soon found that I was in a French house ; several of these lively peo- ple being in conversation, while others were amusing themselves with the game of domino. I was invited to join, but urging want of rest, I was shewn to a good bed in a very filthy room, with which I was, nevertheless, well pleased. The cit}?^ of New York is built upon an island, fourteen miles long, aud about a mile in breadth, formed by the north and east rivers ; a situation which, to a stranger, would appear to insure the health of its inhabitants. The southern part opens to the sea, and the tide flows with great rapidity. From the battery, which is now used as a public walk, there is a charming view of the Jersey shore, and Long and Staten Islands. New York is a place of great trade, several hundred sail of vessels being generally at the wharfs and at anchor. It is the depot of European goods, for the supply of retailers in every state in the union ; and of late years it has far exceeded Philai^elphia in a commercial point of view. N The 9-2 YELLOW FEVER. The diiUfs paid at llio |)(jrt of New York during four i ° ''"* *'*""'*' years, coniineiiciug A[)nl I, l80l, and ending > 12,86:2,020 14 March.")!, ItiO.'), amounted to - - -\ I'or the hke time, Phihidelphia produced - - 7,777,9(35 14 Boston, (htto _ . . - . 6,408,400 28 Baltimore, ditto . . - - - 3,86 1, 06j 08 Charleston, ditto .... - 3,06 J, 693 54 This at one view sliews the comparative trade of tlie five largest conv mercial towns in America. New ^'ork was built bj^ the Dutch, who called it New Amsterdam ; and, following their usual mode of building in Europe, the houses presented their gable-end or back to the streets, which were laid out according to the fancy of the owners of the ground. Thus they be- came narrow, crooked, and inconvenient in many parts, and some of the old Dutch tenements still continue to disgrace the city. This cin- cumstance, however, cannot give rise to those pestilential fevers which have raged tliere every summer, in some degree, since the year 1794. \'olumes have been written on this subject. Medical men have op- posed each other's opinions with much asperity, so that the patient is- bewildered in their contradictions. On its first appearance, it was generally believed to have been imported; but its regular return, par- ticularly in New York and Philadelphia, clearly shews it to be engen- clered there by the operation of excessive heat upon uncleanliness.. Great attention has of late been paid to the cleansing of those cities so- subject to the fever; yet we find it at an alarming Iveight in both, so late as in the year 1805. It is a singular circumstance, that this scourge never appeared in the country until 1793, the very year of the revolt of the negroes, and the massacre of the white people in St, DomingOi when thousands of French lied to the United States from that devoted ' L island ; TRENCII INTRIGUES— GENET. Q,! island; and very few indeed suffered by it, though raging in I'hiladel- phia, where numbers of them landed. New York has greatly increased, both in size and population, not- withstanding the havoc made by the yellow lever. The distracted state of Europe has caused an influx of inhabitants scarcely credible; and as the summer destroj'^s, the winter brings in a fresh sup|)lv. The Broad-way, leading from the south battery through the j)ark, and the whole length of the city, is a wide, handsome .street. I was informed, that a piece of ground in the park, which, seven j'ears ago, was not worth fifty dollars, had been recently disposed olj l()r the purpose of building upon, for five hundred pounds, currency oi' the state, which is eight shillings to the dollar. The time of my arrival in New York was during the reign of terror in France; the baleful consequences of which were severely felt in America. Robespierre's taction sent an ambassador to the United States, who would have brought immeasurable evils on the country, had not the wisdom and firmness of President Washington counter- acted his plans. This minister was Genet, whose embassy was in- tended to sow the seeds of a second revolution, to cause a rupture with England, and by availing himself of the consequent anarchy and con- fusion, to secure to France an ally, by means of a treaty offensive ancf defensive. The encouragement he met with from the Jacobin in- terest, then espoused by the most numerous, though least rcs^)ecta- ble part of the community greatly encouraged him in prosecuting the object of his mission. From Charleston to New York he was flattered by success equal to his most sanguine wishes. A thread may lead a multitude ; a bauble, be it a crown or a greasy red cap, is suflicient to procure the adulation of a mob, when held up to view by such a plitical juggler as Genet Fie well knew the tem- per of the people he was among— unstable and violent in political dis- cussions, yet tenacious and jealous of that liberty, of which it was his aim to deprive them. This required great art, consummate hypocrisy, N i a\4. P4 MACHINATIONS OF GENET. and undaunted resolution, joinetl, in case of eniergenc\% to the most desperate measures. Tliat lie was com[)ctent to the task, and that he would too well have succeeded, had nut Washington counteracted his machinations, the event fully proved. This great and gooil man, an Achilles in war, and a Mentor in peace, agairi saved his country iiom the rapacious grasp of insatiable France. Clubs upon Jacobin principles were formed in tlie large commercial cities ; the Hag of France and America supported the cap of liberty in the club-rooms, and the tri-colored cockade was assumed bj' the whole party of Genet. General Washington was invested, in many instances, with power equal to the king of Great Britain. Fie saw with pain the rapid strides of taction, and Avas determined to crush the monster. He was aware that foreign influence was subtle and I'atal poison to the states of America ; and the deplorable condition of the countries conquered by France has since fully justified his opinion. An army was raising in the western country, and privateers were fitting out in the ports of the Lhiited States, commissioned by the French ambassador; and when Dallas, one of the officers of state, attempted" to remonstrate with him, and to express the disapprobation of go- vernment upon this infringement of the law of nations, he flew into a rage, and declared that he would " appeal to the people from the decisions of the president." This was the language of the French generals in Europe, where they imagined that art would avail. Wash- ington, however, was neither to be duped nor intimidated. He fii'st dis- missed Duplaine,* the vice-consul of the French republic at Boston, * Duplaine was the principal engine of Genet in New England. The district attorney for Massa- ehusets had already presented tlirce bills of indictment against him to the grand jury of the circuit court, but the French faction had found means to throw them out. It was therefore high time for the executive to begin with Diiplaiue. by JACOBINS— li'RANKLIN'S PREDICTION. 95 by revoking anrl annulling his di|jlomatic functions. Against this pro- ceeding Genet protested, in a furious remonstrance to IVIr. Jefferson, then secretarj'' of state. He declared, " that he did not acknowledge* its validity, because the constitution of the United States has not given the president the right which he now appears desirous to exercise." This proclamation drew forth the pen of the whole faction. The underlings ad(jpted the language of their chief: they, too, questioned the right of the president to dismiss a foreign vice-consul : they reviled, insulted, and abused the virtuous magistrate. Who then can expect to avoid the shafts of calumny ? Where is the man that may hope to escape censure ? These vipers to their country asserted, that the English had agents there, whose business it was to seduce them from the friendship of their great and good allies — to break the bonds of rational compact by rousing an unjust indignation against the majesty of their sister republic. Every deceitful art was used, every sophistical argument advanced, to incense the people against the president. The ghost of P'ranklin was brought forward uttering the following extract of his letter from Paris, to Dr. Mather, in the year 1784, which was with great industry circulated through the public prints of the union. " This powerful nation (speaking of France) continues its friendship for the United Stales. It is a friendship of the utmost importance to our security, and should be carefully cultivated. Britain has not yet well digested the loss of its dominion over us ; and has still at times some flattering hopes of recovenng it. Accidents may increase these hopes, and encourage dangerous attempts. A breach between us and France * The proclamation of the president of the lOth October, 1703, declared, that Diiplaine had, under colour of his office, committed sundry encroaclinients and infractions on the laws of the land ; and in eoniiequence he did no longer recognize the said Duplaine, &c. Sec, 2 would y(j GENET'S- CUARGES AGAINST THE AMERICAN MINISTERS. uouKl inlallibly bring the English again iii)<)n onr backs ; and yet we have some wild beasts among our conntrymcn, who are endeavouring to weaken that connection. Let us preserve our reputation, by per- forming our engagements and our contracts ; antl our Iriends by grati- tude and kindness, for we know not liow soon we may again liave occasion for all of them." Could the ghost, thus conjured up, have been again animated, and vital warmth once more have been restored, old Tranklin \\ ould have recanted this political prognostication; and have called those fools and rebels who thus unseasonably brought forward lus prediction. The curious remonstrance and daring threat of Genet, was followed by a demand from him to the attorney-general of the United States, to prosecute John Jay, the chief justice, and Rufus King, one of the mem- bers of congress. His charge against these gentlemen was, laughable to relate, that they had falsely asserted that he, " Citizen Genet, as mi- nister plenipotentiary of the French Republic, one and indivisible, &c. declared his resolution of appealing frum the president to the people." These gentlemen, friends to their country, came forward, and not only pul)licly attested the truth of Genet's threats, but gave the names of Hamilton and Knox, men at that time high in office, who confirmed the fact. A confutation like this, would have brought the blush of shame and "uilt into anv other cheek than that of a revolutionary Frenchman. In the mind of Genet it added fuel to the llames of discord: he even had the temerity to repeat his applicatiori to the attorney-general in dic- tatorial terms, charging Messrs. Jay and King with the additional crime of a coalition with the secretary at war and the secretary of the treasury, Messrs. Knox and Hamilton, whom he called authors and abettors of vile machinations against him, and threatening lo ajjpiy to the head ot the executive power to oblige him to carry on the prosecution. The answer to this demand, till then new in the United States, with Genet's reply, 1 shall give at length. " Philudelpliia, RA^"DOLPH's LETTER TO GENET. 97 " Philadelphia, December Wh, 179o. " I had the honor of receiving yesterday the second communication which you purposed to make to me. When we conversed together on Friday the 1 3th instant, I doubted for a moment, whether you did not mean, that I should wait for the instructions intended to be asked for me, from the president of the L^nited States; but as I want no special order to discharge my real duty, and the opinion which you request must be the result of my own conviction, I do not think it proper to delay my answer. " You applv. Sir, to me as the attorney-general of the United States to prosecute Mr. Jay and Mr. King for their pubhcation on the Hth of August and 26th of November, 1793. The act constituting my office declares my duty to be " to prosecute and conduct all suits in the su- preme court in which the United States shall be concerned," and I have been sworn to its faithful execution. But while I admit it to be incum- bent on me to prosecute without distinction of persons, when the law Avill support me, I do not hold myself bound, nor do I conceive that I ought to proceed against any man in opposition to my decided judgment. With these impressions, I must beg leave to decline the measures which you desire, persuaded, as I am, that this case will not sustain the prose- cution which you meditate. " But, Sir, if it would not seem modifying with an apology this de- termination of mine, founded upon principles which need none, I would take the libertv of adding, that any other gentleman of the profession, who may approve and advise the attempt, will be at no loss to point out a mode which does not require my intervention. " I have the honor. Sir, to be, with sincere respect and attachment for- the nation whom you represent, " Your most obedient servant, EDM. RANDOLPH. " M.. Genet, Minister Plenipotentiary of the French Republic. P.S. t)8 WASHINGTON DISMISSES GENPT. " P. 5. December lOtli, 1793. " Since I wrote the above> I have received. Sir, a letter from the se- cretary of state on the subject of your request. As no change is ren- dered necessary in the foregoing sentiments, I do myself the honor of sending my letter as it originally stood. " riiihidelphia, 9.\d December, 1793, " M near of the French Republic. " Cilizen Genet, ^-c. to Mr. Jxanchlphy Attorney-General of the United States. " Sir, " Since you refuse cause to be rendered to my nation, the ally of yours, the justice claimed by its representative, I will apply immedi- ately to the judges, and should they refuse to admit my complaint, I will cover myself with the mantle of mourning, and will say America is no longer free. " Accept, Sir, my profound respect for and my attachment to the United States, of which you are attorney-general. " GENET." The penetrating eye of the president had some time been fixed on the motions of the French party : he was now convinced of the danger of Genet's mission ; and he therefore deemed it his duty to extend that power which he had already exercised upon Du[)laine. Jt was also the best answer that could be given to the threatening remonstrance to the secretary of state, and it was the seal of approbation of the coiKlnot of the attorney-general. The functions of the dread minister pleiiij.o- tentiary himself were suspended, and a com| laint against him forwarded to France, in due time he was superseded by Fauchet, and recalled to Paris to answer for his conduct ; but the wily republican, regarding the bloody genet's diplomatic IN:5TRUCTI0NS. 99 bloody scenes tliere, which he had but lately assisted in, declined obey- ing the latter part of the mandate. He chose rather to sink in soft repose in the arms of beauty, than to meet the pikes of enraged repub- licans. AJopting the country he had attempted to divide, he married into a respectable American family, retired to a snug private seat, " far from the court and the tumultuous city," where he can shed with impu- Bity, no other blood than that of his own mutton. The conduct of this man, in his official capacity, will not appear extra- ordinary, when we recur to his instructions. As a justification of his proceedings, he published them in America. Consummate art and deep intrigue, are the leading features of the whole. A few lines may give the reader an. idea of modern repubhcanism. " In this situation of affairs, we ought to excite, by all possible means-, the zeal of the Americans, who are as much interested as ourselves in discouraging the destructive projects of George III. in which they are probably an object. Their own safety still depends on ours ; and if we fail, they will sooner or later fall under the iron rod of Great Britain," Such were the inflammatory orders of President Monge to Genet, and such was his encouragement to carry them into full effect by the American faction ; at the head of which appeared Dallas, then a secre- tary of state. This man is described by Cobbett, who published the best diurnal print in America, under the name of The Porcupine Gazette, to have been a strolling player, of such inferior abilities as to have been hissed off the stage m the island of Jamaica. " Wonderful turn of the wheel of fortune," continues Mr. Cobbett. A man rejected as a divert* ing stroller in a British colony, is found very fit for a secretary of state in^ the republic of America 1" CHAF. 100 CHAP. XL tTATE or RELIGION IN THE UNITED STATES — SUN DAYS— GE MEBOSITY OI THE KOMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF MARYLAND — SHAKERS — BAPTISTS, ANECDOTES Of ITHEM — CAMP MEETINGS OF THE METHODISTS. oOON after ISIr. Jeffei"son's advancement to the presidency, the tvthes of the episcopal clergy were entirely abolished, and the church lands sold for the use of government. All religious sects are therefore on the same footing, without supremacy, or limited salaries. In the New England States, Presbyterians and Baptists are the most numerous. New \'orlv has a large proportion of adherents to the church of England, which many of the Dutch also attend. New Jersey contains a mixture of Quakers, Baptists, and Presbyterians. In Pensylvania, founded bj' Williaui Pcnn, a rigid quaker, a great part of the inhabitants are con- sequently of that persuasion. Being subject to no restraint, this non- resisting sect are, by many Americans of other denominations, charged with overbearance in all matters where they are concerned, and with a busy intermeddling meanness in the affairs of other sects. Mar\ land, like Pensylvania, follows the religion of the ancient jiroprietor, Lord Bal- timore. About one half of the people are therefore Roman Catholics, In Virginia, the Methodists bawl out their tenets with the greatest suc- cess amongst the lower orders of j)eople. They are said to tlo great mis- chief among the slaves, whom thej' receive into their congregation, and place among the most select part of their white brethren. They certainly terrify the uninformed negroes; and, in many instances, serve to aggra- vate the hardsliips of" their situations, by disordering their minds. In S the SUNDAY IN CONNECTICUT. 10 f the Carol inas, (to use Dr. Morse's observation) " Religion is at a very low ebb." The inhabitants of these states he calls Northingarians. Sundays are there passed in riot and drunkenness; and the negroes in- dulge uncontrolled in tumultuous sports and licentiousness. At night thev prowl about stealing wherever they find opportunity, at the risk of a severe flogging in tlie morning. At Charleston, they make some shew of religion on the sabbath, but, perhaps, with as little devotion as in the other parts of the state. Of Georgia, I cannot, from my own observation, say much ; but there is every reason to believe that, with respect to religion, it is nearly on a par with the Carolinas ; gouging being in equal vogue in the four southern states. In Connecticut, the sabbath is kept in the most rigid manner; a great majorit}^ of the people being Baptists and Presbyterians. There the traveller is compelled to take his rest at the miserable tavern where he may have arrived on the Saturday, until Monday morning ; for the running of stages is prohibited on the Lord's day. I actu-' ally sustained a considerable loss by being detained at Newhaven on a Sunday in the spring of the year 1794, on my road to New York, which, in consequence of this delay, I reached too late to transact ray contemplated business. Many instances have occurred of travellers on horseback, who have attempted to pass a meeting-house during service, being forcibly dismounted, and compelled to hear a doctrine, perhaps, repugnant to their tenets.* ♦This kind of religious persecution has been noticed by different English anthers, and denied by Ame- Kicans. I can, however, affirm, that as late as the year 1793, such cases as that described above frequently orcuired. Mr. Harper, manager of a company of comedians, informed me that an attempt was made to stop him on passing a small building, which he supposed to be a meeting-house, on a Sunday forenoon. in Connecticut, and that he preserved his freedom by hastening his speed. The player was witty iti commenting on his situation, observing, that he was taken by surprise, for had he only told them liis errand, (he was going post to Boston to open a tiieatre) the Puritans would have avoided iiim as a pesti- lence. o2 In 10^ CATHOLICS— SHAKER?. Ill all the. other states, Maryland excepted, the principal merchanti and nun of property are chiefly of the church of England. The Ro- man Catholics are the most moderate and orderly of the other sects. They have handsome churches in New York and Philadelphia. At Baltimore, a Metropolitan cathedral is building, on an extensive scale, under the patronage and protection of Bishop Cleggett, a man of good sense and erudition, vho governs the Catholic church throughout the United States uith much projjrietj'. To provide funds, he prevailed upon the government to grant a lottery, in which the Bishop drew the highest prize, and magnanimously a[)propriated it lo the use of the church, aflbrding a brilliant example to the other dignified clergy to *' go and do likewise." Amongst the numerous religious sects in the United States, there is one, which for extravagance of action, during their orisons, is certainly pre-eminent. These peo[)le are called Shakers. The first society was formed at Harvard, in the State of Massachusets, by Ann Leese, who denominated herself their mother; and she associated hersel iwith Wil- liam Leese, her natural brother, as her second; John Parkinson, who had formerly been a baptist preacher in England, the chief speaker ; and James Whitaker, second speaker. These people had converts in numbei-s, and from distant parts, who laid up stores of provisions for such as tarried at Harvard. Their meetings, which continued day and night for a considerable time, con- sisted of preaching, singing and dancing; the men in one apartment, the women in another. These meetings were attended by converts from a great distance, who staid from two to twenty days. They had missionaries in the country making proselytes, and confirming othei-s in this fancied inillenium state. Those were taught to be very industrious at home, that they might be able to contribute to the general fund, and many devoted their whole substance to the society. They vary their exercises of devotion. Sometimes they dance, or rather jump, up and down SHAKERS— NORTH CAROLINA MARRIAGES. 103 •clown in a heavy manner till they are exhausted by the A'iolence of the exercise. The chief speaker Avill sometimes begin to pray, they then desist to listen to him, and when he has finished, immediately renew their dancing with increased vigor. Then generally follows the shak- ing, as if shuddering under an ague, from which they have received the name of shakers. They sing praises to David during the dancing; but I could not learn what holy man or saint they invoke in their shaking fits. The women are equally emploN'^ed in the fatigues of these exer- cises under the eye of the mother in another apartment, where they jump and scream in dreadful concert. Sometimes there will be short intermissions, but in a minute or tAvo, one of the chiefs will spring up, crving, " as David danced, so will we before God ;" the others follow this signal ; and thus, alternately dancing, praying, and singing, they pass night after night, and often until morning. Mother Leese's followers have formed societies at New Lebanon and Hancock, in the state of New York, and in other parts the shakers, who call them- selves believers, are spreading Avith enthusiastic rapidity. At Edenton, in North Carolina, the people are so far lost to the sense of religion, that they have suffered a handsome brick e|)iscopaliaii church, the only place of public worship in the town, to fall into decay. In many parts of the southern states, there is a total neglect, not only of religious, but often of moral duties. The church-yard at Edenton is open to the carnivorous beasts which prowl about that country; and when cattle have grazed, and hogs rooted in it, they retire to rest in the neg- lected church. Having driven their minister awa}', the ceremony of marriage is performed by a justice of the peace, Avho having fir^t freely indulged at the festive board of the hai)|jy couple, and generally late in the evening, hiccups over a few lines, and this serves is a bond lor life. The baj)tisra and the burial service are dispensed Avith. This church was built and flourished under the British government, when benevolent and spirited merchants gave a rank and consequence to the town, when hospitality and unanimity spread their benign influence, 1 and 104 BAPTISM BY IMMERSION. and somewliat ameliorated an unfriendly clime, by the exercise of the social and moral virtues. These religious liberties, like the civil code of republicanism, is often grossly abused. The episcopalians in many of the states have their bishops, and even the ranting methodists have their Lord's anointed; n(»t^vith^tanding Doctor Currie boldly advances that there are no ecclesiastical orders in the country. The baptists are also a formidable sect in some parts ; and, like the other seceders, are bitter enemies to. the old established code of religion. I was present at a baptism according, as they say, to the doctrine of Saint John, in Rhode Island. The day was one of the severest in the month of January, and in that part of the world it is many degrees colder than in England. The thermometer was, at the time, 10 be-. lowO. A concourse of people near the water-side attracted my attention. I joined the crowd, and found that it was assembled to witness a baptism by immersion. The ice, which was about a loot thick, had been cut through to the distance of twenty or thirty yards, but so intense was the frost, that some of the elect were obliged, witli poles and staves, to keej) the hallowed water from freezing. A few minutes would have ce-. raented the whole again. In order to turn the hearts of unbelievers, and to reclaim such as hav'e gone astray, the baptists on these occasions are particularly prolix. They assert that the spirit enures them to this rigid penance, making to them the day mild, and the water of the inimmer's temperature. I had waited for the end of the minister's ex- hortation, after which he was to lead his flock to the water, until my litnbs ached with cold. At length the penitents appeared. They con- Msted of the members of the meeting, two and two ; then followed the • devotees, about twelve in number, of both sexes, in long gowns, resem- bling a robe de chumbve. At the head of the noviciates was the priest, alternately CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING BAPtlSM BY IMMERSION. 105 alternately praying and singing, in honor.of Saint John the baptist: and thus without slackening his pace, or altering his dress, he plunged into the freezing stream, till he was nearly breast-high in the water. His disciples, with wonderful resolution, hand in hand, followed; while the members who had already been purified by immersion, ranged them- selves along the margin of the deep. The pastor then turned round, and began a solemn exhortation on baptism, which continued a few minutes; a dreadful interval in his situation ! He then seized the nearest devotee, and with great dexterity immersed him entirely in the water. Another short praj^er succeeded, then another immersion ; and this was repeated till the whole had thus received the holy sacrament. They retur«ed, giving thanks to God, after suffering the severity of the freezing water, at such a season, about ten minutes. During this unnatural ceremony, I was no less entertained with the remarks of the spectators. On of them observed that, severe as the discipline was, they seldom took cold, or suffered subsequent bodily pains ; adding, that their enthusiasm was so great, and their minds were wrought up to such a degree of religious phrenzy, that no room was left for reflection, or sense of danger. Another related a story of a public baptism of this nature in Connecticut, which was attended with a fatal circumstance. " It was about the same time of year," continued the narrator, (tor the severer the weather tbe greater their faitb) " when I was present at one of these duckings, (as he termed it.) it was performed in a small but rapid ri\er, then covered with ice, except a place cut for the purpose. The minister, with his followers, advanced to the proper distance into the water : alter the usual introductorj'^ prayer, being in the- act of immersing the first, he accidentally lost his hold of the unfortu- nate person, who was in an instant carried down the stream, still run- ning under the ice, and irrecoverably lost. I'he good man finding his subject gone, -with a happy serenity of mind exclaimed, " 'J'he Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord: IOj MLTHODIST CAMP-MEETINGS. Lord:— ooino auollier of you, my children." The remainder, asto- nished and confounded, lost their faith, and fled. A third spectator declared, that one of his relations, an elderly man, had sviddenlv hecome a irequenter of the baptist meetings, and offt;red himself a candidate lor a place among the elect. The penance neces- sary to endure is severe, and the probation arduous, before the repent- ant sinner can pass the ordeal of the ministers and elders. The old man had, it seems, obtained the blessed sanction, and a distant day was appointed for his regeneration by baptism. U))on reflection, finding that it would happen in the greatest severity of winter, at the next meet- ing he petitioned that the ceremony might take i)lace in wjirmer wea- ther; alledging, that it would certainly prove his death to be put under water in time of frost and snow. The congregation murmured, while the priest, without a reply, read his sentence of excommunication, with the most severe anathemas on his head as an unbeliever, possessing nei- ther faith nor the holy spirit; and never could he recover the ettects of his indiscretion, or be again admitted into the number of the elect. The methodists assemble in the summer season in surprising num- bers, in different pans of the United States. These are called camp- meetings, and converts will travel to attend them several hundred miles. A place is fixed upon at a convocation of the preachers, at which their bishop sometimes presides, and a distant time appointed for these meet- ings, which also draw together the neighboring inhabitants for a con- siderable distance from motives of curiosity. They sometimes continue during a fortnight, and this time is passed in the field, in prayer. They bring with them provisions, tents, or blankets, and support the nume- rous body of preachers, who continue bawling to the people in tur is, day and night. When signs of conversion begin to be manifest, several preachers crowd round the object, exhorting a continuance of the efforts of the spirit, and displaying, in the most frightful images the ADVERTISLMEXT OF A CAMP-MEETING. 107 the horrors which attend such as do not come unto them. Tlic signs of regeneration are displayed in the most extravagant symptoms. I have seen women jumping, striking, and kicking, hke raving maniacs; while the surrounding believers could not keep them in postures of decency. This continues till the convert is entirely exhausted; but they consider the greater the resistance the more the fiiith ; and thus they are admit- ted into what they term the society. The men under the agony of con- version, find it sufficient to express their contrition by loud groans, Avith hands clasped and eyes closed.* The following is an exact copy of an advertisement of a camp-meeting, taken from a newspaper printed at Trenton, in New Jersey. " CAMP-MEETING. " The public is hereby informed, that a Camp-Meeting will be held near Mr. Minard Farley's, in a grove, about a quarter of a mile from New Germantown, in Hunterdon County. To commence on Satur- daj^ the iQth of September, and to continue three days, under the su- perintendence of the ministers of the methodist church. " As camp-meetings are generally attended by several thousands from far and near, and commonly continue day and night, it will be best for those who may come a distance to brino- j>rovision for themselves and horses if possible, and to tarry on the ground till the meeting ends. " All friendly ministers and praying people are invited to attend said meeting. " thomas ware, " JOSEPH 1 otten. " Trenton, Sept. 10, 1804." * That such things should take place even in America, excited in me a considerable degiee of asfonish- ment. But who would expect to find extravagancies equally ludicrous practised in this enlightened age in South Britain I In the Gentleman's Magazine for Dec. 1 806, I find the following passage : " In a town called Bala, in North Wales, (here is a sect of enthusiasts called Junipers, who asbenible together once every year to the amount of four or five thousand persons ; when, after being inflamed almost to madness by venting their fanatical doctrines, they begin to groan, and howl, and foam at the mouth, and then jump violently about, and struggle witli each other till they are quite spent and ex- hausted, and obliged to be carried home to their lodgings to recover their strength for the next day, when the same frantic scene, and savage cries, and extravagant gesticulations, and junipings are repeated." P CHAF. 105 MiniODIST CAMP-MEETIXOS. I^onh— ooiiu^ anotlicr of you, my childnni." The remainder, asto- nished and c«)nlt>tHided, lost their faith, and Ikd. A third spectator declared, that one of his relations, an elderly man, had suddenly heeome a frequenter of the haptist meetings, and offered himself a candidate for a place among the elect. The penance neces- sary to endure is severe, and the jnobation arduous, before the repent- ant sinner can pass the ordeal of the ministers and elders. The old man had, it seems, obtained the blessed sanction, and a distant day was appointed for his regeneration by baptism. Upon reflection, finding that it would happen in the greatest severity of winter, at the next meet- ing lie petitioned that the ceremony might take place in warmer wea- ther; alledging, that it would certainly prove his death to be put under water in time of frost and snow. The congregation murmured, while the priest, without a reply, read his sentence of excommunication, with the most severe anathemas on his head as an unbeliever, possessing nei- ther faith nor the holy spirit; and never could he recover the effects- of his indiscretion, or be again admitted into the number of the elect. The methodists assemble in the summer season in surprising num- hers, in different parVs of the United States. These are called camj)- meetinss, and converts will travel to attend them several hundred miles. A place is fixed ujjon at a convocation of the preachers, at which their bishop sometimes presides, and a distant time appointed for these meet- ings, which also draw together the neighboring inhabitants for a con- siderable distance from motives of curiosity. They sometimes continue during a fortnight, and this time is passed in the field, in prayer. They bring with thera jjrovisions, tents, or blankets, and support the nume- rous body of preachers, who continue bawling to the people in tur is, day and night. When signs of conversion begin to be manifest, several preachers crowd round the object, exhorting a continuance of the efforts of the spirit, and displaying, in the most frightful images the ADVERTISEMENT OF A CAMP-MEETING. 107 the horrors which attend such as do not come unto them. The signs of regeneration are displayed in the most extravagant sj-mptoms. I have seen women jumping, striking, and kicking, \'\ke raving maniacs; while the surrounding believers could not keep them in postures of decency. This continues till the convert is entirely exhausted; but they consider the greater the resistance the more the faith ; and thus they are admit- ted into what they term the society. The men under the agony of con- version, find it sufficient to express their contrition by loud groans, with hands clasped and eyes closed.* The following is an exact copy of an advertisement of a camp-meeting, taken from a newspaper printed at Trenton, in N ew Jersey. " CAMP-MEETING. " The public is hereby informed, that a Camp-lNIeeting will be held near Mr. Minard Farley's, in a grove, about a quarter of a mile from New Germantown, in Hunterdon County. To commence on Satur- day, the :29th of September, and to continue thi'ee days, under the su- perintendence of the ministers of the methodist church. " As camp-meetings are generally attended by several thousands from far and near, and commonly continue day and night, it will be best for those who may come a distance to bring provision for themselves and horses if possible, and to tarry on the ground till the meeting ends. " All friendly ministers and praying people are invited to attend said meeting. " thomas ware, " JOSEPH 1 OTTEN. " Trenton, Sept. 10, 1804." * That such things should take ])lace even in America, excited in me a considerable degree of astonish- ment. But who would expect to find extravagancies equally ludicrous practised in this enlightened age in South Britain I In the Gentleman's Magazine for Dec. 1 806, I find the following passage : " In a town called Bala, in North \Vales, (here is a sect of enthusiasts called Jumpers, who assemble together once every year to the amount of four or five thousand persons ; when, after being inflamed almost to madness by venting their fanatical doctrines, they begin to groan, and howl, and foam at the mouth, and then jump violently about, and struggle with each other till they are quite spent and ex- hausted, and obliged to be carried home to their lodgings to recover their strength for the next day, when the same frantic scene, and savage cries, and extravagant gesticulations, and junipings are repeated." P CHAP. 108 CHAP. XL AMEIIICAN PUBLIC CHARACTERS, LIVING OR RECENTLY DECEASED. GENERAL GATES — GENERAL HAMILTON — COLONEL BURR — GENERAL PINCKNEY — GENERAL PUTNAM — MK. ALBERT GALLATIN — MR. JOHN RANDOLPH — MB. LEVI LINCOLN — LORD FAIRFAX — SIR JOHN OLDMIXON — THOSIAS LAW, ESQ. — PAUL JONES CAPTAIN HACKER — CAPTAIN PETER LANDOIS — GENERAL ARNOLD. 1 HE avidity with -which the particulars of the hves of conspicuous characters are, in general, perused by the public, has induced me to devote a portion of my work to the subject of American biography. Presuming that it will not prove uninteresting to the majority of my readers, I shall not apologize for the length of this chapter. To many, perhaps, it may appear too short. Some may be inclined to find fault with the omission of such names as Washington, Adams, and Jefferson; and to these I would say, that I was more solicitous to collect facts which are not universally known in this country, than to repeat what every individual must already be acquainted with. This being pre- mised, I shall now proceed. GENERAL GATES. This venerable officer paid the debt of nature on tlie lOth of March, 180G, full of honors, and greatly lamented in America. He had at- tained the seventy-eighth year of his age, and, like his great commander, Washington, passed the winter of his life in retirement on his estate. General ANECDOTES OF GENERAL GATES. 109 General Horatio Gates was by birth an Englishman, and when very young, entered into the British army, where he acquired his first knowledge of military tactics under the late Duke of Brunswick, at that time Prince Ferdinand. He went to America as caj)tain of infantry under General Braddock, and continued in that service till the peace of 1763, when he returned to his native countr^^ It appears that during this time he had imbibed so great a partiality for the new world, that he sold his commission, and purchased an estate in the colony of Vir- ginia, Avhere he resided till the breaking out of the unfortunate M-ar, and upon that event he joined the standard of his adopted country. The qualifications he possessed gained him so rapid a promotion, that he was appointed commander in chief of the Northern American army; and in this situation he obtained distinguished celebrity by the captura of General Bnrgoyne, and the English army under his command. His humanity to his captives was equal to his success ; and tiie atten- tion he sheAved to I^ady Harriet Acland will ever render his name re- spected in England. The complicatt-d distresses, the extraordinary fatigues, and the heroic resolution of that amiable lady, were subjects of astonishment to the contending armies. The particulars of her ad- ventures were given in the publications of that day. Thirty years having, however, elapsed since the fatal turn of this conflict, and her history being in some measure connected with that of her generous enemy, a brief sketch of it will give the reader, then unborn, some idea of the miseries attending that unnatural war. "O In the year 1775, the regiment of which John Dyke Acland, esq. of Devonshire, was major, was ordered on the American station and his wife. Lady Harriet Acland, determined to accompany him. This resolution was not to be shaken by any intreaties to relinquish so dangerous a project ; and in the beginning of the ensuing year she was in Canada, where, during the first campaign, she traversed a vast ex- tent of country, in different extremes of the season ; encountering dif^ P 2 ficulties no HEROISM OF LADY HARRIET ACLA^■D. ficiiltics that ail European traveller will not easily conceive, for the pur- pose of" attending- tlie major, who was confined by sickness in a wretched hut in Chamblee. On the openini^ of the campaifjn of 1777, she was restrained from oflering to share the fatigue and hazard expected before Ticonderago, by the positive injunctions of her husband. The day alter the conquest , of that place, he was badly wounded, and she crossed the lake Cham- plain to join him. As soon as he recovered, Lady Han'iet insisted on following his for- tunes through the campaign. The artificers of the artillery, for this purpose made her a two-wheeled tumbril. Major Acland commanded the grenadiers, who were always the advanced post of the army. From tiieir situation, these troops were obliged to be so often on the alert, that none of them slept out of their clothes. In one of these positions, a tent, in which the major and Lady Harriet were asleep, suddenly took fire. An orderly serjeant of grenadiers, with great hazard of suf- focation, dragged out the first person he laid hold of. It proved to be the major. At the same instant his wife, unconscious of what she did, and perhaps not perfectly awake, providentiall)^ made her escape by creeping under the walls of the back part of the tent. The first object she beheld on the recovery of her senses, was the major on the other side, and in the same instant again in the fire in search of her. The Serjeant once more saved him, but not before the major was very se- verely burned in the face and different parts of the body. Every thing they had with ihem in the tent was consumed. This misfortune befel them shortly before the army ))assed Hudson's River. It neither altered the resolution nor the cheerfulness of Lady Harriet ; and she continued her progress, sharing on every occasion the fatigues of the advanced corps. The next trial of her fortitude was of a different nature, and more distressing, as it was of. longer duration. On MAJOR ACLAND WOUNDED AND TAKEN PRISONER. Ill On the march of the iQth of September, the grenadiers became liable to the hazards of an action at every step. She had been directed by the major to follow the route of the artillery and baggage, which was not exposed. At the commencement of the action she found herself near a small, uninhabited hut, where she alighted. When the en- gagement was becoming general and blood}% the' surgeons of the hos- pital took possession of the same place, as the most convenient for the care of the w'ounded. Thus was this lady in hearing ot" one continual fire of cannon and musquetry for four hours together, with the pre- sumption, from the post of her husband at the head of the grenadiers, that he was in the most exposed part of the action. She had here three female companions, the Baroness of Riedesel, and the wives of IVIajor Harnage and Lieutenant Reynell. Major Harnage was soon brought to the surgeons, very badly wounded ; and a little afterwards came intelligence that Lieutenant Reynell was shot dead. Imagination can scarcely conceive the state of the whole group. From the date of that action to the 7th of October, Lady Harriet stood prepared for new trials, and it was her lot that their severit\' should increase with their number. She was again exposed to tlie hearing of the whole action, and at last received the shock of her individual mis- fortune, mixed with the intelligence of the general calamity, that the troops were defeated, and that Major Acland, desperately wounded, was a prisoner. The 8th was passed by Lady Harriet and her com- panions in inexpressible anxiety — not a shed, not a tent was standing, except what belonged to the hospital; their refuge was among- the wounded and dying. The army retreated that night, and at break of day on the 9th, reached, very advantageous ground. A halt was necessary, to refresh the troops, and to give time to the batteaux, laden w itli provisions, to come abreast. When the army was on the point of moving. Lady Harriet sent a message to General Burgoyne, proposing to pass to the camp of the enemy, 112 DISTRESSING SITUATION OF LADY HARRIET ACLAND. enciny, and request General Gates's permission to attend her wounded hubbund. General Burgoyiic was astonished at the proposal. Ti)at a wonuui, after so lonj:f an afi;itation of the spirits, exhausted, not only for want of rest, but absolutely ibr want of food, drenched in rains for twelve hours together, should be capable of delivering herself up to the eneniv, probably in the night, and uncertain into what hands she might fall, a|i|)eared to him an effort too great for human nature. The assistance which he could render her was small indeed ; he had not even a cup of wine to offer her. All that he could furnish was an open boat, and a few lines, written upon dirty and wet paper, to General Gates, recommending her to his protection. Mr. Brudenell, the chaplain to the artiller}', readily undertook to accompany her, and with one female servant, and the major's valet-de- chambre, Avho then had in his shoulder a ball received in the late action, *he was rowed down the river to meet tiie enemy. But her distresses were not at an end. The night was advanced bett)re the boat reached their out-posts, and the centinel refused to let it pass, or even to come on shore. In vain Mr. Brudenell offered the flag of truce, and rej)re- sented the state of the extraordinary passenger. The guard, apprehen- sive of treachery, and punctilious to his orders, threatened to lire into the boat if it stirred before day-light. Here then behold a delicate female, who had all her life been a stranger to bodily hardship of even,^ kind, who had never known the want of any of those indulgences that are usually enjoyed by the daugh- ters of affluence — behold her, destitute of every earthly comfort and convenience, exjx>sed, for seven or eight dismal hours, in an open boat, beneatli an inclement American sky, to the accumulated horrors of the most cruel anxiety, of darkness, hunger, rain, cold, and fatigue ! Say then, ye beauties \\ hose presence gladdens the crowded assemblies of this brilliant metropolis, ye gay votaries of dissipation, who know no fatigue but what ye experience in devising new pleasures ; whose keen- est HUMANITY OF GENERAL GATES. 115 est disappointments proceed from the negligence of your milliner, jew- eller, or coach-maker ; who are strangers to vexation, save that which ye feel w^hen eclipsed by some more ingenious fair one in the vanities and elegancies of fashion; — which of you could renounce the allurements of the great world ; which of you could resolve to encounter all the dis- tresses incident to a military life, purely from motives of affection to the man of your choice? Few, very few, I fear, would be found among you to imitate the example of the virtuous and heroic Lady Hamet Aclaud ! The reflections of that lady during so long an interval of 'painful sus- pense, could not inspire her with very encouraging ideas of the treat- ment she was afterwards to expect. Morning arrived, and General Gates being apprised of her situation sent instant orders to conduct the fair sufferer to liis quarters, where he set before her every refreshment which he could procure, lamented that he had not been informed of the conduct of the centinel, and treated her with all the humanity and respect that her rank and her merits deserxed. She was then conducted to her husband, who, through her tender care, recovered from his Avounds. It was not many days after this, that General Burgojne's A^hole army, worn out with fatigue, destitute of provisions, and greatly re- duced by losses, were compelled to capitulate. The British officers bore testimony to General Gates's moderation and humanity on this- occasion. He endeavored to sooth the distress of mind in which tiu- circumstance involved his adverse conimander, and sought, by every possible means, to render his situation and that of his officers less irksome. Having conquered in the north. General Gates was invested by con- ■5 gress 114 ANECDOTES OF GENERAL HAMILTON. gress with the command of their southern army ; but there fortune did not second his exertic)ns. He was defeated in his turn by Lord Corn- waUis, who thus, for a time, suhdued the Carofuias. Being superseded by General Green, lie retired to liis estate in Virginia, quitting " the trade of arms," perhaps not altogether without disgust at the manner in which congress deprived him of his command. I have conversed on the subject of this his last engagement with American oHiccrs, who ajrrecd that no blame could attach to their commander, whose orders 1 * were to check the rapid progress of the British force, superior to his own, both in number and appointment. The private virtues of General Gates were many and eminent. He was charitable— humane— just in all his dealings— intlexiblc in his friendship— and ever acted under the impulse of a good heart. He was the scholar, the soldier, and the gentleman. GENERAL HAMILTON. The talents and integrity of the much-lamented Alexander Hamilton raised him to an estimation which no man, Washington excepted, has obtained in America since the revolution. He was descended from a respectable Scotch family, but was born in the West Indies, and came into the British colony of New York at the age of sixteen.* Early in life he displayed a taste for literature, and, on his arrival, entered upon a course of" studies with such assiduity, that, at the age of nineteen, he was qualified to take the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in the college of » His grandfatlior was Alexaiuk-r Hamilton, of Grange in Ayrshire, who married Elizabeth Follotk, daughter of Robert Pollock of Renfrewsliirt-, by whom he had a numerous family. James llamiltou, father of the subject of this sketch, was the fourth son of Alexander, and went to the West Indies, where he was born, in the Island of St. N'incent. His mother was an American lady, and to her friends (he vouth was sent, as related above. New HUMAXITi^ AND FIRMNESS OF HAMILTON. 115 New York, and to lay a foundation, by preparatory reading, for the fu- ture profession of the law. About this time, the American revolution caused him to exchange his pen for the sword, and his principles in- duced him to join the American army, which he entered as a captain of artillery. His abilities soon attracted the notice of General Washing- ton, Avho appointed him his aid-de-camp. In this situation Mr. Hamil- ton served until the peace. Though this appointment impeded his pro- motion, yet the gratification of possessing the confidence of the com- rnander-in-chief was greater than the acquirement of rank. INIr. Cobbett, speaking of General Hamilton, says, " that he entered into the American army at a very early period of the contest, and was soon distinguished for his discretion and his valor. His high reputation for both procured him the post of aid-de-camp to General Washington, ■whose fame is perhaps more indebted to Mr. Hamilton than any other intrinsic merit of his own. " In the history of the war, we find Mr. Hamilton rising from rank to rank, till, at the siege of York Town, we see him a colonel, com- manding the attack of one of the redoubts, the capture of which de- cided the tate of Lord Cornwallis and his army. Mr. Hamilton's con- duct on this occasion was such as marks the true hero. Previously to the attack being made. La Fayette, who was high in command in the American army, proposed to Washington to put to death all the British officers and soldiers that slxould be taken in the redoubts. AVashington replied, ' that as the marquis had the chief command of the assault, he might do as he pleased.'* This answer encouraged the base and vindic- tive Frenchman to give a positive order to Colonel Hamilton to execute his bloody intention. After the redoubts were subdued. La Fayette asked why his order had not been obeyed, to Avhich the gallant and hu- mane Hamilton replied, ' that the Americans knew how to fght, but * If this statement be correct, such compliance must be a great drawback in the public opinion from tRf fame of Geueral Wasliitigtoii. Q not Ilri lIAMII.ToN AI'l'OINTHO SDRET.MiV ol '1 UK TREASLBY. not to nil I rihr ;" in which seiitimciit he ^\ as joined by the Aiueiicaii soldins, who hciutl the remonstrance ot" La laj'ctte with indignation and ahhorrencc." Mr. Cobbett refers the reader, for a detail of these facts, to the Ame- rican acconnt of the revohitionary war, pubhslied Ijy iJobson of Phila- delphia, and inserted in the American edition of the Eiicyclopa:;dia liritannica. On the peace, the legislature of the state of New York appointed this officer one of their re[)resentatives in congress. He now settled in the city of New York, and commenced the practice of the law with great ability and reputation, when he was again reluctantly drawn into pub- lic life, lie became a member of the convention which framed the present cop.stitution of the United States, and having taken part in that measure, he considered himself under an obligation to lend his utmost aid to set the machine in motion. General Washington was unanimously called u|)on by his country to exert his talents in the cabinet, and accepted the troublesome office of President. Here, as in the field of battle, he summoned the aid of Ha- milton, whom he appointed Secretar\' of the Treasur}''. Though qua- lified for this situation by the most eminent abilities, yet neither he nor the President could escape the shafts of calumny. He met with many intrinsic difficulties, and many artificial obstacles, engendered by passions not very commcn(lai)le, and which act with the greatest force in repub- lics. He raised his country to a commercial rank among distant nations, by establishing public credit, and introducing order into the finances. Public offices need not to be eagerly sought in the United States. The in- come of Mr. Hamilton at this time was scarcely a thousanil pounds ster- ling per annum, a sum inadequate to defray the expenses attending an. office of such importance. The love of his country superseded all other considerations: from this motive he relinquished his practice at the baiv 3 which Illij LITERAHY ABILITIES. 117 which would iiifunibly have led to affluence. Having established a re- gular sj^stem of finance, the consideration of an increasing family de- termined him, as soon as his plans were matured, to withdraAv ficm office. Accordingly, in the year 1705, Mr. Hamilton resigned his ofllce of Secretarj- of the Treasury, Avith a reputation high in the estimation of every friend to his country ; yet under the opprobrious slander of the iVench faction, which at that time was at the zenith of its influence. During his services in the arm}', he became acquainted with the ami- able family of General Schuyler, and married his second daughter, by whom he had several children. To his abilities alone he was indebted for his rank and eminence, and early in life were they displayed. On the breaking out of the war, when he was not eighteen years of age, his juvenile pen asserted the claims of the colonies, against the political Writers in favor of the British government. The unknown author was sought after, and for some time his performances were imputed to Mr. Jay, since chief justice, and ambassador to the court of London. The truth could not long be concealed, and it was discovered that in her rank of sage ad\"ocates and patriots, was a j'outh whose pen gained more par- tizansthan their ablest leader. Jn General AVasliington's fiimilj', he had op))ortunities of studying one from whom no other man was too great to learn— of analyzing those qualities which were combined in his cha- racter, and of improving his own exalted mind, by an unrestrained in- tercourse with the magnanimous chief When he retired from office, in the duties of which he had expended a considerable portion of his private fortune, the idols of faction actu- ally accused him of purloining the public mone5^ This will no longer remain a matter of surprise, when it is known that Duane, an Irishman, and printer of a daily Philadelphia newspaper, styled the virtuous \Va- sliington the man who is the source of all tnisfoi'tiaies to the countiy, (the Q 2 United \20 ODATIOK OF MR. OTIS. TIk' British frii^ute Bost(jn, lying at luiclior within Sandy Hook, fjR'ii niiniito guns all day; tiic French ti'igatcs off the battery had their colonrs halt-mast hioh, and also fired minute guns on the occasion. 'JMie shops in the city were shut, no business Avas done, and all the inhabitants mourned his loss. The coroner's jury brought in their verdict " Wilful murder against Aaron Burr, Vice-President of tlie United States," and a warrant Avas issued for his apprehension, lie, however, chose to insure his safety by flight. I cannot take leave of the lamented subject of the preceding pages ■without introducing the following eulog\^ on his chai-acter, which formed part of the funeral oration pronounced by Mr. Otis of Boston. At the same time that it does justice to the memory of General Hamilton, it will afford the English reader a very favorable specimen of American eloquence. " The principles, says Mr. Otis, professed by the first leaders of the French revolution, were so congenial to those of the American people; their pretences of aiming merely at the reformation of abuses were so plausible; the spectacle of a great peo|)le struggling to recover their ' long-lost liberties,' were so imposing and august; while that of a com- bination of tyrants to conquer and subjugate, was so revolting; the ser- vices received from one of the belligerent powers, and the injuries in- flicted by the other, were so recent in our minds, that the sensibility of the nation w as excited to the most exquisite pitch. To this disposition, so favorable to the wishes of France, every appeal was made which in- trigue, corruption, flattery, and threats, could dictate. At this dange- rous and dazzling crisis, there were but few men entirely exempt from the general delirium. Among the few was Hamilton. His penetrating €ye discerned, and his proj)hetic voice foretold, the tendency and conse- quence ORATION OF MR. OTiS. 12 1 quence of the first revolutionary movements. He was assured that every i)eople which should espouse the cause of France would pass un- der her voke, and that the people of France, like every nation which surrenders its reason to the mercy of deningogues, would be driven by the storms of anarchy upon the shores of despotism. All this he knew was conformable to the invariable law of nature, and experience of man- kind. From the reach of this desolation he was anxious to save his country, and, in the pursuit of his purpose, he breasted the assaults of calumny and prejudice. * The torrent roared, and he did buffet it.' Appreciating the advantages of a neutral position, he co-operated with. Wasliington, Adams, and the other patriots of that day, in the means best adapted to maintain it. The rights and duties of neutrality pro-' claimed by the President, were explained and enforced by Hamilton in. the character of Pacificus. The attempts to corrupt and intimidate Avere resisted. The British treaty was justified and defeiided as au ho- nourable compact with our natural fi'iends, and pregnant with advan- tages, which have since been realized and acknowledged by its o|> j)onents. " By this pacific and vigorous policy, in the whole course of which the genius and activity of Hamilton were conspicuous, time and informa- tion were aftorded to the American nation, and correct views were ac- quired of our situation and interests. We beheld the republic^ of Eu- rope march in procession to the funeral of their own liberties, by the lurid light ol' the revolutionar)^ torch. The tumult of the passions sub- sided, the Avisdoni of the administration was perceived, aud America now remains a solitary monument in the desolated plains of libertj-, " Having remained at the head of the treasurv several years, and filled its cotfers ; having developed the sources of an ample revenue, and tested the advantages of his own system by his own experience; and. having expended his private fortune; he found it necessary to retire from public employment, and devote his attention to the claims of a large 122 ORATION OF MR. 0TI>5. large and dear familj'. Wluit brighter instance of disinterested honor haij ever been exhibited to an admiring world! That a man upon whom devolved tlie task ot" originating a system of revenue for a nation ; of devising the checks in his own department; of providing for the collection of sums, the amount of winch was conjectural ; that a man who antici- pated the effects of a funding system, yet a secret in liis own bosom, and who was thus enabled to have secured a princely fortune consistently with princi|)les esteemed fair by the world; that such a man by no means addicted to an expensive or extravagant style of living, should have retired from office destitute of means adequate to the wants of me- diocrity, and have resorted to |nofessional labor for the means of de- cent support, are facts which inust instruct and astonish those who, in countries habituated to corruption and venality, are more attentive to the gains than to the duties of olhcial station. — Yet Hamilton was that man. It was a fact always known to his friends, and it is now evident from his testament, made under a deep presentiment of his approaching fate. Blush then, ministers and warriors of imperial France, who have deluded your nation by pretensions to a disinterested regard for its li- berties and rights ! Disgorge the riches extorted from your fellow-citizens and the spoils amassed from confiscation and blood ! Restore to impo- verished nations the price paid by tiiem for the privilege of slavery, and now appropriated to the refinements of luxury and corruption ! Approach the tomb of Hamilton, and compare the insignificence of your gor- geous palaces with the awful majesty of tliis tenement of clay ! " We again accompany our friend in the walks of private life, and in the assiduous pursuit of his profession, until the aggressions of France compelled the nation to assume the attitude of defence. He was now invited by the great and enlightened statesman who had succeeded to the presidency, and at the express re(]uest of the commander-in- chief, to accept of the second rank in the army. Though no man had manifested a greater desire to avoid war, yet it is freely con- fessed that when war ajjpearcd to be inevitable, his heart exulted 1 in COLONEL AARON BURR. 123 in * the tented field,' and he loved the life and occupation of a soldier. His early habits were formed amid the fascinations of the camp. And though the pacific policy of Adams once more rescued us from war, and shortened the existence of the army establishment, yet it is sufficient to secure to him the love and confidence of oflicers and men, to enable him to display the talents and qualities of a great general, and to justify the most favorable prognostics of his prowess in the field. " Once more this excellent man unloosed the helmet from his brow, and returned to the duties of the forum. From this time he persisted in a firm resolution to decline all civil honors and promotion, and to live a private citizen, unless again summoned to the defence of his country- He became more than ever assiduous in his practice at the bar, and intent upon his plans of domestic happiness, until a nice and mistaken estimate of the claims of honor, impelled him to the fatal act which terminated his life." COLONEL AARON BURR, I.ATE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. This man has rendered himself more conspicuous by the fatal duel in which General Hamilton fell by his hand, than by a long reign as a leader of the democracy which still rules the United States of America. On the election of a president and a vice-president. Colonel Burr had an equal number of votes with Jefferson, for the office of chief ma- gistrate. The house of representatives, by the law as it then stood, were, in such case, to decide by ballot which of the candidates should be president, arid the other was of course to be vice-president. This busi- ness took up more than a week, and the house sometimes continued R ballotting 124 OBSTINATE CONTEST FOR THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT. ballotting (luring the night. It was carried on with the greatest ob'sti- nacy by tlie contending parties; nicnibers were brought to vote, from the bed of sickness, and it was even feared that there would be no" election, which, leaving the country without a president, at such a i)e- riod of political animosity, could not fail of being attended with fiital consequences. The democratic party proceeded to threats, but the I'e- derals were not to be intimidated. Mr. Adams, the late president, and ]Mr. Pinckney, the candidates i)roposed by them, having lost the elec- tion, the Federal party were lett to choose one of the Democratic can- didates who had been successful. They preferred Burr to Jefferson, which gained the former the greatest number of individual votes in the house of representatives. A majority of the states was, however, re- quired, to determine the matter: of these Jefterson had eight, namely. New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tenessee. The states that voted for Burr were, New Hampshire, Massachusets, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, and South Carolina. During this singular contest, the votes of the members of the house of representatives were, for Burr 54, and for Jetierson 51. Two states, Vermont and Maryland, were divided, and it therefore became necessary that a member for one of these states should recede, in order to put a stop to the approaching scene of anar- chy andconfusion. This ex|)edient was actually resorted to; Jefierson thus acquired a majority, and the impending political tempest was averted. The division on this important occasion tends to confirm the opinion I have already expressed relative to a future separation of the American states. We here find those of New England unanimously voting the same way, except Vermont, which was divided, and in direct opposition to all the southern states, save South Carolina, which, with Delaware, were with the Federal interest. In order to prevent a similar election, but more, as the Federals say, -2 to VANITY OF COLONEL BURR. 125 to secure Mr. Jefferson's re-election at the expiration of four years, a law was passed, by which the electors are to desij^nate by name, in their tickets, the person for whom they A'ote, as jsresident, and in like man- ner for vice-president. By the former mode the man Mho had the greatest number of votes was president, and the next vice-president — the Federals supporting one party, and the Democrats another. The two presidential chairs were taken without farther resistance, and Colonel Burr attended in his seat as president of the senate, generally about one half of the sessions. The inutility of this office has long been a subject of private discussion and complaint, and many consider it little more than a sinecure, except that in case of the death or removal of the chief magistrate the vice-president officiates till the time arrives for ano- ther election. In his absence the senators elect one of their own body president pro tempore, and they went more smoothly through their busi- ness when Colonel Burr was away. Vanity is a predominant passion in this gentleman. I was informed by Mrs. Slacum, of Alexandria, who attended the balls given at Wash- ington during the sitting of congress, that she saw the vice-president at one of them, though he seldom appeared at these assemblies. Being asked by a lady of his acquaintance why he did not oftener favor them ■with his company, he replied, " that he saw his presence awed the com- pany, and he did not wish to be a restraint upon them." This was long the tea-table chat; when the ladies turned up their noses at the idea of being struck with awe at the sight of so insignificant a being as Burr. The colonel is certainly rather diminutive in person, but his ambition is great indeed. On the subject of these balls, I was informed by the same lady, that our fair countrywoman, Mrs. Merry, wife of the British ambassador, of- fended the American dames. Thev chars^ed her with "reat reserve, which they termed English hauteur, and asserted that on entering the room, R 2 she 126 DL'RR'S n.ICJHT FROM JLSTICE. she Avalked round it, chatted a little with the diplomatic characters, or the ministers of state, and then retired. Such was the ground on which thev tounded their dislike. They were offended because she did not join in their dances, and skip through their reels with them. The lady's dress wiis called in question, on which, craving a truce, 1 took the hint ot'thc subject ot" their comments, and walked oft". Mr. Burr, more tenified at the popular clamor against him, than alarmed at the verdict of the coroner's jury after liis attiiir with General Hamilton, jjrivately left the city of New \'ork, and pass- ing into the state of New Jersey, where the duel was fought, he was conducted by a friend to Cranberry. Hence he was conveyed in a light vasfffon to Lamberton Ferrv, where he crossed the Dela\Nare, and ar- rived at Bristol, about twenty miles from Philadelphia. A newspajjer printed in one of the towns through which he passed, observes, " the same route through Jersey was some time ago pursued by Thomas Paine, and doubtless with the same view, to escape the scrutinizing eye and dreaded observation of the public." It was said that at a tavern a few miles beyond the Delaware, he was recognized by the landlord, who, unapprised of his wish to be con- cealed, addressed him as usual ; and that the vice-president requested him not to use his name while he remained at his house. " How degrading," continues the editor of the same paper, " to the majesty of our government, that its second officer should thus be under the real or fancied necessity of travelling with studied privacy, through bve-roads, and in unusual vehicles. It becomes the man, however ■who has extinguished the bright constellation of genius and worth, himself to walk in darkness and obscurity. It manifests some deference to public opinion and the energy of the laws." INtr. Burr proceeded to Pliiladelphia, and excited much private in- 1 dignatioa CONTINUES TO SIT AS VICE-PRESIDENT. 127 dignation by a public appearance; but though not pursued by t)ie arm of justice, his situation could not be agreeable, for we soon find him in the s ate of Tenessee. There he was a land-holder, and he took this memorable occasion to visit his possessions, which also afforded hini a saferetrtat; the victim of his resentment being little known in that part of tlie Union. In this retirement he was still vice-president, and it is no less surpri- sing tha;i true, that pending his recent violation of the law, and though the warrant of one of the federate states was in force to apprehend him, he still exercised the functions of that office. I saw him repeatedly sit in the vice-presidential chair, without any other notice than the whis- pers of resentment among the auditors in the galleries of the senate- chamber. He presided during the whole trial of the learned and per- secuted Judge Chace. " The guilty sits in judgment on the innocent." -—" The fugitive from his country, arraigns at the bar of justice the judge himself." Such were the comments I frequently heard among the auditors during the proceedings of that impeachment. The vene- rable federal magistrate, called to the superior bench of justice by Washington, was by a democratic senate honorably — most honorably acquitted. For upwards of two years after the unfortunate rencontre with Gene- ral Hamilton, did Mr. Burr execute the office of vice-president of the United States; and not until the expiration of the time for which he was elected did he retire into obscurity. He returned to Tenessee; but as these sheets went to press, accounts have been received of his being there apprehended on a charge of attempting a revolution, in order to separate the western temtory from the federal union. It appears that INIr. Davies, attorney-general for the district of Ken- tucky, on his own affidavit, moved the district court of the United States, " that Aaron Burr should be arrested and compelled to find se- curity 128 BURR*3 OVERTURES TO GENERAI- T.ATON'. cnrity for his appearance; and that a writ sliouhl be issued for compel- ling the attendance of witnesses, and a stop be put to all liirthcr pro- ceedings of the said Aaron Burr." The affidavit of the attorne\'-general filed in court stated : — " That he was in possession of the most satisfactory evidence, that Aaron Burr, Esquire, had formed an association for making war against Spain, invading Mexico, and forming a distant empire in the western country ; and that he was raising forces, and purchasing the necessary pro\isions and stores for that purpose." The latest accounts received from America respecting this character, say, that when General Eaton was at Washington last winter, he was in- troduced to Colonel Burr, who was then at the seat of government. Having heard the bold, adventurous, and enterprising character of this hero: believing him to be a mere soldier of fortune, and that, like him- self, he was ready to engage in any cause, either good or bad, which promised a harvest of military glory. Burr proposed to him that he should join his desperate fortunes — go with him to the Mississipi — take the rank of a general-officer under him as conunander-in-chiet^— erect the standard of rebellion against the government of the United States — sever the union — and estiiblish a distinct and indejicndent govern- ment, t»o be composed of all the states west of the Alleghany Moun- tains. Such was the general project, the minute details of which were par- ticularly stated. General Eaton was struck with horror, and stood aghast at the proposal. He soon afterwards, in the true spirit of |)atri- otism, communicated the conversation to the j)resident of the United States, who treated it with perfect indifference. Recent occurrences in the western territory, such as the building of boats on the Ohio, and a variety of movements, indicating a spirit of revolt, have drawn the attention of the government to that (piarter of the union. Other ANECDOTES OiF GENERAL PINCKNEY. 129 Other accounts state that Colonel Burr has come forward and surren- dered himself, but that the attorney-general of the district of Kentucky has declined to prosecute. In addition to this, a Pennsylvanian news- paper of the 5th of December, 1806, informs us, that about three hundred young gentlemen from Pittsburgh and the neighbouring counties, some of whom are of the first respectability, had the week before descended the Ohio, to join, it was supposed, the expedition under Colonel Burr. The measure is represented as ver}'^ popular in that country; and it was imagined that the general rendezvous for per- sons residing in the western countries, would be at Natchez. Though this is the precise statement of the American prints, yet the truth of it appears extremely doubtful. GENERAL CHAIILES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY. This gentleman, a character eminently distinguished in America, who took an active part in the revolutionary Avar, and has since been employed in a diplomatic capacity in France and Spain, was supported by the Federalists at the last election for president, in opposition to Mr. Jeflierson. South Carolina is the native country, and still the residence of General Pinckney. He was born in the year 1740. When that state was a British colony, his father was the chief justice until the commencement of the war. At this momentous period, when the best men knew not which part to take, or by what means to avoid enaaifinff in the dangerous and destructive contest, the fa- mily of the Pinckneys at length determined to join those who were opposed to the measures of their motlier-country. Mr. Pinckney was then a member of the general assembly of South Carolina, which situa- tion he resigned in order to join the American standard. He first entered the 1:30 HKRVICES OF GENERAL PINCKNEV. the ranks as one of the Charleston vohinteers, from which he was ap- pointed major of the first regiment of the hne raised hy the state of Sonth Carohna, under the command of Colonel Gadsden ; on whose promotion he succeeded to the command. The first engagement in which this regiment took part, was in the defence of Fort Moultree, which was attacked by Sir Peter Parker and General Clinton. The gallant conduct of Colonel Pinckney was so much approved by the commander in chief, General Washington, that he aj)[)ointed him one of his aids-dc-camp, in which situation he served at the battles of Bran- dv-wine and German-town. The sout*hern states being again attacked by the British forces. Colo- nel Pinckney obtained leave to return to his native country, and he accordinfrlv resumed the command of his regiment, at the head of which he made an assault on Savannah ; and shortly after he was ap- pointed hy General Lincoln commander of Fort Moultree. Charleston being now besieged by land, and bombarded by a part of the British fleet, the colonel's regiment was ordered to its defence, when, after a gallant resistance, he was, with the remainder of the garrison, taken prisoner, under honorable terms of capitulation — such, in fact, as were granted to Lord Cornwallis, on his surrender to the combined armies of France and America, at York-town, in Virginia. This event appears to have terminated his military career, as he could not procure himself to be exchanged till towards the conclusion of the war. It is with infmite regret t am obliged to state, that while Colonel Pinckney was a jjrisoner of his parole on honor, his enemy burnt his mansion near Charleston. With respect to such shameful and flagrant acts of cruelly to individuals, we have, however, the consolation of knowing that they \\ere, with very few exceptions, committed by native Americans who had joined the king's forces, and were b\ lliem called Royalists, but by their enemy stigmatized with the ap^:>ellation of Tories. Ou FARTHER SERVICES OF GExNERAL PINCKNEY. 131 On the conclusion of the peace, by which the independence of Ame-- rica was acknowledged, Mr. Pinckney was appointed a delegate to the federal convention, and signed the present constitution of the United States in the year 1798. On the score of gratitude to the rrench, though an impulse very different from /Wt'72r/.s/?/^; caused them to take the part of America, he, with many leading characters in the United States, was the avowed advocate of that nation, and so continued till their enormities changed those sentiments to the contempt and hatred of all good men. Mr. Pinckney has additional cause to desj)isc them ; for the then insolent republic refused to acknowledge him as the minister plenipotentiary at Paris. We next find him commander in chief of the militia of South Caro- lina ; about the same time he was oftered by President Washington the oflice of secretary of state, on the resignation of Mr. Jefferson, and after his refusal, a seat on the bench of the supreme court, which he also declined. The aggressions of France increased to an intolerable deirree. The American trade to the British \^'est India Islands was almost ruined, and the French privateers committed depredations on their very coast. Government, still pursuing the most pacific measures, determined to send a remonstrance by a diplomatic mission, consisting of iNIr. Pinckney, General jMarshall, and Mr. Gerry, who to a certain degree, succeeded in the object of their voyage. An insurrection, called the Whisk]/ Jlchelliou, having broken out in the back part of Pennsylvania, had arrived to such an alarming height, that President Adams applied to General Washington to take the com- mand of an army raised to quell the insurgents. That great and good man had retired to the peaceful shades of Moimt \'ernon, having r^^- signed his military commissions, and again become a private i:itizen. The venerable soldier and patriot replied, that though he had antici- l)ated repose from worldly labors, yet, when his country called for the renewal of his services, he would cheerfully attend the summons. lie s accordingly J3i ANECDOTKS OF <;EM'.1«A1. PI TNAM. acconlinftlv nguii) repaired to the scene of danger, appointed General HnniiltDO the second, and rincknry, then a major-generdl, third in connnatid. The insurrection was happily (|uelled without hloodbhed» »nd tlie newly nused army agaitj disembodied. In pchtics, General Pinckney is nnfriondly to the |)rcsent system of j^vernmcnt, acting upon the principles of his great master, Washing- ton ; and it cainiot he denied that the minority contain the greatest portion of men of abilities. Among them ai'e numbered Marshall^ Morris, Dayton, Adams, Ames, Griswold, Otis, Bayard, Rutledge^ Tracy, Dana, Pickering,. Lee, J. C. Smith, Broom, Thatcher, Gcd« dard, Tallmage, Hastings, Quincy, Tenney, and many others wlia have not lately stood forward as members of the legislative body. GENERAL PUTNA:\I. This officer was in the British service several years previous to the conquest of Canada by General Wolfe ; and in the revolutionary war,, having espoused the American cause, he was promoted to the rank of major-general in their army. He was a man of undaunted courage,, and of an enterprising chsposition. When the French army lay encamped at the Ovens near Ticonderago, the British commander pitched upon Putnam, who then held the rank of captain of a company, to reconnoitre the position of the enemy ; Lieutenant Robert Durkee was named for his companion. The out- set of this expedition had nearly proved fatal, for Captain Putnam nar- rowly escaped being taken prisoner; and in his flight was on the point, of killing his friend. In the Canadian ^vdrs it was customary for the British to place fires- round HIS ADVENTURES IN CANADA.- 133 round their camp, which frequently exposed them to the enemy's scouts And patroles. The French and Indians adopted a different, and more rational practice. They kept their fire in the centre, lodged their men circularly at a distance, and posted their centinels in the surrounding^ darkness. In the present instance, the reconnoitring party, on a|)- proaching, concluded that the centinels were within the circle of fires, and were creeping upon their hands and knees till, to their utter astonish- ment, they found themselves in the thickest of the enemy. They were discovered and fired upon; Lieutenant Durkee was slightly wounded in the thigh. They fled, and Putnam, who was first, from the utter darkness of the night, soon found himself plunging into a deep pit; and Durkee immediately tumbled in after him. Conceiving himself to be pursued by the enemy, he had already uplifted his weapon to deal a dreadful blow, when Durkee spoke, and he recognized his voice. They now scrambled out, and effected their escape amid a shower of random shot. They passed the remainder of the night in the woods, out of the reach of the enemy. Putnam had provided a little rum, which he car- ried in acanteen slung over his shoulder, and on lying down, recollected the supposed treasure, but to his great mortification, found the vessel empty, having been repeatedly pierced with musket balls. Soon after this, the subject of these anecdotes was promoted to the rank of major. A strong party of observation was now ordered upon the dangerous service of watching the motions of the enemy, who lay off' Ticonderago, under the command of Majors Rogers and Putnam. This force was divided, and the commanders took different !)ositions, but being discovered by the enemy, they again joined, and began their march in files througli the woods— the right led on by Rogers— tlic left. by Putnam, and the centre by CajTtain D'J'^ll. The first day they reached Clear river, on the banks of which they encamijed, near Old Fort Ann, ^^hich had been formerly built by General Nicholson. Next morning, previous to quitting the ground, it is said, that Major Rogers imptj' - dently laid a wager with one of the officers, to be decided by tiring at g 2 ' a mark. l.'U UAlTi.E.JlETWr.F.N Till- KNGI.ISIl AM) INDIANS. ;i mark, and which was immediately (Icteruiincd. Major Putnam re- tiioustratcd in a \t ry pointed manner againNt this unsoldicr-Iikc condnct, in the very neii>hhourhood of tlie enemy, hut as Rogers eunmianded, he ct>nld not put a stop to their proceedings. After tliis, they conti- rnied their march in cohimns, Putnam in the front, D'Ell in the centre, and Ko;;e)"s in the rear ; circumstances and the nature of the ground, rendering this disposition of the force most liivorahle. The French liad received information of this expedition, and had sent Colonel INIolong, a most active and enterprising officer, with five hun- dred chosen men to intercept it. lie was so near, that he heard tlie firing at the mark; and immediately placed himself in amhush. Putnam, at the head of his column, had just cleared his way through some thicli l)rush-wood into the more open part of the forest, where the enemy sj)rung upon him, with the most horrid yells and war-hoops from the Indians, who formed a part of Molong's detachment. Putnam in an instant recovered from his surprise, calmly drew up his men, and re- turned the fire ; sending off at the same time to the other divisions to come up with all possihle speed. D'Ell soon came up, and the action, though widely scattered and fought between man and man, w as soon general and desperate. The contending parties adopted the Indian mode of warfiire, which is irregular and ferocious; indeed their situa- tion precluded the possibility of practising tactics. During this dreadful contest Major Rogers did not come up, assigning afterwards as a reason that he formed his men in a circular file between the other columns and Wood Creek, to prevent their being taken in the rear, or enfiladed. Major Putnam was not disheartened. He found he could not cross the creek, and therefore determined to keep his ground ; and his oflicers,. inspired by his bravery and liis personal exertions, encouraged their soldiers,' who defended themselves against superior numbers w ith the mo.^t determined resolution. Sometimes they fought in small bodies ; then each man against his antagonist ; and often three or four ujion one, while PUTNAM IS TAKEN PTJISONER BY THE INDIANS. \35 TvhHe Others fired from behind trees and under cover. The commander bad been from the first in the heat of the battle ; and had used his fiizee so often, that it missed fire while presented to the breast of an athletic savage chief) who, taking- instant advantage of the circumstance, leaped upon him, and with a war-hoop and uplifted tomahawk compelled the gallant major to surrender. The savage disarmed liis prisoner, bound him to a tree, and then returned to the battle. The command now^ devolved upon D'Ell, w ho was bravely seconded by Captain Harman ; but they were soon compelled to give way, which the savages considering as a total defeat, rushed on with impetuosity, and with horrid hoopingsand dreadful cries. The British troops rallied at the orders of their officers, and gave their pursuers such a reception as caused them in their turn to retreat beyond the spot on which the battle began, where they made a stand. This movement placed the tree to which Putnam was tied, between the fires of the contending parties ; the balls from either side struck the tree and passed through his clothes. In this state of jeopardy, unable to move his body or stir his hmbs, he remained above an hour — so equal and desperate was the fight, ^t one instant, when the battle inclined in favor of the enemy, a young savage chose an odd way of indulging his humor. He dis- covered Putnam bound, and might consequently have killed him in an instant ; but he chose another way of gratifying his passion of torture. He threw his tomahawk at the prisoner's head, with a view of shewing how near he could throw it without touching it ; and he struck the tree several times within the smallest distance possible of his mark. When the Indian had finished his amusement, a French serjeant, a mucli greater savage in his nature, came up, and levelled his musket within a foot of the major's breast, but it happih^ missed fire. In vain did he claim the treatment due to a prisoner of w ar. The degenerate French- man did not understand the language of honor, or the laws of nature ; but deaf to their calls, he repeatedly pushed the muzzle of his gun against tlie ^:^{) PUTNAM'S SUFFERINGS. the ribs of the bounden man, and completed these acts of barbarity b}' a dreadful blow with its butt end on his jaw-bone. The intrepidity of D'EIl and Ilarnian,* seconded by the valor of their followers, at lenijth [xevailed, 'I'hey drove the enemy from the - scene of action, leavini;- behiiul their dead, who were ninety in number. As the conquered tied, the Indian who had iirst made Major Putnam prisoner came up, untied, and took him away. Having been conducted to some distance, he wasstri|)ped of his regimentals, stockings, and shoes, loaded with the eftects of the wounded, and strongl)^ pinioned, his Avrists being drawn tight togetlier with a cord. After being driven many miles over the roughest roads, the part)^ greatly fiitigued, halted to breathe. The miserable prisoner was now in a dreadful state of torture. • His hands, from the tightness of the ligature, were immoderately swelled ; and the pain had become intoleral^le. His feet were scratched, bruised, and cut, and streaming with blood. The burtiien imposed upon hira was too heavy for his strength ; and, frantic with torments, exquisite be- yond endurance, he entreated them to kill him and take his scalp, or to loose his hands. A French officer instantly interposed, ordering his hands to be unbound, and some of the load taken fi'om liris back. The Indian Avho claimed the prisoner had been absent with the wound- ed, but now coming up, gave him a pair of 7nacai;ous, and shewed great resentment at his unworthy treatment. The duty of this chief being with the wounded, he returned, leaving the advanced party, consisting of about tAvo hundred Indians, to go on before the P'rench troops, and to encamj) for the night. Thej' took with them Major Putnam, on whom, besides many other outrages, they had the barbaritv to intlict a large wound on his left cheek \vith a tomahawk. * A late American publication, from which these facts are principally taken, says, that this brave officer was livijtg at Marlborough, in the state of Massachuscts, in the year 1B04. 3 His H;S NAlilTOW LSCAPE. 137 His suflferings in this place were to have been consummated, and a scene ©f far greater horror was preparing. — The savages had determined to Foast him alive ; and, in pursuance of this horrid doom, they led him into a dark part of the forest, stripped him entirely naked, bound him to a tree, and jailed around him dry brush-wood and other fuel. They ac- companied their labours by dances and the yells of death, and then set the pile on fire ; but a sudden shower of rain damped the rising flame. They laboured to rekindle it, and at length it began to blaze round the circle. The victim soon felt the heat, and being able to move his bodv, he instinctively shifted sides as the fire advanced. This sight, at which all but savages would shudder, afforded the highest diversion to his in- human tormentors, who demonstrated the delirium of their joy by every extravagant gesticulation. Major Putnam, convinced that his final hour had arrived, summoned all his resolution, and composed his mind, as far as the shocking cir- Gunistances would admit, to bid an eternal adieu to all he held raosf dear. The bitterness of death, painful and lingering as it would be, was in a manner past — nature, with a feeble struggle, was quitting its hold of sublunar}' things — when a French oflicer rushed through the crowd, opened a way bj' scattering the burning brands, and unbound the victim. It was the gallant Molong, whom one of the savages, unwil- ling to see another human creature immolated, had made acquainted with the dreadful proceedings. The commander spurned and severely repri- manded the barbarians ; and fearing to trust the major with tliem again, kept him in safety till he delivered him into the hands of his master, the savage chief who made him prisoner. This providential escape will by some appear to savor of the fabulous, as it did to me when I first heard it related. I took some pains to make enquiries on the subject, in passing through those places where General Putman was personally known, and found the tale was not doubted. I also met with an old officer, C<^onel jVIartin, of New Brunswick, who was 1.^8 INDIAN METHOD OF SEClRINt; A I'UISONIR. \vijsacquaitiic(l with hitu, and \vlio nave full oivditto all tlic accounts ol' Ills siiireriiigs and miraculous escape. He added, tluit the general, though arrived at that advanced j)eriod of life when men often become garridous, generally declined a conversation on the suhject. To return to the narrati\e. — It a])|)cars thatthe savaj^e ap])roachcdhis prisoner with kindness, anil seeuu.'d to treat him with atlection. He oftered him some hard hiscuits, but finding that he could not chew them, on account of the blow given him by the Frenchman, this more humane savage soaked some of them in ".vater, and made him suck the pulp-like part.* Determined, however, not to lose his captive, the retieshment being taken, he took the macasons from his ieet, and tied them to one of his wrists; then directing him to lie down on his back, upon the bare ground, he stretched one arm to its full length, and bound it fast to a young tree — the other arm was extended and bound in the same man- ner, and his legs w^ere stretched apart and fastened to two saplings. Some slender branches were then laid across his body; on each side of him lay a numbei' of Indians, to prevent the possibility of an escape; and m this disagreeable state he remained till morning. In the account given of these sufferings by the major himself, he said, that during this night, the most drear}"^ and painful, apparently also the longest of his life, he lelt a ray of chearfulness sometimes dart across his mind, while he en- tertained the' hope that he should yet be restored to his family. He even indulged his fancy in retlecting upon the ludicrous group around him, in which he sustained the most ridiculous part; and how fme a subject it would make for a painter. The next dav he was allowed a blanket and a pair of macasons, and \ * Though instances have occurred of some traits of humanity- faintly beaming from the breasts of certain savages, vet, I cannot suppose that the chief in question was entirely moved to this act of good- ness bv pun- philanthropy. He knew from Iiis arms, cloathing, and accoutrements, that his prisoner was a man of rank among his enemy, aud consequently expected a considerable gratuity by way of ransom; and the anxiety he shewed to prevent an escape, serves to confirm this opinion. was ANECDOTES OF ALBERT GALLATJN. 139 ■\TOs suffered to jDroceed with the party without carrying a load, or re- ceiving insult. To allay his extreme hunger a little bear's flesh was given him : this he moistened and sucked through his teeth. At night the party arrived at Ticonderago, where the prisoner Mas j)laced under a French guard ; and after having been examined by the commanding officer, the Marquis de Montcalm, he was ordered to be conducted to Montreal, whence he soon returned to the English armv. ALBERT GALLATIN. Let the declaimers against the corrupt influence sometimes employed in monarchical governments, turn their eyes to the history of Mr. Al- bert Gallatin— a foreigner — a ti-aitor to the country which had adopted hull, now exalted to one of the highest and most important oliiciul sta- tions in the American commonwealth ! Mr. Gallatin is a native of Geneva. He removed to America about the year 1779, and after surveying the United States in different direc- tions, at length took up his permanent residence in the western part of Pennsylvaiiia. Whatever doubts might have existed respecting this stran- ger, the time and manner of ids coming into this country was certainly suspicious at least, yet no notice was taken of him by any of the leading men in America at that time; nor was it till many j^ears atterwards that he began to attract public attention. Settled in a place where many of the inhabitants were foreigners, and most of them illiterate and lawless, Gallatin, with Fuily, Breckenridge, and Bradford, undertook, in 1792, to excite an opposition to the law of the general government relative to the excise. General Washington, who was then pres.dent, used every gentle means in his power to prevail on the insurgents to submit to the law, but to no j)urpose. Accounts were received of immense crowds of these people meeting, and resolving, in the language of rebellion, to op- T pose 140 TREASONABLE CONDUCT OF GALLATIN. pose the law. Gallatin acted as clerk to these meetings, the result of which was, the destruction of some houses, and the loss of several lives. Thus then this straui^er, instead of gratitude Cor the hospitality attbrdcd liim, reared the baimers of insurrection to overturn all law and order. The President, always anxious to spare the sufferings of deluded citi- zens, issued a proclamation to forgive all those who would return to their duty, and obey the law. Not one accepted his proffered mercy at this time, and it was absolutely necessary to march an army against them. Another proclamation was issued, to give them further time to repent their misconduct. And here it jnust be observed, that these deluded wretches \vere made to believe that an army would not be raised to con- quer them, but that the whole United States would make their opposi- tion to the laws a common cause. They were, however, soon undeceiv- ed; and it was at the period when this was ascertained that the great Mr. Gallatin (as he is called by foolish [)artizans) let fall all his bristled feathers, and sneaked into town to receive the benefit of the amnesty. It was not until the last hour of the lad day, and of the last proclamation, that this man availed himself of the condition of the president's forbear- ance. Thus, Albert Gallatin was first a conspicuous insurgent. The resolutions published at the time with his name, and never denied, are undeniable evidences of the fact.* Another proofi if more were want- * These were to the following effect : " At a meeting of sundry inhabitants of the Western Counties of Pennsylvania, at Pittsburg, on the 21st day of August, 1702, Col. John Cannon was placed in thc.chair. Aluert Gallatin appointed Qlerk. The Excise Law of Congress being taken into consideration, a committee was appointed lo prepare a draught of resolutions, expressing the sense of the meeting on the subject of said law. Adjourned to 10 o'clock to-morrow. The committee appointed yesterday, made report, which being I'^icc read, was unanimously adopted : 5 ing. APPOINTED SECRETARY OF THE TRE VSURY. l4l ing, is, that he came into open court, and confessed his guilt of treason by subscrihing the amnesty. From that time, to the accession of Mr. Jefferson, the conduct of Gallatin was of the same com|ilexion. He steadil}'" opposed the measures of government, riglit or wrong, and had very justly become hateful to good men of all parties, who were not deceived. Such then is the man to whom Mr. Jefferson has thought fit to dele- gate the important trust of Secretary of the Treasury ! The office is unquestionabl}^ of more importance in the government than any below the presidency ; since the whole wealth of the country is in his hands, " Through all ages of society," says an American writer on this subject, " in every civilized country, the crime of treason stands prominently infamous in the eyes of mankind. The hateful criminal is shunned. Even a. philanthropic philosopher would hazard his reputation by shewing him any kind of respect. But alas ! in this age of revolution — in these days of fatal delusion, the experience of the world for many centuries is to be forgotten and despised in the rage for change ; and the fury of party ! — Posterity will blush, that the same President Jefferson who de- livered the liberal and honied inaiigiiral speech, should, in the face of his countrymen, and contrary to every maxim of government lor the peace and happiness of mankind, bestow the best olHces in his gift uj)on fo- reigners, — the revilers of Washington, the calumniators of our best ci- tizens, and the authors of insurrection !" " And whereas some men he found amongst us so far lost to every sense of virtue and feeling for the distresses of this country as to accept oflices for the collection of the duty :" " Resolved therefore, That in future we will consider sucli persons as unwortliy of our friendship ; flaie no intercourse or dealings nit withdraw from them every assistance, and with- hold ALL the comforts OF LIFE, whicli depend upon those duties, that as men and fellow-citizens, we owe to each other, and upon all occasions treat them with the contempt they deserve, and that it be, and it is humbly, and most earnestly recommended to the people at large, to follow the same kind of conduct towards them." (Signed) "John Cannon, Chairman. " Allert Gallati.v, Clerk. T 2 Previous 14^ ANECDOTES OF MR. JOHN RANDOLl'II. Previous to the election of liis friend Jeft'erson, (jJallatin found means to obtain a seat in the lionse ot representatives, and there he had an op. j)ortunity of disphiying abihties, wliich he possesses in an eminent degree. lie was fur some time the leader of opposition, and though his foreign accent would often in debate render liim almost unintelligible, yet his speeches were in the highest degree benelicial to his jjarty. French po- litics were then in vogue, and the virtues of the sister republic were echoed through the nation. At length his party prevailed, and he ob- tained the summit oi' his wishes. Mr. Gallalin has been charged with injustice towards General Miller,* who commanded a body of troops which were ordered to quell the in- surrection above alluded to. It is true that, soon after his appointment, he discharged the general from the office of Supervisor, without assign- ing any reason ; but, in other respects, Mr. Gallatin has conducted him- self with abilitv. JOHN RANDOLPH. This gentleman, the ex-chancellor of Mr. Jefferson's administration, has been many years a member of congress, and, until the last session, was uniformly attached to the democratic party, of which he was one of the chief supporters. From various passages in this volume, the reader Mill j)erceive that i\Ir. Randolph is a man of considerable talents. Nature has, however, been niggardly to him in some respects. Though iinty years of age, so juvenile is his appearance, that, the first time I saw him in his place in the house of representatives, I took him ibr the youthlul son of one of * The reader will liercaftcr find that General Washington rewarded the servicca of his ofliccrs when they were disbaudcd after a successful war, by civil a|)poiuliuents. the- HIS OPPOSITION TO A NAVY. 143 the members, avIio had, for some reason, obtained permission to sit among- them. He is tali, but of" a slender make, of a weak habit, and, as I should judge, in a wasting consumption. He is ever complaining of in- disposition, and frequently adverts to his weak state of body in his speeches, by way of asking the indulgence of the house. His voice, like his person, is ver}' effeminate, and his action ungraceful. During the presidency of i\Ir. Adams, the appointment of a respec- table navy was among the measures of his administration. This was opposed by the democrats, and, in a speech to the house on the ques- tion, Mr. Randolph animadverted with some asperitv on the naval ser- vice. On the recent debate on the bill prohibiting the importation of English manultictures, after an interval of, nearly ten years, he perse- veres in this opinion. On that occasion he says, " I am averse to a naval war with anv nation whatever. I was opposed to the naval war of the last administration,* and I am readv to oppose a naval war of the present administration, should they meditate such a measure. AVhat! shall this great jNIammolh of the American forest leave his native ele- ment, and plunge into the water in a mad contest with the shark ? Let him beware that his proboscis is not bitten off in the engagement ! -j- Let him sta}^ on shore, and not be excited by the muscles and [periwinkles on the strand, or jtolitical bears in a boat, to venture on the perils of the deep! Gentlemen say, — Will you not protect your violated rights? and I say, why take to water, where you can neither fight nor swim ? * Mr. Adams would not suffer the French ta commit depredations upon his country with impunity, lie raised a respectable navy, and sent frigates to make reprisals, and to protect the commerce of tlie- West Indies. Commodore Truxton attacked a French frigate of equal force, and took her after a well- fought engagement. The enemy was brought into a port in the United States, repaired, and put in coin- uiission by the government of the captors. She was manned, and sent upon a cruise in the same latitude where slie was taken, but is supposed to have foundered, with every soul on board, no accounts having been heard of her since sailing from the United States. f Several members proposed making war upon Great Britain ; while Crowninshield, a violent democratj ftoiu Massachusets, was for confiscating the national debt !!! 1 Look. l.\.\ 1?AND0LPII INSULTr.D BY NAVAL OrFlCERS. Look at France ; see her vessels stealing Irom port to port, on her o\vn coast, and remember she is the first military power on earth, and as a naval power, s'jcond only to England. Take away the British nuvj^ and France to-morrow is the tyrant of the ocean." l\Ir. Randolph's former sj)eerh ga^•e great umbrage to the naval officers. He was attacked by Captain ^NI'Knight and Lieutenant Michael Rey- nolds, one evening at the theatre, on the subject. They did not, it is true, strike him. for a blow would, ))erhaps, annihilate the legislator; but they reflected upon his conduct in terms of severity. He a))pealed for redress bv letter to the president, to whom he complained that he had been grossly and publicly insulted by several officers of the army and navv, lor words of a general nature, uttered in debate ; conceivino: it to be an attack on iiis independence and rights as a legislator. The president sent a message to the house of representatives, with the letter of Mr. Randolph. The officers, upon receiving notices, attended the house, and denied the allegations laid to their charge. A committe w as appointed to enquire into the matter, and Mr. E. Goodrich, the chair- man, reported : " that in executing the task assigned to them, it is ^vith great pleasure they noticed the respect shewn by the president to the rights and privileges of this house, in the message he had transmitted to them. On the style of Mr. Randolph's letter to the jjresident, they forbear to make any remark, than to express a regret that he conceived himself justilietl in deviating from the forms of decorum customary in official connnunications to the president, Avhich they conceive so justly due to his office and character, and so essential to that harmony which should be circumspectly cherished between the dilFerent branches of the government, by its respective members — that they consider the ap[)eal in this instance to the executive authority, however otherwise intended, as derogatory from the rights of the house, it being exclusively cog- nizable by them, as it respects the privileges which are inherent in its own bosom, and derogatory to both its honor and independence, and the inviolability of its members— that having heard the parties, give it as their HIS OPPOSITION TO IiOSTILIT\' AGAINST GREAT BRITAIN, 145 their ojMiiion, that although some circumstances took place at the the- atre, \vhich appeared to Mr. Randolph and others present to manifest hostility towards him, yet, as some of those circumstances had been sufficiently explained, and others were of a nature too equivocal to jus- tify reprehension and punishment, there does not api)ear sufficient reason for the interference of the house on the ground of a breach of privilege." This was a severe mortification to Mv. Randolph. He was not then so eminently qualified for a statesman as he has since appeared, or lie would not have adopted a wrong course in endeavouring to obtain re- dress. The intemperate warmth shewn by the ruling party towards Great Britain, and their tame acquiescence in the measures of Buonaparte, at length disgusted their leader. He began by rebuking INIr. Madison, the secretary of state, for acceding to the demand of Turreau, the French ambassador, who followed it by an observation — " that France was in want of money, and that she must have some li-om the United States." The pretext, as we have already mentioned, was payment for the Flc- ridas. * Mr. Randolph next withdrew himself from the confidence of the president, and then repeatedly told the house of representati\es that * On tliis subject an American print has the following observations: — " We have already informed the- iniblicof the issue of the secret sittings, a secret bill authorizing the purchase of the Floridas. What uill the public say to such conduct? After purchasing and paying for Louisiana, including as we thought a country of almost unbounded extent, and a considerable portion of the Floridas, we discover, to use an old adage, that we have been buying a pig in a poke. It now appears that a secret article between France and Spain, of which our minister and government were kept ignorant, deprives the United States of all Florida and a portion of Louisiana. Thus have the government and people been most egregiously deceived in the value of the purchase. And we are now about to sanction tlie deception by appropriating millions more for another purchase in the extent of which we possibly may be again deceived ! It was in liiekl('(l Iiiiiisclfiii a stupid silence, and sat scowling at the eminence which he had not the power to resist. lie therefore went out of Con- gress as he came in, with the reputation of heing a very weak spoke in the wheel of government. " Mr. liincolu was now appointed attorn(?3'-^encral of the United States, and during the long period in which he has held, we will not sa\ discharged that office, he has permitted a farther developcment of his talents, by making one speech and an half in the Supreme Court. " The first speech w^as a sufficient developcment of his talents, to in-- duce administration to believe that in any hiture developcment, it might be necessary for the interests of the countr\% that he should be assisted by other counsel, and therefore, in the celebrated case of the Sugar Re- iiners, Mr. Dallas was employed, at the expence of several hundred- dollars, to render this assistance. The cause was tried at the capitol, in Washington, during the sitting of Congress, before Chief Justice Mar- shall, and Judges Chase and Washington. The hall of the court was crowded w ith spectators, among whom were obser\'ed many foreigners of distinction, and members of Congress. The honourable Levi Lincoln arose — one hand was rested on a large pile of law books, which it would seem he intended to use, the other contained a roll of manuscript notes of the case, to which it would seem he intended to refer. He neither used the one nor referred to the other. He was on the floor about ten- minutes, when, having concluded his prefatory remarks, he said, " I will now inform this honourable Court, of the first point which I have taken in this case." — He paused, " I say, may it please your honours," (continued he, after a little hesitation) and paused again. — The court listened with the utmost attention ; the spectators who were at a little distance fram the bar, anxious to w itness the event which this illustrious instance of the " monies part uriunt," seemed to promise, closed up in a Semicircle aroimd the balustrade of the forum. "As I was saying, 3 (said CONTINUATION OF MR. LINCOLN'S SPEECH. J51 (said iNIr. Lincoln) I have made a point,"— He had so. He had reached ©ne which he could not surmount. He told the court that he begfi^ed their kind indulgen ce; that he felt exceedingly embarrassed, and wished a few minutes for recollection. The court bowed assent, and Mr. Lin^ coin sat down. " After a pause of fifteen minutes, during which there was the most solemn stillness, Mr. Lincoln rose again. He continued to speak about ten minutes more. His manner was wild, incoherent, and unargumen- tative, and seemed to be an unconnected, promiscuous, and irregular assemblage of words, without the smallest attention to the ordo verbortnu. " I have now come, (said he) maj^ it please your honours, to the second point proposed— I say — the second point which I have taken is this— I have got (said he) to the second point." He, .however, was never able to get any farther, and the Court remain yet to be informed what that second point was. Mr, Lincoln was obliged once more to apologize to the Court for being unable to proceed. He said, he felt an embarrass- ment which he could not conquer, and that Mr. Dallas would go on with the cause. A confused murmur was heard throughout the hall ; it was the hum of vexation, disappointment, and keen remark. Some of the auditory felt chagrined at this debasement of our national dignity ; some felt disappointed and astonished, that this exertion of forensic eloquence should have terminated in such a mortifying developement of the talents of their attorney-general; and others laughed at the impotency which they had predicted — whilst the poor Mr. Lincoln sat down at . the bar, and covered his face with his hands.'.' He was, soon after this probation, removed from the attorney-general- ship, and returned to his original obscurity. , BRYAN 152 ANECDOTES OF VISCOUNT FAIRFAX AND SIR JOHN OLDMIXON. BRYAN ^'ISCOUXT FAIRFAX. Lord Fairfax, who becomes an object of American biography, from his very lonij residence in the United States, Avas a viscount oftlie kingdom of Ireland, liis ancestor being elevated to that dignity bv king Charles the First, in the year lt)2B. The name of I'airl'ax is one of the most distinguished of those that occur in tlie history of the civil war which brought that monarch to the block, in the middle of the seven- teenth century. We hnd the very nobleman who was thus indebted to the king for his title, among the most active of liis opponents. Mis son also was a most useful instrument in the hands of the desiijnin? Cromwell. It would appear that the spirit of republicanism had been transmitted through the intermediate generations of this family. Br^^an Viscount Fairfax, settled in America previous to the revolutionary war; and lam told officiated therein as a chaplain, having been educated fJ^r the church. After the peace he settled on his estate in the neighbourhood of Alex- andria, and lived a very retired life. He privately relinquished his titles, which had become unfashionable, when the country assumed a republican form of government. He occasionally exercised the sacred functions of his office, and died greatly lamented, about the year ]80I, leaving several children; and as the heir at law has become in every sense an American, and also renounced the title, I presume it may be considered as extinct. SIR JOIIX OLDMIXON. This gentleman is a baronet of Great Britain : with the occurrence^ of the early p;irt of his liR', I am rmt acquainted. I le becatne cnainom-ed of Miss (icorge, then a pcrtormcr at Drnry-Liine and the Ilaymarkct theatres; and having obtained her hand, soon aittr'vards embarked with Iier lor America. Slje was engaged, at a liandsome salary, by Mr. 2 AVignall, SINGULAR EQUIPAGE OF LADY OLDMIXON. 153 Wignall, one of the managers of the Piilladclphia theatre, where she became a great liivorite, ranking as a singer next to the late Mrs. "W'rightcn. Sir John took a small farm near Philadelphia; and being of a domes- tic tuni, and partial to agricultural pursuits, he for some years lived with his lady there in retiremetit. Th( ir union was produ'tive of several children ; and when her engagements required her attendance at the theatre. Sir John accompanied her in his market cart, in which heat the same time conveyed the produce of his farm. This he disposed of^ while she was engaged at rehearsal; and when the entertainments of the evening were finished, the ir.arket cart was ever ready to take her home. In the bills of the day she dropped her title, calling herself Mrs. Oldmixon. I could wish to draw the veil over the latter part of this gentleman's life. His misfortunes were not, however, of his ov. n creating ; they have befallen all conditions of men, from the peer to the peasant. Lady Oldmixon long retained her situation with no other imputation than that of being unhappily possessed of a violence of temper, which rendered her disliked by her contemporaries of the sock, and of course by no means agreeable to her husband. At length she fell into those tempta- tions to which females on the stage are so eminently and constantly exposed ; and that too, at a time of iiie when the duties of a parent had long required her attention. She yielded, as common fame reported, to the tender assiduities of one of the theatrical corps, who moved in a sphere no higher than that of a scene-painter, and Avith him, it is said, she quitted Philadelphia, and joined the companj'" at Charleston. Sir John merited better treatment ; he was esteemed a man of honour and a gentleman. The iady has more recently removed the scene of her theatrical labors to New York. THOMAS l.li ANECDOTliS or THOMAS LWV, IISGL THOMAS LWV, ESQ. Tins gentleman is son of the late bislio|) of Carlisle, ami lirotlier to "Lord Ellenborongh, Jord chief justice of the court of King's Bench, Tlarly in life Mr. Law went to the East-Indies under the patronage of l\Ir. Hastings, obtained through the interest of the bishop, and there ac- quired a splendid fortune. During his residence in the British posses- sions in the cast, Ilyder Ali had been successful in some partial en- gagements with the company's troops. lie had taken prisoners General Baird and Colonel Bailey, and for some time kept the latter gallant offi- cer bound in chains, weighing thirty-two pounds, which were afterwards put upon Captain James Wilson, late commander of the British ship Duff, laden with warlike stores for the squadron under Sir Edward I lughes, whose ammunition had been nearly exhausted in his different engagements with the French admiral Suflrein. Wilson endeavoured to escape from Cuddalore ; and after encountering the most imminent dangers, and swimming across rivers deemed impassable without a vessel, as well on account of their width and rapidity, as from the alligators lurking in them, he was seized by a party of the tyrant's troops, sent back to the prison whence he had escaped, and driven back naked to Seringapatam. Here he was confined with a con- siderable part of Colonel M'Leod's regiment of Highlanders, and under- went sufferings and torments shocking to relate. The gallant and ath- letic highlanders first fell under their horrid treatment, and several of •them died while chained to Captain Wilson.* The • The extraordinary adventures and the sufferings of this gentleman, which almost exceed belief, wiH be a sufficient apology for introduciug here a few farther particulars of his active and usclu 1 life : — Captain Wilson was bred to the sea from his earliest years, and served, during the American war, at the batllesof Bunker's Hill and Long Island. He afterwards went as mate to one of the company's ships to the East Indies, where he determined to settle. During the war with Hyder Ali, he was em- ployed, as related above, to carry stores for the British army, and while on this service was taken by the MR. law's mission TO SER IXC A PAT AM. 1.').^ The victories of Sir Eyre Coote happily mitigated their sufferings. The tyrant was compelled to give uj) his prisoners. Mr. Law was sent to Seringapatam, and to him the jirisoners were delivered. He fiuiud his countrymen weak, and emaciated with hunger and disease — many of them covered with ulcers, and unable to support their feeble frames. Of one hundred and fifty of M'Leod's regiment, only thirty-two remain- ed, the Freiicli, and carried to Ciiddalore. Having received information that Sufifrein, their admiral, liad been bribed by Hyder Ali to deliver up to him all his prisoners, Captain Wilson resolved that very night to attempt his escape. This design he executed with his servant, a Bengalese boy. They ascended the rampart, forty feet in height ; the captain leaped down, and pitched on his feet, but the shock of so great a descent caused his chin to strike against his knees, and tumbled him headlong into the river. Recovering himself, he returned to the foot of the wall, where there was a dry bank, and bidding tli<- boy drop down, caught him safely in his arms. He had passed in his flight three arms of the river, encumbered with the weight of the bov, who was unable to swim, but in attempting to cross a fourth in the same manner, they had both nearly perished. He returned to the shore, and recommending his attendant to the care of a friend, pursued his route alone. On being retaken after he had swum over the main river, he was carried to the head-quarters, and in- terrogated by an officer, to whom he gave an ingenuous account of his escape. The Indian looked angrily at him, protesting he was a liar, for no man, he observed, was ever known to pass the Coleroon by swimming, as the alligators would infallibly have seized him, had he only dipped the tip of his finger" in it. The captain, however, produced such evidence of the fact, that he could no longer doubt the relation ; on which the Mahometan raised his hands and exclaimed : " This is God's man !" For twenty-two long months was Captain Wilson confined, as described above, at Seringapatam. The prison was a square, round the walls of which was a kind of barrack for the guard ; in the middle was a place covered over head, but open on all sides, and exposed to wind and rain. Here, with no bed but the earth, no covering but the rags wrapped round him, he was chained to another prisoner ; and they ■were often so cold, that they dug a hole in the earth as a defence against the chilling blasts of night. So scanty was the allowance of the wretched captives, that a state of raging hunger was never appeased, and he was often afraid to trust his fingers in his mouth lest he should be tempted to bite them. Though he entered this abode of misery exhausted by fatigue and disease, yet for a year he enjoyed a better state of health than any of his fellows. At length, the complicated wretchedness he endured produced in him the symptoms that had carried off so many others. His body became enormously distended, his thighs swelled to the thickness of an ordinary man's waist, ainl death seemed to have marked him for his prey. Reduced to the extremity of weakness, and his irons being so straight as to threaten mortification, he was released from them to lie down and die. The soldier to whom he was last chained, liad served him vith great affection, and thinking it might alleviate his pain, entreated permission to spend his dijiy pittance of about three farthiiigs (allowed to buy firing and salt to cook his allowance of rice) for oil to anoint his legs. To this the captain objected, representing that he would have nothing to dress the next day's provision. The soldier shook his head. "Master," said he, " I fear you will be dead, and never want it." Providence, however, snatched him from the brink of the grave. The captain had that day X exchanged 156 MR. law's visit to the united states. ed, with Captain Wilson and a few more. It was some time before Mr. Ltiw, with the assistance of the surgeon, who was in his retinue, could prepare the wretched captives for a removal from the scene of miser}'. Mr. I^iw returned to England with, or soon after his patron. On the celebrated impeachment, it is well known that his brother was retained by Mr. Hastings as his leading counsel ; and on that occasion Edward, now Lord Elkiiborough, fully displayed those abilities, which paved the road to the high honours lie now possesses. It appears, however, that during the trial it was thought adviseable that the subject of these anecdotes should retire to America, where he invested large sums of money in the speculative jjlan of building in the American capital, on the banks of the river Potomack, which divides Virginia from Maryland, and where a great i)art of his fortune is sunk in its failure. The city of Washington will never be made a great or a commercial place. Baltimore on the one side, and Alexandria on the other, having a free navigation, are barriers to its commerce ; and the products of the extensive back countries, will ever be carried to the mart from which they can be most conveniently shipped. About two years ago Mr. Law visited his native country, and left his wife at Washington. On his return he found that the lady had given cause to disturb his future peace of mind. Rumour, with " her liundred tongues " had represented to him, that his frail partner had become particularly attached to the military, at the marine barracks in Wash- ington; nay, that she had been seen dressed <) la in'ditairc in company excliangi'd Jiis allowance of rice for a small species of grain called ratche pier, which he eagerly devoured, and slaked liislliirsl with the liquor in which they were boiled. The consequence was such an amazing evacuation, that he was in a few hours reduced to a skeleton, and though excessively enfeebled, he was completely relieved, and recommended the trial with success to man\ of his fellow-prisoners. After his deliverance. Captain Wilson again engaged in the sea service, and having realized a fortune, settled at Ilorndean, in Hampshire. This retirement he voluntarily quitted, .and gratuitously took the command of the ship Duff, equipped by the Missionary Society for a voyage to the South Sea Islands, with the particulars of wliicii (he public js already acquainted. with ANECEOTES OF PAUL JONES. ]o7 Avith the cflicers. Be this as it may, a separation certainly soon after- wards took place. The lady \a as allowed a handsome provision, while Mr. Law, at the time when this was written, (1806) hoarded, as a sin- gle man, in one of the edifices huilt by himself in the Xew Jersey Ave- nue, which is a boarding- house for the members of Congress, and kept by one IMitchel, a Frenchman. A few years ago, Mr. Law procured a bill to be passed in Congress, enabling him to raise a lottery to open the Tiber Creek, which runs up to the city of Washington, so as to render it navigable for ships of burthen. The lottery was drawn ; Mr. Atkinson, a respectable merchant of Alex- andria, having informed me, that he had <;lisposed of a number of tickets for Mr. Law, and paid the prizes to the fortunate holders— but the creek is not yet opened. The large sums of money which Mr. Law has expended in the city of Washington, and perhaps the hopes of again realizing a part of them, are, I should presume, the reasons that detain him in America. Poetry occupies many of his leisure hours ; and many of his compositions are of a religious nature. PAUL JONES. During the American war, this renegado struck terror into the minds of the unoffending inhabitants of manv^ of the northern parts of the Bri- tish dominions. After all the invective which has been bestowed upon him, he certainly possessed a desperate courage, enterprize and activity in the cause in which he had embarked. Some of liis exploit^ however, have not yet come to public knowledge ; and scAeral of his aggressions were not mentioned in the London Gazette. At Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, a privateer of about eighty tons burthen, and carrying the like number of desperate adven- turers, was equip|)ed under the command of Paul Jones. This vessel X 2 was 153 ANECDOTES OF CAPTMN HACKER. was named after llie town where she was built, " The Providence," and mounted 1() guns. Oii her first cruize she Tell in with the British trans- ])ort ship Melhsh, hiden with niihtary stores for the army in Canada, wliich had been recently augmented in consequence of the siege of Que- bec by the Americans and Montgomery. The Melhsh defended iierself with great bravery for nearly three hours, when Jones succeeded in boarding her. The prize was brought into New Bedford, in Massachu- sets, and amongst other valuable warlike stores, were l'^,000 suits of regimental clothing. The American army at this time was half naked, and the clothes being sent to General Washington, the adverse parties were soon in the same uniform. This proved of great disadvantage to the British, who, in several instances, being convinced that the enemy were detachments from their own army, fell unpre])ared for resistance into their hands. CAPTAIN IIACKEU. The privateer above-mentioned took many more prizes, and greatly an- noyed trading vessels on the American coast. Paul Jones had now been promoted, and having sailed for France, the command of the Providence was given to another desperado, named Hacker. This adventurer swore, that lie would surpass the achievements of Jones, and, for this purpose formed a design of attackiug the island of New Providence, in the West- Indies. This was considered as a mad and chimerical scheme, the inha- bitants possessing many privateers then cruizing against the Americans, aad being defended by a garrison. Hacker, however, persisted, and pro- vided himself with every thing necessary for the expedition. He arrived at a favorable time ofl^'the island, and ran into the harbour in the night impercfived, though a sloop of war then lay at anchor, ^^'ithout a moment's loss of time he landed a strong party, many of A\hom were well acquainted with the situation of the islaiid, under the command of one John Trivett. In silence they reached the fort, and completely sur- ))rised the garrison, m horn they made prisoners. This was done with sucli secrecy and caution, that the capture was not known to the inha- bitants ANECDOTES OF CAPTAIN PETER T.ANDOIS. 159 bitants till the mornins^, when they were struck with astoni -hment and terror on beholding the rebel stripes flying above the British ensign, and the guns of the garrison turned upon them. The sloop of war slipped her cable and put out to sea, not knowing the force of the enemy, while Hacker's i)arty exercised the right of conquest by an indiscriminate plunder. Having laden their privateer with the spoils, they spiked the guns of the fort, left their colours flying, and sailed for the port ap- pointed for the place of rendezvous. This anecdote was penned bv the auihor ironi the lips of Trivett hin)self) who was, at the time, a cabinet- maker at Newport, in Rhode Island. CAPTAIN PETER LANDOIS. During the last sitting of Congress, Mhere my jirivate business re- quired my attendance, being interested in a matter under the conside- ration of that assembly, I daily observed a veteran French officer take the same seat in the gallery of representatives. On enquirv, I found that his name was Peter Landois, and that he commanded the Alliance French frigate, one of the squadron of Paul Jones, when he attacked the Serapis frigate, and the Countess of Scarborough armed ship, off Flamborough Head. He was a petitioner to the house. It appeared by his petition, that the squadron had taken three valuable British merchant ships, and iiad sent them into Norway. On the remonstrance of the British ambassador at the court of Copenhagen, they were seized by an order from the king of Denmark, under the plea that America had not been acknowledged as a nation by that country. The ships were restored to their owners, and Landois prayed a compensation from Congress for this loss of prize-money. For several sessions he had his case before thein, and, perhaps, to stop farther clamour, they granted him two thousand dollars. This paltry sum the veteran refused, al- ledging, that it would not remove his peciniiarv difficulties, great part of which had been incurred by his attendance several sessions on Con- gress. The affair will therefore most probably be revised. GENERAL 160 ANECDOTES OF GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD. GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD. The 50307 CHAF. 170 CTIAP. XIV. JOURNEY TO PHILADELPHIA — STAGE-WAGGON — MISERABLE ROADS — COMMUNI- CATIVE PASSENGER — PHILADELPHIA — POPULATION OF THE CITY — THE MAR- KET — METHOD OF REARING HOGS — EXTREMES OF THE SEASONS PUNISHMENT* INFLICTED ON CRIMINAL OFFENDERS — ADVANTAGES OF THE CRIMIMAL CODE OF AMERICA — THE JAIL — THE BETTERING HOUSE — THE HOSPITAL — THE BANK OF THE UNITED STATES — BEGGARS — WATER-WORKS — BRIDGES— THE LIBRARY — PEALE's MUSEUM— AMERICAN M AN UT ACTUBES. Journeying towards the south, the traveller may proceed to rhiUulelphia by the stage-waggon, or by Amboy, which is chiefly per- formed by water-carriage, at much less ex]3ense. I took a place in the -waggon, wishing to see the Jerseys. I was directed to the coach-otlice in th. Broadway, in New York, where I paid the full fiire, five dollars^ and wa> desired to attend at nine the next morning, with my luggage. I did so, and found other passengers waiting; when, to my infmite astonishment, we were directed to cross the water at the confluence of tlie East and Hudson, or North Rivers, which appears nearly a league broad, and were informed that we should find the stage on the other side, at Paulu's Hook, in the state of New Jersey; and to add to thi& imposition, we each paid our own ferryage. Thus, though the stranger pays for his place tiom New York to Philadelphia, he, in fact, is car- ried only from Paulu's Hook to the latter city. I had noted many particulars respecting the city from which I wa» now taking my departure, but on comparing them with those made in Philiidclphia, BEPARTURK FROM NEW YORK. l71 Philadelphia, the preference of the latter in beauty, regularity, archi- tecture, and improvement, is so decided, that I have suppressed much respecting New York. Another reason operated in my mind in favor ■of this determination. The latter is an ancient city, and consequently much better known by the accounts of various authors. It is more resorted to by the English, and, upon the whole, greatly resembles an ancient English city, irregularly built; and such of the public edifices as merited notice, have been more frequently described than those of any other place in America. However, as during my long residence in this country, I have been repeatedly called upon business to this great commercial place, I may possiblj'^ hereafter find it applicable to enter into further particulars on the subject. Having been safely feri'ied over to Paulu's Hook, a miserable place, supported by travellers, all the New York stages and horses for pro- ceeding towards the southern states being kept there, we saw a number of waggons with horses yoked, ready to depart; and groups of passen- gers assembled, forming a truly curious scene. I now mounted, for the first time, an American stage, literally a kind of light waggon. While I attempt to describe this clumsy and uncomfortable machine, I cannot suppress the wish of being possessed of one of them, with the horses, harness, and driver, just as we set off, in order to convert them into an exhibition in London. I should not doubt of their proving as attractive and as lucrative as Lunardi at the Pantheon, with his balloon and his quadruped companions in his first aerial voyage over that city. In order to aid my pen in this arduous task, I have given a correct re- presentation of one of them in the view of the Main Street, in Phila- delphia, to which I refer the reader. This vehicle, which is of the same construction throughout the coun- try, is calculated to hold twelve persons, who all sit on benches placed across, with their faces towards the horses. The front seat also holds three, one of whom is the driver, and as there are no doors at the sides, z the 172 HAD ROADS. the passengers pet in over the front vliecls, and take their scats as thej' enter; the first, of course, get seats hchind the rest. This is the most esteemed seat, because you can rest your shaken frame against the hack j)art of the waggon. AV omen are therefore generally indulged with it,, and it is often laugliableto see them crawling to their seats; and if they happen to be late, they have to straddle over the men, who are seated.' larther in front. It is covered with leather, and instead of windows, there are flaps of that article, whicli in bad weather &re i<;t down, and secured by buckles alid straps. In summer these flaps arc folded up, and this is some alleviation from the repeated shocks you receive in going over roads, many of which are never repaired, and stumps of trees left; vnn'ooted for time to consume, which yet ;impede your progress even in the rauch-freqnented road between the two largest citiesfvrin the United States.. Several miles immediately before you enter Trenton, the road is so A'ery bad in some places, that the driver, with whom I chose to sit, the better to view the country, told me, that the last time he passed, his horses stalled, that is, they were for some time unable to drag the waggon through the \vor.>t places. lie also said, that the road thtTC had not been repaired in his memory, injid he did.iiot ecase cursing and swearing till we entered the city of Ti:entof), which was late in the evening, a distance of sixty-six miles. This day's journey was rendered more disagreeable by alieavy rain falling in the very worst part of the road, and being myself, as I have already observed, in front, I was wet to the skin, which threw me into a iever on my arrival in Philadelphia. Those seated farther back Ayere in a situation not much better; the leather sides being an indifferent shelter.* One * Since the journey now under observation, I hare travelled many hundred, perhaps a few thousand miles, in similar carriages, and in almost every state in the Union ; and, though 1 find much truth in Wr. Wfld's Travels, yet I confess I never witnessed such a circumstance as is described by him in the. lollowing passage : " The great roads are so little attended to, that the driver frequently has to call to the passengers in the stage to lean out of the carriage, first at one side, then at the other, to prevent it from overturning M the deep ruts with which the road abounds. " A'o», gentlemen, to (he right ;" upon which ail the passengers ANECDOTES OF THE AMERICAN WAR. 17.5 One of m\r travelling companions was Colonel Ephraini Martin, a loquacious old gentleman, who had served in the revolutionary war, and was then. proceeding from his residence in New Brunswick, to at- tend the sitting of the state assembly at Trenton, of which he had been long a member. After supper, having dried my clothes, still on mv back, I Avished to retire to rest, as the waggon was to proceed no farther that night ; but the old soldier detained me till a late hour, and long after all the other passengers had retired. On a more suitable occasion 1 should have enjoyed bis garrulity. He told me of " the battles, sieges, fortunes he had pass'd," and sometimes from lapse of memory he reca- pitulated twice over the details of the same action. We had just passed over a part of the theatre of war, and he frequently pointed out, as v/e proceeded, the situation of the contending armies. Drenched with rain, and fearful of being stalled, I could not retain in memory much of his information. I, however, recollect his saying that a considerable body of British troops lay at Trenton at the time Washington, by crossing the Delaware ati-Christmas, took the Hessians by surprise at Princeton, only twelve miles distant ; and made them prisoners. An American officer was a prisoner at Trenton, when the report of the artillery in the skirmish, before Washington completed his capture, was distinctly heard at the out-posts. This man, after his liberation, re- ported, on joining his countrymen, that a Scotch officer, whose name I cannot recollect, high in rank in the British army, had advised the adoption of vigorous measures, as the enemy were in the neighborhood ; but, from the confiflcnce of securrty, his suggestions were not attended to. The North Briton now upbraided his superior, observing, that " while they had rested in apparent safety, the d d Indian was killing their passengers stretch their bodies lialf out of the carriage to balance it on that si'Je. " Now, gentlemen, to the left,'^ and so on. This frequently happens a dozen times in half the number of miles." 1 have been frequently questioned on this subject in America by persons who have read Mr. Weld's book Though the roads are in general very bad, yet the clumsy waggon is propoctionably strong to encounter the shocks ; and accidents but rarely happen, Z 2 people 174 PHILANTHROPIC AMERICAN OFl'ICER. people iit Princeton." "By the Indian," continued Colonel Martin, "he meant Washington." I have related the anecdote just as the veteran t»)ld it, who greatly enjoyed his own story ; not, however, from a know- ledge that I was an Englishman, but from that innate satisfaction with which my Uncle Toby narrated the battles in w hich he had been en- gaged. Ijike him too, the colonel possessed a good heart. lie ob- served, that the commencement of ho:?tilities was a fatal blow to his circumstances. He found himself obliged to take some decided part, and this cost him much thought. He brought every circumstance to view — the attachment he had professed to the British crown — the cause of complaint — and the gloomy prospects which then overshadowed the American cause. He at length adopted the latter, but with a heavy heart. He had two sons advancing to manhood ; one of them fell in battle against the British, and the other, having been bred to the study of physic, was appointed surgeon of a regiment, and survived. He added, that the English, individually, were dear to him as his own coun- trymen, and, in fact, he never had an enemy out of the field of battle. " I forgive the man that wounded me — I saw him strike me down, and 1 think," continued this worthy man, " I should still know him. I would, now the contest is over, take him to my arms, and give him the best my house afforded !" Would to heaven 1 could saj^ that I had often heard such sentiments as these during my sta}^ among Americans. They would have filled me, and indeed every man who heard them, with admiration and esteem; but alas! on the contrary, how often have I been branded with opprobrium, because I was born— an Englishman. In vain may they deny the principle; in vain contradict what I advance whenever I speak of localities; but still I shall continue to aver that I sit down to write these sheets, not with a view to pecuniary profit, but, in the plain language of truth, to inform my countrymen of the result of some expa'knce \\\ the new world.* • TravtUing charges are half a dollar for each meal. These only differ in there being vegetables at Mu: dinner table, and spirits and water, as an execrable beverage. At breakfast and supper there are Si^h Fiftli »Q See ^ Fr.i ■lllllgLIIIflHIIISI iiDaaiiim laiii IlilHBIBllBE _ SifDss SsSHBiJiy !!!!!!! FOUNDATION OF PHIL ADELPIilA. 175 On the next day I sensibly felt the ill effects of my journey. We set off at six in the morning, and were conveyed to the I Vanklin's Head, in North Second Street, Philadelphia, at two ; having come thirty miles, making together ninetj^-six miles from New York. I found accommo- dation at a private boarding-house, where I remained an invalid for a fortnight. The rapid grov/th of this beautiful city, in size, wealth, and splendor, and its increase of trade, has s^^ldom been equalled in commercial his- tory. The plan was laid by the purchaser of the soil, the celebrated AVillia-u Penn. This enterprising man was one of the earliest members of the religious sect who denominated themselves Friends; and at this dav a large proportion of the inhabitants of Phila'Jel[)hia are of that persuasion. He obtained a grant from King Charles the Second, in the year 1681, and the next year, accompanied by about one hundred settler?, he arrived in the river Delaware, on the banks of which stands the city, at the distance of \iO miles from the sea. The spot was then covered with timber; its foundation was a stratum of potters' clay; the harbour furnished a bed of sand; the nearest hills contained quarries of stone; the vicinity yielded lime-stone and marble ; and iron and coal were dis- covered upon the navigable branches of the Delaware, long before the new settlement afforded hands to work them. The natives, Mr. Penn justly considered, had the claim of nature to the soil, and were in possession of the country. He accordingly en- tered into a negotiation with them for the extinguishment of such title; and under a tree, which is still standing, and which is accurately repre- sented in the plate fronting the title-page of this work, they transferred to him their right of possession. He also there entered into a treaty of also hot dishes, and generally very indifferent coffee. The Englishman is said to live too grossly ; but the American gorges on meat three times a day. One alleviation to the fatigue of travelling in this country is, that you are not dunned for money by the driver, but he will often smoke a segar on the road, the fume of which, by the progression of the carri::ge, is left among the passengers. The average price of conveyance is not quite four-pence British per mile. amity 176 DESCRIPTION OV HIILADEl.IMIi \. amity with the tribe of Indiaiis who huuted oij the ground where the city is now built. • o It is situated 40 degrees north of the equator, and 75 west of London, being in the same parallel of latitude with Spain, Italy, and Greece; climates whose happy temperature had indicated milder seasons than were found on the banks of the Delaware, which, during the winter, is frozen to such a degree, that loaded waggons pass over it on the ice. Plhladelphia is built on an extensive j)lain, five miles above the con- fluence of two navigable rivers, the Delaware and the Schuylkill; the former is a mile in breadth, and of sullieient depth to admit ships of 1200 tons to the wharls, after being in part unloaded at a bar near Wil- mington, the only obstruction to its extensive navigation. The Schuyl- kill is about half as wide as the Thames at Lambeth, and is also naviga- ble for smaller vessels as high as the city. The streets running from river to river are named after the produce of the woods formerly growing upon the spot, viz. Walnut-street, Ches- nut-street. Pine-street, Vine-street, iNIul berry-street, &c. Those running from north to south, according to the original plan, were named Front- street, second, third, fourth, fifth, and up to twelfth-street, and are now built upon. The centre of the city is ]\Iarket-street, w hich also extends from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, and is much wider than the others running in the same direction. W here the streets intersect Market- street they are distinguished by north and south, as North Second-street, South Second-street, North Third-street, South Third-street, &c. ; but, in order to give the reader a correct idea of this handsome city, I have subjoined an accurate plan, by referring to which he will fully compre- hend my meaning. The ground-plot is laid out with great regularity. Nine streets, two miles in length, (though not yet built upon to the extremities) run east and I :^ 1 DESCRIPTION OF PHILADELPHIA. 177 and west, from river to river, and t\vent3--three of a mile in length, in- tersect them at right angles fi'om north to south. These streets are fitty feet wide, and they distrihute tlie plan into squares, the interior of which v/as designed for yards and gardens. Two main streets, of an hundied feet wide, cross each other in the centre, and form a public square, of Avhich four more were laid out in different parts of the city.* A range of houses, for the principal merchants, was intended to open upon the water, in the same manner as the celebrated Bomb Quay at Rotterdam; for which purpose, the warehouses, &c. along the river, were intended to have been kef)t back from the rising ground above the bank; but cu- piditity, perhaps convenience, has crowded the platform, between the streets with narrow alleys; the public squares, except the Centre, have been otherwise appropriated; and the bank of the river has been built up with a row of houses which are a disgi-ace to the city, and which en- tirely intercept the view of the port. This street has proved a scourge to the inhabitants for their encroachment on the noble plan of the pro- prietor. It is called Water-street, and is so very contracted and dirty, compared to the cleanliness of other parts of the city, that it is alone sufficient to engender disease in the hot months; and there contagion first makes its appearance. This is not the only infraction upon the judicious plan of Mr. Penn. By referring to the plate, the reader will perceive a distortion in Dock- street, which was neither originally so called nor laid out. The inha- bitants are even deviating from the original names of the streets. They now call Mulberry, Arch-atreet There being no bridge near, I see no- thing waggish in the alteration; if intended lljr a stroke of wit. The houses are well built, chiefly of red brick, and in general three stories high. In some of the new streets uniformity is observed, parti- cularly in Sansom-street, which may vie with those of the fashionable • The city extends, including Southwark and the northern liberties, nearly three miles along the De- liware, and about a mile and a half east and west. 3 parts 1/8 Di:SCUIPTION OF rillJADF.Ll'IIIA. parts of London. A great number of private liouses have marble steps to tlie street door, and in other respects are finished in a style of ele- gance. The streets are paved with large j)ebble-stones in the carriage-road, and the tout-pavements, which are raised ten or twelve inches higher, with brick. Tliey are tolei-ably well lighted and guarded in tbe night; the watchmen calling the hour as in London.* Many of the new streets have of late years been planted with rows of poplars, whose rapid growth, and spiral form, peculiarly adapt them to shade the avenues of the city in the sultry season of the year. During the last summer, these trees harboured a caterpillar of very large dimensions, the bite of which was saitl to be extremely venomous. Reports were propagated of its causing death in several instances, and the demolition of the j)oplars was in contemplation. I, however, witnessed the proof of their being i)erfecUy harndvSS, having seen a gentleman in Walnut-street suffer one of them to crawl over his hands; nor do I conceive that the bite, which, by all reptiles, is never inflicted but under the impression of fear or anger, would produce at most more than a local inflammation. On the declaration of the independence of the United States, Phi!a- delp'.iia, then the capital and seat of government, was estimated to con- tain 6,000 houses, and 40,000 iidiabitants. An American author, from whom some of these observations are selected, states tbat, " since the operation of the federal constitution, four or five hundred houses have been annually erected, no small proportion of which (it is said not less than two himdred) have been built by a single citizen, W. Sansom, Esq." This is greatly over-rating the increase, as the eighteen years of the com- pact of the union, taking this writer's medium at 450, would produce 8,100; which, added to the original 6,000, would make 14,100 houses in Philadelphia. This writer is rather unfortunate in his calculations, for in the very next page he observes, that the city is supposed to con- • The police is generally active and well regulated in all the large cities in the United States. They havejusticesof the peace, constables, aud walchnicD, according to the English system. tain J ^ .5 •J "e MARKET OF PHILADELPHIA, l79 tain 13,000 houses, and eighty thousand peo|)le — but even this is a high calculation. From a plan taken by a British officer of engineers, when General Howe's army lay iu Philadel[)hia, it appears that it is now dou- ble the size; and, notwithstanding the ravages of the yellow fever, its population has increased in proportion. The market is the great boast of the Philadelphians. It is a covered building, 420 of my steps, in length, exclusive of the intersections of streets, an5 I calculated mv step to be a yard ; but onlv five feet in breadth, including the butchers' benches and blocks. It is well sup- plied; and its regularity and cleanliness indicate good living and whole- some regulations. No article can be offered for sale here without fii'st being submitted to the inspection of one of the clerks of the market, who seizes unwholesome articles, and a fine is inflicted upon the owner. The fish-market, fi-om its distance to the sea, is but indifferently supplied, though much pains is taken to procure a regular supply. Light carts are constantly coming in from New York, and Burlington in New Jer- sey, with the most delicate fish of the ocean, and packed in ice during the summer. The beef is good, but the mutton and veal far inferior to that of England and Ireland. Butter and poultry are excellent; and there is a profusion of vegetables. Butchers' meat, on an average, is ten to twelve cents (5d. to 6d.) per pound ; but poultry is not one-third of the London price, and of a superior quality. Fowls of all kinds are within the compass of the purchase of" the labourer, A turkey of six- teen pounds weight may often be bought in Philadelphia for a dollar, but I have seen them sold of this size, both in New England and in Virginia, for three shillings, and even still less, British mone\^ Wild turkies are sometimes brought to market of the enormous weight of twenty-five pounds and upwards; but these birds retire from the country as it becomes more settled. Geese, ducks, fouls, rabbits, (there are no hares in the United States) are of a proportionate price. Quails, which they call partridges, are brought alive in large quantities, and sold fur about two and sixpence per dozen,* Negroes, and sometimes white peo- * Great ciuaiititios of tliis game are, in the winter, cauglit witii snares and traps. 2 A pie. ^80 JIETilOD OV RAISING AND KU.LIX3 SWINE. pit', Urinq; ojwssiims, wliich could not readily be distiufjuishcd (rom roast ^ii(, when dressed in the same manner; s<|uirr('ls, wliieLure by many pre- lerred to the rabbit,, and sometimes racoons. Tlie latter 1 never could be prevailed upon to ta^te; indeed, it is not held in any estimation, partaking too much of the species of tlie fox, though, I believe it is not carnivo- rous. Excellent butter is supplied by the German settlers, at about an Engli>h shillin-i' per jmund, and eggs at sixpence per dozen. The pork throughout the United States is excellent, and, iioni the quantity of mast, it is raised in abundance. Large herds of swine, 'svhieh run'otl" at uiy api)roaeh, have often suddenly surprised me when on a shooting party in the woods. They range at large, and stray sometimes many miles, from their owner, w ho, however, is anxious to accustom them to resort to his plantation. To effect this, he blows the conch-shell,, which may be heard at a great tUstance.. x\t this signal the hogs that are well trained set off at full speed ; luid, fromits being sounded at one |iarticular spot,, the animals soon appear, and are rewarded with Indian-corn, which they prefer to all other food.* Aljout the end. of November begins the pork season. Neighbouring planters tuid fiu'mers unite, and tbcm a large party in quest of the herds of swine, that are entirely wild,, which they pursue and shoot with a single ball in the head. Each person knows his- hogs by marks which are given them w hen young. This pork, by the quantity, is generally in price from five to six dollars per hundred weight. It is very fat, but the flesh is not firm, from the animal ^ednig cliieily upon the acorn ; this they call mast-fed pork.. Spirituous liquors are, unhappily for the lowest orders of society, still easier of attainment. This pernicious article is generally the cause of those outrages, the narration of which so much offends the ear of all civilized nations, and which will be particularly noticed in treating of Virginia and the more southern states. M'indward Island Kum, by the hogshead, is generally under a dollar per gallon, and the various distil- * 1 do not agree with the vulgar saying, " as slupid.as a pig." I liave^ from- obsenatiop, found swine, the most sagacious quadrupeds of the farm. 4 lations DTFnCULTY OF OBTAI^^NG FRESH PROVISIONS IN St'MMER. ISI lations of the country about half that price. The duty on imported spi- rits is very small, and according to the proof, averaging an English shil- ling per gallon. What I have hitherto said must be understood to relate only to the market in the winter season. It is by no means well supplied in sum- mer. Fresh meat will then keep no longer than the dinner hour of the morning it is killed; and the morning's milk turns to curd in the even- ing. This they call " boiin)/ clabber," and eat it with honey, sugar, or molasses. It is by some thought equal to custard, and the females are ;particularly fond of it. They have their seasons for the articles of life, whicb, in London, we scarcely perceive. For examj^le — after the sea- son for fowls coiwe the fisheries of the spring, Avhich continue for about six weeks, when the people in the country live solely on s^iad and her- rings, of which they also export large quantities. In the beginning and middle of summer it is difficult to procure fresh provisions of any kind. They then live on salt }X)rk or bacon, and greens. In a progress of many hundred miles in the southern states, at this time of the vear, a traveller will fmd no other fare. This was once a favorite dish with me ; •but so long have I been confined to it at different times in America, that my relish for it is, I believe, for ever gone. In the spring, it is true, you every where meet with veal killed at a month or six weeks old, hav- ing first been almost starved to death by the robbery committed upon the natural sustenance of the calf. The heat in summer is oppressive^ — more so I thought than in Caro- lina. This is accounted lor, by the reflection of the sun upon the brick houses and the brick foot-pavements. The thermometer is often above 90 for several days together, sometimes for a tew hours 93 and 95, which alone is sufficient to proj>agate disease in f> crowded cit}'. With the disadvantage of the fever, and the total stop put to navigation several weeks from the ice, in winter, Philadelphia has sent from twelve to fif- teen hundred sail of vessels in oi^e year to every quarter of the globe, 2 A 2 some 182 CRIMINAL PlNISIIMl-NTS. some of which, folUnviug the British, doiihlc the i)romontorv of Africa, and explore the antipodes for the most costly productions of the east. Add to this, the Americans, during the present war, have been the carriers of the world, across the ocean. It is said that a gentleman now living, and by no means very old, remembers but three coaches kept in the eitv ; and now there are computed to be above three hundred. — This is not improbable, for, in coming from the Theatre, I have seen a bustle of carriages similar to that in London upon these occasions. During the extreme heat, fvw would voluntarily encounter the rays of the sun; yet the pursuit of wealth stimulates the American to run every hazard. The female part of the family, however, stay w ithin doors till the cool of the evening. They shut up the windows on w hich the suti shines, as well to exclude the heat, as to render the myriads of Hies and musquitoes inactive, from the darkness. The streets of Philadelphia m the evening are crowded. The ladies emerge from their conliuement, and pay visits by moon-light; Avhile the girls sport and play without hats or cloaks, uninterrupted often till near midnight. The punishments annexed to criminal convictions, throughout almost every state, are worthy of imitation. The manv public executions which take ])lace in England, after every general gaol-delivery, are a subject which strikes Americans with horror. Among the lower orders of the community, the spectacle of fellow-creatures executed by the arm of the law, generally tends to harden their hearts, and divests death of its ter- rors; and upon the commission of a crime, the offenders, inured to be- hold the extent of the punishment, console themselves under the idea of dying " as brave as the best." Though both the penal and common laws of England are generally adopted in the I iiiied .Slates, the punishments differ materially; but it will be admitted that they are sufficiently proportioned to the crimes. In very few cases indeed, in any state, is the punishment of death in- 2 flicted CRIMINAL PUNISHMENTS. 183 flioted. Legislative bodies consider, that the laws of man should seldom extend to the extermination of that life which was given by the Al- mii>lity ! In Pennsylvania, of late years, ca|jital punishments are re- mitted in all cases I believe except treason, or murder in the first degree; and, in the latter case, death is seldom inflicted; but the culprit is sen- tenced to solitary confinement in a dark cell for a number of years, or perhaps for lite. In the second degree, light is admitted into the cell of the prisoner, and his confinement is limited to seven or fourteen years. For burglary, which rarely occurs, the punishment is also solitary con- finement. Such as are under conviction of theft and petty larceny are made to work in their cells, at the trade to which they were bred. Pri- soners^ for inferior misdemeanors, midnight disturbers, vagabonds, and such as are detected begging or fighting, are kept at labour together. The philanthropic reader will rejoice to find that there are regions where more humane laws seem to upbraid the severity of those of Eng- land, whose criminal code has justly been said to be written with blood. From a recent publication on the metropolis of the Austrian dominions, it appears that the continental sovereigns begin to perceive the inade- quacy and injustice of this s} stem of rigour. With the year 1 804 a milder code of criminal law there commenced its operation. Treason, insurrection, if attended with aggravating circumstances, forgery of bank- notes, and murder, are alone to be punished with death; the penalty for all other crimes being various degrees of imprisonment, either for life, or for a longer or shorter period. It is curious and pleasing to see and reflect upon the various useful oc- cupations these people, hitherto dangerous to society, are obliged to fol- low in the prisons of America. xManufactures of most kinds are there car- ried on. Taylors, shoe-makers, and persons of other trades, liave separate rooms ; and such of the prisoners who have not followed any useful branch in particular, are instructed to make naiis, by macUines, of whicli large quantities are constantly manulactunng. The produce not only maintains the 184 nilMlNAL PUNISHMENTS IN VIRGINIA, the labourers, but leaves a consUlerabie profit to the state. Tiius, prisoners who are a great expence to the English nation, living in idleness, and |)lot- tinq; and teaehing each other mischief, and new methods and devices for plundering the public, are there rendered valuable members of society. The punishment, so far from hardening them in turpitude, reforms them, and they generally, on their liberation, return to those habits of industry vhich, fi*om compulsion, have become second nature. 'J'Jie task assigned them is so moderate, that each individual can witli ease earn a daily' surplus; and in this case, an account is taken of it, and it is delivered in cash to the respective claimants on liberation. Hius, the most indus- trious often accunuilate a suliiciency to enable them once more te begin an honest business. The state of Virginia has adopted similar punishments and regula- tions. A penitentiary is built, on an extensive plan, at Kichmond; and the prisoners are employed in useful avocations. Tor particular oft'ences, and such as do not amount to solitary confinement, the men liave one half only of the head and beiu-d shaved, they are obliged to wear a party-coloured dress, and are thus ex[>osed at work to si)ectators. In every place of punishment the women, and tliey often constitute the majority of the prisoners, are kept in like manner at work with the needle, making garments for chciritable institutions, or slojvwork for sale to seamen ; and the more refractory are compelled to beat hemp, or to pick oakum. The Goal in Philadelphia is situated in AA'al nut-street, at the rear of the state-house. It is a large, strong, stone building, atid in ever\^ re- spect adapted to the purposes for which it is destined. The regulations of this place of punishment are worthy of the imitation of European nations. It is regularly inspected by a committee of the inhal)itants, who chearfullv in turn undertake the office without reward. 'I'hey exa- mine into the cleanliness of the rooms and the prisoners, who are regu- lujly washed, and in summer bathed, and tlicn supplied with a change of POOR— BEGGARS, TSJ of linen. Their diet is also regulated, and no spirituous Hqnor, doubtless in most cases, the primarxT cause which reduced the people to their unhappy situation,, is suffered to be introduced to state pi'isoners. In the winter, which is very severe in Philadelphia, the poor are re- lieved, and a house is opened for their reception. This is called the Bet- tering-house, but the inhabitants are not j:)risoners. They are supplied with the necessaries of life, and dismissed in the spring. Tlie institu- tion is defrayed by a tax on the eity. The hospital is another noble institution. It is provided with nurse& and with all the necessary accommodations for patients of every descrip- tion. The princi[)al physicians of the city attend ia rotation, and pay tihe strictest atteutioato the diseases of the sick- There are ver\" few beggars in the United States ; there is indeed no pretext for begging in a country' where every individual can find em- ployment, and the infirm are maintained. By this I do not mean to^ assert that there are no poor in the United States, nor families in dis- tress, as Dr. Priestly wrote to his few converts who remained in Bir- mingham, in order to induce them to follow him. The climate alone twice a year, occasions a number of poor people to seek |3arochial and other relief; but not in tlie form of street begging. The extreme cold in winter for two or three months, renders it impossible for many of the inferior class to follow their respective avocations — the intense heat of summer debilitates the constitution, and thus paves the way tor bilious or yellow fevers; and where the latter do not rage, the miserable victim^ will most likely have to encounter, byway of substitute, those torment- ing and wasting complaints, agues and levers.. 1 have been asked for alms in many parts of the United States, thouga very seldom in the large cities. These republican beggars generally prefer their requests in the same manner as a person would ask a loan, but certainly 18G BANK OF THE UNITED ST ATl'-S— WATER-WORKS. certainlv "ith some moderation. This description of hoifgars will also stipulate with you as to the sum they expect to be given them — ihey uill name a quarter of a dollar, a nine-penny or eleven penny bit;* if you were to ofi'er cents, which are equivalent to English halt-j)ence. you might expect to incur their displeasure. The Bank of the United States does infinite credit to the nation. It is a superb etlitice of the Corintliian order, with a majestic portico of six fluted columns of stone, found in abundance in many parts of the Union, similar to Portland stone. This building indicates the ilourisli- ing state of thcjse finances which were organized by the much-lamented General Hamilton. — A correct view of it is annexed. Every thing which can contribute to the comfort of the inhabitants, has of late years been supplied in Philadelphia, and if it rests with man to avert the malignancy of the summer fever, which, however, he has hitherto attempted in vain, the regulations of the police must greatly contribute to the consummation of so important an end. The city is well supplied by water from the river Schuylkill, by means of a steam-en- gine, in a handsome building at the intersection of the two principal streets; connecting ornament with public utility. A representation of these water-works will be found at the conclusion of this chapter. The excess of the water runs back in a small stream to the river Schuylkill. The water is for a considerable distance so warm as to be of a proper temperature for washing linen, and I observed many women availing themselves of the advantage. Water is thus raised upwards of thirty feet above the highest ground in the city, and is conveyed by subter- raneous pipes to what they call hydrants; which are placed in the streets • Tlic eighth part of a dollar is of various denominations, according to the currency of the states. In Pennsylvania it is eleven-pence, the dollar there being seven shillings and sixpence ; hence it is called an cloven-pi-iiny bit. In New England and Virginia, where the dollars are six shillings, it is nine-pence; JD New York, one>liilling ; in one part of North Carolina, lifteen-pence, and in another part of that state, one shiiling and six-pence. In South Carolina the currency is sterling. at I I .V "^ ^ ^ COVERED BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER SCHUYLKILL. 187 at equal distances. The water is not suffered to flow constantly, but upon the slightest touch of the small handle of the hydrants, it rushes with impetuosity through a tube of a bore of about an inch in diameter, and continues as long as you press upon it. There are also pumps in the principal streets, and it was in contemplation to remove the hvdrants entirely, and supply their places with them. There is certainly great convenience arising from the use of these hN'drants ; but on the other hand they are liable to abuse, and often stand in need of repairs. I have seen boys, who run all day uncontrolled about the streets, play- ing with them for hours togetlier opposite to the window of my lodgings; passengers would sometimes attempt to persuade them to discontinue their abuse of the water, but not till some other j)lan of mischief v. as agreed upon, would they desist a moment. A covered bridge has lately been erected dver the river Schuylkill. This beautiful wooden structure, was designed by William Weston, Esq. of Gainsborough, in Lincolnshire. It contains 800,000 feet of timber, board measure; was six years in building, and cost 40,000 dol- lars. The length of this bridge, including the abutments and wing- walls, is 1300 feet, the width 52 feet; the middle arch 194 feet, 10 inches, two others 150 each ; and the inclosed height over the carriage- way, thirtN'-one feet. The amount of the toll for the year 1805, was 13,600 dollars. The library is an institution Avhich does credit to the country. It is open the greater part of the day for strangers, who are attended by a li- brarian, ready to hand them such books as they may select from the catalogue.* He is paid by the society, which is an incorporated body. A handsome building was erected by them in North Fifth Street; and tlie late Mr. Bingham, of Philadelphia, presented the society with a line piece of statuary, in white marble, representing Doctor Franklin at full length, and which is placed above the entrance from the street. I * On my return to my native country, I was, at Liverpool, refused atlmiUanceto diirercnl coffce-noiiis, lo read the public papers, because J was r.ot a subscriber ; an iliiueralil) unkuovvn in America, \f.ierj all places of this nature are gratuitously opened to the stranger. 2 B applied 183 THE LIBRARY. npplicil to the librarian fur some particulars rcspcctino^ this liberal en- dowment. On informing him of my intention of publishing my obser- vations, he was very assiduous in communicating whatever respected the origin and progress of the institution. The foundation of this library was laid in the year 1731, a period when Philadelphia afforded little assistance; to the enquiries of the stu- dious. A number of gentlemen having raised the sum of one hundred pounds hy sul)scription, a small library was founded upon princi])les the best calculated to disseminate knowledge ; the books were not, as in many public libraries of lun-oije, confined to the apartments, but the sub- scribers were allowed to carry them home for a reasonable space of time. The plan soon became pojiular ; additions to the number of mem- bers took place, and the stock of books was annually encreased by pur- chases at the company's expence, and liberal donations from persons both at home and abroad. The then proprietors of Pennsylvania ap- pear to have taken a patriotic pleasure in the encouragement of the plan. Besides several valuable donations, they granted a charter of incorpora- tion in the year 1724. A spirit of literary improvement made its way among all classes of people, and the philanthropy of that great and amiable character. Doc- tor Franklin, who suggested the |)lan, was gratified by tracing the books as well into the hands of the opulent, with whom literature is sometimes no more than one of the ornaments of civil life, as of those to whom it renders a more substantial benefit. Letters, while they employ the lei- sure of the artist, reconcile him to his labor; by removing gVosser re- laxations, they promote liis health, while they enlarge his mind : and prolong his life, while they teach him to enjoy it. The great utility and success of this measure occasioned the formation of otiicr libraries upon similar principles. But, as it appeared more conducive PARTICULARS RESPECTING THE LIBRARY. 1 89 conducive to the interests of literature to be possessed of one large, than of several smaller collections of books, coalitions gradually took place among them, till the whole were blended with the library company of Philadelphia. Since this event, which took place in the year 1769, the members and the property of the comjjany have continued to encrease; there being now 676 members. The number of volumes at present, including the Loganian library,* amounts to 20,000, the selection of which has, in general, been calculated to promote the more important interests of so- ciety. The stock of books is continually encreasing by occasional do- nations, annual importations, and purchases of every publication of merit. Some valuable machines and apparatus for the purposes of natural philosophy, and a variety of other curious, artificial, and natural pro- ductions, also belong to the company, and are deposited in other apartments of the building. Besides the collection, the personal property consists of some monies at interest; the sales of shares, which since the year 1768, have been fixed at ten pounds, and the annual payment often shillings from each member. A house and lot of ground Avhich belonged to the union company; two lots of ground (one the generous donation of the late * Th's valuable collection, consisting principally of ancient books, was begun by tiie late James Logan, whose enlarged uiind imluced liim to provide for extending toothers the means of tliose pursuits he had bimself successfully cultivated. With this view he built a suitable house for the reception of the library ; and, by deed, vested it in trustees for the use of the public for ever; this deed he afterwards cancelled, and prepared, but did not live to execute another, in which some alteration was made in the funds and regulations. After he died, his children and residuary legatees conveyed the whole estate, intended by him, to trustees, who caused tlie books, amounting to more than 2000 volumes, to be arranged in the building prepared for their reception. To this collection was added, by the late William Logan, of Bris- tol, 1300 volumes, and the whole, consisting of ,3443 volumes, and handsomely endowed by the donors, for the use of the public forever, is now annexed to the Philadelphia library. 2 B 2 Thomas 190 REMARKARLE CLOCK. TlioiiKis Peiin, Escj. and several ground rents, constitute the re tion of one hundred dollars each, one instalment of which is to be called for. as soon as the chajter i^ obtained, and the residue, if wanted, at such times, and to the amount which may be necessar5\ A warehouse is to be opened tor the reception of finl'-hed and marketable goods of the alx)ve-nientioned fabricks, where the articles shall be deposited at the makers' prices. They ai'e then to be inspected by com[)etent judges of the commodities, who shall say ho.\y much, in their judgment, they ought to sell t'ov. The company are then to advance one half in cash lon the amotmt of the price fixed, and the other half when the goods are sold, suijject to a very small deduction, to form a i'und, from A\hich, ■Ai^y 'i c after 196 MAN'UFACTURES. after subtracting the expenses of the establishment, the profits or inte- rest on the capital will arise. In order to encourage and stimulate the industry of persons of small means, and who may spin aiiv yarns by hand, such yarns are to be purchased by the com|)any, and paid for im- mediately. The owners of goods left for sale at the Warehouse may at any time withdraw them, on repaying the money advanced ajid the ex- penses incurred; and all goods that may remain unsold, and which the owner will not redeem, shall be sold by auction at stated periods, and if more shall be received t'ov them than the money advanced, and the charges, the surplus shall be paid to the owner of the goods. The advantages, say the society in the advertisement, resulting to the public from the foregoing plan, are obvious and considerable; indepen- dent of those which arise to the manufacturers and the community at large, from the calling- into activity so great a mass of useful labour. Let it be considered what satisfaction and advantage e\ery housekeeper will ex[)erience from having a warehouse to go to, stored with a variety of goods of the first necessity; where the lowest price at which it can be sold is marked u|Jon every article; and where there is no inducement to the seller to ask more from one customer than another; besides the additional gratification of knowing that every jjenny laid out here will contribute to encourage the industry of their fellow-citizens, and the wealth and independence of the nation. Gun|X)wder, iron ordnance, fire-arms, writing and printing paper, are mamifactured in the United States. Hats and shoes are linade in every state in large quantities, but those imported from England are preferretl. There are no other manutiictures of any extent, or deserving notice. Before I proceed, I shall take this opportunity of obsening, that in mv intercourse with the superior classes of the inhalntants of tlie large American IMPERTINENT CURIOSITY CONP^NED TO THE LOWER CLASSES. 197 American cities south of New York, I was not often annoyed with that impertinent curiosity wliich has already been mentioned as a pecuHar characteristic of these repubhcans. This is confined to the lower orders in some degree in every state, but in New England it is generally prevalent. Among well-bred people, a stranger is questioned only from a natural and moderate thirst of information. Such circles, it should however be observed, are to be found no where but in towns ■which have connections and commerce with Europe. As the traveller advances towards the south, he will find a gradual diminution of this species of impertinence. 2c2 CHAP. 198 CHAP, xr rASHINtiTON, XIIE FEDERAL CITY AND SEAT O F GO V E P. N M E NT— S LA N D EU OF IT* FOINUER — EXTRACT FIIOM THE AMERICA*^ llLWlliUAS — WRETLilEU STATE U !• THE ROADS AUOUT W ASHl N GTON — Ul S APl'O^ NTNfEN T OK S I>BCI/I.AT6US — TU E CAIMTOL — THE PRESIDENT'S HOUSE — CAUSES OF THE JJ Jf P I.OV.^flL E STATE OF" THE CITY — HORSE-RACES — MOUNT V EU N ON — ALEX A N DUl A . J. HE foundation of the present seat of government of the United States vas one of the last national objects of the distinguished character whose name it bears. The ingratitude of a certain portion of Americans to that great and good man, is one of the foulest stiiins upon their character. After successfully fighting their battles, through a seven years' war, contending with the choicest troops of Europe, and gaining them inde- pendence, he resigned his commission to that Congress which appointed him their commander in chief, and retired to the peaceful shades of Mount Vernon. A short time only was he allowed lor the enjoyment of tranqnillity and domestic jileasures; for, on the formation of the fede- ral constitution, he was called, by the unanimous voice of the delegates •who ratified that compact on behalf of their fellow citizens, to fill the first post in the executive department of the state. For his military ser- vices he had already disclaimed pecuniary recom pence, requesting his- country to discharge otily those expences which the emergencies of war had incurred. The office of the president is by law limited to the term of four years, at the expiration of which time, when AA'ashington again looked forward for the enjoyment of lys favorite retirement, his farther services w^re a second time called for more loudly and unanimously than INGRATITUDE OF THE AMERICANS TO WASHINGTON. 199 than before. Four years more he devoted to the service of his country; in which time he beheld the foundation of the federal city, the perma- nent seat of government; and he survived to see the legislators of Ame- rica convened at the capitol.. It was about this time that the French faction began to raise its cla., mors, which president Washington soon quelled, by his energetic mea- sures; but the disaffected in secret reviled him lor saving their country fi-om the merciless fangs of a set of monsters, who Avould have enslaved tliem, under the specious pretext of liberty and equahty. They insinuated that he had pitched on a spot for the seat of govern- ment near to his estate of Vernon, in order to inhance its value, though thev well knew that his private property was ten-fold greater than his privi\te expences. Flis choice, I believe, was directed to one object only ; the capital is built in the centre of the United States. One man of this class alone, was hardy enough to appear the public defamer of Washington ; but this man was not an American. His name is Duane, — by birth an Irishman — by trade a printer ; and wlio^ (as Peter Porcupine aliedged) had undergone castigatioii in the British settlements in India. But, that the British reader may judge of the great extent, or rather abuse, of the liberty of the press in America, I shall furnish him with a copy of one of his libels upon a character, which, for real and disinterested patriotism, has been seldom equalled, and never excelled in the annals of history. On Washington's retiring from his second presidency, the following paragraph appeared in Duane's daily newspaper, called " The Aurora," of the 6th of March, 1797. •' Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation !" was the pious ejaculation of a man, who be- held a flood of happiness rushing' in upon mankind— if ever there was a time which could licence the reiteration of the exclamation, that time is 4 now '200 DUANE's LIBEL ON WAPIIIN'GTOV. noAv arrived ; for the man, avIio is the source of all the misfortunes of our coimtrv, is this ilav rcdiirod to a level with his fellow-citizens, and is no lonq;cr possessed of power to multi|)lv evils upon the United States. If ever there was a period for rejoicinc^, this is the moment ; every heart in unison with the freedom and happiness of the people, ought to beat high with exultation that the name of WAsmxr.TON from this day ceases to give a currencv to political iniipiity, and to legalise corruption. A new a^rais openini; upon us — a new sera which promises much to the j)ul)lic ; for public measures must now stand upon their own merit, and nefarious j)rojects can no longer 1)6 supported bj' a name. When a retrospect is taken of the Washington administration for eight years past, it is a sub- ject of the greatest astonishment that a single individual should have cancelled the principles of re|)ul)licanism in an enlightened people just emerged from the gulj)h of despotism, and should iiave carried his de- signs against the public liberty so far, as to have put in jeopardy its very existence : such, however, are the facts; and with these staring us in the iiice, this day ought to be a jubilee in the United States." \Vhat indignation must every good man feel, upon reading this atro- cious libel on the virtuous Washington ! Mr. Fessendcn, the Iludibras of America; that same Mr. Fessenden who deceived the sage reviewers of London, in his " Terrible Tractoration," has resented the indignity in the following lines : " step forward, demagogue Duane, Than whom a greater rogue in grain, Ne'tr fortified by mob alliance. Dare bid the powers that be, defiance. Law, order, talents, and civility, Before your worshipful mobility, Must bow, while you their thinking man, Lead by the nose your kindred clan. Thou FESSENDEN CHASTISES DUANE. 201 Thou art iiiiug, tl at we wish our readers to place no dependauce on that part of the story." 2 - The 20! APPROACHES TO THE CITY OF WASHINGTON. " The eftects of Duane's, and of the designing and wrong-headed scrihblers who labour ibr the Aurora, are ever directed to the purpose of destroying idl kinds of distinction in society, except merely such as a cunning man may establish as leader of a mob. The. learned profes- sions are the constant objects of his abuse, and tliat ot the levelling sys- tems who dash in the Aurora. Should his strength succeed, brutal strength and savage cuiiriing will be the only foundation for emimnce. Indeed, he has laid the axe at the root of civilization; and, unless great exertions are nnule to counteract the influence of that vile species of poi- son, which he publishes, its destructive effects will lor ages be lelt in America." To return to the city of Washington — I have remarked, that on my return to London, the first general enquiry of my friends is respecting this far-famed place. The descri|)tion given of it by interested scrib- blers, maj' well serve to raise an Englishman's curiosity, and lead him to fancy the capital of Columbia a terrestrial paradise. The entrance, or avenues, as they are pomj^ously called, which lead to the American seat of government, are the worst roads I passed in the country; and I appeal to every citizen who lias been unlucky enough to travel the stages north and south leading to the city, for the truth of the assertion. I particularly allude to the mail stage road from B!a- densburg to Washington, and fi'om thence to Alexandria. In the win- ter season, during the sitting of Congress, every turn of your waggon wheel (for I must again observe, that there is no such thing in the coun- try as what we call a stage coach, or a post-chaise,) is for many miles attended with danger. The roads are never repaired ; deep ruts, rocLs, and stum[is of trees, every minute impede your progress, and often threaten your limbs with dislocation. Arrived at the oit\% you arc struck with its grotesque appearance. lu one view from the capitol hill, the eye fixes upon a row of uniform lionses, ten TAlLURi; OF THE CITY OF WASHINGTON', 20.3 or twelve in number, while it faintly discovers the adjacent tenements to be miserable wooden structures, consisting, when you approach them, of two or three rooms one above another. Again, you see the hotel, which was vauntingly promised, on laying the foundation, to rival the large inns in England. This, like every other private adventure, failed: the walls and the roof remain, but not a window ! and, instead of accommodating the members of C/ongress, and travellers of distinc- tion, as [)roposed, a number of the lowest order of Irish have long held the title of naked possession, ii-om which, were it ever to become an ob- ject, it would be diilicult to eject them. Turning the eye, a well fmished edifice presents itself, surrounded by lofty trees, which never felt the stroke of the axe. The president's house, the offices of state, and a little theatre, Avhere an itinerant company repeated, during a part of the last year, the lines of Shakespeare, Otwa}', and Dryden, to emptj^ benches, terminate the view of the Pennsylvania, or Grand Avenue. Speculation, the life of the American, embraced the design of the new city. Several companies of speculators purchased lots, and began to build handsome streets, AAith an ardor that soon promised a large and populous city. Before they arrived at the attic story, the failure was manifest ; and in that state at this moment are the walls of many scores of houses begun on a plan of elegance. In some parts, purchasers have cleared the wood from their grounds, and erected temporary wooden buildings : others have fenced in their lots, and attempted to cultivate them ; but the sterility of the land laid out for the city is such, that this plan has also failed. The country adjoining consists of woods in a state of nature, and in some places of mere swamps, which give the scene a curious patch-work appearance. The view of the noble river Poto- mack, which the eye can trace till it terminates at Alexandria, is very fine. The navigation of the river is good from the bay of Chesapeak, till the near approach to the city, where bars of sand are formed, which every year encroach considerably on the channel. The frigate which brought the Tunisian embassy, grounded on one of these shoals, and 2 D the 204 THE CAPITOL. the barbarians were obliged to be landed in boats. Tbis is anotluT ^'r( af disadvantage to the (jrowth of the city. It never can become a place of commerce, while Jiultimore lies on one side, and Alexandria on the other; even admitting the navigation to be e(|ually good— nor can the wild and uneven spot laid out into streets be cleared and Ica elled for building upon, for many years, even with the most indefiiligable exertions. The Cajiitol, of which two wings arc now finished, is of hown stonr, and Avill be a suj^erb edifice, worthy of its name. The architect who built the first wing, left the country soon after its completion; the cor- responding part was carried on under the direction of Mr. Latrobe, an Englishman ; * fi-om whose taste and judgment much may be expected in finishing the centre of the building; the design of which, as slicwn to me by Doctor Thornton, is trul\' elegant. The president's house, of which a correct view is given in the fi-ontis- piece to this volume, is situated one mile from the Capitol, at the extre- mity of Pennsylvania Avenue. The contemplated streets of this cm- * Mr. Biiijaiiiiii L.-itrobc is the second son of tin; late Rev. Mr. LalroUe, minister of tlic Moravian Chapel ill I'ettcr-laiie, London, a man highly esteemed and respected, not only by his own society, but by all to whom he was known. His maternal relations were natives of America. He received bis education at the school of the United Brethren ;it Fulnrck, in Yorkshire, and afterwards went to prosecnl? his studies at their seminaries at \iesky and Harhy, in Germany. On his return he resided for some years in London, where he held a situation in tlic Stamp Office. During this interval he introduced himself to public no- tice as the translator of the " History of Counts Struensee and Brandt," and •' Anecdotes of Frederic the Great of Prussia." Mr. Latrobe particularly excels in the art of design, and to this talent he is probably indebted for his appointment to the situation he holds in America, of which country he has been an inha- bitant, 1 believe, about twelve years. His brother, the Rev. Christian Ignatius Latrobe, one of the present ministers of Fetter-lane Chapel, is distinguished for his knowledge of music, and their matirnal ancle, Mr. John Antes, by birth an .American, and now resident at Fulneck, is welf known for his me- Thanical genius, having received several prcnjiums for inventions and improvements, from the Society of Arts. This gentleman lived many years in F.gypt, wlvere he made a personal actiuaintance witli the ce- lebrated Bruce, then engaged in his expedition to discover the source of the Nile. Tiiere too he under- w^'nt the severe discipline of the bastinado, tlie particulars of which transaction, together with various •bbcrvatioas on the country, were published by him, about the jear 1801. bryo- THE PRESIDENT'S HOUSE. 20-5 bryo city are called avenues, and every slate gives name to one. That of" Pennsylvania is the largest; in fact I ncvci- heard of more than that and the New Jersey Avenue, except some houses unifurmly built, in one of which lives Mr. Jefferson's printer, John Harrison Smith, a few more of interior note, with some pubiic-houses, and here and there a little grog-shop, this boasted avenue is as much a wilderness as Kentuckv, with this disadvantage, that the soil is good for nothing. Some half- starved cattle browzing among the bushes, present a melancholy spectacle. to a stranger, whose expectation has been wound up by the illusive de- scription of speculative writers. So very thinly is the city peopled, and so little is it frequented, that quails and other birds are constantlj^ shot within a hundred \'ards of the Capitol, and even during the sitting of the houses of congress. Ten years ago ]Mr. Weld, speaking of the president's house, tells us fof its being then erected; and of an hundred acres of land left for plea* sure-ground, and a park or mall, to run in an easterly direction to\^ ards the Capitol — that the buildings on either side of this mall, were all to be elegant of their kind, and that among the number it was proposed to have houses built at the public expence f()r the accommodation of pub- he ministers. This traveller then proceeds with informing us that other parts of this city are appointed for churches, theatres, colleges, &c. In nearly the same state as Mr. Weld saw the city so long- ao-o, it still remains, except indeed that some of the few houses which were then building, are now falling to ruin, the unfortunate owner having been ruined be- fore he could get them roofed.* Neither park, nor mall, neither churches, theatres, nor colleges, could I disco\er so lately as the summer of 180(3. A small place has indeed • In proof of this oljsei-vation, a traveller need only cast his eye on what is called the twenty buildings, at Greenleaf's Point, begun by tlie gentleman above alluded to, Nickolson and others, first-rate specula- tofs. A long range of liouses there was so advanced before they discovered their mistake, as to be covered ill, but they remain unlniished, ard are dropping piecemeal. 2 D 2 been 206 THE president's house. been erected since ^Ir. A\'cld visited Washington, in the Pennsylvania Avenue, called a theatre, in which Mr. Green and the Virginia com- pany of comedians were nearly starved the only season it was occupied, and were obliged to go off' to Richmond during the very height of the sitting* oicongress. Puhlic oHlces on each side of the president's house, unilbrnily built of brick, may also, perhaps, have been built subsequent to that period. That great man who planned the city, and after whom it is named, certainly entertained the hopes that it would at some fu- ture period equal ancient Rome in splendor and magnificence. Among the regulations lor building were these — that the houses should be of brick or stone — the walls to be at least thirty feet high, and to he built parallel to the line of the street. The president's house is certaily a neat but plain piece of architecture, built of hewn stone, said to be of a better quality than Portland stone, as it will cut like marble, and resist the change of the seasons in a supe- rior degree. Only part of it is furnished; the whole salary of the presi- dent would be inadequate to the expence of completing it in a style of suitable elegance. Rooms are fitted up for himself, an audience cham- ber, and apartments for Mr. Thomas Man Randolph, and Mr. Ep|)s, and their respective families, who married two of his daughters, and arc members of the house of representatives. The ground around it, instead of being laid out in a suitable style, re- mains in its ancient rude state, so that, in a dark night, instead of finding your way to the house, you may, perchance, fall into a pit, or stumble over a heap of rubbish. The fence round the house is of the meanest sort; a common post and rail enclosure. This parsimony destroys every sen- timent of pleasure that arises in the mind, in viewing the residence of the president of a nation, and is a disgrace to the country. Though the permanent scat of government has been fixed at Washing- ton, its})rogres3 has been proved to be less rapid tluui any other new set- 5 tlemeut DISAPPOINTMENT OF SPECULATORS. 207 tlement supported only by trade. The stimulus held out by the presence of congress has proved artificial and unnatural. After enumerating the public buildings, the private dwelling-houses of the ofticers of go- vernment, the accommodations set apart for the members of the le- gislature, and the temporary tenements of those dependent on them, the remainder of this boasted city is a mere wilderness of wood and stunted shrubs, the occupants of barren land. Strangers after viewing the offices of state, are apt to enquire for the city, while they are in its very centre. 1. ■ " The golden dreams of the speculator," says an American writer in describing the city of Washington, " ended in disappointment. His houses are untenanted, and going to ruin, and his land either lies a dead burthen on his hands, or he disposes of it, if not at a less price than his fond imagination had anticipated. The present proprietor is obliged to moderate his views of profit, and to centre all his hopes in the continu- ance of the government where it now is."* Another writer in Philadelphia says, " The increase of Washington is attributed by sensible Americans to its true cause, speculation ; a field for which being once opened to the land-jobbers, Avho swarm in the United States, they made large purchases, and bent all their re- sources towards running up buildings, and giving the city an eccentric appearance of prosperity. So industriously have those purchases been pursued, that in London five hundred pounds sterling was at one time asked for about the sixth part of a single lot, many of the prime of which, in point of situation, were originally purchased for twenty, and at three years credit. If this sudden increase had arisen from actual settlement alone, a more undeniable proof would be given of the prosperity of Washington, than by the magic appearance of uninhabited structures like mushrooms after a shower," * Many English artists, enciianteU witli the description, given by interested writers, left tlieir employ, which produced them a competence and liappiness; in order to exert their abilities in finishing tliis scene of contemplated magnificence, and under the hopes of rapidlv accumulating a fortune. It *08 IIORSE-RACliS AT Till: ClTV OV WASHINGTON. It has been asserted that a seventy-four gun shi|) was l)nililing on the ■waters of the Potomack, from ^vhich circunistanec no doubt was enter- tained of its channel being deep enough lor shi|)S of any burthen. This hke most traveliei*s' exaggerations, is not trui; — no ship of the hue, nor even a frigate, was ever constructed on the I'otomack. 'J'hf >hi|) car- |)enters employed by government have enough tt) do to repair those tilreadv built, most of which are in a state of decay. I saw the plank and some of the timbers of the li'igate called the United States, built at Philadelphia not twelve years ago, so rotten, that they crumbled ti> powder on being handled. The timber of America is not so durable as that of Europe. The onlv part of this city which continues to encrease is the navy- vard, but this circumstance is entirely owing to the tew shi()s of war which the Americans have in commission, being ordered there to be fittetl out and paid off. Tippling shops, and houses of rendezvous for sailors and their doxies, with a number of the lowest order of traders, constitute what is called the navy-yard. Among the sufferers b\^ the Washington speculation is Mr. Thomas Law, brother to Lord Ellenborough, who, as has been already observed, invested the greatest part of the money he obtained in India, in build- ing near the capitol, where he still resides, under the mortifying circum- stance of daily witnessing whole rows of the shells of his houses gradu- ally falling to pieces. In November, in each year, there are horse-races in the capital of America. I hapj)ened to arrive just at this time on horseback at George Town, which is about two miles from the race-ground. After an early dinner, served up sooner on the occasion, a great bustle was created by the preparations for the sport. It had been my intention to ])ass the remainder of the day at the far-famed city, but, stimulated by curiosity I determined to mingle with the sj)orting group. Having paid 3 for A^ AMERICAN OSTLER. 200 for mv dinner, and the refreshment for my horse, I proceeded to the stable. I had dehAered my beast to a yellow fellow, jNI'Laughlin, the landlord's head ostler. This name reminds me of an anecdote of Macklin, the English theatrical Nestor. It is said that his proper name was M'Langhlin, but dissatisfied with the harsh pronunciation, he sunk the uncouth letters, and called himself ^Nlacklin. Be that as it may, I went for mv hoi-se, to attend the race, and repeatedly urged my dingv ostler to bring him out. 1 waited long with great patience at the stable-door, and saw him lead out a number without discovering mine. I again re- monstrated, and soon heard a message delivered to him to sad lie the horses of Mr. A. ]Mr. B. Mr. C. and so on. He now appeared with the horses according to the recent order, leading them by their liridles. Previous to this, I had saddled my own horse, seeing the hurry of the time, vet I thought it a comi^liment due to me that the servant should lead him to me. I now spoke hi a more angry tone, conceiving my- self insulted by neglect. The Indian sourly replied, " I must wait upon the gentlemen," (that is the sporting sharpers). " Then," (luoth I, " a gentleman neglected in his proper turn, I find, must wait upon j^ou." I was provoked to knock the varlet to the ground. The horses which he led, startled at the sudden impulse, ran otf, and before the ostler reco- vered from the effects of the blow, or the horses were caught, I led out m\' nag, and leisurely proceeded to the turf. Here I witnessed a scene perfectly novel. I have been at the races of Newmarket, Epsom, York, in short I have seen, for aught I know to the contrary, one hundred thousand pounds won and lost in a single day, in England. On coming up to an enclosed ground, a (piarter of a dollar was demanded for my admission. Rather than turn back, though no sportsman, I submitted. Four-wheeled carriages paid a dol- lar, and half that sum was exacted lor the most miserable single-horse chaise. Though the day was raw, cold, and threatening to rain or snow, there were abundance of ladies, decorated as if for a ball. In this year (1803) congress was summoned a ery early by President Jefferson, upon 210 TflE NAVY-YARD. . upon the conlcmplated purchaseof Louisiana, and to pass a bill in order to facilitate his election again, as j^resident. Many scores of American legislators, who are all allowed six dollars a day, besides their travelling cxpences, went on foot from the Capitol, alwve four Enfj^lish miles; to attend the sport. Nay, it is an indisputable fact, that the houses of congress adjourned at a very early hour to indulge the members for this j)urpose. It rained during the course, and thus the law-makers of the countrv were driven into the booths, and thereby compelled to eat and pay lur w hat was there called a dinner; while their conti^mplated meal re- mained untouched at their respective boarding-houses. J'-conomy is the order of the day, in the Jetfersonian administration of that country, and the members pretend to avail themselves of it, even in their per- sonal expences. I saw on the race-ground, as in otlier countries, people of every de- scription, sharpers in abundance, and grog, the joy of Americans, in oceans. Well mounted, and a stranger, 1 was constantly pestered by these sharks; and had I been idiot enough to have conmiitted myself to them, I should soon have been stripped of all my travelling cash. On my last visit to the navy yard, I found six frigates, dismantled and laid up in ordinary, and one nearly equipped for sea, for the purpose of carrying back the Tunisian embassy to Barbary. A small vessel of war, pierced for iO guns, had just been launched. Mr. Jefferson, two years ago, adopted an idea of liis own, in order to raise the credit of the Ame- rican navy, and for the destruction of the powers of Barbary. This is7 to build a number of small vessels of about 100 tons burden, to be called gun-boats, each of which is provided with too heavy pieces of ordnance— one at the stem, and the other at the stern. Though the in- utility of these mockeries of men of war has been manifested on many oc- casions, yet the president persists in riding his naval hobby-horse, even in Kentucky; where several gun-boats are building on the river Ohio. One of them was nearly lost on a voyage to the Mediterranean— being, the whole ' 'x' \ (^ .^ Si ^ ^%m% MOUNT VERXON. 211 whole voyage, to use a sea phrase, " wet and under water." Another, gun boat. No. 1. (thus they are named, to No. 8,) in a hurricane in South Carohna, was driven nearly a mile into the woods. These ves- sels must be very unmanageable in action. It would not be amiss if the projector could invent a piece of mechanism which would quickly turn them round; for, in this case, the}'' might as we turn a wheel, first pre- sent the head gun, and then, while it was loading, by a magic touch, in a second give a stern shot ! Thus, these nimble and redoubted gun- boats might chance to beat off an Algerine, or Tripoline rover. Added to these, the Americans have a frigate and two or three small vessels of war in the Mediterranean ; and which constitute their nav5\ One of their fmest frigates, in attempting to bombard Tripoli, grounded, and every exertion of the crew to get her off, proved ineffectual. She Avas taken possession of by the armed boats of the Barbarians, and the Avhole crew led into slavery, where they endured greater hardships, and bore heavier burthens than their own domestic negro slaves. Strange reverse of fortune; that those who from infancy have been accustomed to hold the whip, are now flogged and chained with ten-fold cruelty ! Travellers, whose only business is to view the countrv% and make observations on the manners of the people, generally visit Mount Vernon, once the favorite retirement of General Washing- ton, on their progress through the United States. A description of this place by various writers is already before the public, but a correct view is difficult to be found. The accuracy of the an- nexed may be depended upon. There is nothing very striking in the design or execution of the building, but the situation, com- manding an extensive prospect over the majestic river Potomack, where it is nearly two miles wide, added to the circumstance of its having been the seat of one of the greatest characters of the last centur)^ renders it 2 E an 2!2 MOUNT VERNON. an object of attention. As a tribute of respect to his memory, vessels of war, and such as are armed, on passing, salute the house. The Mount Vernon estate is now in the occupation of Bushrod Washington, Esq. a nephew of the late general, antl one of the associate judges of the supreme federal court. The mount is two hundred yards above the level of the water, and the house stands within sixty vards of the verge, nine miles below Alexandria, and in Fairfax county, Virginia: it is :2B0 miles from the sea. In front there is a lofty portico, ninety-six feet in length, and supported by eight pillars. The rear is towards the river, and it is a pleasing relief to the eye of the passenger, wearied with the succession of woods that clothe its banks. On the other side is the state of Maryland, which renders the view from the mount more delighttiil. There are two wings to the house, and on either side is a gro\c of trees, the choicest of the forest. The shrubberies and gardens are laid out in the English st3'le, and through them wind serpentine gravel walks. There is a small park of deer, some of which were imported from Eng- land, and they entice the wild American herds into their company, so that they may easily be taken. There is in the house only one large apartment, called the banqueting room, and this was fmished after the general had converted his sword into a plough-share. During his absence it had fallen much to decaj'; devoting his whole time to the ser\"ice of his country, for which he ne- ver would accept any remuneration, it was totally neglected.* * Throughout his campaigns he was atlciidcd by a black man, one of liis slaves, who proved very faithful to his trust. This man, amongst others belonging to him, he liberated, and by his will left him a handsome maintenance for the remainder of his life. The horse which bore the general so often in battle is still alive. The noble animal, together with the whole of his property, was sold on his death, under a clause in his will, and the charger was purchased by Daniel Dulany, Esq. of Shuter's Hill, near Alexandria, in whom it has found an indulg'vit master. I have often seen Mr. Dulany riding the steed of Washington in a gentle pace, for it is now grown old. Jt is of a cream color, well proportioned, and -was carefully trained to military maoceuvres. In BRITISH EXPEDITION TP THE POTOMACK — ALEXANDRIA. 213 In the course of the war, three small British armed shijjs sailed up the Potomack as far as Alexandria, and consequently passed INIount Vernon. I am at a loss to conjecture what object this force had in view. There were no stores, nor any thing on the river worth making a prizeof. They did considerable damage in their progress, but the commanders gave strict orders to respect Mount Vernon ; and, to their honor, it was not molested. Their arrival at Alexandria threw the people into dread- ful alarm, the seat of war being far removed from that place. They mustered in haste at the market-place, under the command of Colonel John Fitzgerald, one of General Washington's aides-de-camp, who happened then to be on leave of absence with his family, residing there. The ships displayed an intention of landing, and Fitzgerald, leaving the command to- a militia-colonel, proceeded at the head of several of the citizens to Jones's point, in order to repel the invaders. Soon alter the departure of this party, the ships fired a few shot at the town, upon which the- commander of the militia ordered his colours to be struck; but for this pusillanimity he was chastised upon the spot. The ships never seriously meditated a landing, and these were merely ran- dom-shot t& create an alarm, on their departure. Alexandria was about eight years ago a very flourishing place ; but the great losses sustained from the capture of American vessels by the French in the West Indies, occasioned many failures. In the j^ear 1803, the yellow fever, which broke out there for the first time, swept off a number of its inhabitants. These shocks have so deeph'" affected the mercantile interest, that the town has but two or three ships in the trade with Great Britain ; and there is little prospect of its ever attain- ing to its former prosperity. Alexandria, first called Belhaven, is laid out upon the plan of Phila- delphia ; and being well built and paved, in point of uniformity and neatness it somewhat resembles that city on a small scale. Its situation 2 £ 2 is 214 AMERICAN NAVY. is elevated, commanding a view of the river and the ojiposite shore of Maryland. Tlie navigation of the Potomack, on whose banks tlie town is built, is very good. I question whether a line of battle ship might not come up from the sea, and lie alongside of the wharfs, which is a distance of 289 miles. Six miles higher on this river is the city of Washington, but a bar impedes the navigation up to the navy-yard of the government. The following appropriations were made by the government of the United States for the navy for 1805, a year when they were at war with Tripoli. Pay and subsistence of onicers, and pay of seamen .... Provisions ---------- Medicines, instruments, hospital stores ------ * Repairs of vessels ----- ... The corps of marines ....--.- Cloathiiig for tlie marines -------- Military stores for the marines ...-..- Medicine and hospital stores ------- Contingent expcnces - - - - - - -.- Navy-yards, docks, clerks, &c. . - - - r - - 1,235,799 20 or about 278,054/. 15s. 6d. sterling— not much more than the yearly charge of two line of battle ships in the English navy, manned, and with a year's provision. This, too, was a war year ; in peace, their appropriation will hardlv amount to a third of this sum. • Though the American navy is scarcely twelve years old, yet tl'.« reader will perceive, by this charge, that the repairs are nearly eany him back to Tunis. Otliers scrupled not to say, that the old Turk was jealous of his young secreta- ries ; lor it was admitteaper, devoted to the measures of President Jefferson. " The information communicated to congress in the message from the president, respecting the state of relations with Tunis, has been fur some time anticipated. When the ex-minister of Spaui, Yrujo, was at Washington, it is said, he labored very hard with Mali ]Manni, llie barbarian ambassador, to excite his enmity against our government; indeed, he is said to have so fiir prevailed as to draw from the barbarian the most brutal and contumelious expressions to\\ ards the United States, die citizens of which he denominated Yerbins, or transpuvted thieves, 2 F an 220 r.Xl'KDlTION TO DISCOVER A PASSAGE TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. UM appellation derived from a place called ^'erbin, in Alrlca, to whicli convicts arc transported.* A discourse of this kind passed in ])resence of an American who had been in Barbarv ; he rose and resented it, saying, that as the}' were privileged characters, he could not treat them as they merited, but that he could not stay in the company of men who disgraced the country." In the year 1803, President Jefferson projected an expedition of dis- roverv to explore the head of the great river Missouri, and thence to penetrate to the Pacific Ocean. For this purpose, he ))itched upon two skilful and prudent olhcers. Captain Lewis and Lieutenant Clarke, to whom he intrusted the conduct of this interesting and dangerous enter- |)rise. These gentlemen having previously obtained the sanction of con- gress, took their departure from Washington in the spring of the year, at the head of S2 picked men, well armed. The whole i)art\^ were provided with every article, as well for taking astronomical observations, and ascertaining distances, as for convenience and comfort, during their contemplated journey. Arrived in the heart of the Missouri conntrv, thev prevailed upon the chiefs of the Osage nations to send a depu- tation to Washington. This was a master-piece of polii^y, as the government of the Ignited States were in that case in possession of hos-- tages for the safe return of their citizens through the savage territories. These Indians arrived at the seat of the American government in October 180/5, about the time of the landing of the other barbarian em- bassy from Tunis. Their appearance differing considerably from other savage tribes, excited much curiosity ; while they appeared perfectly in- different and unmoved at the most curious object presented to them. They were grave and reserved, a conduct always observed among the higher orders of savages, who consider it beneath the dignity of a war- rior to betray emotions of surprize, fear, or joy. lor this reason, the most ridiculous objecr, which would betray an European philosoplier « From this observ.ition, it is evident tliat the barbarian had been apprised that the part of the United States where he was dealing out this invective, was originally peo))led with convicted felons from the mo- (her-coumrv. fi into VISIT OF THE OSAGE INDIANS TO CONGRESS. 221 into a broad laugh, will barely excite a smile in an Indian chief. On visiting- the navj'-N'ard, to -which they were attended by the ofllcers, they viewed the frigates and heard their guns fired without surprize. They conversed with each other on their construction, and appeared gratified with the idea of their usefulness in conveying a great number of people at a time over great waters. Thus tliey also regarded the military drawn out on the occasion; considering them useful in defence against the enemy. The muskets attracted not the slightest attention ; but they fixed their eyes on the bayonets, which they appeared to comi)are ^^'ith one of their imj)lements of war. I was present when they visited the house of repnesentatives. 1'lie present place of meeting of that body is only temporary, until the south wing of the Capitol is finished, when they will occupy it, as the senate now does the noi'th wing. The gallery of this temporary room is con- sequently small, and when the Indians approached, the seats were taken up, as usual, by American citizens, among whom were liiany genteel females, to hear the debates. The speaker, to their great mortification, ordered this gallery to be cleared; and, not aware of the, reason, I was preparing to leave the house under the impression that the members were about to proceed to secret business with closed doors ; a practice followed about the time of passing the Non-importation Bill with Great Britain. The approach of the Osage Indians was announced by the. jingling of little bells, such as we call hawks' bells. These were fastened to their clothes, as Mhite men wear buttons. They were ornamented with a va- riety of foxes' tails and feathers, bones, ivory trinkets in different shapes, curiously-carved shells, and pieces of hard polished wood. From the nose was suspended a small piece of silver; some wore this in the shape of a heart, and others round, and the size of a sixpence ; and from each ear hung a fish-bone, a piece of ivory, or some other fanciful ornament. The face of the first chief was painted all over the colour of brick-dust— that of 2 F 2 the i''?i OJACT: INDIANS l-.NTERTAINT.T) T,Y DR. ^rI:CHE^.L. the iK'Xt ill niuk was luilf roddciu-d ; juiothera ioiirtli piirt; otliPisMere half l)!a(l<, ami the reinaiiuh-r of the iiatmal colour. A single lock of hair alone hmig- from the middle of the hack of the head, to which was tied an enormous fox's tail, or a hunch of feathers of various colours ; the whole forming- a most grotesque, yet iuteresting grou|). During the dehate, which had hegun as they were entering, they be^ traycd no symptoms of surprize ; and seldom made a remark to each other respecting the j)roceedings of the house. A mission of Creek Indians arrived about the time of those from the Missouri, on a treaty of trade and fiiendsliip ; and they, in compliment to their far-distant bre- thren, attended i\t the same time, but each partv took different sides of the gallery. The Creeks are nearly civilized, and, from the dress of the greater numbor, there was no distinguishing them from the American eitizens — some indeed were a little darker than the inhabitants of tlie Southern States.. Having with much apparent attention hstened to the business before tiie house, the chief whis[)ered the next, the purport of which a|)peared to be instantly understood, as they rose with one accord, and returned in the ordL'r they came, without noticing or even seeming to observe any other person but themselves. Doctor Mitchell, a senator from the state of New York, gave an en- tertainment to the Osage Indians at his apartments in Washington; and in return, they amused the doctor and his friends with a specimen of their songs. The Indians from the south of the Missouri are said to have no idea of poetry, as it derives its character from rhyme or measure. Their songs are short enthusiastic sentences, subjected to no laws of composition, ac- companied by monotonous music, jiroduced from a reed or cane, either quick or slow according to the subject or fancy of the singer. Tlieir 4 apologues- THEIR SONG ON FRIENDSHIP. 2^3 anolotiiies are numerous aud ingenious, abounding- with incidents, and calculated to convej^ some favorite lesson. Their tales also, inculcate, iu general, some moral truth, or some maxim ot prudence or polic3% In one, the misfortunes of a great chief are so linked with his vices, and wind up so fatally at last, that a man of worth whom he scjught to op- press, is, hv his own ayencv, made the instrimient of his destruction, and established as his successor. The private virtues of this successor, particularly bis respect lor the other sex, the want of which was the great vice of the deposed chief, are made the foundation of his fame and prosperity. In another, the particular duties of the sex are inforced, by shewing bow certain women who deviated from ordinary rules were persecuted by tlie Manitoo of the woods; in the progress of the story they are made to owe their safety, in various trials, to some particular act of female discretion or delicacy, which they had before neglected. The Indians have their Circe as well as the Greeks; she is very se- ducing, and the fate of her votaries highly terrible. The strokes of the pencil by which she is drawn are masterly; but the tales respecting tliLs lady are only calculated lor tbe ears of men. A translation of the songs sung at Dr. MitcheH's has been inserted in the American prints; they are rendered into verse, which destroys the idea of the energy with which they were repeated ; independent of the fact of the Missouri Indians having no idea of rhyme or measure. I have restored them to the style in which they were sung, or rather pronounced, in energetic strains. " My brave companions, and friends of high renown ! hither have ye come from far distant lands, to behold your great sire of this country, (the President) and to listen to liis talk ! " The great master of life (the Supreme Being) hath preserved you ficom accidents, and from sudden death. He hath fed you, and defended you: 224 WAR-SONG OF THE OSAGE INDL\NS. vou from your foes — lioin the cold, and i'nnn pieroincf winds; that you laiglit be made liuppy in tlie sight ot' the father oi' this land ! " Ye red men ! Since ye came hither, ye have seen the face of your great white father. He has cherished you as his own children. lie has made your beating hearts rejoice ! " Great chief of the Osages ! fear not to follow our steps. Leave awhile thy sylvan home. The path which we have trodden is free and clear. For thee it will grow A\ider and smoother! " \Vhen thou art inclined to march, we will form behind thee u lengthened file. Dauntless thus will we for awhile quit our woods and vales, to listen to the voice of our white father ! " This is a delicate compliment to the government of the United States; while it conveys the real sentiments of their hearts. The following composition on WAR, is admirably calculated to inspire courage, being supposed to come from the mouth of their great chief: — " Say, my brave warriors, Avhen of arms we sing — when every tongue proclaims our martial deeds — why intrude the thoughts of death r — Why mourn the common fate of man? — Why fancy your doom is sealed; and that, pursuing or pursued, you must fall ? " Doubt not the care of Tea:asal(}ge. He will lead j'ou forth, and he will shew you where the enemy is concealed. With his own hand will lie make the attack, drive the foe fi'om their ambush, or destroy them on the field of battle ! " Our tribes led on b}'- me, what nation can withstand our arms, or check our course J Wlien our enemies hear of my A\arlike deeds, they wiil SAVAGE DANCE— DEATH OF AN OSAGE CHIEF. '225 will be struck with terror at my name. They will lly belore us, or die with tear." The evening of the day on which the Osage Indians visited Congress, tliey made their appearance at the theatre in the Pensylvania Avenue ; which was announced by hand-bills. Their performance here was by no means disinterested ; for they stipulated w ith the managers to be paid half the net proceeds, with a supply of rum during the entertainment. Their dance consisted of stamping in procession round the stage in dif- ferent figures, and screaming in horrid discord. The war-dance exhi- bited something of the terrific ; and the scalping scene was a dreadiul picture of that inhuman practice among savage nations. The act of taking off the scalp of the supposed victim, was executed with such adroitness, a false scalp being substituted, that the deception was not to be perceived. One of the chiefs eminently exerted himself on this occa- sion. Before the conclusion of the entertainment, the greatest part of them w-ere intoxicated, and the audience became anxious to quit the house. Next morning, the chief, who had been the jirincipal ac- tor, was found lifeless in the bed which government had provided for. him ; and his death was imputed to excess of drinking, and his great exertions during the preceding evening. His interment was attended by his tribe, with the Creeks, and a great concourse of people, among Avhom were several members of Congress. ]Much curiosity was excited, from the hopes of witnessing the savage ceremonies on such an occa- sion ; but these expectations were disappointed, very little being said or done over the grave. In order to guard against a similar catastrophe, the inhabitants were pu!)licly cautioned against giving these strangers any strong liquors; and informed, that the allowance made them by the government was in every respect abundant. To return. Captain Lewis, who commanded the party of discovery, was fortunate enough to fulfil tfie object of liis mission, and to return in safety 22G PARTICULAHS OF THE KXPEDITION TO TTIF PACIFIC OCEAN. 5;itl'ty to the seat of government in October h\^\, alh-r an al)senec of two years ami six nioutJis. He reports, that on the 14th of" May, 180 i, liis party entered the Mis- souri; and on the 1st of" November took up their winter quarters near the INIandan Towns, one thousand six hunth'ed and nine miles above the mouth of the river, in latitude 47deg^. 21min. 47sec. north, and 90 deg. 21 min, 45 sec. west from Greenwich. On the 8th of April, 180."), the |>arty proceeded up the river in pursuance of the objects prescribed to them, lluriui'- their stay amon^- the Alandans, Captain I^ewis had been able to lay down the Missouri, according- to courses and distances taken on his |mssage up the river, corrected by frequent observations of longitude and latitude : and to add to the actual sursey of this portion ol" the river, a general map of the country between the INIississippi and the Pacific, from the 3Ath to the 54th degrees of latitude. These additions are from information collected from Indians with whom he had oppor- tunities of communicating during his journey, and residence witii them. Having been disappointed after considerable preparation, in tiic pur- pose of sending an ex[)loring ])artv up the river in 1804, it was thought best to employ the autumn of that year in procuring a knowledge of an interesting branch of the river called the Washita. This was under- taken by jMr. Dunbar, of Natchez, who greatly aided the party with his disinterested and valuable services in the prosecution of their enterprise. He ascended the river to the remarkable hot sidings nearly in lat. 34, 3\. long. y2. 50. west from Greenwich, taking its courses apd distances, and correcting them by trequent celestial observations. The party were on the 23d of September, 1805, at Saint I^ouis. They had passed the preceding winter at a place which Captain Lewis calls Fort Clatsop, near the mouth of Columbia river. Tliey set out thence on the 27th of ^larch last, and arrived at the loot of the rocky mountains IMav EXPEDITION TO EXPLORE THE MISSOURI. 227 ]May lOtb, where they were detained until the 24th of June, by the snows, which rendered the passage over these mountains impracticable till that time. Captain Lewis found it two thousand five hundred and seventy miles from the mouth of the Missouri to the great fall of thai ri\er, thence by land passing the rocky mountains, to the navigable part ot the river Kooskookee, three hundred and forty miles, of which two hundred would admit of good road, and one hundred and sixty miles over tremendous mountains, \a hich tor sixty miles are covered with eter- nal sno\vs; then seventy-three miles down the Kooskookee into a south- easterly branch of the Columbia; one hundred and fifty-four miles down that, to the main river of Columbia; and then four hundred and thirteen miles to the Pacific ocean : in all three thousand and five hun- dred and fifty miles fiom the mouth of the Missouri to the mouth of the Columbia, In this last river the tide flows one hundred and eighty- three miles, to within seven miles of its great rapids. Captain I^ewis also reports, that this whole line furnishes the most valuable furs in the world, and that there is a short and direct course for them to China; but that the greatest part of them would be exported from the mouth of the Missouri. His force consisted of thirty-one men; and he observes, that he was fortunate in not sending back from the head of the Missouri any |)art of his force, as more than once they owed their lives and the fate of the expedition to their numbers. One man of his party died I)elore he reached fort Mademo in the year 1804, but tiie remainder returned in good health. The great jMandan chief accompanied Captain Lewis on a visit to the president of the [Jnited States. The greatest cordiality subsisted between the two leatlers ; and from their abilities the old world may soon hope to have a particular account of their discoveries, 'f'hey left the Pacific ocean on the 2.3th of March last, previous to which some American vessels had arrived there. They represent the Indians near the oc. •.■?7 " Monday afternoon, December 2. "Jury sworn in M'Call vs. Lemaire, at about half past three. At seven the court adjourned — the cause unfinished —three hours lost again. " LIBERTY OF THE PRESS. " Respublica v Joseph Dcnnie, Esq. "The trial of this indictment, which has been depending since 1803, for a libel on democracy, was begun on Friday la^t in the court of nisi prius; and we are happy to state that, after an ingenious and ela- borate discussion bv the counsel on both sides, which was listened to with unusual patience and attention by an upright and impartial jurv, the defendant was yesterday pronounced to be " Not Guilty." "Wednesday, Dec. A, 1805. "At the opening of the court in the morning, Ashley v. Miller, which liad been tixed for this day, was continued by consent of parties. "The jury were then sworn in the cause of Sparks v. Garrigues, in which the court and jury were engaged until half past one, when an adjournment took place. At half past three, P. M. the court met. Sparks v. Garrigues was proceeded in; at half past seven, in the midst of the speech of Mr. Levy, of counsel with the plaintiff, the court ad- journed. The reporter is not sure whether tlio proposal for adjournment came from the court or the counsel; he thinks it was from the former; two hours and a half lost. Mem. — Judge Washington* sat till ten o'clock, and even eleven, if necessary. * k judge of the supreme federal courts. 2 u 2 " Thursday, -23Q EXTUACTS OF TEK-M KEl'On^■^^ "Thunduij, Dec. o, " In the niornin^' Mr. Levy rcsiiincd liis address to the jury in Sparks v.. Cilarrigncs, which he finished at twelve. Mr. liawle lijr the dtlindant (the conchiding- counsel) hegan. his reply, aiul spuke till half past oikv when the court adjourned. "Afternoon. " Mr. Rawlc continued in Sparks v. Garrigues, and finished at four. " The charge was given, and the jury withdrew. " The list of trials was then taken up, Duane \. Dunlop was called.. Counsel on hoth sides ready — only six jurymen appeared, six of those- on the pannel in this cause being out in the case of Sparks v. Garrigue^. Mr. Rodney, of counsel with the plaintiff) prayed the court to award a " tales." No sheriff or officer was in court. On sending to the she- riff, an officer came in; the court reprimanded him, and through him the sheriff, for neglect of duty, saying they ought alwa}'s to he attended by an ofticer. "When the " talesmen" were about to be collected, Mr. Rodney said,, the cause of Duane v. Dunlop was of a particular nature, and he Mas rather desirous of having the jury from the original jxmnel. Mr. In- gersol, for the defendant joined him in this wish. Mr. Rodney, how- ever, said, he did not desire any other cause tw be tried first, lest it should occupy the whole week, and he should lose his chance, and rather than run that risk, he would take "talesmen." The counsel in several other causes said they were reatly. — The court said, if any short cause couUl be brought on by consent, so as to occupy the evening,, they should have no objection. Mr. Dallas mentioned the case of Thompson vs. Warder, as one of that description, in which he was ready for the plaintiff. Mr. Ilallowell ibr tlic defendant said,. he would ratber- 4 be- EXTRACTS OF TERM REPORTS. SJ3t> be excused from trying it out of the order of the list. The court then ailjourned lictbre five o'clock, saying they tliought it right to wait till morning, in order to obtain the jurors mentioned in the paanel, and struck liDr the case of Duanc v. Dunlop; as it was ;)arUciilarly circum- stanced. The general sentiment seemed to be in fivor of their adjourn- ment for this purpose; and the reporter is not disposed to withhold hi& approbation, merely observing, tha4: seven or eight jurors who had been summoned in Duane v. Dunlop, exclusive of those who were out in the cause of Sparks v. Garrigues, did not answer when called; that they were neither fined nor any notice taken of their non-attendaiice,, altiiouuh their absence occasioned the loss of live hours. -CIRCUIT COURT OF NORTH CAROLINA. "JANUARY TERM. " Lord Carteretf devisee of " Earl Granville v. Collins and Allen. " This was an ejectment cause, brought forward by the devisee of Earl Granville, who claimed as proprietor of the soil, under an ancient grant from England, long previous to the American revolution; and which came on to be tried at June term, when a demurrer was offered to the evidence of the defendants, and a joinder therein, thereby taking the trial of the cause from the jury, and referrin ; it to the court upon the law of the ease merely. When this demurrer came on for argument at this term, it was moved for the defendants that the deauirrer should be withdrawn, and a repleader ordered, upon the ground that the parties demurring were in the affirmative of the propositions, and the evidence of the detendants was of a negative nature; that neither the legality of the evidence of the defendants only was embraced by the issue, and nets •46 liXTKACrs OF TLll.M REPORTS. not that of the plaintiffs, and therefore a judgment upon the denuurer ■would not he decisive of the question, or else the issue as joined must admit the truth of tlie plaintiff's own evidence. "The consideration of this preliminary question the court reserved, without prejudice to either party, and ordered an argument upon the main (piestion. This arginnent was opened on Thursday, hy Mr. Gas- ton, for the plaintiffs, at great length, and with much method, perspi- cuity, elegance, and strength — the defence was argued on Friday hy Messrs. Cameron, Baker, and Woods, with great ingenuity, skill, and force, and the argument was closed on Saturday hy Mr. Harris for tlie plaintiffs, with much learning and ability. The court have reserved the consideration of the principal question also ; and it is believed that judgment will be rendered at the next term, but for wliom it will be given no hint has been dropped. The counsel for the defendants made the following points in their defence : •• 1st. That by the mere effects of the revolution the plaintiffs were divested of their right, and the land in question became the properly of the state. " 2nd. That by the 2oth section of the declaration of rights, the lands in question are declared to be the property of the people of this state, and to be by them held in sovereignty, thereby destroying the plaintiff's right. " 3rd. That the plaintiff's right, if not before taken away, or lost, was forfeited and divested by the confiscation and entry laws of this state. " 4th. That the plaintiffs are aliens, and therefore cannot inherit lauds in this state. *' 5th. EXTRACTS OF TERM REPCiRTS. 24 1 " 5th. That the plaintiffs are barred of recovery by the acts of limi- tation. " The points made by the plaintiff's counsel were intended to meet the objection to a recovery arising out of tlie points relied on by de- fendants. " It \vas said by them, that the revolution had no effect on private rights; that it occasioned on'y a change of sovereignty in the country ; that the 21th article of the bill of rights, Avhich speaks of the |iro|)ertv of the soil being one of the essential rights of the collective bodv of tin* people, had relation only to the territorial rights and did not affect the title of Earl Granville; that in 1744, seven-eighths of the lords propri- etors of the Carolinas having disposed of their rights and immunities to the king, the Granville family retained one-eighth share only, and that divested of all its sovereign appendages; that they therefore could be considered only as common subjects, whose property was not affected by the revolution. With respect to the confiscation-laws, they were silent respecting this property ; the estates of others had been confis- cated by name, but this had not been touched : that the law j^roviding- for the entry of lands had, it was acknowledged, been considered as making this land liable to entry ; but though this had been the general opinion, it was no proof it was a correct one. They contended it was not, as the land had been already granted, and all granted land is ex- pressly excepted by this law. But, supposing this property had beea forfeited, either by the revolution or the confiscation-laws, the state had never become seised of it by any office found, and therefore could not legally grant it. " With respect to alienage, it was insisted that as Lord Carteret, (the- present plaintiff) was born a subject of Great-Britain, he could not be- come an alien to his fellow-subjects by the revolution ; and as they con- 3 sidered 24-3 BANKRUPT LAW, sidcrcd the grant of the hind in question us \ uid, having been alroaciy granted by the king to the pUiintitt) the act of hmitation could not operate in its favor. " Col, A. Martin spoke at some length, as an amicKs curia, in favor of the defendants. " The decision of this cause is all important to the people of this state, two thirds of all the soil being involved in it." A bankrupt law, modelled from those of England, passed the houses of congress on the 4th of April, 1800, and was repealed in December, 1803. The enormities committed under the cloak of this act; the in- efficacy of a democratic government to carry their laM's into execution ; added to the facility with \vhich villains could with impunity defraud their creditors, loudly called for its repeal. A regular system of bankruptcy throughout so extensive a territory as the United States, was almost impracticable. The abuse was soon found to exceed tlie benefit. The district judge, one of^vhom is ap- pointed in every state, and who is of a subordinate rank to the federal judge, issued the commissions against the bankru|)ts, and was supposed to preside over the business ; but the first and the last proceedings -were the whole that he had occasion to concern himself about. He received a fee for the commission, and another for the certificate. The process was soon reduced to mere matter of form. For instance : —Suppose an //o;je«Miierchant of V^irginia finds it either necessary or convenient to avail himself of the bankrupt law, in a place far distant from the residence of the district judge. A couple of his good frkmh mount their horses, and post away to his honor, relate their case, take the necessary oaths, give the names of other good friends, as sccuritj-, or FRAUDS COMMITTED UNDER THE BANKRUPl' LAWS. 243 or rather, in this case, as pledges to prosecute. This being the whole required in the first proceeding, his honor grants a commission, bonds are filled up, and the said friends are to have them duly executed, and returned to him by post, with names at least as necessary as John Doe and Richard Roe, at the bottom of a declaration, in Banco-Regis, on an assumpsit, on whom, if called upon for a breach of condition, his honor would fi-equently find the return to his writ, " non est inventus." Commissioners having been named (three more friends to the business) they advertise in some obscure weekly newspaper, or by notice stuck upon the court or meeting-house door, a declaration of bankruptcy against their unfortunate friend, with a notice to him to surrender, &c. These forms having been gone through, the bankrupt makes his discovery, assignees take possession, a dividend is made, the certificate signed ;" all w4iich actings and doings were had, made, done, and executed, without any lawful let, suit, trouble, de- nial, eviction, or interruption whatsoever." The bankrupt soon opens his " store " again, with a fresh assortment of goods. Such is a faint sketch of the proceedings under an American conunis" sion of bankruptcy. In Norfolk, in Virginia, the evil was grow ing to so alarming a height, that Mr. Newton, a young lawyer of good abili- ties, and the representative in congress of that to\Mi, at the desire of the more virtuous part of his constituents, brought in the bill to repeal the law. A commission of bankruptcy was declared in the Norfolk Herald, about the end of the year 180:^, to have been awarded and issued against John Proudfit, of the borough of Norfolk, merchant; and his failure was calculated to be for twenty thousand dollars. Bankrupts in Ame- rica, as in England, must, upon oath, deliver up their whole property to their assignees, and make a full disclosure of all debts due to them, 2 I before 244 INSTANCE OF ABUSE OF THE BANKRUPT LAWS. before they can obtain a certificate. In Amcricu, the bankrupt, on bis eftt'Cts producing a certain ratio in the poutui, was allowed a small part in proportion to the dividenel. Concealment of property is in England, as in the case of Bolland, a ca|)ital otience, and for which he suffered death. The law in this rcs|")ect in America was severe, but very few crimes are tliere punished with death. So expeditious!}' did ^Ir. Proudfit's commission of bankruptcy pass through all the legal forms, that we find him certified, and advertising a fresh assortment of goods for sale, by computation of the value of forty thousand dollars, in about six montiis from the time it was issued. To his invoice of goods, wares, and merchandise, and (iw merchants in America could produce one much superior, must be added, a dwel- ling-house completely furnished, and rented of John Taylor, an English- man, well known in Manchester, at one hundred pounds rent per annum !!! That the above is the true amount stated in Proudfit's advertisement, Messrs. Willett and O'Conner, printei^s of the Norfolk Herald, can attest ; that he became a certified bankrupt r. very few months previous to the insertion of the advertisement, every inhabitant of Norfolk well knows; and, that he rented and furnished a house immediately after hi« bankruptcy, Mr. Taylor can prove. " How are we ruined !" The bankrui)tlaw being repealed, the insolvent, and such as choose to defraud their creditors, can still effect their purposes, if not so efl^ectually, certainly with less trouble and more speed by the old law, which yet remains in force ; the diflerence consisting in liberating the body only, leaving the goods afterwards acquired at the mercy of the creditor. To describe the mode, I shall quote the words of a Philadelphian on the subject. " The BAD EFFECTS PRODUCED BY THE INSOLVENT LAWS. 2^45 " The laws of the American states are much too favorahle to debtors wilhng to detiaud their creditors. A man who owes more than he chooses to pay, in America, may transfer his property, by a secret as- signment, to some confidential friend, sutl^er himself to be laid in prison tor debt, then, after a few day's imprisonment, swear that he has nothing in the world wherewith to satisfy his creditors, come out of prison free from any claims of creditors, resume the projjcrty of which he had made a trust-transfer, and renew his business, a richer and more flourishing man than before.* This laxity and facility of the laws of insolvency in America have proved ftital to the reputation of American commercial faith. It is certain that a very large proportion of the bankrujjtcies in London are occasioned by disappointments of remittances from America. An English merchant, kiiown to trade largely with America, would at that moment be judged to be, and for that reason alone, of very sus- picious solvency. It is astonishing that the legislature of the United States should not perceive that it is of the greatest importance to make the commercial credit of their country as good as possible ; and that it is utterly impossible for any country to be very rich in commercial credit, unless its laws "be severe against insolvent debtors, and afford the utmost facility to creditors, especially to foreign creditors, in the recovery of their debts. Should the merchants of America, in general, persist in giving the same trouble, as of late, to English merchants trusting them, the necessary consequence must be, that within a very short time, no American will be able to procure one sixpence worth of goods to be shipped for him from London, unless he shall have previously paid the price. America will thus be, in effective commercial wealth, some millions poorer than it is at present. For to the honest, sensible, in- dustrious merchant, and especially to every conmiercial nation, credit • Close imprisonment is always dispensed with, on giving bonds for prison bounds, which are generally of considerable extent. Thus, men may carry on their business while the law considers them in prison, merely by removing within prison bounds ; nor can they resume their property witliout its being subject to seizure by their former creditors. This, however, seldom happens, for the same cloak which covers one iniquity, generally conceals the other — as a lie often requires an hundred to clear it from imputation. 2 I 2 is 24(> HINTS rOR THE AMENDMIINT OF THE BANKRUPT LAWS. is more than even ready money ; it is the very lever of Arch imectes, t-apiihle of moving the Avorld from its foundation. To the man who has failed in his wild speculations, to the s|iendtlirift, and to the swind- ler, it is amply the means of fraud and ruin. We exhort the patriots of America to render their bankrupt laws more rigorous, that their public and private credit may become more worthy of a great commer^ cial nation." CHAF. 247 CHAP. XVIIL THE DRAMA — ITS RISE ANU PROGRESS IN PHI LA DELPHI A — MR. COOPER— THE NEW YORK THEATRE — MR. HODGKINSON — POVERTY OF AMERICAN MANAGERS — CHARLESTON, THE GRAVE OF AMERICAN PERFORMERS — MRS. WRIGHTEN — MISS BROADHURST MISS FONTENELLE MR. VILLIERS EMINENT LIVING ACTORS — INDECOROUS BEHAVIOUR OE AN AMERICAN AUDIENCE — THEATRICAL. CRITICISM. JL HE first dramatic representation in the then colonies of America, was performed in Philadelphia, by a small company from England un^ der the management of Mr. Douglass,* father-in-law to the present theatrical veterans, Mr. Hallam, of the New York theatre, and our fa- vorite, Mrs. Mattocks. Some few years before the commencement of the revolutionary war, Douglass had erected a regular theatre in Phila- delphia, but that event, drove him to seek his fortune in the West India islands. * Williams, who acquired considerable literary notoriety in Loudon under the assumed name of Anthony Pasquin, and who has since been reduced to the drudgery of editing a Boston newspaper, in his late publication infilled " The American Drama," shews that he possessed but little information on the subject. He erroneously asserts that " the first theatrical company on record, who enacted in North America, is a little troop who came from the West Indies, the management of whitli devolved upon a performer of the name of Hallam, who travelled and performed in all principal towns." With somewhat more correctness he reprobates the custom of smoking segars, and drinking, in tlie American theatres. The ^/-ed all competitors of the buskin ; but, as a general actor, iMr. Ilodgkinson was the best performer I have seen in America. I lis death Avhich shall hereafter be particularly noticed, was a great loss to theatri- cal amateurs. M\\ Cooper had a high opinion of his own merit. lie ■would not enter into a regular engagement with any of the American managers; and thus he lays them all under contril)ution, migrating as it were in a short space of time from north to south, and dividing the profits of the theatre in which he may condescend to perform. As a proof of this gentleman's industry, alter acting his limited number of nights last season at Philadelphia, he set oft' in his phaeton on a Satur- day morning, and arrived at Baltimore on IVIonday, where he perform- ed on that stage the same evening. He now contemplated a journey to Charleston, where Placide, formerly a rope-dancer at Sadler's Wells, has an elegant theatre. Having performed three nights at Baltimore, for the trifting consideration of a free benefit, he proceeded on his route to Richmond in Virginia, where he performed the same number of nights, and on the same terms. He arrived in Charleston in ten days, a distance of between five and six hundred miles; and after skimming the theatrical cream there, he returned with eipial ex|)edition, to the north, ready for the opening of the Boston theatre. The great- * I have been informed that both these men, at dinVrcnt times, were drowned in returning to Europe vith the property acquired bj their exhibitions in America. est "HISTORY OF THE OLD AMERICAN COMPANY. 2.31 t-st part of this rapid travelling- lie performs with his own horses, and drives himself His horses fell sick at Baltimore— he sent them to pas- ture, and purchased a fresh set. At Charleston he sold his new pur- chase at an advanced price, bought others, and on las arrival again in Baltimore, he took the former, being favorites and now refreshed, and disposed of those he had last driven. Thus is this theatrical hero amass- ing a fortune. In the New York com pan}^ or, as it is still called, the Old American company, there has long been a kind of theatrical inter-regnum. On the death of Henry, the co-partner of Hallam, his place was filled by Hodgkinson, who became joint-proprietor and acting-manager, and for some time the theatre was jointly governed by them ; but Hallam grow- ing old and inactive, Mr. Dunlap, celebrated as a dramatic writer, pur- chased of Hallam, and entered upon an active part in the management. He soon took the ostensibility upon himself, the funds being below par, and Hodgkinson's extravagant manner of living rendered him unable to maintain his ground as a manager. We now find the theatre under the sole controul of Dunlap, and Hodgkinson once more merely a player. AVith the pen Dunlap did much, but, totally unacquainted with the in- terior regulations of a refractory company, he soon failed in his specula- tion ; and at length was obliged to give up the whole to his creditors and the renters, who had subscribed to the building of a large theatre in the park of New York, in \\hich the company performed but a few seasons. These proprietoi's and creditors deputed Tyler and Johnson, two of the performers, acting managers, Hodgkinson having left the company, and joined that at Charleston. They recalled Harper, who had been some years manager of the theatres in Boston, Providence, and Newport in Rhode Island. Mr. Harper is a good [)erformer, a great favorite, and in his manners and dealings a gentleman ; but unequal to supply the want of Hodgkinson. Sully, Bailey, young Darley, and his wife, were drawn from other theatres. With these performers, added to tiie remains of the company, among whom \^as Mrs. iMehnoth, whose 2 K name 23:2 DEATH OF MR. IIODGKIN-ON. name was a powerful attraction, the theatrical campaign of 180.5 was opened in New York. They had not the riiihulelpliia company to con- tend with ; all opposition to them in the same city, except in respect to Mrs. Melmoth, would now have been in vain. It appears that, notwithstandinjj the exertions of the newly-deputed managers, and their companv, matters did not turn out to the expecta- tion of the proprietors. Overtures were sent to Ilodgkinson, who ac- cepted the sole management, and in consequence left Charleston to pre- pare lor the next season. He arrived late in the summer in New York, and entered upon his oflice. From that place he set off in quest of per- formers, and a theatre being then open in the cit)' of ^A'ashington, and another in Fairfax county, Virginia, he arrived at the former place to make engagements. It is supposed that he had inhaled the pestilerous air of the month of August in New York, as, on his arrival at the for- mer place, he was seized with the symptoms of the yellow fever, which in three dajs put a period to his life. At this time it raged in New ^ ork with dreadful malignity. The people at the hotel where he lodged tied his chamber in affright. Mr. Hopkins, one of the performers at Washing- ton, who had agreed to follow his fortune in New York, with Dr. May, his physician, alone attended to him. 'Fhus perished John Ilodgkinson, a man most eminent in his profession, and highly respected by the first characters in America, His remains were wrapt in a blanket by some negroes, who were induced by a considerable re^A■ard to perform the of- fice, thrown into a waggon, and conveyed to an obscure burial ground on the Baltimore road, where they were left unnttended, till a shell of a coffin was made, and a grave hastily dug, when the same negroes return- ed, and consigned him to the earth. ■o" Some of the most eminent physicians in New York and Philadelphia contend that the yellow fever is not infectiotis when the patient is remov- ed from the tainted atmosphere where it is generated. A proof to the contrary of this opinion is demonstrated in Hopkins, who accompanied 1 lodgkinson. POVERTY OF AMERICAN MANAGERS— CHARLESTON. 253 Hodgkinson. There was no fever — no sickness, in Wasliington ; yet, in a few days Hopkins sickened, was attacked with the same symptoms with equal mahgnity, and died in nearly as short a time as the friend he had attended. From the encouragement given to theatrical exhibitions in Philadel- phia, it would be concluded that ]Messrs. Wignal and Reinagle, the ma- nagers, must have accumulated large sums of money, I cannot dehne the cause, but it is very certain that the contrary is the case. Tliey were ever involved in debt, and finally availed themselves of the bankrupt laws; thus giving up the theatre to their creditors. They were, how- ever, soon re-invested with the management, and after their " white- washing" appeared as before ; a common circumstance in America. It appears that all the American managers are losers. We have already instanced those of New York and Philadelphia. At Boston, Powell, w^ith great encouragement, made nothing — Harper could barely keep his ground, and was often much reduced — \A est, of the Virginia com- pany, is greatly in debt, so as to prevent the opening the theatre at Alexandria for several years ; and Placide, at Cliarleston, says, that he can barely support himself by his theatre. Charleston has proved a grave to the theatrical corps in America, The high salaries given there, from the great plenty of money, and riches of the principal inhabitants, who are great amateurs, drew thither numbers of performers on the expiration of their engagements with the northern managers. Among those of eminence who fell a sacrifice to an unwholesome climate, we have to lament Mrs. Wrighten, then married to Mr. Pownal, a druggist in Nev/ York, and one of her daughters, who was following the mother in the same line of stage business. Miss Broadhurst's death was attended with melancholy. circumstances. View- ing with dread the havock made among the performers, she intreated iher mother to spend the sickly months with her on Sullivan's Island, a place at those times of great resort, and to permit her to decline a proffer- i2 K 2 ed 254 MORTALIiy AMONG PERFORMERS AT CHARLESTON. etl eiigatjcnient as first vocal performer in the concerts at the puhlic gar- dons. Tlie parent refused to acquiesce, and the victim prognosticated the fatal conseqiiences. vShe entered npon tiie duties of her cngage- jnent— sung a few nights — was then taken ill, and in a (t-w days expired. To this vonng and accomplished female must be adde I Miss Tontenelle, who first ap|>eared in iMoggy M'Gilpin at Covent-garden, and whose re- mains are interred at Charleston. In the list of deaths in this place are also the names of Mr. VVilliamson, and Mr. and Mrs. Jones, from the Salisbury theatre, Mrs. Kenna, and her son, a rising young actor. Mr. Jones, liad risen to eminence in the late Mr. Edwin's style, and was acting-manager under Placide.. Jones was succeeded in his management by INIr. Mlliers, a young mai> of superior address and education, who, from his own account, left a very genteel family and good connections to become a player in Ame- rica. I lis real name was not Villiers, and, from the same motives which probably influenced him to conceal that of his family, I decline making the discovery. He was a good low comic actor, studying nature in all he attempted; and he was a great favourite. In the summer of 1805 he caniL' as flir as New York on the business of his theatre, and was piXK ceeding up the Hudson river to Albany, where the Old American Com- pany were performing, when he was suddenly seized with sickness, and landed at a small town called Esopus, where he died, with the most violent symptoms of the yellow fever, imbibed during his short stay at New York. From this mortality, the American stage is at present somewhat de- preciated, and it is not to be expected that England can spare a supply of such performers as have been last named, with the celerity with which a Carolina climate may carry them off. At New York, Cooper has lately been invested with the theatrical command, having rented the theatre of the proprietors : from his taste in selection, added to his abili- ties in performance,, much is expected. The BEHAVIOUR OF AN AMERICAN AUDIENCE. 255 Tlie death of Wignal has thrown the direction of the Philadeli)hia coni[ydny into the hands of Warren, who is well quahlied for the ardu- ous undertaking-. Wignal was also cut oti" suddenly. He had recently married Mrs. Merry, and in a very few months she was l(!i"t in a state of second widowliood. The performers brought forward last season at Philadelphia were Mr. and Mrs. Woodham, and Mr. Bray, late of the York theatre. The lady possesses a fine figure, and is easy in genteel comedv. Mr. Woodham is a good singer, and a musician. Bray is one of the laughter-loving sons of Mom us, and manages his business in the manner of Emerv, and with considerable effect ; his figure and phiz being well calculated to pourtray the Yorkshire clown.* While Tarn treating of this subject, I may be permitted to add an anecdote relative to tiie demeanour of an American audieuce during the representation of one of Shakespeare's tragedies. I m as present, in the month of May last, at the pertbrmance of Coriolanus in the Baltimore theatre, by the Philadelphia company. I took my seat in the pit, an invariable custom with me when I go for the purpose of giviiig my whole attention to the performance. I was early in my attendance, and on mv entrance, I found the back row in the pit taken up by a num.ber of boys, many of whom were in an uniform of blue faced with black. I was afterwards intbrnictl, that this dress became a fashion from Mr. M'Henry, the late secretary of war, thus cloathing his sons. This, methougiit, looked something like a puerile badge of Aristocracy in the land of democracy. As the house tilled, these urchins set up a violent clamour, beating with sticks, stamping with their feet, and die house echoed with their shrill pipes tor the music — " Yankee Doodle, Jeffer- son's March;" and thus uncontrolled, they practised all the routine of the gallery, which, in fact, could not keep pace with them. The occu- piers ot the boxes appeared to admire this juvenile spirit of libert}^ * The pul)lic prints lia e just announced that Mr. Hallani, who is mentioned in the beginning of this ehaptcr, after laving been filtyfour yars a faithful it upon me. 1 repeat nothing but what I saw and felt, neither do 1 " set down aught ill malice ;" but 1 will, upon all occasions, speak the truth, and " nothing extenuate." This buffoon 1 found to be a bookseller of the name of Hill, who continued his loud and rude obsers^ations till the fall of the curtain. The inferiors of the theatre, who swelled the processions, he called "chaff and bran." The plebeian mob who elected Cdriolanus to the consul- ship, he termed " dirt and straw." The chaste acting of Mrs. Melmoth in the Roman matron, was in a great measure lost to me in his noise. When Coriolanus was killed by Tullus Aufidius and the Volscian chiefs, he roared out, " that's not fair, by G— d, three to one is too much ; let him get up again and have a fair chance ; one at a time, I sa^-, by G— d." I should not hiave descended to repeat such grossness, had not this man borne a nominal rank among those who are deemed respectable people; and, what made this outrage more reprehensible, was, that one of the joint proprietors of the house, Reinagle, the musician, who presided in the orchestra during the perlbrinance, was a lodger in his house. THEATRICAL CRITICISM. 2.5?^ house. Nor is this a singular instance of the kind ; interruption by- loud talking around you is common in all the American theatres. 1 mentioned my situation next day to some of the actors, with whom I had formed an acquaintance. They had long been mortified with such kind of interruption, and were Avell acquainted with Hill's enmity. A single dissatisfied churl in the English theatres must keep his disapprov- ing vociferation to himself, or feel the resentment due to the disturber of others. The following strictures, from the Norfolk Herald, Virginia, while thev afford a specimen of American criticism, also display the conduct of the performers during the time of representation, on any disappro- bation on the part of the audience. " The opera of the Highland Reel was performed on Tuesdaj'^ even- ing, and very fortunately for the credit of the town and the reputation of the performers, to a very thin house — for never in my life did I be- hold such a performance. It set at defiance all the rules of propriety, and puzzled criticism to find out where to begin, and where to end its strictures. The play is certainly pleasing, entertaining, and instructing, and one which should have called forth all the abilities of the performers, if any they possess. But, with the solitary exceptions of Mrs. Hopkins, in Moggy M'Gilpin, and Mr. Sull)', in Shelty, who kept alive the drooping spirits of the audience, the rest were " weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable " in the extreme, and it is ardently to be hoped that we never " shall look upon the like again." The play was succeeded by the entertainment of the " Sailor's Garland, or a Family Picture," but owing to some disturbance which took place in the gallery, the audience was unable to appreciate the merits of the piece. 'Tis said that a per- son present found fault with some part of the performance, for \^ hich he was seized by the door-keepers, and kicked down stairs, and that this laudable exertion to screen the pei'fonnance from censiire was seconded by some of the performers. I always thought, till now, that the per- formers were employed only as buffoons behind the scenes, and not as 5 bultiea 258 ANECDOTES OF AMERICAN MANNERS. hii/lii's before them. At any rate, 'tis a new way of commanding at- tention. The manageress* will do well to look to this evil — and tlie performers had better exert themselves to merit attention by the correct- ness of their performance, than to silence censure by the strength of their arms, or their dexterity in the piigilisfic art." In tlieir private capacity, the performers arc treated by the Americans with an assumed contempt. They will neither associate with, nor no- tice them off the stage. IMr. Harper, whose company I always found interesting, one day amused me with an account of a journey of the Old American com|)any, some years before, to Riehmond in Virginia. He said the people were assembled when the performers arrived ; at first they were stared at as though they were so many wild beasts; but at length the gaping croud discovered them " to be men and women, form, cd and dressed like other Iblks!" From the same gentleman I had the following anecdote, which is truly characteristic of American politeness, Mrs, Dixwell, the lady of Colonel Dixwell, of Richmond, was returning a visit to an English fa- mily who had settled there alter the peace, at wliieh time he was also invited. She was dressed in on old red eloak, and a plain bonnet, which originally had been made of black silk, but hard and long services had rendered its original colour and manufacture rath ^ equivocal. She was asked to drink tea; she answered, " Tea, indeed I no — I have drank none of that cursed stuff since the affair at Bt.ston. I swallow a beet- steak or a piece of Pat pork for breakfast and su[>per, and wash it down with a quart of cyder — that's my way ! " In order to gratify the theatrical amateur, I have procured a drawing of the entrance into the theatre of Philadelphia from Chesnut-street, which is aimcxed. • The conniany .nt this lime was uixlir the ra.nnagcment of a lady of tlie name of West, who iisade tlie annual Ihealrical circuit of Virginia — Norfolk, Fredericksburg, Richmond, IVtcrsliur;^, and Alexandria. At these towns she owned a part of the theatres, from which sJie had an exclusive right of performance. ^^""^"^"'^^^^^^^^^^^"^^^^^ CHAP. V 0^ 1^ ^ ^ ^ '^\ 259 CHAP. XIX. ARTIFICES AND TRAUDS OF LAND-SPECULATORS — METHOD OF COOKI^fG LAND — DIFFICULTIES OF NEW SETTLERS IN KENTUCKY — THE NEW MISSISSIPPI BUBBLE GRANT OF LAND BY THE STATE OF GEORGIA — INFAMOUS FRAUD PRACTISED ON THE PURCHASERS — ALTERCATION BETWEEN GENERAL JACKSON AND A PRINTER — PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS RELATIVE TO THE MISSISSIPPI COM- PANY'S CLAIMS. 1 HIS species of swindling, since the peace with America, has been, fatal to the emigrant. Placing confidence in the reports of interested men, he was led to believe, that the dismal swamps, barren desarts, and pine woods of the new world, flowed with milk and honey — that a fortune would soon accumulate from the production of "some dunghill fowls, a cow, and a breeding sow." It is no easy matter to undeceive those who, like myself) have formed a determination to visit a foreign land. They readily give credit to cver}'^ high-wrought tale ; which, while it intoxicates the imagination, creates a momentary dislike to their present situation. I never con- versed with an emigrant who did not admit the truth of this observation, and confess some disappointment. Even those who had successfully courted fortune in the new world, yearned for that which they had leit. It is, indeed, unnatural not to love the country which gave us existence. Soon after the peace, a number of adventurers who had rioted in the spoils of war, as royalists, finding their resources exhausted, associated themselves, and commenced the nefarious practice of land-jobbing. 2 L lu 2(J0 FRAUDS OF LAND-JOnCLR?:. In this confctloracy it was necessary that some one should assume the character ot" a considerable land-owner in the United States of America. This man set several pens at work to produce travels, anec- dotes, and varnisiied descriptions of the glorious country containing the lands to which he j)retended to have a legal title. The infatuated Knglishman, ever a dupe to specious advertisements, instantly swallowed the bait, aiKl gave his cash to the London agent for this rus in nubibus. lie crosses the Atlantic, with money to purchase the fowls, the cow, and the sow, which he soon expends in searching for his land. Tn many instances he might as well look for "the philosopher's stone." Num- bers of Frenchmen Ijave also suffered in this WQ.\, from the arts prac- tised upon them by the Paris confederate. The following luxuriant description of one of the embryo cities, I found copied into an American newspaper, from an European publi- cation : " It is proposed to build public edifices in the angles within the lines forming the circus and crescents, and the other public buildings with suitable cupolas, and built with a sufficient degree of uniformity to give those structures a handsome appearance. Common sewers, aqueducts, market-places, granaries, piers, and landing-places, paving the streets, planting the vistas with trees corresponding with their names, embellishing the circus and crescents, planting the public garden, light- ing, watching, cleansing, &c." This magnificent city was to be called (a dozen years ago) Franklin- ville, but the spot set apart for those spacious buildings, is still tenanted by wild beasts.- How very beantiflil a city Washington appeared when laid out on paper ! 3 To METHOD OF COOKING LAND. 26 1 To enumerate the different frauds, and to lay open the arts practised tipon dekided Englishmen by these gangs of" coalesced adventurers, would alone exceed the limits of these sheets. To such a pitch of bare- faced deceit did they arrive, that the American government was at length obliged to be its own land agent, and to open offices for retailing land to English settlers. To the disgraceful and villainous deeds of land-speculators, Dr. Priestley, and indeed most of the recent English settlers, could bear testimony. False titles, forged grants, fictitious patents, and deeds of bargain and sale of land in the clouds were daily imposed upon the unwary. Sometimes, indeed, the conspirators would discover a tract, which was under some indispensable necessity of being sold, of which they would make a bond Jide purchase, and under this cloak have they conveyed it, again and again, perhaj)s a dozen times. In other instances, the land granted was described to begin at a si/camore tree on such a point ; from thence running in a parallel line till it struck a mulberry tree; from thence running due south till intersected by an oak. In short, the described portion comprised the most valuable timber, and rich, clear land, and all for one dollar per acre. In these cases the purchaser would often find his land, and the remains of the trees described; but alas ! instead of rich meads, fertile plains, valuable forests, and meandering rivers, he found a barren desart, not producing a single shrub. The trees had been planted for deception only, and the navigable rivers had found another course. Colonel Michael Payne, of North Carolina, marshal of the state, informed me that he was obliged to attend a sale of land in the interior part of the state, which had been levied upon under an execution issuing out of the Federal Court, and that upon his journey over one of the most barren and rocky counti'ies he had ever travelled, he observed a party of men planting trees. So strange an emplo3'ment in so dreary a spot induced the colo- nel to enquire of the laborers what benefit they expected to derive from their labor. He also observed two or three carts, loaded with young ti'ees^ and a man at a little distance, surveying the ground, who said, in answer to the colonel's questions, that the land was advertised for 2 L 2 sale 2(j2 PROSPECTS rOR SETTLERS IN KENTUCKY. sale in London at half a guinea per acre, and that they were " cooking it np a little." This cookery consisted in jjlanting a few young trees, the choicest growth of a far distant forest, as divisional lines and inarks. The cook proved to he a confederate land-speculator, and a ci-tltvmU congress-man. The colonel added, that liom the nature of the soil, and unpropitious situation of the land, a colony of English fanners could not make it worth a shilling. The new state of Kentucky is more extravagantly described and ex- tolled than any other part of the United States. From the accounts I have collected fi'om such as have explored that country, the land is certainly of a superior quality to some of the states, and well watered by large rivers. It has increased much in poi)ulation since the peace of 1783, but that it does not equally allure all who visit it to settle there, is certain. Many have returned, after struggling against the numerous difficulties of subsisting in a new country, one, two, and three years before they could make their daily bread. A new settler should have what is here termed " plenty of force ;" that is, he should not at- tempt the planting and farming business without about a dozen laborei-s. This assistance, with two or three hundred pounds, may in a few years complete the clearing of a few hundred acres of land, the erecting of log-houses, and other necessary work. This land, thus cleared, will ])roduce tobacco, hemp, wheat, barley, oats, clover, and most Euro- pean fruits and vegetables. But, while we mention the quality of the land, another question naturally arises; namely, how is the superfluous produce to be carried to market ? It is at present above a thousand miles to export produce from the extreme parts of Kentucky, Ohio, and Tenessee, by water to the commercial cities in the United States, and a great many hundred by land ! We fmd none of these difficulties fairly demonstrated by the writers and compilers of American voyages, histor>', and travels. The corn of these states could not, without great loss, be sold in Philadelphia, at the rate of the grain grown in its vicinity. ^Ve GEORGIA MISSISSIPPI COMPANY. 203 We have now before us, reader, a state fraud— land si)eculations by wholesale— a scene of chicanery and inicjuity hitherto unknown in the history of nations— a scene which has excited in Congress more odium, and created more discord and intemperate warmth in that body, than any question before them since the adoption of the federal consti- tution. In the year 1795, " the free, sovereign, and independent state of Georgia," under the great seal of the state, and signed by the governor and commander in chief, for certain considerations to be paid in Spanish milled dollars, granted and sold to certain individuals associated in com- panies, under the names of " The Georgia Company,"—" The Geor- gia IMississippi Company," and the " Tenessee Company," a vast tract of land lying within the boundaries of that state. As this nefarious transaction raised a clamour through the United States, equal to the bursting of the South Sea bubble in London ; and what is much more material at present, as a short history of it will prove useful to those who may hereafter wish to hold land within the United States, by putting them on their guard, should they even purchase of a state ; I shall give a copy of the patent, and the n^iles thrown out to pur- chasers in order to advance the value of the purchase. This document I unluckily became possessed of, from being myself a considerable suf- ferer in the Georgia Mississippi Company : a «a/«e, however, is all they hold at the present day. The other two grants from the state of Geor- gia ran in the same words, with the alteration of names and parcels. COPY OF THE PATENT. " The Georgia Mississippi Company having purchased from the go- vernment of the state ot Georgia, that part of its western territory, lying between the rivers Mississippi and Tom Bigby, and extending from thirty-one degrees eighteen minutes to thirty-two degrees forty minutes north latitude, computed to be, at least, one hundred and eighty miles ia f6i GRANT>; TO THE OLORGIA M1S.SIS>IPPI COMPANY. in lengfth, ai)il ninety-five miles in breadth, did obtain a grant for the same, under the great seal otthe said state, bearing date the twenty- sixth day of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, in the following words: ** STATE OF GEORGIA, '• By His Excellency George Mathews, Captain-Gene- ral, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the said State, and of the Militia thereof. " To all io whom these Presents shall come, Greeting, " Know ye, That in pursuance of the Act of the General Assemblv intituled. An Act supplementary to an Act intituled. An Act for appropriating a part of the unlocated territory, of this state, for the pay- ment of the late state troops, and i'or other purposes therein mentioned, declaring the right of this state to the unappropriated territory thereof, for the protection and support of the frontiers of this state, and for other purposes, passed at Augusta, on the 7th day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-tive, and, of the sove- reignty and independence of the United States of America the Nine- teenth, and by virtue of the powers in me vested, I have given and granted, and, by these presents, in the name and behalf of the said state, do give and grant, imder and b}' virtue of the before-mentioned supple- mentary Act, and securing to the state, according to the directions, re* servations and stipulations therein contained and expressed, unto Nicho- las Long, Thomas Glascock, Ambrose Gordon, and Thomas Cumming and their associates, their heirs and assigns for ever, in fee simple, as te- nants in common, and not as joint tenants, all that tract or parcel of land, including islands, situate, lying and being within the following boundaries, that is to say, beginning on the river Mississippi, at the place where the latitude of thirty-one degrees and eighteen minutes north of the equator intersects the same ; thence a due east coui-se to the nmldle of fiRANT TO THE GEORGIA MISSISSIPPI COMPANY. 265 of Don or Tom Bigby river; thence up the middle of the said river, to vhere it intersects the latitude of thirty-two degrees and forty minutes north of the equator; thence a due Avest course along the Georgia Com- panv's line, to the river Mississippi ; thence down the middle of the same to the place of beginning, together with all and singular the rights, mem- bers and appurtenances whatsoever, to tlie said tract or parcel of land, including islands, belonging, or in any wise appertaining; and also all the estate, right, title, interest, claim and demand of the state aforesaid, of, in, to, or out of, the same ; reserving, nevertheless out of the said tract of land, six hvmdred and twenty thousand acres, to be subscribed by, and for the use and behoof of other citizens of the said state, who shall choose to do the same, at such time, at such rates, and to sucli effect, and in such form and manner as are pointed out and expressed in the before-mentioned Supplementary Act; provided also, that the said Nicholas Long, Thomas Glascock, Ambrose Gordon and Thomas Gumming and their associates, shall not be entitled to dispose of the said territory-, in part or in whole, in any way or manner to any foreign king, prince, potentate or power whatever ; to have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land, and all and singular the premises aforesaid, with their and every of their rights, members and appurtenances, unto the said Nicholas Long, Thomas Glascock, Ambrose Gordon and Thomas Camming and their associates, called the Georgia Mississippi Company,, their heirs and assigns forever, in fee simple, as tenants in common, and not as joint tenants. " Given under my hand and the great seal of the said state, this twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety- five, and in the nineteeth year of American Inde- pendence. GEO. MATHEWS. Signed by his Excellency the Governor, the ^Qth daii of January, 1795. " Edward Watts, S. E. D." Under 26G FRAUD OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GEORGIA. Under such a title — the faith of a free state, httle doubt or suspicion >vas entertained. No wonder, therefore, that monicd men stepped for- vard as purchasers. The Georgian government having received into their exchequer the full stipulated consideration in specie for their Mississippi lands, pro- ceeded at the usual time of election, to the choice of a new governor and assembly of representatives. The sovereign people, at this time, fermented by French politics, chose men of congenial principles, and appointed one Jackson, a subject of the king of Great Britaiu, in the place of governor Mathews. He commenced his career with a bill de- claring the grant of the Mississippi lands illegal and void ; and procuring an ex post facto law fortius purpose, seized the records, with which he marched in triumph, attended by his majority of assembly, and burned them before the court-house ! In vain the defrauded purchasers remonstrated. Georgia being " free, sovereign, and independent," no redress could be obtained ; and this fair and promising structure of speculation, Avhich had cost many hundred thousand dollars in erecting, was thus in an instant demolished. The ■whole of the purchase-monej'^ still remains in the treasury of the state ! The sufferers were immediately persecuted by the importunities of those of whom they purchased. Many joined issue upon record in courts of law, and the question was there agitated in various forms without their obtaining relief. Others compromised, and got up their securities; while the greater number were plunged into ruin. ISIr. Thomas Hutchins, geographer to the United States, having at a former period sui-veyed this land, made a very favorable report of the many natural advantages it possessed. It was printed, Mith other allure- ments, in the form of a pamphlet, and put into the hands of such as were inclined to become purchasers. I'he whole tract of land sold as 5 stated, ANIMOSITY OCCASIONED BY THE SALE OF THE GEORGIA LANDS. 267 stated, contained many million acres, of which the author, at the sacri- fice of several thousand dollars, purcliased a considerable |K>rtion ; and still holds his claim. Soon after the bonfire frolic, the state offered the same land to Con- gress. A bargain was struck, and fresh conveyances Mere made, with a reservation of five million acres " to 'quiet any claims on the state of Georgia." I'hus this land is now held by the United States, and a bill is pending before Congress to make restitution to the purchasers. Com- missioners, consisting of the secretary of state, and of the treasurer of the United States, with the attorne3^-general, were appointed to enquire into these claims, and reported in fa\or of the purchasers ; yet the bill for the two last sessions has met with great ojiposition from the democratic part}'', while it is sup|)orted with much firmness by the federalists. These proceedings consequently gave rise to much political rancour. The transaction was not only reprobated by the fedeiaiists, but con- demned by every moderate man in the country. One of the leading characters instrumental in the sale of the lands, was General Gunn, who became an object of the persecution of Jackson's party. The printer of a newspaper at Savannah, the capital of Georgia, was prevailed upon by two of Jackson's aids-tic-camp, for he was a general of militia, to insert an extract from the Philadelphia paper, called the Aurora, libelling the character of.Gunn. This produced an answer from a friend of the injured party, retorting the scandal upon those by whom it was propagated, which he also admitted into his publication. The J'oung aids took umbrage, and insisted on the printer's giving up the author of the reply, but this he resolutely refused to do. Piinters in America have the virtue to keep authors' names, where necessary, a profound se- cret. .;; On the «aiaie dav the printer being at the post-office, there met Jackson, who began ah harangue on the blessings of democracy, which he ended, to use the printer's words, " by praising his own ex|)Ioits during the American revolution, and declaring tiiat the country, and this state 2 M in 568 POLITICAL ALTERCATION. in particular, ((jJeorf^ia) was indebted to him for its independence." lie then observed, that he, the printer, was a good repubhcan wlien he came to Savannali; to vhich the latter rephed, that his principles were then what they had ever been. The redonbted liero denied this, and charged the wa/i q/7e//ers with being in British pot/; Tor which falsehood he was by the other denounced a liar. This produced a little blustering, and thus the matter ended. Next day the two young ?rte/j o/" ecrtr, instigated, as the printer alledged, by their commander, again called on him for the name of the author who had vindicated General Gunn. A denial was still persisted in, when one of them made a blow with a loaded whip, which the |)ri liter seized, andap|)lied it to the owner's shoulders, with consider- able effect. — " After this," continues the printer, " they collected a mob, presented their pistols to my breast, threatened to pull down the j)rint- ing-house, and to throw the types into the river, if I did not give up the author's name ; but they were soon opposed by more than an equal number of citizens, which occasioned them to disperse in a terrible rage. They collected a third time, but finding the respectable part of the inha- bitants determined to protect me, they moved off, still swearing ven- geance." The following day Jackson procured a meeting of his party, where it was resolved, " That no printer in the state of Georgia should be allowed to publish any thing against the President of the United States." The democratic chief was appointed one of a committee to draw up rules and organize a society in each county of the state, for the purpose of carrying such resolution into effect. The career of this turbulent character, was an'ested by death about a year ago, at the city of Washington, where he was attending as a sena- tor for the state of Georgia. He was the idol of his party, as may be seeiv from the following disgusting speech on his death, pronounced in the house of representatives by John Randolph. It will also give the reader an idea of the proceedings of that house during the reign of democracy. 3 A bill EANOOLPIl'3 SPEECH ON THE DEATH OPUEN. JM^SOS. ilJ!) A bill had originated in, and passed the senate, making compensation to the defrauded purchasers of" the Georgia lands for what was called the Yazoo claim, and which was rejected in the house of representatives; on Avhich Randolph sprang up and exclaimed — " I shall live ten years longer. Mr. Speaker, a few days ago we adjourned to pay the last mournful tri- bute of public resjjcct to one of the best men that America has known — I move that we now adjourn to do honor to his apotheosis — His last words to me were, ' could I but survive to see Yazoo annihilated, J should then die in peace; and, should it be annihilated after my death, I shall at least not have lived in vain,' I move that we adjourn to ho- nor the deceased hero. General James Jackson, and to triumph in the salvation of our country from corruption." — The house did accordingly adjourn ! This claim, which in common honesty should have been satisfied many years ago, was several times before the liou^e, and on each question, a majority of the members voted in favor of the claimants. On the pre- sent, Randolph contrived to maintain a very small majority, and took the above method of shewing his exultation. The question will be re- newed in the present sitting of Congress. It has become a national question of great importance ; and, if finally determined against the claimants, many of whom are distinguished characters in ^ew Rnglan 27:2 EXPI'HITION or TIIU Sn.\M^NF.>E TO rxriORE TUF. MISSOURI. mnnts, and some of thetn miglit have been complete masters of their use. The couritry might also iiivor the cultivation of the arts, uhich in an encreasinii; |)oi)iilatioii is an object of the highest importance. Ore .of various kinds has been discovered in the western states, and even iron is manulactured in large quantities in uiany parts of the Union. Thus we account for the specimens of mechanism said to come froni the country of the Madogians, These observations were made some years previous to the expediition of Captain Lewis and Lieutenant Clarke, to explore the source of the Missouri, and from them no light is thrown upon the subject. We must therefore conclude that the accoimts are fabulous, or that those gentlemen did not chance to meet with their settlements ; and yet the following ac- count, published by Mr. H. Toulmin, a gentleman of respectability at Frankfort, in Kentucky, is worthy of consideration in the investiga- tion of this subject. He observes, that he had it from Mr. John Childs, of Jessamine county. " Maurice Griftith, a native of Wales, which countrj' he left when about sixteen years of age, was taken prisoner by a party of Shawnese Indians, about forty years ago, near Vosses' Fort, on the liead of Roa- noke river, in Virginia county, and carried into the Shawnese nation. Having staid there about two years and a half" he found that five young men of the tribe had a desire of attempting to explore the sources of the Missouri. He prevailed upon them to admit him one of the party. They set out with six good rifles, and six pounds of powder apiece, of which they were of course very careful. ( )n reaching the mouth of the Missouri, they were struck with the extraordinary appearance of the muddy waters of the Mississippi. They staid two or three days amusing themselves with this novel sight; they then determined on the course which they should pursue, which happened to be so nearly in that of the river, that they frequently came within sight of it, as they pro- ceeded on their journey. After travelling about thirty days througli good THEIR DISCOVERIES. 273' good farming woodland, they came into the open prairies, on which nothing grew but long luxuriant grass. — There was a succession of these varying in size, some being eight or ten miles across, but one of them so long, that it occupied three days to travel through it. In passing- through the large prairies, they were much distressed for water and provisions, for they saw neither beast nor bird ; and though there was an abundance ot old springs, fresh water was very scarce. In one of these prairies, the salt springs ran into small ponds in which, as the weather was hot, the water had sunk, and left the edges of the ponds so covered with salt, that they fully supplied themselves with that article, and they might easily have collected bushels of it. As they were travelling through the prairies, they had likewise the good fortune to kill an ani- mal which was nine or ten feet high, and of a bulk proportioned to his height. They had seen two of the same species before, and they ob- served four of them afterwards. They were swift footed, and had nei- ther tusks nor horns. After they had passed through this prairie, they made it a rule never to enter on one which they could not see across, till they had supplied themselves with a sufficiency of venison to last se- veral days. After having travelled a considerable time through the prairies, they came to very extensive lead mines, where tb.ey melted the ore, and furnished themselves with what lead they wanted. They af- terwards came to two copper mines, one of which was three miles through, and in several places they met rocks of copper, as large as houses. " When about fifteen days journey from the second copper mine, they came in sight of white mountains, which, though in the heat of sum- mer, appeared to them to be covered with snow. The sight naturally excited considerable astonishment, btit on their approaching the moun- tains, they discovered, that instead of snow they were covered with im- mense bodies of white sand. They had, in the mean time, passed through about ten nations of Indians, from whom they received very friendly treatment. It was the practice of the party to exercise the office 274 WHITE INDIANS. ofl'ice of spokesman in rotation: and when the language of any nation thruuah which they passed was unknown to them, it was the duty of the spokesman, a duty in which the others never interfered, to convey their meaning by approj^riate signs, " The lahor of travelling through the deep sands of the mountains was excessive, but at length they relieved themselves of this dilhculty hy Ibllowing the course of a shallow river, the bottom of which being level, they made their ^^•ay to the top of the mountains with tolerable convenience. " After passing the mountains, they entered a fine tract of land, which havino- travelled through for several davs, they accidentally met with three white men in the Indian dress. Griffith immediately understood their language, as it was pure AA'elch, though they occasionally made use of a few words with which he was unacquainted; however, as it happened to be the turn of one of his comrades to act as spokesman, or interi^reter, he preserved a jjrofound silence, and never gave them any intimation that he understood the language of their new com- panions. " After proceeding with them four or five days journey, they came to the village of these white men, where they found that the whole na- tion were of the same color, having all the European complexion. The three men took them through the village for about the space of fifteen miles, when they came to the council-house, at which an assembly of the king and chief men of the nation was held. The council lasted three days; and as the strangers were not supposed to be acquainted with their language, they were suffered to be present at their deliberations. The great question before the council was, what conduct should be ob- served towards the strangers. From their fire-arms, their knives, and their tomahawks, it was concluded they were a warlike people; it was conceived they were sent to look out a country for their nation ; that if they PARTICULARS RELATIVE TO THE WHITE INDIANA. !2 :2/.j they were suffered to return, they might expect a body of powerful in- vaders, but tliat, if tliese six men were put to death, nothing would be known of their country, and they should still enjoy their posses- sion in security. It was finally determined that they should be put to death. Grillith then thought that it was time for him to speak. He addressed the council in the Welsh language. He informed them that they had not been sent by any nation — they Imd no hostile intentions — that it was their wish to trace the Missouri to its source, and that they should return to their country satisfied with the discoveries they had made, without any wish to disturb the re[)ose of their new acquaint- ances. An instant astonishment glowed in the countenances not only of the council but of his Shawnese companions, who clearly saw he was understood by the people of the country. Full confidence was at once given to his declaration ; the king advauLcd and gave him his hand. They abandoned the design of putting him and his companions to death, and from that moment treated them with the utmost fi'iend- ship. Gritiith and the Shawnese continued eight months in the nation, but were deterred from prosecuting their researches up the Missouri, by the advice of the people of the country, Avho informed them they had gone a twelvemonth's journey up the river, but found it was as large there as it was in their own country. As to the history of the people, he could learn nothing satisfactory. The only account they could give was, that their forefathers had come up the river from a very distant country. They had no books, no records, no writings. They intermixetl with no other people by marriage ; there was not a dark-skinned man in the nation. Their numbers were very conside- rable. There was a range of settlements on the river for fifty miles, and tliere were, within this space, three large water courses, which fell into the Missouri, on the banks of each of which they were likewise settled. He supposed there must be fifty thousand men in the nation capable of bearing arms. Their clothing was skins well dressed. Their houses were made of upright posts, and the bark of trees. The only imj^le- 2 N ments 270 PARTICUDARS RELATIVE TO THE WHITE INDIANS. ments they had to cut them with were stone tomahaA\ks. They had no iron : their arms were bows and arrows. They had some silver, whicii had been hammered with stones into coarse ornaments, but it did not appear to be pure. They had neither horses, cattle, sheep, ho<(s, nor any domestic or tame animals. Tiiey lived by hunting. lie said no- thing about their religion. " Griffiths and his companions had some large iron tomahawks with them. With these they cut down trees, and prepared a canoe to re- turn home in; but their tomahawks were so great a curiosity, and the people of the country were so eager to handle them, that their canoe was com[)leted w ith very little labor. When this work was accom- plished, they proposed to leave their new friends, Griffiths, however, having promised to visit them again. They descended the river with considerable speed, but amidst frequent dangers from the rapidity of the current, particularly when passing through the White Mountains. When they reached the Shawnese nation, they had been absent about two years and a half Griffith su])poscd that when they travelled, thev went at the rate of about fifteen miles a day. lie staid but a few months with the Indians after their return, as a favorable apj)ortunity otfered itself to him to reach his friends in Virginia, He came with a hunting party of Indians to the head waters of Coal river, which runs into the New river, not far above the falls. There he left the Shawnese, and easily reached the settlement on the Roanoke'. Mr. Childes knew him before he w'as taken prisoner, and saw him a few days after his return, when he narrated to him the preceding circumstances; Griffiths was universally regarded as a stead\% honest man, and a man of veracity. Mr. Childes has placed the utmost confidence in his account of himself and his fellow travellers, and has no more doubt of the truth of his rela- tion, than if he had seen the whole himself Whether Griffiths be still alive or not, he does not know." Mr. Toulmiu investigates this subject with great assiduity. He says, " that TOULMIN'S OBSERVATIONS ON THE EXISTENCE OF WELSH INDIANS. "Ill " that by recurring to a passage in history, it appears that several years before the discovery of America by Christopher Cohunbus, a certain Welsh prince embarked from his native country, with a large party of emigrants ; that after some time a vessel or two came back, with the ac- count that they had discovered a country far to the westward, and that they set sail again with a fresh reinforcement, and never returned anv more. The country which these adventurers discovered, it has been supposed, was the continent of North America, and it has been conjectured, that they had landed on this continent somewhere in the Gulph of Mexico, and from thence proceeded northward, till they got out of the reach of the hostile natives, and seated themselves in the upper country of Missouri. Many accounts accordingly have been published within the last thirty yeai-s, of persons, who, in consequence, either by accident or the ardor of curiosity, have made themselves acquainted with a nation of men on the Missouri, possessing the complexion of Europeans, and the lan- guage of Welshmen. Could the fact be well established, it would af- ford, perha|5S, the most satisfactory solution of the difficulty occasioned by a view of the various ancient fortifications with which the Ohio country abounds, of any that has hitherto been offered. These fortifi- cations were evidently never made by the Indians. The Indian art of war presents nothing of the kind. The probability too is, that the per- sons Avho constructed them were, at that time acquainted with the use of iron: the situation of those fortifications, which are uniformly in the most fertile land of the country, indicates that those who made them were an agricultural people, and the remarkable care and skill with which they were executed, affords traits of genius of a people, w ho re- lied more on their military skill than on their numbers. The growth of the trees upon them is very compatible with the idea, that it is no more than three hundred years since they were abandoned." We are equally ignorant of many other nations of Indians, in this unexplored part of America. The nation of the Snake, the Gnacs:- 2 N 2 taries. :^78 TALENTS OF MANY INDIAN CHIEFS. tiiriis, the Piuloucas, the Kansez, tlic Macoutens, and niiinorous other tribes are known oiily by name. Many Indian chiefs have di^plaj'cd talents in oratory, and are men ot" considerable natural abilities. * Tiie fijllowing conversation on a re- ligious subject, inserted tlie oHicial jraper, printed at AVashiugton, is Avortliv of" notice. ♦ Among many examples that miglit be adduced to corroborate this assertion, I >li:ill coniont iiivsci? Tsith mentioning the Mohawk chief, 'IVyoninhokeiawcii, or as lie is likewise denominated, Jolin Norton. '1 his interesting Indian about two years ago visited England, where numerous traits of an amiable dispo- sition and a vigorous intellect produced the most pleasing impressions on all who were introduced to him. A proof of his possessing, in a high degree, the cpialitica of a good temper and great mental quick- ness, occurred at the Upper Rooms, at Bath, where he appeared in the dress of liis country. A young Englishman, wlio had been in America, accosted tlie chief with several abrupt questions respecting his place of abode, situation and the like. To these Norton returned answers at once pertinent and modest. The in;\e iov n ardien iniai>:e. lie insisted that it was contrary to the in- junction of the decalogue, which prohibits any such representation ibr the pur|io?c of worship; and he allcdged this to fall within the meaning of tliat j)art of holy writ. The ollicer, in answer, declared that so iiir froni worshipping the image, he seldom prayed at all, and never discuss- ed religious tenets except now and then with some deistical cha|)lains of the army, when, finding the world to be of no longer duration than the period fixed b}"^ Moses, they recurred to the Chinese, and ibund the flood had never reached them, and consequently the story of the ark, the dove, and the other engines and agents of inspiration, were rendered extremely doubtful ; — that what bethought a graven image was nothing more than a hicroglvphic, being the etligv of a bald eagle, a native of America, and which desi-rnates the cause in which he had successfullv sened. ']'he clergyman, who was as much the slave of fanaticism as the captain was free from the shackles of" religious austerity, appearing to demur, the Cincinnati gentleman continued : — Was not the eagle the standard of" the Roman legions; and docs it not remain the arms of se- veral Euro|)ean nations? Are not the lion and unicorn the arms of Eng- land, as is the thistle of Scotland, and the harp of Ireland ? The eagle therefore hatl been chosen by the Cincinnati for their badge, and being of this order, he wore the device, and for no other reason. " It was admitted by the holy man that in rigid strictness it might not be a graven image, as the term certainly meant engraving on wood or metal with the ])oint of an instrument; and therefore the wearer might,, under this exposition, say it was not a graven image. It was, at all events, continued the priest, a molten one, and therefore was doubtless for the purpose of idolatry. It was the representation of a bird, the emblem of some heathen deity. The eagle was sacred to Jupiter, and perhaps was now worn in hoiiour of that fiilse god. In vain the officer maintained RURLESQUE ON AMERICAN ELECTIONS. 289 maintained his position ; the priest persisted that it was an idol ; sheM'infj from scripture that in the last times idolaters were to spring- up, and concluding by an insinuation, that this order of the Cincinnati might he the Gog and Magog of the Apocalypse ! " The captain rising early next morning, and setting out on his way» had arrived at a place where a number of" people were convened, for the purpose of electing persons to represent them in the legislature of the state. A weaver, who was a candidate for this appointment, seemed to have considerable interest among the people; but another, who was a man of education, was his competitor. Relying on the elocutionary talents which lie thought he possessed, he thus harangued the multi- tude : — " Fellow citizens, I pretend not to any great abilities ; but am con- scious within my own mind that I have the best good -will to serve you. But it is very astonishing to me that this weaver should conceive himself qualified for the trust ; for, though my acquirements are not great, yet his are still less. The mechanical business which he pursues mu!-t ne- cessarily take up so much of his time that he cannot apply himself to po- litical studies. I should therefore think it would be more compatible with your dignity, and conducive to your interest, to be represented by a man at least of some letters, than by an illiterate handicraftsman like this. It will be more honorable for himself to remain at his loom and knot threads, than to come forward in a legislative capacity ; because, in the one case he is in the sphere where God and nature have placed him, in the other he is like a fish out of water, and must struggle for breath in a new ele- ment. Is it possible that he can umlerstand the affairs of government whose mind has been concentrated in the small object of weaving webs? The feet of him who weaves are more occupied than his head; and therefore the whole man must be, at least, but half accustomed to use his mental powers. For these reasons, setting aside every thing else, the chance is in my favour with respect to information. However, you will decide, and give your suffrages to him or to me, as you shall judge expedient. " •• The 290 BURLESQUE ON AMERICAN ELECTIOKS. " The captiiii), lieariiiq tliesc ohscrvations, and looking at the \Vea ' ver, could not forbear advancing and undertaking to subjoin something in support of wliat had just been said. He had not uttered many words before he heard a bustle among the crowd. Honest Teague, hearing so much about elections and serving the government, took it into his head that he could be a legislator himself. The thing was not displeas- ing to the people, who seemed to favour his pretensions, owing in some degree to there being several of his countrymen in the croud; but more especially to the fluctuation of the popular mind, and a disjjosition to what is new and ignoble. " The captain, finding this sudden turn of the tide, was greatly cha- grined at not having been able to give the multitude a better idea of the im})ortance of a legislative trust, but more so from an apprehension of losing his servant, again harangued the the electors, telling them that they were making the matter worse— that they had better choose a wea- ver than a bog-trotter, who, so far from being competent to enact laws, could not understand a single letter of the language in which they ought to be written. * A free government,' continued the captain, ' is a noble possession to a people ; and this freedom consists in an equal right to make laws, and to have the benefit of the laws when made. Though, doubtless, in such a government, the lowest citizen may become chief magistrate, yet it is sufficient to possess the right, not absolutely neces- sary, to exercise it. Or even should you think proper now and then to claim your privilege, and exert, in a signal manner, the democratic pre- rogative, yet is it not descending too low to filch away from me my hireling, whom I cannot well spare, to serve your purposes? You surely are carrying the matter too far, in thinking to make a senator of this stable-boy ! to take him from an employment to which he has been bred, and put him to another, to which he hasseved no apprenticeship ! to set those hands which have been lately employed in currying my horse to the draughting of bills, and the preparation of business for the legis- lative assembly !' •' The BURLESQUE O.N AMERICAN IXECTIOX. 291 " The |)e()|*le, however, were tenacious of their choice, and insisted on giving Teagiie their suftVages; nay, the frown upon their l)rows seemed to indicate resentment at what had heen said, as iiKhiectly charging tiiem with Avant of" judgment, or calHng in (juestion their privi- lege to do what they pleased. ' \\e will empower him,' said one who ^^ spoke for the rest, 'and we had rather trust a plain man like him than one of your highflyers, who will make laws to suit themselves.' " Finding that it ansA^ered no end to expostulate with the multitude, he called Teague aside to try how argument would \^ ork upon him. Having explained the nature and difliculty of filling the character of a statesman, and touched him upon the point of honour, as to quitting an honest calling to become a member of congress; declaring he would ra- ther see him digging turf again in Ireland than passing laws wliich he knew nothing about, Teague conquered his ambition, and told the elec- tors, that, upon considering the matter, he found it would not do to leave a good place for the sake of going to congress. The wea\'er was there- fore elected by a large majority. " The captain having thus rescued his servant, proceeded on his jour- nev. He had not gone manv miles before he overtook a man drivinu" a horse loaded with two kegs or half-barrels. The captain took him for a paek-horse man carrying something to market. A person of a philo- sophic turn of mind never hesitates to enter into conversation with any character whatever, because human nature is the field from which he gathers thoughts and expressions. The captain therefore accosted this man ; they entered into conversation, and he soon found, to his great mortification, that another election was about to take |)lace a little dis- tance forward ; tliat this man was a candidate ; and that the two kegs contained whisk\^ for the voters. The captain was thrown into a reve- rie, and began to reflect within himself on the nature of a republican government, where canvassing, by such means as this, can work so great an evil as to elevate the most unqualified persons to a seat in the highest 2 P deliberative '''^; 292 BURLESQUE ON AMERICAN ELECTIONS. (U'liberative assemblies. But in the mean time recovering himself a lit- tle, he had the presence of mind to recollect the danger in which he was likely to be again involved with his man Teague ; whom, looking round, he saw about (brty yards behind him. It would have been ad- visable to haye turned oti" from the road, and taken a circuitous route to avoid the election, but the lane would not favor the attempt. Thert the lion that supports the crown, and not again>t the defence- less goddess ot the ishuul, 'IMio motto of the hadu'c is, Omnht reliqiiit servarc rempnh/ica/ii. The infuiitivc is hnv iis(>d instead of th(! tjernnd with the preposition, ad sciTdiuliiiii ; as if it was intended to express his motion, or, chanpe ot phiee, and not the object. But, in fact, the motto does not at all ex- j)ress that in which the merit of Cincinnatns really consisted. It was not in his leaving- every thinj? to accept the commission ot the Roman senate; but in resinning his commission, when he had achieved the sal- vation of his country, and going- back to his plough again. His praise would have been better expressed l)y the phrase, I ictw ad arutrum reilit. In tact, it cannot apply well to the American army, most of the othcers not having much to leave wlien they accepted their com- missions; but discovering a Cinriiniatus-like disposition, in returning-, after the war, to the employments of civil life. It is true, there would have been less tinsel, and more bullion, in the patriotism of retiring without a badge, as Cincinnatus did; but it is a thing that can do little harm, and it is pleasing to indulge a whinK It may doubtless be said, that there Avere officers that left the plough, and fousht, and returned to it, as well as those -who are within the limit- ations of the institution, and are as justly entitled to a badge ; that troops who had served a short enlistment, and militia, -who have, at least, fought a little, were not wholly destitute of some claim to the badge of merit. Even those who lost property might be said to sutfer, and ad- vance pretensions to the reward of honour. Not that all ot them should claim gold medals, or even silver; but some brass, some coj^per, pewter, a bit of tin or pot metal, just as the specific value of their ser- vices miglit eivtitle them. Perhaps, while sonJ£ wore it at the breast, others might be enjoined to wear it at the breeches pocket ; and thus, as well by the point trom which ai)pendant, as by the bob itself, desig- nate the proportion of tlieir honour. J Passing SVSTE.M OF AMERICAN REPRESENTATION'. 29,> Passing from gay to grave, it nia\- not be amiss here to give the reader some idea of" the constitution of the legislative assemblies of the Am!:'rican republic. The congress of the United States consists of t\vo houses of legislators, the senate, and the house of representatives. Thev exercise certain functions delegated to them bv the people, re- sembling those of the lords and couimons of Great Britain. Acts of congress must pass both houses, and eithei- house can throw out a bill, as in the English parliament. W' hen the act has passed both houses, it is left for the^'a^ of the president; in short, in the manner of conducting their public business, the rules laid down in debate, and the standing orders of the house, they are modelled after the usage of their mother countrJ^ The senate is composed of two members from each state; and as there are already seventeen states, that house consequently consists of thirtv-four members, with the vice-president of the United States, Avho sits as their president ; and who, on an equal division on a question, has the casting vote. The house of representatives are elected by the free and uninfluenced voice of the people ; every freeman having a right to vote at the elec- tions, which take place every second year. Care was taken to guard against every species of corruption in this, as well as ever)' part of the federal constitution, Avhich was formed under the auspices of the man who was the principal agent in securing their independence; I mean — Wasliington. By this constitution, thirty-three thousand freemen are entitled to- elect one of themselves, as a member of the house of representatives. The following is the proportion of members sent by each state, ar- ranged in geographical order.. 1 * From. SYSTEM OF AMERICAN REPRESENTATION. 1 * From New Ilatnpsliire 2 • 3 4 • 5 • 6 * 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • . Massacliusels . Vermont . Kliode Island . Connecticut . New York - . Now Jersey - . Pennsylvania . Delaware . Maryland 5 17 4 2 7 17 6 18 I 9 1 1 • From Virginia - • - - - 22 12 . . Kentucky ----- (j 13 • . . North Carolina - - - - II 14 . . Tennessee -----;) 15 * . . South Carolina - - - - 8 16 • . . Georgia - .... 4 17 . . Ohio 12 143 The Indiana and Mississippi territories. The states marked * composed the Britisli colonies previous to the American war. The territories of Indiana and jNIississipi^i had not, on the taking of the last census, a sufficient population to entitle them to be added to the federate body. From the great emigration to those parts of the country, there is little doubt that, on the next enumeration of ci- tizens, they will be declared independent states. Estimating the jiopulation according to the number of representatives, it does not make the whole population equal to what I have already stated. This is easily explained : — for instance, the above territories might have nearli) numbered an amount, entitling them to return each another re- presentative ; and a large surplus over the 33,000 votes were found in other parts of the Union. On this account, I have no reason to alter my calculations of the population in the third cha})ter. CHAP. 297 CHAP. XXII. DEPLORABLE EFFECTS OF THE UNCONTROLLED LIBERTY ALLOWED TO YOUTH IN AMERICA SMOKINC AN ACADEMIC FROLIC SLINGERS ELEVENERS GOUGING — BITING — KICKING— PICTURE OF A CAROLINA LOG-HOUSE. One of the greatest evils of a republican form of government is a loss of that subordination in society Avhich is essentially necessary to render a country agreeable to foreigners. To the well-informed this defect is irksome, and no remedy for it can be applied. The meaning of liberty and equality, in the opinion of the vulgar, consists in impudent freedom, and uncontrolled licentiousness; while boys assume the airs of full-grown coxcombs. This is not to be wondered at, where most parents make it a principle never to check those ungovernable passions which are born with us, or to correct the growing vices of their children. Often have I, ^\\th horror, seen boys, whose dress indicated wealthy parents, intoxicated, shouting and swearing in the public streets. In the use of that stupefying weed, tobacco, apeing their fathers, they smoke segars to so immoderate a degree, that sickness, and even death, has been the consequence. This is fully elucidated by the following paragraph, copied from a late newspaper, printed at Salem, in Massa- chusets. " Died in Salem, Master James Verry, aged twelve, a promising youth, whose early death is supposed to have been brought on by excessive smoking of segars !!!" 2 That <2'9B AfADHMIC OlTRACr. That this jKTiiicious custom was hahitiial in an iiiliiiit, not four year!? of ai;c, I was uiy>;'ira uitucss. This hlllc l)oy is tho son of Thomas 'J'avlor, a scgar-niaUer, in Alcxanih'ia, near VVashiuiiton. While con- versing with the lather, I obsei'vecl the son smoking a large scgar, made of the strongest tobacco. I cxj)ressc(l my astonishment ; on which the infatuated parent, with an exulting smile, rej)lied, that the child had contracted the habit above a year ago, and that he smoked three, fiuir, or more, daily, which he was regularly su|)j)hed with, " or he vouUl (TV tor them." In addition, he would steal tltem when oppor- J unity oHcred, and, in fact, he was seldom without aUghted segar in his mouth. What was most surprising, the child was fat and healtliy ; thus for a time, and at this early age, proving that " habit is second nature." A\'hen children arc thus indulged, we need not wonder at an even- ing's frolic of some young students of William and Mary College, at ^^'illiamsburg•, in Virginia, The particulars of that abominable tran- saction found their way into the public ne\vspa[)ers. The first intimation was in the Norfolk Herald, a paper of extensive circulation, at that time conducted by Messrs. Willett and O'Connor. The per|)etrators of the outrage were, soon after the publication, proved to be students of the college. I shall dismiss this unpleasant subject by adding a copj' of the paragraph alluded to. The subsc(|iicnt [)ublic conuncnts on the tfausaction 1 have not preserved. " Norfolk Herald, April \5, 1803. " A gentleman of veracity who has been lately at A\'illiamsburg, in- forms us, that on the first of April, some youths of that i)lace i)er|)e- trated some of the most wicked acts that human imagination could in- vent. A party of them broke into the church, played on the organ for nearly two hours, and then went to the church-yard, dug up the body o\' a female that had been l)tn-ied for many months, took it fi'om tlic CH)lhn, and placed it on the floor of an cm[)ty house in a situation too 1 shocking SLING KRS. " 299 shocking to describe ! ! ! The coffin being found, led to the discoverj'^. It surely could not be any of the students of William and Mary College, for it is impossible, one would imagine, that they would attempt so atrocious and villainous an act under the eyes of their preceptors. Cer- tainly that college must be under better moral government ; yet we are told that strong suspicions lurk toward that seminary. It is an old say- ing, " give a dog a bad name, and hang him ;" it will therefore behove the governors of that institution, to endeavor, by all means, to discover the offenders, bring them to justice, and rescue the college from the reproach that will otherwise attach. It is the duty of every parent and guardian that have youths educating there, to probe this matter to the quick ; for if the rules and regulations at William and Mary cannot keep its students within the pale of decency, then education will rather be a curse than a blessing to them." * There is a numerous set of people in the Southern States, called sUngers, and another, styled ekveners. It is strange to reflect on the eflects of habit, when we give way to indulgences. Our verv appe- tites become vitiated, and the most unnatural propensities degrade the character of man. I know of no custom more destructive than that which is practised by slingers and eleveners. The European learns with astonishment, that the first craving of an American, in the morning, is for ardent spirits, mixed with sugar, mint, or some other hot herb ; and which are called slings. If those who have unha])pily adopted this pernicious practice, would but for a moment consider the effects of strong liquors on the stomach, it would soon be exploded. A celebrated physician says : " No kind of poison kills more certainly than ardent spirits. Some- times, by destroving the nervous energy, they put an end to life at once ; but in general their etiects are more slow, and in many resjiects similar to those of opium." 2 Q Such 300 r.LEVENERS— GOUGING, Such is the opinion of the faculty, m ith reference onlj'' to those wfio- indulge with the bottle in the evening, or, at any rate, after a hearty dinner; a custom pre^alent in Britain. No idea was entertained by this author of vionung drinkers, because his countrymen never drink wine or spirit until the afternoon. But, ii" ardent spirits produce sucli dreadful effects among them, how much more certain and speedy must they prove to those who swallow slings upon an empty stomach. It is giving the poison a double chance of proving fatal — it is like throwing aqua fortis upon steel. I'^.nglishnien, in some measure, counteract its effects by laying a foundation for the sjjirits they take to work uj)on ; but the Virginians, Carolinians, and Georgians suffer it to prej- upon their very vitals. A second-rate consumer of distillations from the sugar-cane, the grape, and the juniper-berry, is the elevener. Sometimes I ha^e found both these vile habits in one unfortunate fellow-creature ; to such, ad- monitions are in vain. These eleveners are generally found strolling about the corners of streets, or other public places, at the eleventh hour, A. M. After the common-place conversation, they adjourn, and take more spirits. " The delicate and entertaining diversion, with propriety called GOUGING, is thus performed : — When two boxers are wearied out with fighting and bruising each other, they come, as it is called, to close quarters, and each endeavours to twist his fore-fingers in the ear-locks of his antagonist. When these are fast clenched, the thumbs are ex- tended each way to tlie nose, and the eyes genthj turned out of the sockets. The victor, for his expertness, receives shouts of applause from the sportive throng, while his poor eyeless antagonist is laughed at lor his misfortune." Such are the very words of Morse, in his American Geography, under the head of North Carolina. 'Ihutthe European reader may give immediate credit to the existence 5 of GOUGING. 301 of this most horrible practice called ooun-iiig, I have quoted the words of a native author. It is in vain for later writers to glo^s over the subject; to pretend that this custom was once practised in Americ.j; (;r that such was the revenge which once jirevaiied in the breast of civilised man. It is my avowed purpose to paint " the manners livini>^ as they rise ;" and upon this point, with pain am I compelled to declare, that this more than savage custom is daily practi:-ed among the lower classes in the southern states. Though Mr. Morse gives frequent occasion to differ from him on many points, yet I admit that he did travel tln-ough the different states of the Union to collect materials for the work above-mentioned. I farther admit a belief that Mr. Morse did not write to serve any dis- honorable purpose — that he meant to instruct, and not to mislead. And, were he divested of that strong prejudice, so prominent a feature in the works of most American authors, when speaking of their country, his Geography might be pronounced an acquisition to the British reader. It is therefore evident that gouging is a barbarity still continued in America; but, as an author, posterior to Mr. jMor>e, and an English- man, has attempted to insinuate that it is now no longer practised, I shall relate a few recent instances of its existence, and a j)ainlul description of an ocular demonstration of the horrors of its exe- cution. Passing, in company with other traA^ellers, through the state of Georgia, our attention was arrested by a gouging-mateh. We found the combatants, as Morse describes, fast clenched by the ban-, and their thumbs endeavoring to force a passage into each other's eyes ; while several of the bystanders were betting iqjon the first eye to be turned out of its socket. P'or some time the combatants avoided the 2 Q 2 ihiimh 302 BrriNG— KICKING. thumb stroke with dexterity. At length they fell to the ground, and in an instant the uppermost sprung up with his antagonist's eye in his hand ! ! ! The savage erowd applauded, -while, sick with horror, we galloped away from the infernal seene. The name of the sufferer was John Butler, a Carolinian, who, it seems, had heen dared to the com- bat by a Georgian ; and the fust eye was lor the honor of the state to which thej' respectively belonged. The eye is not the only feature which suffers on these occasions. Like dogs and bears, they use their teeth * and feet, with the most savage ferocity, upon each other. A brute, in human form, named John Stanley, of Bertie county. North Carolina, sharpens his teeth with a file, and boasts of his depen- dence upon them in fight. This monster will also exult in relating the account of the noses and ears he has bitten oflT, and the cheeks he has torn. A man of the name of Thomas Penrise, then living in Edenton. in the same state, attempting at cards to cheat some half-drunken sailors, was detected. A scuffle ensued ; Penrise knocked out the candle, then gouged out three eyes, bit off" an ear, tore a few cheeks, and made good his retreat. Near the same place, a schoolmaster, named Jarvis Lucas, was beset by three men, one Horton, his son, and son-in-law. These ruthans beat the unfortunate man till his life was despaired of, having bitten, gouged, and kicked him unmercifully. On the trial of an indictment • During the author's residence in North Carolina, Mr. Standen, tlie post-master, and a merchant of Edenton, had a part of his cheek bitten off in an artVay with O'Mally, a tavern-keeper in that town. for BUTTING. 303 for this outrageous assault, a Carolina court of justice amerced them in a small fine only. In the county of Pitt, upon Tar river, in North Carolina, lived a family, by name Dtipray ; of such extraordinary propensity for mis- chief, that it could not be determined whether the father or his sons were most wicked. These ruffians long lived upon plunder, and the princi- pal ol>ject in committing their depredations a|>|)eared to be amusement. Falling into company one evening with an Irish taylor, at a small pub- lic-house, they insisted on his joining them at a game at cards. On his refusal, they began to quarrel ; when, dreading the consequences, the Hibernian adroitl^r put out the candle, and crept under the table. The younger ruflians seized their father, whom they mistook for the tailor, and, from the severity of beating, gouging, biting, butting, and kick- ing, actually killed their parent. This horrid outrage, connected with the mischief and depredations committed by this family, drove tlie parri- cides out of the state, to the great joy of the more peaceable inhabitants. Another bestial mode of assault used by men in North Carolina, is properly called butting. This attack is also copied from the brute crea- tion, and is executed nearly in the same manner as practised in battle between bulls, rams, and goats. A traveller has endeavored to confine butting to the negroes ; but he must excuse my implicating the white man in this brutal act. That the reader may become a little familiar with these Columbian accomplishments, I can assure him that disputes terminated in England by fair blows, are gentralli/ there maintained by the practice of some, and often all of these dreadful stratagems, should opportunities offer during the combat. An American pugilist is equally dexterous with his feet, which are used 304 A CAROLINA LOC-IIOl'SE. used, not onl}' against his antagonist's shins, but are applied, with the utmost violence, against those parts which the contending beasts of the field never assail. Hence rnptures,' loss of eyes, niutiiateil noses, and. indented cheeks so ii'ecjnently surprise and shock the traveller. A fellow named Mic/iie, in my presence, boasted " that he could kick any man, six feet high, under the cliin, and break his jaws." But let us conclude this odious subject, which should never have stained thes{> pages, had imt the author first alluded to, proclaimed to the \Aorld the cruel mid lumatiiral liicts, by observing, that these bar- barities appear not to have been the genuine growth of American soil. Nosuch practices would be endured by an English mob ; no such disgrace- ful revenge ever entered the breast of a Creek, a Cherokee, or a Kicapoo Indian. The lower class in this gouging, biting, kicking country, are the most abject that, perhaps, ever peopled a C!hristian land. They live in the ■woods and desarts, and many of them cultivate no ii^ore land than will raise them corn and cabbages, which, with fish, and occasionally a piece of pickled pork or bacon, are tlieir constant food. This land, on which, prior to their settlement, no human step had ever marked a path, required clearing of trees, \vhose tops .'Imost reached the clouds, before a spot could be found large enough to erect a shelter tor the women and children. Their habitations are more wretched than can be conceived ; the huts of the poor of Ireland, or even the meanest Indian wig-wam, disi)laving more ingenuity and greater industry. They arc constructed of pine trees, cut in lengths often or fifteen feet, and piled up in a square, without any other workmanship than a notch at the end of each log, to ltii)g his paw through a hole in the centre of a knot, which the bees u»ed as the entrance to their cell. The insects, in their deRtice i attacked BEE-HUNT1\G. 307 attacked him bj'^ swarms, and darted their stings into the most vuhiera- ble parts of his face ; to guard which, he applied one paw full ot honey over the annoyed parts, and ate the next, in swallowing which he would give a few strokes amongst his antagonists, and then proceed to arjotJier scoop of honey. A hall from a rifle, brought Bruin, in the midst of his repast, to the ground, and great, was his fall. The hunters quickly felled the tree, and, being pre))ared to resist the darts of the owners, soon se- cured the remainder of the honey, the comb of which had been dread- fully mangled by the paw of the hear, but his carcase made them am- ple amends. Mr. Andrew Nilson, of Philadelphia, a native of Ireland, who served under General Washington in the American army during the whole of the war, and who is now a major, informed me, that at the time Lord Cornwallis was pursuing the Americans through the Carolinas, at which time he was a quarter-master serjeant, he had, dui-ing a day's rapid retreat, marked a hive ot bees. At night, whilst both the pursuers and the pursued were obliged to halt and rest, he privately singled out a file of soldiers, with whom, carrying a barrel for the ipurpose, he retrograded some miles to attack the bee-hive, which was then at an equal distance between the two armies. He arrived with his party at the tree, Avhich they felled with- out creating alarm ; and the moon afforded them light to secure the ho- ney, which was slung upon a pole. After proceeding with it two or three miles, they were su^rprised by an armed reconnoitering part\-. To escajie was impossible ; and resistance, having no arms, was in vain. Convinced that his rashness had thrown him into the hands of his ene- my, he prepared to surrender himself and party as prisoners of war. He was hailed — the parole and countersign were demanded, and Nilson repeated those given out for the night by the American commander ; ■which, to his great joy, proved satisfactory. It was a party from the American army watching the early approach of their pursuers; and the conmianding officer proved to be the major of the regiment to which the offending serjeant belonged. Being interrogated as to the motive of 2 R the 308 AUVAMAf.LS FHOM the INDUi;TRY Or Tlir. BEE. the honey-men being from their quarters, ^Jilson told tiic truth, with an humour pecuHar to his country, which so pleased the major, that lie or- dered the delicious banquet to be brought forward, and both i)arties sat down and rec^aled themselves on the fruits of the industrious bee. The canteens of the armed men contained spirituous liquors, which operating on the honev, produced a \n\'tt\ mellow efllect. The major, however, got his party oif ; but Xilson continued so long upon the spot, that his men could not reach their friends with their booty, and were obliged to leave what remained in the barrel, a prey to the pursuing British. On the great Alligator river, which branches out of the large waters of PamlicoandAlbcrmarle Sounds, in North Carolina, the country appears congenial to the bee. The natives derive great profit from their labour; every familv having a number of hives in their gardens. Many families even de|3end upon their honey and wax to baiter for winter stores and clothing. About midsummer the bees begin to swarm. The owner attends, and bv gently striking on a tin pan, hastens the important busi- ness. Having secured the young bees, he proceeds to take the honey from the hives which they have left; in effecting which, he destroys tl>e old ones with sulphur. At this time a number of trading boats arrive from Edenton, Nixen- ton, \A^indsor, and the adjacent places, with merchandize, tobacco, and large supplies of rum, in order to exchange their commodities for honey and wax. A scene of drunkenness and riot ensues ; the traders' boats (Irawiiii; the people from a distance, like a country fair. They are here, as in most parts of the southern states, dissipated and lazy ; great cheats and horrible blasphemers. This large river was named " Alligator River," from the quantity of those dangerous animals found there, on its being first explored. When I was there in the year 1798, a young one was caught, which 1 bad an oppurtunity of examining. It was of the same species as the crocodile A NORTH CAROLINA PLAMATION. 30{> crocodile of Egvpt, from Avhich it uiffered very little. It sei/exl a stick, and with its sharp and monstrous teeth, severed it into three pieces, leav- ing it shorter by a foot, and holding the middle jjiece in its nujuth, while the end dropped on the ground, and the remainder continued in my hand. In this manner, though deemed very young, it could liave treated the limb of a man. I am informed that it was sold, and exhi- bited in different parts, to the great emolument of the purchaser. On a branch of the river lived in the year I hdxe already named, a wealthy ))lanter, by name John Foster. With this man I remained several days; and in him I learned something of the character of a Southern planter. He cultivated about two hundred acres of land, liad built a tolera- ble house, which he converted into a tavern, and thus he acted in the dou- ble capacity of farmer and landlord. He was of a most tyrannical and cruel disposition to his dependents— imperious and quarrelsome with his guests, as intoxication proceeded— a great bully, and, of course, a great coward. The force* of his plantation, consisted of a decent well-behaved white man, who was the overseer, two civil, humble men slaves, and four or five wenches.f His kitchen was attended by a cook-wench, and two or three young wenches, who were yet unable to endure the slavery of the field. I was greatly surprised to see these younger wenches going about their domestic business naked — literally in pi/ris naturalibus. jMine host had led me over the plantation, and we arrived, almost exhausted from the effects of a scorching sun at the hour of dinner. Our meal consisted of venison, anda vi^iety of vegetables, which we diluted with apple-brandy and water. This is a most detestable beverage. I had no choice of spirits; and to drink water undiluted, is often of dangerous tendency. * Force, is here applied when speaking of the number of slaves employed in field labour on each plan- tation. ■f- Female slates, in this part of the world are uniformly called wenches, and are bought, sold and exchanged. 2 R 2 Thus J 10 NUDITV Ol' IKMALE .SLAVES. 'I'liiis is an " Alligator tavern" proviuLcl with licjuors; and, in fact, it was as w ill su])|)lio{l as any other place of public resort in the district. A ditTorent circumstance, produced in nie, while at dinner, more dis- trust than even the tumes oitlie deleterious drink : this was the ofticious attendance of two wenches, three parts grown, without even the cover- ing our first mother made lor herself alter hen- expulsion from paradise. 'I'he etiluvia arising from the body of a negro in the month of July, are by no means odorilerous; hence 1 could have dispensed with one of these being placed in compliment behind my chair. To complete the scene, Mr. Foster's daughter, a fine girl of sixteen, dined at our table, and gave her orders to the naked creatures of her own sex, with the most pcrlect aang froid. She did the honours of the table, her father being a widower. In order to avoid being pressed after dinner to drink the trash before mc, in which my landlord was freely indulging himself, I pro- posed another walk, when I expressed my displeasure at the appear- ance of our attendants. My host, with a tremendous oath, replied, that he could not make the b s wear clothes ; and that he had two months ago given out their summer suits, which they tore to pieces in a tew days, to avoid the incumbrance of wearing them. This is common in most young negroes here, till the more advanced marks of puberty render the wearing of garments rather a comi)ulsion, than a voluntary act. In that neighbourhood, I observed an unusual numberof locusts, which make a long creeking noise, extremely unpleasant to the ear. Being of the same colour ^^ ith the leaves of the trees in which ihey take shelter, they are seldom to be seen, though their noise ai)pears very near. I have, with dithculty, succeeded in catching them, They are four times the size of the dragon fly, their bodies are plump, and as large as the smallest of the feathered race. It is said by an American philosophical writer, that about the middle of the seventeenth century, there were such swarms of these insects, that, in New England, for the space of tTle holes were seen in the ground out of whieh they hatl broken forth in the form of larvre, or masg'ots. These being turned into winged insects, had a kind of tail or sting, which they struck into a tree, and thereby envenomed and killed it. The females pierce the tender branches of trees with the dart at the posterior extremity of their bodies, depositing their eggs in the holes thus formed. But it is the great voracity of these insects in actually devouring the foliage that does most harm. Another destructive insect peculiar to America is the cock-roach— the Blatta Americana of Linnteus. They are described to be so flat, thatthej'^ creep into every chest, or drawer, where there is the least crevice. They gnaw woollen cloths of every kind, but especially such as have had hair- powder on them : what is very remarkable, they will not touch silk of any kind. They frequently throw oft' their exterior skin; and after every change of this kind, they appear fresh and young. The Anieri' cans know this species by the name of kakkerlac. It is sometimes brought over alive among clothes or merchandize from tlie West Indies into Europe. In the houses of manj^ parts of America they often com- mit great depredations bj^ gnawing and devouring both clothes and jjrovi- sions, and it is extremely difhcult to guard against their ravages. With respect to provisions, every thing that they run over, contracts from them so nauseous a smell, as to be scarcely eatable. According to Reaumur, these cock-roaches have a formidable enemy in a large species of sphex. He says, that when one of the latter en- counters a cock-roach, he seizes it by the head, pierces its body with his poisonous sting, and afterwards carries it oft' into his hole. Here the female has deposited her eggs ; and the bodies of the cock-roaches serve- the lai'va for food till they attain their winged state. In North Carolina, I also observed a curious species of the ant; very- diminutive, and in prodigious numbers. If undisturbed, they will com- pletely 312 LAND Ti'nn.i". pletely cover a piece of meat, bread, or suj^ar, and iu a short time carry it to their nests, to which they are constantly going and retnrning b\ different tracks. The are chietly to be found in houses, from which it is impossible to exchide them. It is said, that when tasted, which often hap- pens, from their being concealed in victuals, they are an agreeable acid : and 1 have seen people eat them rather than brush them away. These verv small insects are of different colors, red, and black? so far from associating witli each other, a severe battle is fought, whenever they meet ; and thus, one house will be pestered with the black, and another w ith the red ant. The swamps produce a variety of w hat may he denominated land tur- tle. The natives call them loggerheads, tarapins, snappers, and IVaws- bills. In the summer, the slaves catch them in abundance, and bring them to market. On this account they are but little valued by their masters; but I pronounced them the greatest luxury of the dog-days in this burning climate. When well cooked, they are a tolerable substi- tute for the sea turtle ; though I cannot say that there is in the former any great appearance of the green fat so highly prized by the epicure. Yet they make an excellent dish; and, in Itict, reflecting at this mo- ment, I think that I could scarce have found a substitute for fresh meat in the scarcity of summer, had it not been for loggerheads and tarapins. I have purchased them from ten to fifteen pounds weight, for an Eng- lish shilling a piece ; and the females would frequently yield a score or more eggs, several larger than the yolk of an hen's egg, and of nearly as flood a llavour. CHAP. 315 CHAP. XXIV MinANDAS EXPEDITION — H IS O PER ATIONS tN A.MERICA — iUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST MR. OG O EN, PROPRIETOR OF THE LEANDER — TYRANNICAL CONDUCT OF JUDGE TALLMAGE — SPIRITED DEFENCE OF MR. OGDEn's COUNSEL — SINGU- LAR NOTIONS OF LIBERTY DISPLAYED BY A REPUBLICAN JUDGE — FAlLiUE OF Miranda's enterpriz.e — particulars oi uis early life. i HE expedition fitted out at New York b}^ General Miranda during the last spring, has been a matter of much surprise in Europe, and was the cause of great animosity in America. Early in life, this officer en- tered the American army during the revolutionary war, as a voluii teer; and, after the peace, still continuing for some time to reside there, and to visit every part of the United States, he became well acquainted with the disposition of the inhabitaiits. ♦ The active part which he took in France, being second in commands to Dinnouriez, together with the cause of his leaving that service, are well known. I shall, therefore, for the present, confine mvself to his last daring enterprise, and then shew the restless and ambitious spirit which j)revails in this singular character. Having served in America and France upon the same principles, his revolutionary visions were turned upon his native country, Spanish America. It has appeared, since the death of that great statesman, tliat Mr. Pitt had employed him in the affair of Nootka Sound, and had listened with attention to his plans of operation against the province of Caraccas, where he was born. Hence, it may be supposed, that had Mr. Pitt survived, this adventurer would have received his assistance. Deprived of his patron, he boldly deter- 3 mined S\A MIRANDA EQUIPS A SMALL VESSl.L AT NKW YOrtK. mined alone to attempt the enterprizo, and for that purpose emharkcd for New VorU, where lie intended to lay the foundation of his future opera- tions. To this end, he engaged a small fleet, among which was a laroe ship called the Lejunler, mounting twenty-four guns, the |)roperty of INI r. Sa- muel < )gden, a merchant in New York, in which he carried his revolu- tionary ilag. 1 le tlien proceeded to Washington, the seat of the Ameri- can government; and though his object was knoNvn, he was received by, and had an audience of the president, who is charged with being privy to his schemes, and is said to have been cautioned to beware of him. He was also cordially received by Mr. Madison, the secretary of state; and he had long and frequent conferences with that minister, as well as the .president. On the day previous to his departure fi-om \\'ashington, Mr. Madison gave him a grand dinner; and it is asserted, that jirevious to the breaking up of the com|)any, they were closeted together for a consi- derable time. No orders were given to the collectors of the different sea-ports— no step was taken to prevent his carrying his plans into execu- tion ; nor was any communication made to the Spanish diplomacy. * On Miranda's return to New York, he found his little fleet nearly ready for sea. The Leander had lately returned from a contraband tri[) to St. Domingo, for which jjurpose she was armed, with several other shi|)s, against the cruizers of Trance, and thus were the revolted negroes supplied with provisions and warlike stores.* She was, consequently, ready • This trade was not only inimical to the views of the American government, but attended with immi- nent danger to the individuals that embarked in it. The dreadfid example of Mr. Tate, the mate of an American vessel called the Pilgrim, could not curb the rage of speculation. The story of this unfortu- nate man is deserving of notice. While the Pilgrim lay at one of the ports in St. Domingo, occupied by the negroes, two Frenchmen and some mulatloes, to preserve life, tied on board, and were placed by the crew among the cargo under the deck. 'I he commander of the vessel, Captain Ciibsoii, and Mr. Lyncii, the supercargo, were on shore; and it does not appear tliat the unfortunate victim to negro ferocity, was even privy to the con- cealment. C'liristophe, then commander of tlic black army, received information of this circumstance, and me- VOLUNTEERS JOIN MIRANDA. 3l5 readv for an enterprise of the nature planned b)' that officer. On his departure, all communication between the Spanish ambassador, the Marquis d'Yrujo, and the president, was suspended, by an order for his removal from the seat of government. The o-reat expencc attending the fitting out of this armament was defraved by Miranda. He appeared to have a plentiiul stock of cash* and this circumstance has added to the suspicions entertained in Ame rica respecting those who aided his proceedings. A number of American adventurers proffered their services to Miran- da; and he found no difficulty in acquiring his complement of men. Every militaiy equipment, stores of provisions, and even a printing press, w^ith compositors, were put on board the Leander. Several young men, of respectable families, were vohmteers in his service. It yet re- mains a secret from what source he derived the means of making these formidable preparations. The president was charged with having re- ceived information of his preceedings; and a request is said to have been and immediately detached a guard to scaicli tlie Pilgrim ; wlio tore up tlie deck over the heads of the unfortunate fugitives, and, together with Mr. Tate, they were forced on shore. On their landing, the wretched victims saw but too plainly the fate which awaited them. Tate, addressing himself to some of liis terrified countrymen who had been on shore, and were assembled on the alarm, in agony, exclaimed: " Americans I will you see me dragged- to execution like a dog, without proof of my guilt ?— will no one step forward to assert my innocence?" " 1 will," replied the noble-hearted Mr. Smith, of Baltimore, a supercargo of a vessel from that port. A centinel was instantly ordered to bayonet the humane man, who fortunately escaped, by springing into his boat. The unfortunate Tate, with the two Frenchmen, were led to a public place; halters were placed round their necks; not a single monvont was allowed tlieni to make their peace with heaven ; and they were instantly launched into eternity. On mounting" a platform a little raised from the ground, which served as a scaffold on this murderous occasion, Tate, in a most heart-rending fit of agony, called out, " Americans !— friends !— Americans ! 1 die this ignominious death for duly executing my orders I" . The Frenchmen had been pinioned ; but Tate's arms remained unconfined. In his efforts to preserve life, the sufferer laid hold of the cord by which he was suspended, and by repeated efforts removed U from his throat. Ashe grew weaker, it remained round his chin and the back part of liis neck. In this manner he long writhed in agony before life was extinguished, to the great satisfaction of liis murderers. o ^ made 316 ALARM IN NEW YORK ON THE SAILING OF MIRANDA. made him, upon Miranda's sailing, to send the Hornet sloop of war, then Ivine ready for sea, to bring him hack; and hence it is aHirmed, that the government connived at, if not furnished the means necessary lor the expedition. On the other hand it was allcdged, that there is not any law of the I'nited States, by which Miranda could liave been molested, or brought to account for his subsequent conduct in the Spanish colonies, even if it had been of a dishonourable nature. If the government had been acquainted with his designs, they could not interfere with any man's pur- suits that were not hostile to the country : they had no power to airest Miranda, or to prevent the equipment of vessels, the destination of which was decidedly for a port to which it was legal to sail. In answer to the charge of not communicating Miranda's designs to the Spanish ambas- sador, the friends of government observed, that his conduct had been so long of such a nature, as to forbid any respect due to the quality of an ambassador; that it had been insolent and contumacious in various in- stances ; and that it could not be presumed that such a man so conduct- ing himself, could be deemed worthy of confidence ; that it could not be expected by Spain, that the conduct her government encouraged on the frontiers of Louisiana, should be returned by any confidential act ; and that, iinally, her minister, the Marquis D'Yrujo, had been dismissed from the exercise of his diplomatic functions. The discovery of Miran- da's interviews with the president, and his being closeted with the secre- tary of state, if such took place, was insinuated to have been made by the spies of the Spanish ambassador. One of the democratic prints, the Aurora, of the 7th of July, 1806,. on this subject, contains the following observations :— " Spanish Incen- diary. In the Philadelphia Gazette of Saturday, there is an article, which, on the face of it, bears the impression of this little, maliciofls, political incendiary*— whom the indulgence and liberality of the people * AlUidiiig to the late Spanish ambassador, the Marciuis d'Yrujo. whose PROCEEDINGS AGAINST OGDEN, OWNEH OF THE LEANDER. 317 whose government he abuses — of whose hospitality he is unworthy — and who would have been served hke his countryman Saiicho in any other country than this, for one twentieth part of the unworthy conduct in which he indulged in the United States. No sooner had Miranda with his ifleet sailed, than the danger likely to result from the expedition being fitted out in a port of the United States, was discovered in New York. It became a question whether it was sanctioned by the government : one party charged them with an underhand dealing with Spain — and the other denied the accusation. The charge was founded upon the declaration of Colonel Smith, who asserted that he had sent a letter, written by Miranda, to the president, communicating the nature of his enterprize. The New York Gazette published the charge, and on being called upon to verify the truth, in the next paper, the editor says, " The substance of the information re- lative to the destination of the Leander, which was on Monday commu- nicated through the medium of this Gazette, is correct. We were only mistaken as to the channel through which the secret was divulged ; instead of inserting the name of Samuel G. Ogden, we ought to have said that the evidence implicating the government, came through Colonel Smith, and we are since informed that the evidence has been corrobo- rated by another gentleman of the first respectability." These circumstances so greatly agitated the public mind that, at length, a rigid investigation of the affair was commenced. The dis- trict judge, Tallmage, a son-in-law to Clinton, the present vice-presi- tlcnt of the United States, directed his attorney to prosecute Samuel Ogden, the owner of the Leander. They had been previous to taking this step, some days employed in examining into the law, and collecting j»)roofs whereon to ground a prosecution. Writs were finally issued, to ^dld him to bail ; and Mr. Ogden, alarmed at their proceedings, shut up his counting-house, and stopped payment. The following is a copy ot" his address to the public upon this occasion:— "2 s 'i ^ " It 318 OGDEN'S ADDRESS TO Tlir. PL ULIC " It is xxcU known to the public, that for some time past a prosecution has been depending' ayainst me, touching the expedition ot my shij) the Ijcander. •' I am sensible that it would be improper forme to discuss the merits of that caseinaTi cxtm-judieial manner; or to make sufjj^estions, which, bv any construction, might be deemed to interftirc with the course of justice. It is far fiom \uy intention to adopt any such measure. On llje contrarv, 1 am, and always have been, ready to subuut to the law^ of my country; in conlidence that they will be administered u[)on pure anil proper principles: and if my conduct shall be found to have been letjallv criminal, I know that I am bound to abide the lej^al conse- quences. But yet, whatever may be the event of the dependiuj? prose- cution, it is a dutv which I owe to my friends and myself^ and which I can never lose sight oi', to vindicate my motives. And if it shall appear that I have acted in good faith, that nothing has been done but « ith the knowledge and implied approbation of the present administration: I trust that my vindication will be complete— though political motives may have induced a change in the ideas of our rulers. " Be that as it may, as tlie ultimate result of the present prosecution cannot be foreseen, and tlie consequences of it may be productive of serious injury to my mercantile concerns, I have determined, for the present to suspend all my payments, and wait the issue with as much tranquillity as possible. " I am governed in this decision, also, by other causes of the utmost importance, which in my mind render this measure for the present in- dispensible. Any assistance that I might have required as to pecuniary matters, I have been offered in the fullest extent by my friends, but I have thought it my duty, under existing circumstances, to decline tKeir offers. * " The THE OWNER ARRLSrED. '319 " The inconveniences which this measure may cause to those who hold my paper, will, I coutidently hope, he hut of short duration; and with a view of more fully explaining to them my particular motives, and of making- them acquainted with the state of my afi'airs, 1 request they will meet me at my house, No. HO, Greenwich-street, on Wednesday eveninu', the lOlh inst. at seven o'clock, when the necessary exj)lana- tion shall be given. " SAMUEL G. OGDEN. New York, April!, 1800. The form of the writ which held him to bail was novel. It stated that, " whereas there was strong reason to suspect that Samuel G. Og- den had been concerned in preparing and providing the means offitting out a certain ship called the Leander, uj)on an enterprise hostile to some foreign nation (nanje unknown) at peace with the United States, the marshal was therefore ordered to take the said Samuel G. Ogden, and him forthwith bring," &c. Mr. Ogden was taken into custody at nine o'clock in the morning^ and he was not permitted by the marshal to speak with any person whatsoever; but was told that the orders of the judge were to bring him before him instantly, without sufliering him to communicate with his friends. He was accordingly brought before Judge Tallmage, whom he found attended by the district attorney, and the clerk of the court. Mr. Ogden addressed the judge, and said that he was desirous of having a friend present, or sending for counsel: when he was ans^vered that he must send for nobody. * The district attorney then told Mr. Ogden, that he was brought before the judge in a two-fold quality — as a party charged with a crime — and as a witness — and that he must undergo an examination in both capacities. A long string of questions, ready prepared, were now propounded; some of which lie • This savors soniethiug of a star-cliatibcr proceeding in a republican government. answered. 320 EXAMINATIONS OF MR. OGDEN AND COLONEL SMITH. answered, and refused to reply to others, allcdj^ing that he could not be compelled to criminate himself. The answers which he gave as far as concerned himself, were reduced to writing. He was then informed that he must be sworn as a witness against others, and in that capacity he must answer all questions put to him on pain of imprisonment. The path was accordingly administered, and (juestions were put to him re- lative to the cargo and destination of the Leander. These he refused to answer, alledging that he was owner of the ship, and they might tend to criminate himself, and on this he was threatened with commit- ment. An order, on his persisting in a refusal, was actually made out; when, as the prisoner alledged, rather than suffer the inconvenience and disgrace of imprisonment, he answered all the questions that were put to him. His examination was then read to him, and he was ordered to swear and sign it. This he positively refused, until he was again threatened with imprisonment. He was then ordered to find bail for his future ai)pearance. Another warrant was issued against Colonel Smith, who being also afterwards brought fbl•^^ard in a similar manner, deposed, that he was apprehended about nine in the morning, and detained in a room, with- out being permitted to see or communicate with any person, till six o'clock in the evening, when he was carried before tlie judge, and told that he must be sworn to answer all such (piestions as should be put to him; and on refusal he should be imprisoned. The colonel answered by declaring his ignorance of the law, but observed, that in case the judge was empowered to inforce his exaniination, he would tell what he knew at once; to which this second Judge Jefi'eries answered, that he had such power, nay more, in case of a refusal, to punish him by im- prisonment. Colonel Smith's examination was not gone through until midnight, and at that unseasonable hour he was comj)elIed, in order to obtain his liberty, to send tor friends to become suHCtics for his future a|>- pearance. I liav« SPIRITED DEFENCE OF COUNSEL. 321 1 have little doubt that every reader must have become interested in the issue of the proceedings of" this inquisitorial court : and more espe- cially as they display the manly opposition of Mr. Ogden's counsel, in supporting the law against the oj)pression of power : I shall therefore continue a brief narrative of this singular business. Mr. Ogden being liberated on giving bail, immediately resorted to the advice of counsel. The gentlemen of the law, upon the affidavits of the facts of Messrs. Ogden and Smith, moved the court, that the de- positions extorted from those gentlemen be filed with the proper officer. They told the judge that they had been taken in a manner tyrannical, unjust, and unprecedented — extorted by threats which a judge had no right to make, and which he should not have dared to put in execution — that the parties had been refused the benefit of counsel, which every man, in such a case, could claim as a matter of right. Attended by counsel they should not have answered a single question so propounded — and in case the judge had been hardy enough to have committed them to pri- son, he would have been liable not only to an action for false imprison- ment, but to an impeachment. " The manner," continued the coun- sel, " in which this business has been conducted is so glaring, so palpably wrong, that it is in vain to seek for the cause of it in ignorance. In no instance has it been known, that in order to extort confession from a man under examination, and to criminate himself, was he made to change forms as the prosecutor might direct — now a party — now a witness." The counsel concluded by telling the judge that it was altogether a mockery of justice, dishonorable to those concerned in it — disgraceful to the country. * The answer of the district-attorney was in unison with the conduct of the judge. He said, that the examinations spoken of were not in court • Had the learned judge acted uprightly, would he not hare committed the counsel > Norfolk and Portsmouth Herald, April J», 1806. 2 —that ."522 ARGUMENTS OF COl NSE*. — that he had a ric,fht to lay such evidence before the grand jury as he thoiisfht proper, without heino; controlled hy the (counsel for the defen- dant — that the a|)plication was novel, and tiiis reason alone was suffi- cient for the refusal of the court, and that tlie manner of making it was both an insult to him, and to the judge who then sat upon the bench. The connscl for the deftMidants replied, that the examinations ought to liave been in court, and that it was the duty of the magistrate before whom thev were taken to have duly returned them; a neglect for which he would hereafter become answerable. The application was refused. The circuit-court of the United States was soon afterwards opened. Judge Patterson, of the supreme courts, then on the circuit, was taken sick, and it was therefore opened by Tallmage, the district judge for the state of New York, alone, who had already taken so decided and active a part against Mr. Ogden. '" The grand jury having been sworn, the counsel for ^Ir. Ogden im- mediately rose, and stated, that in behalf of his bail he had to move the court to surrender him in discharge of their recognizance. This the district-attorney consented to, and the surrender and discharge of the bail l)ei ng entered, he moved the court for the commitment of Mr. Og- den to the custody of the marshal. This was opposed, on the ground that tlie motion could not be granted unless some reason was then shewn to support it — that the defendant being now in a very different court from that in Avhich his recognizance was taken, this court could act alone upon information now before it, without regard to what had ha|)|)ened elsewhere — and that it was inconsistent with the princi|)les of liberty that any citi- zen should be imprisoned without knowing the specific charge made against him. 6 Tn REPUBLICAN NOTIONS OF LIBERTV. 523 In answer, the district-attorney said, that as the original recognizance had been taken before the same judge who was then on the bench, and was therefore perfectly acquainted with all the facts, it would be absurd for him to call for new information to govern his discretion. The judge ordered the commitment of INIr. Ogden. His counsel then applied for a habeas corpus, which his honor* allowed; and the marshal immedi- ately made a return thereto, stating the commitment and other particu- lars. IN'Ir. Ogden's counsel then moved for his discharge, on the ground that it did not appear on the face of the return that he was confined upon a charge of having committed any crime; and that his commit- ment could be considered in no other light than as a general commitment, which was odious to the law of the land, and dangerous to the libertj'^ of the citizen — that the court had no power to remand him to prison unless it appeared that he was charged with a crime upon oath. This republican judge determined to this effect — " I know well what the prisoner is confined for, and that is cause enough for me to remand him. Liberty, to be sure, is sweet; but, as the court will sit but a few days, an imprisonment for that time will be no great hardship ! ! !" It was then moved to admit Mr, Ogden to bail, to which the judge replied, " Yes, if he can find security for his appearance in twenty thou- sand dollars." His counsel then objected to it as excessive ; but there was no alternative, and bail was actually given to that amount !-f- Tt was during this state of the proceedings that I quitted the country. Private letters inform me that another judge admitted Mr, Ogden to bail on a smaller recognizance; and on his trial before a jury, and a judge * Judges throughout the United States are addressed — r/our honors. t During my long residence iji the United States, and my knowledge of some of the courts, I have not heard of a similar instance oi such excessive bail — in fine, of such ijroceedings. iJ T somewhat .^:^i PAlcTlCL I..\R> OF THE l.lir. Ol' MIKANDA. somewhat ili fieri iij>- from I'allina^e, he was acqiiittt'd. On tlii> inemct. rable occasion, my letters larther observed, that Counsellor Kimnett,* iate of Dublin, was retained by Mr. O^^di-n, and acquired ^reat credit ior the animated speech he made in his behalf. To return to Miramla. 1 ha\e statcil that he was at sea during the persecutions against the owner of the ship in which he lloated. During the equipment of his lleet, the Mart|uis D'Yrnjo placed spies over his proceedings, li'om w hose ref)orts the ambassador was convinced that the armament of Miranda was destined against Caraccas. He secretly dispatched a swiit-sailing pilot-built vessel to LaGuira, a princi- pal port there, with information of the hostile armament, and thus the resistance and defeat he experienced are sulHcieutly accounted for. It ap|)iars that Miranda arrived off Ocumare, on the coast of the ])rovince of Caraccas, and fourteen leagues west of La Guira, wiiere he made an unsuccessful landing. The Spanish government being appris- ed of his motions, attacked him with two vessels of war. The Leander sought her safiity in flight, leaving two smaller vessels, manned by Ame- ricans, a prey to the Spaniards, Avho, it has been reported, put thecrevrs to death. It has also been said that the British Admiral Cochrane as- sisted this adventurer with a small British vessel of war, but still hiis force was entirely inadequate to carry his plans into execution. The last accounts from America state, that Miranda arrived at Barba- does in the British sloop of war Melville, on the 9th of November last; and that he w ill remain there till he hears the result of some diii^atches w hich he has forwarded to England. It is conjectured that the govern- ment of Great Britain have some intention to take this adventurous of- ficer into their employ. ♦ This gentleman is brother to the Mr. Emmett who was executed in Dnblin for treason. He was als* implicated, and pardoned on cendition of leaving the kingdom. I I have PARTICULARS OF THE Ul'l. OF M1KAM)A. 325 \ havealvead5' observed that IMiranda was born in Caraccas, a pro- vince of South America belonging to Spain. lie cannot, therefore, be considered in any otlier hght than as a S])anish sul)ject, and conse. quentlv a traitor to his native conntiy. He is of an ancient and noble familv, his grandfather having held the important olhce of captain-ge- neral of the Caraccas. Before he had arrived at the years of manhood^ he tbnned the resolution of exploring the vast continent of America, and to this end he set out on foot and unattended. He was disguised in mean apparel, a circumstance vthich ensured his safety among the ditlbrent hordes of savages through whose coiuitry he passed unmolested. The savage will very seldom put the passing stranger to death, being stimu- lated to that barbarous deed either by war or the hope of jilunder. No suspicions were entertained that Miranda was either rich or a warrior, and he received many proofs of kindness from the Indians. It ^A•as on these his first travels that he joined the American army. His courage and his adventurous spirit gained him the esteem of some Frencli olfi' cers, who were engaged in the same cause under Rochambeau. He ac- companied, or soon followed them, to France, and was introduced at the Court of Versailles. He made the tour of P'rance, then visited England, and afterwards Italy. Old Spain was the last country which he traversed in Europe. It has been asserted that he went to St. Peters- burgh, and was introduced to the late Empress Catharine, with whom he soon became a favorite, and actually found means to ol)tain ti-om her money to the value of four thousand pounds sterling. During these different journies, Miranda carefully gained every possible political in- formation res|)ecting South America. From this circumstance, it is evi- dent that he long had it in contemplation to make his own country the goal of his ambition. It appears that he returned to his native land with a view of compar- ing the intelligence obtained in Europe with the nature of things on the spot. He noted the towns, fortifications, military strength of the coun- try, and the disposition of the inhabitants. Possessed of this informa- 2 T 2 tion, 326 I'ARTICLl.ARS Ol THE I.II E OI' MIRANDA. tion, lie obtained an interview with Mr. Pitt, who, I have ah-eady said, employed liim in the dispute between tliis eountry and Spain respecting Nootka Sound. We next find Mn-anda hii,di in eommand in the l^-eneh army early in the revolution. He was seeond in eommand to Dumoiniez at the battle of Jemappe. The event of that business, with the circumstance of the commander making prisoners of the de|)u- ties sent by the convention to apprehend him, have often been related. Miranda was, however, secured, and sent to Paris, where he stood liis trial, (a dangerous ordeal in those times) and as that arch-fiend Thomas Payne, in a recent publication in America, would lead the world to be- lieve, was acquitted chiefly through his evidence. This renegado says, " He summoned me to appear to his character, and also a Mr. Thomas Christie, coimected with the house of TurnbuU and Forbes of London. I gave my testimony as I believed, which was, that his leading object was and had been the emancipation of his country, Mexico, from the bondage of Spain, for I did not then know of his engagements with Pitt. Mr. Christie's evidence went to shew, that Miranda did not come to France as a necessitous adventurer, but believed that he came from public-spi- rited motives, and that he had a large sum of money in the hands of TurnbuU and Forbes. The house of TurnbuU and Forbes was then in a contract to supply Paris with flour." Since that period, Miranda has not been an object of public notice, till this recent enterprize drew upon him the attention both of the Old and New World. CHAP. 327 CHAP. XXV. SOHFOLK, IN VIRGINIA— THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP — LAKE PR UM MO N D — D EER- HDNTING IN TIIESWAMP — EXTE AOBDl N ARY DILEMMA — Lll TLE DISM AL SW A M P THE PANTHER — DREADl'UL CONFLICT BETWEEN PLANTERS AND BEARS — CANALS — CULTIVATION OF TOBACCO — FRAl'DS OF AMIJRICANS IN THAT COM- MODITY — NATURAL BRIDGES IN VIRGINIA. The passage from Alexandria to Norfolk is generally made by sea,, on account of the distance by land ; and it was in a regular jDacket that I proceeded to the latter place. The situation of Norfolk, in a com- mercial point of view, is one of the best in the United States; for health, one of the worst. Though it has been rebuilt since the year 1776,. when Lord Dunmore ordered it to be burned, yet the houses are in general mean, wooden buildings, and the streets unpaved ; in summer covering you with dust — in winter, nearly impassable from mud and filth. In the winter of 1800, returning to Mrs. Paterson's boarding- house, after dark, it was necessary to cross the main street. I was di- rected where to ford the mud ; but after deliberately taking my obser- vations, I lost my bearings, and nearly opposite to the spot where the Borough Tavern then stood, I found myself almost knee deep. I plunged and labored some time to extricate myself, which I could not eifect without the loss of one of my " shoe boots." Here, the gentlemen find it necessary to wear ihkk shoes over their boots ; and even thus for- tified, it is often a matter of difficulty to wade through the mud. Next morning I employed a black man to seek my shoe, for I had worn it only twice, and went to shew him the spot where I had sustained my loss ; but after much raking and dragging, we were obliged to give up the ,S28 NDiiroi.k— Tfir: dismai, swamt. thesrarcli. Tlic streets, except iSIaiii aiul (liiiicU Streets, arc narrow, iukI cvt-n these are irregular. Those near the water were so lilthv, tliat even in w intor the steiicli was often offensive in passing. In the hot months otthe years 1001 ami 1802, contagion matle dreadful havoc in this (jiiarter of the town ; hut the next year a (ire destroyed nearly every house where disease had heen engendered, and thus also purifying the air, the town has heeome less dangerous to the constitution. New- streets, built of hrick, have been erected upon the site of those which were burned, and more attention is paid to cleanliness. The town is in a low situation, adjoining to swamps and marshes. It contains about six hundred and fifty houses; and, with these disad- vantages, a great deal of business is done, both with the \A^est India Islands, and in the exportation of tobacco and flour. Here are two episco|)alian churches, one of which has heen lately built, and is at- tended bv the most respectable of the inhabitants. A handsome church was about the same time erected by the presbyterians, where 1 was pre- sent when it was crowded, to hear a sermon preached by Doctor Smith, provost of Trenton College. This worthy divine travelled through Pennsylvania, IMaryland, and Virginia, raising contributions to replace the library of the college, which had been consumed by fire. I never heard more exalted pul|)it eloquence, more true piety, or more sound doctrine. There is also a church for the methodists, and a Roman Catholic chapel. Two banks have of late years been established in Norfolk; the first, a branch from that of the United States, and the other fioin the bank of Virginia. 'o' In the vicinity of this town is the Dismal Swamp, a natural curiosity, of an extent unequalled in any part of the world. It reaches from Albemarle Sound, in North Carolina, to the neighborhood of Ports- mouth, which is on the opposite side of the harbour to Norfolk, and contains about two hundred and fifty square miles, or one hundred and fifty thousand acres. It is a vast [)lain, slightly inclined, the greatest elevation THE LAFCi: OF TTIE DISMAL SAVAMP. 3:29 elevation being about thirty feet. About the middle is liuke Drum- mond, which is formed from the drainings of this vast tiact of useless land. For centuries unflisturbcd bj' man, the lake is crowded with fish of great size and variety. Surrounded by lofty trees, it is unruffled bv the wind, and so transparent, that its numberless inhabitants are seen in shoals by those who have resolution and perseverance sufficient to visit them. Mr. IMoore, the elegant translator of A nacreon, and author of Little's Poems, who recently visited America, has, in a volume of bis compositions, published since his return, given a beautiful little ballad on the subject of a story which he says is current in this neigh- borhood, though I must confess that it never came within the circle of my observation. It is entitled " the lake of the dlsmal swamp." " In the neighborhood of this dreary track," says Mr. Moore, " \^ hich lies about twelve miles distant from Norfolk, in America, the inhabit- ants have the following story, which forms the subject of this ballad : — A young man losing his senses upon the death of a lady, to whom he paid his addresses, imagined that she still lived upon the above lake ; thither he repaired, and probably perished in some of its dreadful mor- rasses, as he was never heard of afterwards by his family." ballad.. " THEY made her a grave too cold and damp " For a soul so warm and triu ; " And she's gone to the Lake'of tlie Dismal Swanip,. " Where all niglit long, by a fire-fly * lamp, " She paddles her white canoe. " And her fire-fly lamp I soon sliall see, " And her paddle 1 soon shall hear ; " Long and loving onr life shall be, " And I'll hide the maid in a cypress tree, " When the footstep of death is near !" * The fire-fly is an insect common in this part of the country. Li its flight, at short intervals, it shed* a beam of apparent fire, or lightning — brighter than the glow-worm. It is so perfectly harmless, that children amuse themselves in following and catching it. Away 330 THE LAKE OF THE DISMAL SWAMP. A«av to tlic Dismal Swamp he speiids— His palli was rugged and sore ; Through tangled juniper-beds of reeds. Through many a fen wliere the serpent feeds. And man ne'er trod before! And when on the earth he sunk to sleep. If sleep his eyelids knew. He lay where the deadly vines do weep Their venomous tears — and nightly steep The flesh with blistering dew ! And near him the she-wolf stirr'd the brake. And the rattle-snake breath'd in his ear, Till he starting cried — from his dream awake — " Oh I when shall 1 see the dusky lake, " And the white canoe of my dear >" He saw the lake, and a meteor bright Quick o'er the surface play'd — "Welcome," (he said) " my dear one's light I And the dim shore echoed for many a night The name of the death-cold maid ! Till he forni'd a boat of the birchen bark, Whicli carried him olT from the shore ; Far he follow'd the meteor spark, Tlie winds were high, and the clouds were dark. And the boat return'd no more I But oft from Ihc Indian luinter's camp. This lover and maid so true. Are seen by the hour of midnight damp. To cross the lake by a fire-fly lamp, And paddle their white canoe. Near Lake Drummoiul the land is firmer than in any other part of the swamp, and has aHTordicl shelter for fugitive negroes; hut, that zcilj men lime been found in it, xclio uere lo^f, as it is supposed, when children, as related by Mr.M'cld, is a merejoke-— nordo eattle go much farther than the skirts of the wood in quest of food. This is the eftect of a natural instinct, as we find that the dread of snakes prevents cattle from pene- 2 trating; i)EER-HUNTlNG IX THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMF'. 3M trating; for, in such case, they would inevitably become a prey to tlie wild beasts, with which the desart abounds. I was induced to accompany Mr. Wm. Carter, of Edenton, in pur- suit of the deer, into this swamp, a temerity which I had reason to repent before I regained the cleared groiuid. This gentleman was a great sportsman, and derived infinite satisfaction from toiling the whole day in pursuit of game. He had with him a couple of dogs, which started and ran the deer till they came within shot. The sportsmen ar»^ placed at certain breaks in the underwood, through one of which the deer will pass at full speed. They sometimes bound jjast so suddenly, that a young sportsman is either startled, or cannot seize the moment to fire with effect. I was not put to the test, for \<% had started no game when the morning lowered, and presently the wind and rain rendered farther pursuit impracticable. We had, however, penetrated far enough to alarm me greatly, and to puzzle m\^ guide as to the direction to be taken for the pur|)Ose of reaching the open country. My fears were greatly heightened by the knowledge of the following circumstance : — my com- panion loved his joke, but, like many ol her jesters, oli:en carried it too far, havingdesignetlly led some oFliis acquaintance into the swamp; and, under pretence of following game in another direction, left them in the laby- rinth, where they were actually obliged to pass just such a night as that now approaching thi'eatened to be. His doubts were so evident, that with some agitation T mentioned the trick lie had once played his friends, and threatened him with vengeance if he dared to repeat it upon me. He assured me I was perfectly safe, but for some time appeared at a loss in which direction to proceed ; and such was the effect produced on my mind, that I fancied every five minutes we had come to the spot we had just left, and even challenged trees by certain marks my eye had caught, charging Mr. Carter with having lost the way. I observed him walk round several large trees, surveying them with great attention. He would then climb one of them, and as the seaman from the main- top looks out for land, so he appeared to be looking for some known mark to guide his course. My fears were increasing, and the tales I 2 u had 332 ADVENTNRE OF THE AL'THOR. had heard of men perishing in the swainj), and of others being man^' davs in extricating themselves, in v hich time they were nearly famish- ed, drove me almost to a state of desperation. All this time my com- panion in silence was a|)parently employed in fixing upon our course; at length he called out that he had discovered it. He then |)ointed to a large tree, the hark of uhich, in the direction in which we stood, was incrustod with green moss. " This," said he, " is the north side of the tree ; I now know our course ; I was in doubt only till I ascertained this point, and the trees we have lately passed did not fully con- vince me."* On going round the tree, I found the other sides free from the mossy appearance. He observed, that but few ol them clearly shewed it in the swanij), but I have since observed the etiect on all trees less expos^ to the air, as well as uj)on old houses and walls. He said that he was rarely obliged to recur to this guide, as he never ventured into the swamp but when the day promised to be fair, as he could work liis way by the sun. Few men will venture, like Mr. Carter, but experience had made him regardless of the conse([uences of being lost in this desart. I found in many parts of it good walking ground, the lofty trees being at some distance from each other, and the underwood by no means so thick as to impede our road ; but after thus proceeding a few miles, the pursuit of game is impracticable. Sometimes we had to cross where it was knee deep, but my companion had in this case generally marked a place where we could pass over on a fallen tree. I iiad mounted one of these, of a monstrous size, and was proceeding heedlessly along, when I suddenly found myself sink up to the middle in dust; the tree • I have siuce been informed that the Indians, by this observation, work their way through immense forests, when the sun is obscured by thick clouds. Mr. JellVrson, in his Notes on Virginia, mentions 4 circumstance of some Indians, on a mission, suddenly quitting the public roads, and striking through the woods, in ordir to visit some olil Indian graves, at a considerable distance. A century, he observes, must have passed since that part of Virginia, where the graves were made, had been inhabited by In- dians ; and therefore these travellers must have found theirway from a description of its situation hauded down by tradition, and by their observations of the sun, and the mossy side of tlie trees. 2 having DREADFUL FIRES IN THE SWAMP. 333 having become rotten, though it retained its shape. This was a good joke for my friend, but a sad disaster for me ; for I had great difficulty in getting out of the hole into which I had fallen ; the tree, like ice, being more rotten in some parts than others, I was compelled to break my way till I came to a part sound enough to bear me, and having fallen between two knots, T could not conveniently get out of the trunk into the swampy ground beneath, had I been so inclined. With fear- ful steps I advanced to the end, but was very wary how, in future, I trusted to a bridge formed by a fallen tree. During the last summer, a tremendous fire raged for several days in the Dismal Swamp, consuming all the timber, and destroying large quantities of staves and shingles, collecetd for sale, for many miles. The navigation of the new canal was stopped by monstrous half-burnt branches of trees falling against it, to the ruin of many families. In clearing land, the planter often sets fire to the woods ; sometimes the conflagration passes the intended limits, and is productive of much da- mage ; threatening, from the extent and thickness of the woods, de- struction to the adjacent country. In North Carolina there are a number of swamps of this description, but very inferior in extent. I crossed one in Allegator county, called the Little Dismal. It was about five miles across, which saved fifteen in going the high road ; but this difference of distance was not so much my object, as a desire to penetrate into the interior of this desart. I was on horseback, and had for my guide a negro man on foot, belonging to a planter of my acquaintance, who went before me, guided by notches cut in the trtes. My horse had frequently gone the road, and appeared conscious of the difficulty, recognising the marshy places; and trusting to his judgment, he avoided many broken pieces of ground with a sa- gacity inherent in that well-trained animal. I carried my gun in my hand, loaded with slugs, and more ammunition slung across my shoul- ders. About midway, and about t\vo hundred yards before me, I saw a large quadruped nimbly climb a tree. The negro, looking in a con- 2 U 2 trarv 33A IMMINENT DANGER OF THE AUTHOR FROM A PANTHER. trary direction, did not perceive the motion, and, eacjer to fire, I did not inl'orm him. \\e went a foot's pace, and when within |2^un-shot, I discovered tlie heast throngh the fi^liage of the wood, and immediately firtd. The shot took effect, and my astonishment was great to see a luuii-ster, of the species of the tiger, suspended by his fore feet fi'om the branch of a tree, growhng in tones of dreadful discord. The negro was gn-atly terrified ; and my horse, unused to the report of a gun iired fi'om his back, phnigcd, and was entangled in mire. Losing the reins, I was precipitated into the morass, while the negro vociferated " Massa, ISIassa, we are lost !" Reco\ ering, I beheld tlie tijrocious brute on the ground, feeblv advancing towards us. By an involuntary act I pre- sented my empty gun, at sight of which, conscious, no doubt, that the Siime motion had inilicted tlie smart he felt, the creature made a stand, gave a hideous roar, and turned into the thickest part of the swamp, while, in haste and great agitation, I reloaded my piece. The poor slave, whose life to him was as dear as mine could be to me, held up his hands, and thanked the God he worshi|)ped ior his deliverance. I was unconscious of the danger I had courted till he told me that the beast 1 encountered was a panther, larger than any he had ever seen despoil- ing his master's flocks and herds, and that when pursued by man, those animals rally with great ferocity. Had I been apprised of this, I should have sought my safety in fhght, rather than have begun an attack ; but I conjectured the creature to be of no larger dimensions than a wild cat, when I fired. This leads me to a story related by my friend Carter. — A planter, who frequented the Edenton market, resided on the other side of the Great Dismal Swamp, where it is only eight or ten miles broad. He had spent an evening freely, that is, in these parts, not without copious draughts »jf grog or toddy; and, in.spired by these with fool-hardy teme- rity, he determined to cross the Great Dismal, instead of going the usual, but longest road. Few were bold enough to proceed, even in the day time, by the route he had rashly adopted; but this man was of un- common strength, and of a daring mind. Resisting the entreaties of his friends,. BATfLE BETWEEN A MAN AND A BEAR. 335 friends, he sallied forth about midnight from Edenton, on foot, and with a trusty stick in his liand. About the middle of the forest, the moon shining bright, he perceived the cub of a bear before him, at which he threw his stick, with an effect which caused tlie young inhabitant of the M oods to roar ; and this brought the enraged, yet tender mother, to its relief The man had recovered his stick, and was proceeding to secure the cub, (dehcious eating as a young pig) when Mrs. Bruin advanced. A battle immediately commenced between the savage matron and the incautious man. The latter had, however, recovered from the stupidity occasioned by drinking ardent spirits, yet, though he abandoned the pos- session of the cub, he could neither pacify the mother nor avoid her em- braces. The man survived the bloody conflict, and the account he gavi; of the battle is yet current in tlie district of Chowan. He related, that, having delivered up the cub, he wished to evade a contest with the dam, but she pressed so closely upon him that he was obliged to prepare for battle. For some time he defended himself with his stick, in which interval the bear merely tore his jacket. She fought upon her liind legs, and thus the combatants were nearly of the same height. \A liile the stick served him, he evaded the bite, as well as the hug of the bear; bat- on making a desperate blow, the weapon was shivered, and tlien they came to closer quarters. He now substituted his fists, and with, lusty si- news dealt his blows upon the hard head and tough hide of the bear. — They closed, and, in the struggle which ensued, the man suffered most dreadfully from the hug of his enraged opponent.. Some philosophers assert, that the animals of the for€st are superior to man in his primeval state, in cases of defence and hunger, the natu- ral instinct of every animal. I am not inclined to discuss this proposi- tion, conceiving the case in point decisive. The man in question Avas illiterate, and in faculty, perhaps, inferior to the wily matron of the fo- rest on her own ground ; and yet, in the height of contest, when ac. quired endowments are for the moment lost, the biped conquered the quadruped of twice his size and strength, and with nature's weapons 3; alone. 335 BATTLE BE'nVEEN \ MAN AND A BEAR. alopc. Tlie first onset, vitli the stick, I consider merely defensive — it was soon rendered useless without in the least de<)^ree disabling the ene" my. It appeared, from corroborating circumstances, and the "plough- ed ground," as it was termed by those who viewed the scene of action, that tliey had wrestled with various success— sometimes the bear, some- times the man, being undermost. 'J'he latter, almost exhausted, dread- fully bitten, torn, and squeezed, by the light of the moon observed a I'allen tree, just such another as I met my disaster in, but in a sounder state ; over this tree, with a desperate ettort, he threw his antagonist, and falling on her, stifled the brute so that she opened her jaws tor breath, into which the animal-man thrust his hand, and choaUed the monster. Faint with loss of blood and uncommon exertion, lie reached his home towards morning, when the neighbours assembled, and proceeded by the sick man's directions to the scene of the contest, where tliey found the old bear, attended by two of her cubs, mourning her tate. Tliey secur- ed the young ones, and dragged home the immense carcase of the mo- ther. 'I'he diH'erent weights of the combatants were ascertained by the astonished countrymen. The bear weighed, on being brought to the conqueror's house, 305, and the mail, wlien recovered, 191 pounds. Another combat of this nature was thus related by Mr. Lawson of Philadelphia: — " A farmer, named Wayborne, in Ovid township, went otit one afternoon through the woods in search of his horses, taking with him his rifle, with the only load of ammunition he had in the house. On his return home, about an hour before dusk, he perceived a very large bear crossing the path, on which he instantly fired, and the beast fell ; but immediately recovering his legs, made tor a deep ravine a short way a-head. Here he tracked him awhile by tiie blood; but night couiiug on, and expecting to hud him dead in the morning, he returned home. A little after day-break the next morning, tukuig a pitchfork and hatchet, and his son, a boy ten or eleven years of age, with him, he proceeded to the place in quest of theaninud. The glen, or ravme, in which the bear had disappeared the evening before, is eighty or ninety feet fi'om ANOTHER DREADFUL CONFLICT BETWEEN A MAN AND A BEAR. 337 from tlie top of the banks to the bottom of the brook below : down this precipice a stream three or four yards in breadth is precipitated in one unbroken sheet, and, forming a circular bason or pool, winds away among thick underwood below. After reconnoitering every probable place of retreat, he at length discovered the bear, who had made his way up the other side of the ravine, as far as the rocks would admit him, and sat under a projecting cliff, steadfastly eyeing the motions of his enemv. Wayborne, desiring his boy to remain where he was, took the pitchfork, and, descending to the bottom, determined to attack him from below. The bear kept his position until he got within six or seven feet, when, on the instant of making a stab with the pitchfork, he found him- self grappled by Bruin, and both together rolled down towards the pond, at least twenty or twenty-five feet, the bear munching his left arm and breast, and hugging him almost to suffocation. By great exertion, he forced his right arm partly down his throat, and in that manner endea- voured to strangle him, but wa^ once more hurled headlong down through the bushes, a greater distance than before, into the water. Here, finding the bear gainingon him, Wayborne made one desperate effort, and forced his head partU'^ under water ; and repeating his exertions, at length weak- ened the animal so much, that, calling to his boy, who stood on the other side, in a state little short of distraction for the fate of his father, he sunk the edge of the hatchet, by repeated blows, into his brain. Wayborne, though a robust muscular man, was with great difficulty able to crawl home, where he lay upwards of three weeks with his wounds, his arm being mashed from the shoulder to the elbow into the bone, and his breast severely mangled, The bear weighed up^^ards of 4^0 pounds." These swamps contain vast quantities of timber, but it can never be brought from the interior. On the margins, abuiidance of shingles are made from the juniper and cypress tree; and staves of every description of the oak. The shingles are for the West-India market, and for home- consumption ; J3^ CANALS THROUGH TIIF SWAMPS. consumption; the houses in America, \\itli a fnw exception^ in lar^c towns, where slate is used, beinq; covered witii them. A canal, which has been several veal's in finishing, was lately opened at Norfolk. It is cut throngh the Great Dismal Swamp, thus connect- ing the waters of Pamlico and Albemarle sounds with the harbour, and removing former imj)edimcnts to the trade between North ('arolina and Virginia. The color of the water is a deej> red, occasioned by the roots of the trees through which it passes; but it is perfectly clear, the taste by no means disagreeable, and very wholesome. Labouring people who reside near swamps, drink it in preference to spring water, attributing to its virtue the prevention of agues and bilious fevere. It is of a diuretic fjuality, and those wlio drink it are generally healthy, while others, at a distance from the swamjjs, in the fall of the year, are suffering under those complaints. This canal was cut by an incorporated company, who are the owners of about one half of the sw amp, and are called " The Dis- mal Swamp company." The shares in this concern were at one time, when the plan was by some conceived to be impracticable, of very little worth, but they are now become valuable property. A canal is also cut from Scuppernong r'wer, which branches from Albemarle Sound, to the Little Dismal Swamp in North Carolina, by Messrs. Collins, Dickenson, and Allen, by which they drained a large tract of land, so as to render it fit for cultivation ; while the lumber alone was supposed of sufficient value to defray tbe expence. This will prove a fine estate to the successors of these enterprizing men, who could not ( xpect to reap much benefit fiom it themselves on account of their ad- \anced time of life when the work commenced. Messrs. Dickinson and Allen are dead, and the surviving partner is now full of years, very rich, independent of the swamp-concern, yet w^ithal very worldly, tlie vice of old age. Tlic CULTIVATION OF TOBACCO. 359 The tobacco for the British market is chiefly raised in Virginia. Its cultivation, but for the enemies which attack the young plants, would be attended with little more trouble than raising cabbages. In spring, the seed, which is very small and black, is sown upon a rich j)iece of ground, on which they strew ashes, in order to kill the insects which de* vour the young plants, but with little effect. It was a matter of sur- prise to me to find from many planters, that they knew of no remedy against the devastation produced by the " tobacco-fly" which is of the beetle species, black, and large enough to be seen committing its depre- dations as you jjass the plant. As soon as the tender leaves shoot forth above the ground, they are immediately attacked by the fly, and though negroes are constantly attending to pick them off, yet they seldom save more than one in a score, and sometimes they are wholly cut off. When the surviving plants have acquired some strength, they are drawn out of the bed, and planted out nearly as we plant c abbages, but farther apart; and of course on a much larger scale. I have seen a to- bacco^field of fifty, and seldom less than five acres. In their new situ- ation, the young plants, relieved from the fly, become a prey to a worm, which is called the " tobacco-uorni." It is of the caterpillar kind, green as the leaves, which renders it difficult to be discerned, though it grows to the length of three inches, and is thick in proportion. In addi- tion to this, small flies of different sorts, with which the country swarms, deposit their eggs among the leaves, which alone often prove fatal to the plant. The same hill is frequently occupied by three or four plants successive!}^ before one of them survives its numerous enemies. These insects constitute the principle trouble; for when out of their power, lit- tle more attention is required than to keep down weeds, to top the plant, and to break off the suckers, which draw the strength from the large leaves. I planted in my own garden alternately a tobacco and a cab- bage plant. The fly would not touch the latter, but I have sometimes observed it attacked by another insect, and both would often tall at the same time b)^ their different natural enemies. The cabbage-plant 'i X was .140 CLRING AND PACKING OF TOUACCO, \\A->, liowevtr, rarely destroyed, vliilcthe tobiieco-hill was frequently iv- |ilanteil Iroiii the seecl-hed. The cabbages which were thus raised ac- »|uireti a strong taste, as though they Imd been preserved through a se- vere winter in a dnvk cellar; while those out of the same seed-btd, planted by themselves, were of the usual flavor. In August, the tobacco-plants are cut down, having then arrived at maturity, though still of a greenish colour. They are hung up in houses built for the purpose of drying them, but I have seen them dried in the sun, spread out on rails and boards. In this mode of curing, care nui^t l)e taken that they are not exposed to the rain. When perfectly div the leaves are of a brown colour, and are tied up, ten, twelve, or fifteen together, wliicli are called hands of tobacco. In this state thev arc carefully packed in hogsheads, and sent to the nearest tobacco-inspection. These warehouses of inspection belong to the state, and officers are appointed by government to inspect and receive into the store-houses all merchantable tobacco. They then give the owner a certificate, distin- guished by marks and numbers of inspection, and safe custody. These certificates are called tobacco-notes ; and being payable to bearer, are current payment, and frequently an object of speculation. When the holder of a note applies to the warehouse, and requires his hogshead, it is rolled out, with very trifling charges upon it. These hogsheads are sometimes of a prodigious si;^e. I have known them of eighteen hundred pounds weight, rolled by horses two hundred miles. In order to effect this least expensive mode of conveyance, they drive pieces of oak into the head of the hogshead, to which are fasten- ed a pair of shafts, and thus the hogshead is rolled over rocky grounds and mountains to a sea-|)ort. The hoops and staves are sometimes worn even to the tobacco, which, however, remains firm, having, from pres« .,surc, become one s<.)lid uiiiss. Shippers FRAUDS OF DEALERS IN TOBACCO. 541 Shippers of tobacco should be very particular as to the quality and weight of tiieir shipments. The growth of Maryland is not in equal es- timation in England with that produced in Vii-ginia, though they are adjoining states, and though the first is clearly the finest and mildest. There is great deception in weight, for the hogsheads seldom in Britain prove of the weight marked on them at the American inspection-houses. In bargaining for tobacco for exportation, the purchaser should stipulate to have it re-weighed, and to pay at that rate. In three hogsheads only of those I brought with me, being advised to remit money in this shape, the loss, according to the marks, was as follows : — c. Q. L. WG. No. 3. Philadelphia, mark of Barker and Annesley, 15 3 10 No. 6. Ditto - . - - Ditto - - 17 21 AK. No. 8. Ditto . - - - Ditto - - 11 1 20 British custom-house mark. No. 3. No. 6. .... No. 8. Makintr a loss of '© 44 I 3 14 2 15 1 9 3 2 39 - 4 o k1 This tobacco, with other shipments, cost in Philadelphia eight cents per lb.— four-pence halfpenny sterling; and by the deficiency above stat- ed, there was a loss of upwards of eight pounds British money in only three hogsheads ! I certainly was aware of this species of deception ; but, in haste to fill up a vacancy in the hold of the ship, and relying on the integrity of the Quakers of w hom I purchased, I did not attend to the business. I also suffered in another way in this unlucky transaction. Be- ing pressed tor time, (which is always the case when a ship is about to sail) I employed the inspector, Thomson, to chuse for me the prime to- 2x2 bacco; 542 NATURAL BRIDGE. bacco; and for this service I gave him a dollar per hogshead. He made a great many flourishes of his rhetoric in order to convince me that he had procured some of" extraordinary quality— such as seldom came to the British market — and that no man was so good a judge of tobacco as himself. It proved to be the worst of the whole cargo. The greatest curiosities in the large territory of Virginia are two na- tural bridges, which may be ranked among the most sublime works of nature in America. Rockbridge has been d jcribed some years ago by Mr. Weld, in the accoimt of his tra;vels through part of the United States. The natural bridge, over a stream running from Stork Creek, which rises in Clinch Mountain, in the western part of this state, is far more stupendous. It is three hundred and thirty-nine feet in height, while Rockbridge, according to Mr. ^Veld, is only two hundred and thir- teen ; but from recent observations, the other exceeds it by one hundred and thirty-four feet. I never had an opportunity of examining this wonderful production of nature, but in an account of it which 1 met with, its summit is described to project eighty seven feet over its base, fronting the south-west, and to be arched as regularly as if i'ormed by the hand of art. The arch in' front is about two hun- dred feet high, and slopes off to sixty feet, at the distance of one hundred and six feet from the entrance. From its mouth in a straight direction, it measures four hundred and six feet ; thence, at right angles, three hundred feet. The roof is regularly arched, and gradually de- scends to eighteen feet, which is the lowest part at the intersection of the second angle ; it then rises to twenty, thirty, forty, and seventj'-five feet, which is the height of the north-east entrance. The stream of water is from forty to fifty yards wide at its common height, but it is sometimes suddenly swelled by rains to ten or twelve feet perpendicular. Tiiere is a waggon-road over the bridge, which is, never used but in time of freshes, and then it is the only part where the water can be crossed. The approach to the south-west front produces the most pleasing and awful sensations. The front is of a solid rock of lime-stone; the sur- face very smooth and regular, formed in a semi-circle, tlie rock of a bright THE FRENCH FRIGATE MAGICIENNE BLOCKED UP IN NORFOLK. ^43 bright yellow colour. The arch is partly obsciired by a spur of the ridge which runs down the edge of the creek. Across the creek are several loftN^ trees, which add to the beauty of the scene. The view from the verge fills the mind with horror. From the level of the summit of the ridge, where the road passes, to the verge of the fissure, the mountain descends about forty-five degrees of an angle, and is from forty-five to fifty feet in perpendicular height. The rock is covered with a thick stra- tum of earth, which gives growth to many large trees. To the west of the arch about four hundred yards, the ascent to the verge is much more level. This bridge may be passed without the traveller's noticing it, from the thick surrounding wood, unless his attention be attracted, in the time of freshes, by the roaring of the water below. The French frigate Magicienne was, during several months in the year 1801, blockaded in the harbour of Norfolk by the English frigate Bos- ton. The first was a heavy ship of 44 guns — the other one of the small- est in the British navy of her rate, mounting only 32. On board the Frenchman embarked Jerome Buonaparte, and Miss Paterson of Baltimore, whom he had recently married, in order to escape to France. They pursued Adet's plan, and in a gale of wind got through Hampton Roads, having received information that the Boston had left the coast ; but before they could double Cape Henr}^ they espied her bearing down upon them under a press of sail. The French thought it prudent to return, having, without doubt, orders to avoid an en- gagement, from the brother and sister-in-law of Napoleon being on board.* During the blockade of Norfolk, a riot took place in the public streets between part of the crew of the Magicienne and some English and Irish seamen belonging to merchant ships ; and so much was the scale of • Recent accounts state that this most amiable yjiUh is about to be again married to a Princess of Saxony. I could wish, should this tuiie place, to have him arraigned tor bigamy in the American courts of justice. 2 politics .14 i RENCOUNTER BETWEEN A PARTY OF BRITISH AND FRENCH SEAMEN. |)olitios now turned, that they were aided b)' American sailors. It hap* pened on a Sun Or, haply, to revive the rotten locks Of paltry caxons, mounted on your blocks.'' " BARBACUE. " The citizens generally of all parties both in town and country, are respectfully invited to partake of a Barbacue on Saturday next, the 17th inst. at the spring, on Monocasy, near Stoner's White House Ta- vern, two miles from Frederic, on the Lancaster road. The candidates are all particularly requested to attend, as it is expected there will be a political discussion, that the people may then have an opportunity of being fully informed on public subjects, by hearing both sides face to face, in a fair and open manner. " FennsT/lvania, Sept. 10, 1805." A political discussion over the fumes of whiskey, is perfectly Ame- rican.- " PORTER \'y:\ rCCENTRlC ADVERTISEMKNTS. " PORTER. " Dcrp draughts of grog iiiukcs your life sliorUr, Eive long and t\riiik dct'i) draugliu of good porter. On the charms of tlie hop 'lis needless to dwell. For none but tho^e who taste, are able to tell. " A fresh sup|)ly of Philadelphia hrown stout, just come to Itaud, and deliverinu' at uiy store, at eighteen pence per bottle. Also, a few do- zen of Hibbert's London porter, may be drank at 2s. the bottle. " THOMAS DANIEL*. " C/icapsUle, Fredericksburg. At the Free Horse Found. *' The linest sifted meal, corn, oats, hay, and Ibdder, in an}' quantities. " Genuine Spanish segars, at l8d the quarter hundred. " Punch (tor the play-house) at Is. 6d a bottle." " The following is worthy of a conspicuous place for the elegance of its diction, and correctuess of its orthography : the author, we are told, is a candidate for the incumbency of Lyuhaven parish, in the county of Princess Ann, where, (as the church-wardens say) a minister of talents is wanting !!! " Messrs. Willet and O'conor, " Be plesed to ensert thee within and oblige " Your most humble St. " RICHARD EDWARDS. " [Yes, ]Mr. Edwards, we will oblige you by inserting it verbatim et literatim.^ " This is to give notice to all the people in this County that is frinds to the protistant E ])iscopal Church that I intend if I am wed wilt gods leve to read prayers and Read a small pice of archbishop Tillotsons ad- vice a Bout religion and I should be very glad the people is friends to the C'hurch wauld meet me at the Brick Church, "2 Sunday in August 3d Sunday at the Eastern Shore l6th august —the foth Sunday at Pungo * This man is the son of the late Mr. Daniel, a goldsmith, and oneof the livery of tlie city of London ; and who failed there in the business to which he succeeded his father. Notwithstanding his curious j)!i/?J, he also became bankrupt in Fredericksburg. august ECCENTRIC ad\t:rtisements. 355 august 23 and I weel teel you all what is Reason of so many decenters in this Countr}% This from your most humble Sarvent " RICHARD EDWARDS. " Norfolk Herald, Virginia." " MARRIED, *' In George Town, on Sunday last, by the Rev. Mr. Balch, Mr. Nicholas Hingston, botanist and merchant, of Alexandria, to Miss Elizabeth Bloomfield, sister to the celebrated author of the ' Farmer's Boy.' " Lo ! 1 have seen a tender flower In winter rais'd, which yet surpass'd The child of spring : and in the bower Araonst the sweetest might be class'd. Thus may this couple whom love has join'd, Tho' in the fall of life they be. In their endearments unconfin'd. Bring up the sweetest progeny." This loving couple had arrived at that period of life when the pro- creative faculty becomes equivocal. " Elizabeth Lay well doth hereby give public notice to all whom it may concern, that she will petition the next general assembly of the state of Virginia, for a divorce from her husband, Abraham Lay well, he having, a number of years ago, left her in a destitute situation, and without support; since which he hath intermarried with another woman. And she doth herebj^ give the said Abraham Laywell notice, that she will proceed on the 29th day of November next, at the tavern of James Edmondson, in the town of Staunton, to take the depositions of sundry witnesses, to be read in support of said petition, when and where he may attend to cross-examine such witnesses, if he thinks proper.* " Augusta County, Oct. 4, 1800." • Divorces through this medium are readily obtained in many parts of the United States. 2 z CHAV 35i) CHAP. XXVI 1 1. SOtTIl CAnOLl.VA — VALUE OT PLANTATIONS — HOUSES OP THt PLANTERS — SLANES — THEin TREATMENT — PLAN FOR IMPROVING TIIEIR CONDITION — SLAVE-TJAOE — DANGERS TO HE A IM-R EH E N IIE D FROM ITS PROSECUTION — I NTE N DE D I N SU R- KECTIONS OF THE SLAVES — INFLUENCE OF SLAVERY ON THE POLITICAL RE- PRESENTATION OF THE STATES — PROPENSITY OF THE INHABITANTS OF CARO- LINA TO DUELLING — GOLD-MINES DISCOVERED IN NORTH CAROLINA — GOLB COMPANY — CULTITATION OF COTTON — INDIGO. X HE state of" South Carolina produces abundance of rice, tobacco, cotton, and indigo, for exportation ; and contains more slaves, for the mimber of square miles, than any other part of the United States. It is, indeed, the only one which admits the horrid traffic, and thousands of these miserable i)eople are dispersed over the adjoining states, through the port of Charleston, Avhcre there is a greater slave-market than, per- haps, was ever known atone place in the West India islands. The richest planters in the United States are to be found in South Ca- rolina, some drawing a yearly revenue from the labor of their slaves to the amount of forty or fifty thousand dollars, and,many enjoy an income of from twelve to twenty thousand fiom the same source. A planter in moderate circumstances is in the receipt of from three to six thousand ; while others, so capricious is fortune, drag on a miserable existence with large families^ on the wretched pittance of eighty or one hundred dol- Ttuis a year. The T'LANllvfiS" .110L.' forty dollars, and fiigh uncleared land from one to six dollars per acre, in South Carolina. The buildings on the plantations are in proportion to the value of the latter — from the cost of thirty thousand dollars, to a miserable log- house. The best houses consist generally, of not more than a ground- floor, with bed-chambers above; and many of them of a ground-floor only; but in this case, they cover a considerable space. At the south- front it is an invariable rule to attach a piazza, which impedes the ex- treme heat of the sun from penetrating into the sitting and lodging- rooms ; and in the ex^ening it afl'ords an agreeable walk. The kitchens and out-oflices are al\Aa\'s at the distance of sexeral 5'ards from the prin- cipal dwelling. This is done as well to guard against the house-negroes through careVessness setting the houses on fire, for they generally sit over it half the night, as to keep out their noise. Negroes are great and loud talkers; and in this warm climate, having wood for the trouble of fetching it, they often sit np, after their w ork is dojie, over a large fire, in the summer, when I could scarcely endure the excessive heat of the night in the open air. The master here, as in the other southern states, regard their slaves, as English farmers do their live stock. The men are valued, 2 z 2 liLc S5'd EMPLOYMENT OF THE SLAVE:?. like horses, for tlieir superior properties — the females, for their fecundity. The infant slave is generally valued at a year's service of the m other and as she is compelled to work, three ])arts of the time she is breeding* and nursing, planters are very attentive to this mode of enhancing the value of their estates. The swamps and low lands are so unhealth}'', that they cannot be cul- tivated by white persons. Here, however, the negro is compelled to work, uncovered, through the sun's meridian heat, and labor till even- ing, often up to his waist in water, for these lands are generally over- flowed with stagnant pools ; while his pampered master can barely sup- port himself in the shade in such a relaxing atmosphere. If he be em- ployed in the rice-grounds, he must toil all day long in soft mud, ditching and draining the ground ; while to a white person such an occupation would, in a few days, prove certain death. The punishments they of- ten undergo are inflicted with savage ferocity, and frequently at the ca- price of a cruel overseer. What else can be expected from the natural brutality of man, in a country where the murder of a slave is only pu- nished by a fine of fifty pounds, and if wilfully perpetrated, or, as the law terms it, " with malice aforethought," then the line is only doubled — but, in fact, the bloody deed, \\hen committed, is seldom looked into. Though I execrate the treatment of this unfortunate race of human beings, yet, as they have been brought into the country, I would not advocate an unqualified emancipation ; for such a step would be attend- ed with fatal consequences. The cultivation of the staple commodities of the country would, in all probability, not only be neglected, but the galling injuries inflicted on them by white men since they were stolen or forced away from their native country, might stimulate them to break entirely the bonds once loosened, and deal destruction upon the heads of their oppressors. Yet I would have their condition ameliorated by law — their food and clothing should be nourishing and comtbrtable — and as 2 our SLAVES ADVERTISED FOR SALE AT CHARLESTON. 359 our soldiers and sailors live well, and conquer the enemies of their countrv on the rations and cloathing provided for them hy government — so might these unhappy people, by a similar mode, and the same quan- tity and quality of tbod and raiment, be rendered fit, in bodily strength to undergo the hard tasks imposed upon them. I deprecate the end of this slave-trade, which continues to be followed with an eagerness which the thirst for gold ever stimulates : no matter through what unworthy means it may be obtained. All the other states have prohibited the ad- mission of fresh slaves, while South Carolina alone, regardless of the stigma, continues the importation with double exertion. The following advertisements, which appeared tlie same day, and in the order they are placed, in one of the Charleston neA\spapers, will shew to what a dis- graceful ^height the slave-trade has arrived in a land of liber ti/. " ^3^ The sale of the ship Margaret's cargo of 250 prime Congo slaves, will commence on board the said ship, at Geyer's South Wharf this day, the 9th inst. and will be continued every day (Sun- days excepted) until the whole are sold. " GIBSON AND BROADFOOT. " Sept.Q,\ZQ5. " CONGO SLAVES. "13' The sale of the ship Ariel's cargo of 260 very prime Congo slaves, is continued on board said vessel, , at Vanderhost's wharf. " WILLIAM BOYD. " August 14. "CONGO SLAVES. " S3° The sale of the ship Esther's cargo of 370 very prime Congo slaves, is continued on board said ship, at Vanderhost's wharf. " WILLIAM BOYD." Thus these three cargoes make together 880 fellow-creatures on sale, 2 like v) are made rather low and tlat, and the cotton is sown in them. 15y some it is sown in holes at about ten inches distance; but the more general practice is to sow the seed in a drdl, along the length of the bed, after which it may be tlunned at leisure, accordmg to its growth. In rich high-land soils, not more than fifteen of these beds are made in a (juarter of an acre; but in interiarate any more, and the tub tails. In- stead of indigo, nothing is produced but muddy water. This latter inconvenience may easily be obviated by a little attention. When it is discovered that the fecula is sufficiently united, the water should be drawn off" into a third and smaller tub. The bottom of the hattcrie is then covered with a liquid blue paste, which is received into bags of coarse linen cloth, in the tbrm of inverted cones, which suffer 'the watery i)art to run off'. These bags are afterwards emptied u))ori tables in the drving rooms, where the blue paste is kneaded ; and after it has acquired a denser consistence, it is spread out and cut into small Mjuare cakes, that it may dry the sooner. The manufacture of the in- digo is now comj)leted, and it is soon suliiciently dry to be introduced into commerce. CHAP, 375 ^ CHAF. XXIX. TREATMENT OF SL AVF.S— B A RB ARITIES EXERCISF.n ON THEM — PU N ISHME NT IN- FLICTED ON A NEGRO FOR A R APE — SINtt U L AR MOOE OF CURE ADOPTED WITH ANOTHER THE DYING N EG RO — OBS ER V ATIO NS ON SLAVERY, BY JEF- FERSON AND DR. MORSE. Having shewn the great benefits which slave-owners derive from the labour of this miserable race of their fellow-creatures, we naturally turn our thoughts to the treatment they receive to enable them to un- dergo the drudgery of the field. When we see men toiling in rice and indigo grounds, which are generally overflowed with stagnant water; enduring the scorching rays of the sun, in raising tobacco, and different kinds of grain, to supply luxuries for their master's tables; we should na- turally conclude that their food is of the best quality, and their raiment adapted to their respective employments. I wish any thing could be advanced to palliate the hardship of their lot — but on this subject we only find the horrors of slavery too often aggravated by the neglect of the owner, and the savage ferocity of an overseer. An apportunity once offered, which gave me full demonstration of the treatment of negroes in North Carolina. — I had hired a small sail- ing boat to convey me from the island of Mattamuskeet, on Pamlico Sound; the wind proving adverse, with the appearance of an approach- ing summer squall, the boatman proposed to make a harbour in a small creek which he observed led to a new negro quarter belonging to Mr. Blount,* of Newburn ; adding, that as he was acquainted with theover- « This man is, at this time, a member of the house of rcprescnlutive* in coDgress for tlie district of Niwburn, in North Carolina. 3b'2 seer. 374 DESCRIPTION or A NF.ORO QUARTER'. seer, I might there find sheltc r till the weather j)rovcd favorahle. This I gladly agreed to, as these summer gusts, vhich the}'' call " white squalls," are often so sudden as to upset a vessel before the sails can be handed. From the head of the creek a canal had been cut to the quar- ter, and from thence it was intended to communicate with the Great Alligator river, for tiie pur|)o?e of transporting lumber, with which the country abounds, to a sea-port. For this purpose, Mr. Bloimt had placed there a gang of about sixty negroes, whose daily work was in A\ater, often up to the middle, and constantly knee-deep. The overseer was a man of some information, and he gave us a hearty welcome to his log-house, which was a few hundred yards from the huts of the slaves. He said, that no human foot had trod upon the spot till his arrival with the negroes; who had penetrated about a mile into the forest with the canal, through the haunts of wild beasts. There was an unusual num- ber of children in proportion to the working slaves; and on my noticing this circumstance, the overseer replied, that but few of them belonged to the gang, being sent thither ' to be raised in safety.' From the situa- tion of the place, there was no chance of their escaping; and being fed at a very small expcnce, and sufiered to run wild and entirely naked, he observed, that their encreased value, when the canal was finished, would nearly defray the expence attending it. An infant slave, when born, is computed to be worth thirty or forty dollars, of course, every year increases liis value, and a stout * field fellow,' is worth three or four hundred dollars; a ' field wench' a fourth part less. He had already been two years in this desolate place, and calculated upon remaining three more before the canal would be finished. 'I'hc day of our arri^•al happened to be on Saturday, when the week's al- low ance is given out. This consisted of salt herrings, of an interior quality, and a peck o^ Indian corn in the cob, to each, the grinding of which occu- pied the remainder of the day. Such was the daily food, without variation, of these wretched people, and even of this, the allowance was extremely scanty. No such luxury as salt pork, or beefj had they been indulged with for FILIAL AFFECTION OF A NEGRO BOY. 57.5 for many months; and iMr. Overseer, with perfect indifference, observed, that he did not expect any fresh supply for some time after what was brought tliem should be consumed. A few barrels were at first allowed, by way of reconciling them to the place ; and so accustomed were they to drag on this miserable existence, that I observed no repining, each receiving his pittance without a murmur. The overseer, however, took special care of himself His residence was surrounded with turkies and fowls, and his cupboard was supplied with excellent bacon. These provisions w^ere set before us, together with a bottle of brandy. During our repast, we were attended by a stout negro boy, entirelj^ naked, whom the overseer had se- lected to be about his person. The ]JOor fellow's attention was so riveted on the victuals, that he blundered over his employment in a manner that extorted a threat of punishment from his master, who would not attri- bute his momentary absence of mind to the cause from which it sprung. As soon as an opportunity offered after dinner, I cut o^', unobserved, a piece of bacon, and gave it to the boy, who snatched at it in an extacy, and instantly ran off' to tlie negro huts. On his return, I questioned him what he had done with it ; when the grateful and affectionate crea- ture rejihed, that he had given the morsel to his poor mother, who was sick, and could not eat her herrings. Hear this, ye pampered slave- holders ! contemplate the virtues of this boy; and while you teach your own offspring to follow his example, treat his unfortunate race as hu- man beings ! The day proving boisterous, we remained all night with the overseer. He described, with much apparent satisfaction, the means he employed to keep Im gang under subjection, and the different modes of punish- ment which from time to time he inflicted on them. Some months ago, it appeared, that he missed some of his fowls; and being con- vinced they had been stolen by the slaves, he ordered them all into his presence, charged them with the robbery, and ordered them to point out the perpetrator. This not producmg the desired effect, he threaten- ed to flog them all, observing, that by so doing he should get hold of the -^y 376 ANNUAL SALE OP Nr.GROES, the thief without confession; and he acttially put this threat into instant execution. The job, he continued, occupied the whole day, as he took his leisure, that it might be complete, and serve as a warnincj in future. Thus suffered the whole of those innocent miserable people, by way of |)unishing one, who might have been guilty. The first week in the year, in this land of slavery, is a kind of fair for the disposal of Degroes, some for lite, and others for a limited time, by public auction, the sheriff' of the county generally acting as auc- tioneer. Here is often exhibited a spectacle which would soften the most obdurate heart, that had never participated in the horrid tri^flic. At these times slave-dealers attend from a distant part of the country, making a trade of their fellow-men. Husbands for ever separated from their wives; mothers torn from their children; brothers and sisters exchanging a last embrace, are subjects of mirth to the sur- roiniding crowd of bidders. Indulgent nature equally formed this sable group; yet, it would seem, that while the exterior of the Ethi- opian is tinged with the darkest hue, the heart of the white man is rendered callous to all the tiner feelings, which are said to give him rank above the other creatures of the Almighty. Otten have 1 wit- nessed negroes dragged, without regard to age or sex, to the public whipping-post, or tied up to the limb of a tree, at the will of the owner, and flogged with a cow-skin,* without pity or remorse, till the ground beneath is died with the blood of the miserable sufferer. These pu- nishments are often inllicted for an unguarded expression of the slave, while groaning under an oppressive task— for neglecting to do homage as his master passes by — and too often to indulge i)rivate resentment or caprice. Sometimes they are fastened on a barrel, the hands and feet nearly meeting round it, arc tied together; thus the breech is presented, • This instrument of punislimeiil is made of the skin of an ox or cow, twisted hard when wet, and ta- pering off like a riding wliip; it is iiard anil eUblic, inllicting dreadful wounds when ^ised with severity. and BARBAROUS TREATiMENT OF NEGROES. 377 an3 in this position they endure their torments. Shocking cruelties of this nature have been practised, even in the more enlightened state of New York. An account of some of these barbarities appeared in the New York newspapers, so late as the year 1805. They related the circumstance of a female slave, the j)roperty of a fellow at Brocklyne, on Long Is- land, coming to a house in Pearl-street, New York, to beg for food. She was observed to exhibit symptoms of much pain, and to have something concealed under a handkerchief, which she held to the side of her head. On an examination of the circumstance, it was found that, amongst other diabolical modes of punishment and torture, her owner had gratified his brutality by hacking off a part of one of her ears, and cutting a gash in the other, through which he suspended a large iron padlock. In this situation the unfortunate girl was left, and thus she had crossed the ferry ; and wandered through the streets of New York, begging a morsel of bread. A man of the name of C. A. Hoffman, was thrice arraigned at the bar of justice, in New York, for abusing a child who unhappily was his slave. The facts proved against him exhibited horrid scenes of more dreadful cruelties, than perhaps ever disgraced human nature. Though I learnt upon the spot everj'- particular of this savage treatment, yet I shall here repeat only as much as was published on the monster's con- viction. A witness proved that Hoffman tied the hands of the child together, drew them up above his head with a rope attached to the wall, and fas- tened his feet by another rope to a staple in the floor. He then stripped tlie boy, and applied a horsewhip with such violence, that the first blow drew forth a quantity of blood. The strokes were followed up with the same violence to the number of one hundred and forty, when the rope broke, and the sufferer fell to the floor. Not having yet glutted 2 his 378 BARBAROUS TREATMENT OF NEGROES. his fury, he gave forty more while the victim lav prostrate at his feet. So great was ths quantity of blood which issued Iroin the riiau^led body, that a woman was called in to mop it u|>. To cncrease the jjoor crea- ture's torture, he applied a mixture of salt and brandy to the wounds. A second witness testified, that having on an another occasion beaten the child in a most barbarous manner, he forced down his throat two table-spoontuls of salt, in order to excite thirst, and then confined him in a small, uncomfortable, dreary apartment, witiiout food or drink, during forty-eight hours. By way of punishment, this monster w'as fined two hundred and fifty dollars, and put under a recognizance of two thousand dollars to treat the boy with more humanity. What aggravated these cruelties was, that the child Avas of years too tender to have given cause for them, nor was he conscious of having committed any fault deserving of punish- ment. Notwithstanding these penalties, and in open violation of the securit}'^ given, Hoffman continued his cruelties, till the grand jury again found a bill of indictment against him; but he chose to manumit the boy, rather than stanci another trial, and thus the case was dis- missed. An American editor, in commenting on this foul business, saj's, " The reiterated occurrence of such barbarous transactions demands le- gislative interference. Unless the strong arm of government interpose, the evil will not be corrected. Sympathy may weep, and pity supplicate for mercy — but vain will be the attempt to awaken the seared conscience to a sense of justice. As easilj'^ could you rouse the feelings of huma- nity within the cold and obdurate marble. Such unfeeling wretches, possessing power and forgetting right, will still indulge their savage re- sentment — will torture and mangle a fellow-creature, because, forsooth, they find him guilty of having a skin not colored like their own. That such beings siiould beibund amongst civilized men, is a fact deeply to be lamented HORRID PUNISHMENT OF A SLAM-. .179 mented — and that they are to be found in this region is a truth humih- ating to the feehngs." In the district of Chowan, in North CaroHna, a negro man slave, in the absence of his master and mistress, knocked at their door, and de- manded admission. The parents having gone on a visit to their friends a few miles distant, had left their daughter at home, who having before received improper conversation from the fellow, and fearing to inform her father, apprehensive of the dreadful punishment he would inflict on him for his presumption, refused to open it. The negro persisted, and fmallv broke it open, seized the terrified female, and satiated his lust. He immediately fled to the woods, and the object of his brutality, exhaust- ed with resistance, lay helpless till the return of her parents. The dis- tracted father fled to his neighbors, and related the horrid circumstance. The inhabitants quickly mustered, and went in pursuit of the villain, with burniug light-wood, the knots of the spruce pine-tree. He was after a long search, discovered. The enraged pursuers tied him to a tree, collected wood around him, and immediately consumed his body to ashes. Another instance of punishment, for an attempt only, of a negro to commit the like crime, in the same state, was related to me by Doctor Frederic Ramcke, of Edenton:— Calling on a wealthy planter, whose family he had long attended as a physiciau, but whose name, though then repeated, I have now forgotten, he observed, that he had a danger- ous negro fellow, who had made attempts on the chastity of his white female neighbors, and who had been heard to boast that he never would cohabit with those of his own color, if he could, by any means, possess a white woman. The whole of the planter's conversation, while they drank a glass of grog together, turned on this subject, and he conclud- ed by swearing, that he would give him up to the white men, unless he, the doctor, could cure him of this cursed propensity. Speaking in plainer terms, he entreated the doctor to perform an operation which 3 c would ,•^80 MITILNTION OF A NEGRO TOR INCOKTINENCE. would answer his |)ur|JOse. The doctor hesitated— the planter offered aa hundred dollars — entreated— and was violent. The doctor demand- ed an indemnity, which was immediately given. The planter now ordered the lihidinous slave into his presence, and at the same time directed his overseer, a white man, already privy to his crimes, to attend. "NV^hen in the room where the doctor sat, the planter tri|>ped up the heels of the sla\e, and this bcimi- the sional li^r the over- seer, he rushed into the room, and assisted in hindinirthe prisoner, who conceived that he was on the point of receiving an ordinaiy punishment, wliich he was conscious of meriting. Thus bound, they placed him on a table, and the doctor, in a few minutes, with his ))ocket instruments, performed the operation of castration. The fellow, when released, was told that he had received the punishment due for his abuse and insults to white women. The doctor added, that he would not touch a single dollar by way of recompence, and was soon informed that his patient had become a cool ovckrhj slave. About three months after the operation, visiting a patient on the road near the dwelling of the i)lanter, the emasculated slave sud- denly appeared before the doctor. We may conclude that no pleasant sensations pervaded the mind of the operator, for the fellow had on his shoulder a wood-cutter's axe. To turn back, or to risk a meeting, was the question. The doctor checked his horse, to view the physiog- nomy of the sla^ e, and finding it tolerably gentle, he boldly enquired after his health, though at a cautious distance. The negro replied : "Tank ye, massa doctor, yon did a me much great good; white or blackee woman, I care not for." This expression, the doctor said, was more acceptable at the moment, than the planter's offered fee of an hun- dred dollars would have proved eit any period of his life. The following lines I met with several years ago, in some American publication. Though I do not think the condition of this unfortunate race THE DYING NEGRO— JEFFERSON ON SLAVERY. 381 race by any means a sul)ject for sport; yet as this little piece affords a true picture of that levity which thev evince even on the most awful oc- casions, I have thought it worth preserving-. THE DYING NEGRO. Old Cato on his death-bed lying, Worn out with worlt, and ahiiost dying. With patience heard his friends propose What bearers for him they had chose. There's Cuff and Caesar, Pomp and Plato; " Dey do bery well," quoth Cato — And Bantam Philips ; now for t'other We must take Scipio, Bantam's brother. " I no like Scip," old Cato cries, " Scip rascal, tell about me lies, ' And get nie whipp'd" — ki, 'tis all one, Scip shall be bearer, Scip or none. " Mind me," quoth Cato, " if dat cm-, Dat Scip, come bearer, I wont stir." Mr. Jefferson, the present president of the United States, in his Notes on Virginia, on the subject of slavery in that state, says: " There must doubtless be an unhappy influence on the manners of our j)eople, pro- duced by the existence of slavery among us. The whole commerce be- tween master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous pas- sions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submission on the other. Our children see this, and learn to imitate it, for man is an imitative animal. This quality is the germ of all educa- tion in him. From his cradle to his grave, he is learning to do what others do. If a parent could find no motive either in liis philanthropy, or his self-love, for restraining the intemperance of passion towards his slave, it should always be a sufficient one that his child is present. But generally it is not sufficient. The parent storms, the child looks on, catches the lineaments of w rath, puts on the same airs in the circle of smaller slaves, gives a loose to his worst of passions, and thus, nursed, educated, and daily exercised in tyranny, cannot but be stamped by it 3 c 2 with 3B'2 Jr.MT.RSON's oBShRVATlONS ON Sl.AVERY. witli oiliotis pcouliarities. He must be a prodigy who can retain his manners and morals, un(le|)raved by such circumstances. And with what execration should the statesmen be loaded, who permittinse inmiense and rich tracts of land, so luxuriantly described on the banks of the Ohio. He eng-aged the cabin of a large vessel at AN'liitehaven, and provided himself with every implement of husbandry, and whatever might contribute to the execution of his intentions. His lamily consisted of an amiable wife, and two young children ; a wi- dowed sister, her three d^uighters, and a son. Being a man of an ancient family, and greatly esteemed, several neighbors, equally rest- less at home, and yearning for a sight of the new world, intreated per- mission to accompany him. Thus the ship obtained a cargo of respect- able English emigrants ; among whom were some husbandmen, who had bound themselves to Mr. Gilpin for a term of years, to assist in the settlement of his contemplated domain. Mr. Gilpin was one of the most wary and frugal of his countrymen, and from tliis inherent dispo- sition, he withstood the temptation of purchasing lands in America previous to his departure from England, though allured by the most specious offers. The passage to the United States is seldom performed under five or six weeks, and sometimes adverse winds have extended the irksome voyage to three montlis. Mr. Giljjin described the horrors of the sea, the sutierings of the passengers, not one of whom had ever been upon salt water, and the etiiects of the August sun on the coast of Virginia, with the most poignant sensations. On the American coast his sister expired, from the effects of the fatigue endured in the voyage, and the heat of the latitudes they had approached ; and her remains were com- mitted to the bosom of the deep. After being becalmed till the situa- tion of the passengers was almost insupportable, the ship arrived m Hampton roads. The DREADFUL EFFECTS OF THE YELLOW FEVEH. .t87 The port and town of Norfolk I have already mentioned as hcinif one of the most unhealthy on tlie coast. IMr. (siipin procured a liouse in the upper part of the town, called the Old Fields, and near to that ^vhere I then resided, to which he immediately removed i)is nuuKroiis family. The yellow fever was then raging, and I was at that moment under its baleful influence. To describe the misery of the sutferer af- ^hcted with this horrible disease, is imj)ossible. The symptoms by Vvhieh I nas attacked, were sudden. I had supped with an appetite, slept as well as the heat would permit, and was rising at my usual time in the morninj^, when I felt a most singular sensation, accompanied by a chill. I lav down again, and soon felt a nausea at my stomach, which ]>roduced vomiting of bile, in color and (juantity which astonished me. This relieved me so much, that I ascribed the cause of my sickness to a foul stomach, and had dressed myself before I perceived new symp- toms. A lassitude hung about me, and was accompanied with a de- pression of my faculties, an acute pain at the back of the head, and an aching through mv limbs. Medical assistance was now procured, but on the third day I ielt so weary that I could not remain a minute in the same pusture ; a sensation not to be described — worse to be endured than acute pain, and more irksome than the smart of a festering wound. During this tune the fever had made great progress, and the thirst it occa- sioned could not be appeased, though I drank large cpiantities of the juice of limes, with watea', wliich was permitted by my physician. My stomach, however, soon refused the grateful beverage; the vomiting continued often so long, and with such violence, that I was exhausted, and found a temporary relief in the deprivation of my mental faculties. In this state 1 suffered several days, the greatest part of which I was insensible of my situation, and the intervals of I'eason were horrible. My bones felt as if they were disjointed ; a burning pain was seated in the spine, while the throbbing and tormenting sensation in my head drove me again into a state of delirium. The treatment of my physician was judicious; by his aid, and that of a good constitution, I struggled through the dreadful disorder. I was copiously bled in the first instance, 3 D and 588 METHOD or CURE OF THE YELLOW FEVER. aiul blisters were applied to my legs, my feet, and the back of my neck. This regimen, with the good effect produced by strong doses of calomel, and afterwards of bark, effected my cure. During this severe trial, in my intervals of reason I readily complied with the pre- scriptions of my doctor, and the directions of mj^ black nurse : but was informed, that in my dcliriinn I was most refractory, and evinced great bodilv strength in attempting to escape from the chamber — a common symptom in the yellow lever. By this malignant disorder, were Mr. Gilpin and several of his family seized. In a short time it deprived him of his wife, and reduced himself and one of his children to a very low state. The fever was now raging in a most alarming manner in Norfolk. A part of a common was in- closed, and called Potter's Field, for the interment of its victims. Here lie the remains of Mrs. Gilpin, and here my bones would have been at rest, had I met her fate. The dead were hurried to this cemetery, often without coflins,* in carts, or upon drays, by negroes, in the dead hour of night ; and most of the sea-port towns in the United States, even as far north as Portland, in the province of Maine, since the year 1793, have occasionally been visited by this infection. This misfortune, added to the intense heat of the summer, had nearly clouded the fair prospects of Mr. Gilj)in, Avhen other obstacles presented themselves, which entirely frustrated his plans. The husband- * During my stay at Edenton, in North Carolina, a New England man, of the name of Johnson, from Marblehead, arrived there with a number of speculative articles for sale, there called " Yankee notions." Among these were a number of coffins of all sizes, one within the other, as apothecaries buy their pillboxes. This fellow had heard of the ravages of the fever at Norfolk ; and Edenton being only sixty or seventy miles distant, he calculated on a market ; but the fever having never visited the latter place, the cotTm speculation failed. Another curious Yankee speculation was made by a merchant of Newberry Port. He sent as an adventure to the West Indies a large quantity of warming pans ; and, strange to tell, they fouixl as good a market as could b« expected for such an article in Lapland. 'I'hey were converted into molasses ladles! man, DANGER IN DEALING WITH LAND-JOBBERS— SQUATTERS, 389 man, on whom he had depended for the management of his farm, and whose passage he had paid, breaking at once his bond, and the ties of gratitude, absconded. This is the common trick played by Redemp- tioners, wbo, alhjred by the prospect of high wages, rnn away on the fu'st opportnnity ; and lor that reason but few emigrants have found their way of kite into the United States, through this medium. I shall not suppose that any emigrant arriving in the United States on agricultural projects will make any considerable stay ou the coast, the land there being mostly under cultivation, of inferior quality to that in the back country, and higher in price. The first step to be taken is to purchase land, and in order to do this, you must apply to a land-jobber, the very name of ^\hom makes my pen recoil from tbe paper. He will produce j)lans out of number, and titles, if you choose to believe him, indisputable. Your route will lie probably to Kentucky or Tenessee, countries from which I have seen very many return disap- pointed and impoverished. It will be no more than common prudence to visit the land previous to the purchase, which will of course be attend. e,d with considerable expence and loss of time. Should you find the chosen spot free from squatters,* and from prior claims, you return and pay an exorbitant advanced price for it to the jobber, — from twenty to fifty dollars per acre for good land on a navigable river or creek. There are, indeed, tracts daily offered at a dollar or less — but they are good for nothing to the emigrant. These difficulties surmounted, 1 will suppose the English farmer in possession of his land by a good title. He will then have to conduct his * Families of white people, \v!io iiavc taken possession, and Ijave liekl by this usurped right for many years. It is often impossible to oust tliem : hence they are called Sciuatters. The author purchased some hundred acres of land in the district of Maine tliat was nearly covered with squatters, and which he was, however, fortunate enough to dispose of to another unlucky purchaser, without loss. The jobbers will seldom warrant the land free from this disagreeable incumbrance ; and sliould they do so, it is ten to •ne whether they prove of sufficient responsibility on a forfeiture of the covenant. 3 D 2 familv, ,y)() Exci K.sio.N TO Till'. r.i.Li; ridge. tainilv, with i)Cople U) rlciir liis irruiuul Irom the mass of heavy tiinboF with uhich he will MikI it covered. If he brings them with him, lie will he subject to their (lescrtioii, and if he dopends^on liiriiiu,- them in America, vain will be his ho|)es, unless he offers wages which will ab- sorb his j)rohts. In either ease he will have to transport them many hnndred miles through dreary forests, across swamps, and over tremen- dous mountains, Ft)r this purpose he must purchase waggons and horses^ or hire them, and in either case the expense will be great, I\Ir. Gilpin expressed a great desire to make an excursion towai-ds the long chain of mountains called the Blue Ridge, about three hundred miles- on the road, but not half the distance, to some |>artsof the Ohio, and I agreed to accom[)any him. We resolved to proceed by the way ot Frede- ricksburg on account of my former acquaintance in that town. From Nor- folk to that |)lace is near two hundred miles, which we had an oppor- tunity of going by water, through Hampton Roads, up the river Rap- pahannock. The charge of this distance by water-carriage, in most parts of the United States, is ten dollars each passenger, Fredericks- burg is a gay commercial town, beautifully situated on the higb banks of the river, and at the liead of the navigation. Tobacco is brought hither ui large quantities from an extensive back-country, and conveyed thence down the river to Hobbs' Hole, where ships in the European trade lie ready to receive them. We were here advised to proceed to Orange Court-house, as a healthy countr\^ and where we might recruit our health and spirits, which had greatly suffered by the attacks of the yel- low fever, A waggon with five horses, which carries thirty hundred weight, costs, including the unconscional)le quantity of whiskey which the driver will consume, about two shillings British money per mile. A traveller in this country must mount his waggon or walk — there is no alternative — no post horses or carriages are to be hired — no stages ever travel the road we were destined to pursue. Over rocky grounds Avere this fiamily jolted for three successive days, but that inconvenience I escaped in a great measure by walking. Some parts of the road, however, compelled me ArPEARA>-CE OF IIIE COUNTRY. oOl me to mount this unwieldy maoljinc, to avoid wading through swamps and runs ot" water. Here I had an opportunity ot' making some obser- vations on tlie countr3\ The labour ot" the field is entirely performed by negroes, and the business of the farmer and planter, is carried on in a very slovenly manner. The tences are temporary, being put up on tilling and planting the ground, and alter liarvest sufllered to fall, or perhaps burned, to avoid die trouble of cutting fuel, with which every plantation is sur- rounded. They are composed of the wood of the pine-tree, s[)lit into pieces, eight or ten feet in length, and laid in a transverse manner on each other. These fences require little trouble, which the Virginians particularly abhor, and are so slight that a high wind often blows them • down. The wheat-harvest was over, but the majestic stalk of the Indian corn waved in yellow leaf, denoting its near approach to maturity. The wheat is generally cut down with the scythe, just as the English farmer cuts his hay, and the grain is frequently trodden out by horses on the clay floor ofthe barn. It is far inferior to English wheat, and if a judgment were to be formed from inspection alone, a stranger would be induced to suppose it of a different species. Itissmall and dark-coloured, j'et makes excellent white flour, which is exported to the West Indies, andj in years of scarcity, to Europe. Indian corn is very easily raised, but it is an uncertain crop, requiring the whole summer's heat to ripen it. From the sreat heiaht ofthe stalk, the boisterous winds and torrents of rain often lay fields for miles prostrate with the earth, and in an earlier state, the corn hills are Mashed awaj-, or the seed scratched up and devoured by racoons, squirrels, crows, and birds of various descri[)tions. Tiie plant- ing is simplv performed by running the plough over the ground, then with a hoe making holes three or four inches deep, and drojiping four or five grains in each, which is chiefly done by children. The seed is then covered, after which, no fiirther attention is required till the stalk is about a foot high, when the ground is cleared of weeds, and the plants are earthed or hilled up. At this first hoeing it is usual to drop fresh grains where the first have failed ; they will all ripen before the time of harvest arrives. 392 ORANGE COURT-HOUSE. As we advanced up the country, the land hecame of a l)et*er quality. It was sandv near the coast, but now I ol)served manv places to be rirh aruiilaceous earth, t)n which were planted vast fields o(" tobacco, and the quantity of stubble ground indicated the large crops of wlieat which liad been rcajjed. A second cro|) of clover in some places had a gootl a[>- pearance, but three-lburths of tlie land was still in a state of nature. On our arrival at Orange, we found an old wooden building, which is used both as a court-house and a place of divine worshi|), a tavern, and half a dozen mean dwelling-houses. We could procure no accom- modation. A dancing-master occupied the tavern by his (|uarterly at- tendance to teach the Virginian mountain-misses the graces of his art. His school was numerously attended, and every corner of the house was filled bv the parents of the pupils. We were now in an awkward di- lemma, lor the waggons were only hired to this place, and no entreaties or extravagant offers could prevail upon the drivers to proceed ; they were, as they alledged, under the obligation of a penalty to go else- where. They were proceeding to discharge our baggage in the street, when I enquired what punishment I should incur, or what sacrilege would be committed, were it to be [)iit into the court-house. I was referred to the clerk of the peace, but he was not to be found, and dire necessity impelled me to commit a trespass. The door was not locked, and in a short time we were in possession; which j)roved a seasonable relief to the poor children, whose tender joints had barely escaped dislocation by the jolting over the rocks and stumps of trees which had impeded our progress. Fortunately we arrived in the forenoon, but we were covered all over with dust. Having changed my clothes, and refreshed myself with the remnant of our travelling stock of provisions, I went to the dancing-school. The gravity of my fi-iend, contracted from the study of theology, for he had been educated for the church, would alone have caused his declini.ig to accompany me to such a place. I was agreeably surprised at the order and the systematic mode with which this part of polite education was conducted, amid the woods, and on the rising ground of A VIRGINIA DANCING SCHOOL. 393 of the vast mountains called the Blue Ridc^e.* There were upwards of fift}^ scholars, though, from the viezi) of the countr\', I could not have supposed the existence of fifty houses within the circumference of as many miles. Some of the pupils I was informed came from a great distance, and the carriages used for their conveyance formed the strang- est and most uncouth collection of travelling vehicles perhaps ever col- lected together. A number bore such strong marks of antiquity, and so coarsely were t1iey put together, that I could compare them only to mv ideas of antediluvian machines. They however conveyed a num- ber of prettv little modern-dressed misses, dressed and ornamented to a ridiculous pitch of extravagance. Tbey had made great progress, perf3rming the minuet, country dance, and reel, correctly, though this weekly school had been opened only four or five times. After the les- sons were finished, a number of grown masters and misses joined in six- handed reels, the favorite dance in the southern states, and, as though I had not alrevidy undergone of late sufficient fatigue, I could not resist the desire of joining them, upon an invitation, given with Parisian po- liteness, by the master. Thus, in the heat of summer, and not a month out of the yellow fever, was I capering among the girls ; an act of im- prudence which, happily for me, was not attended with any ill conse- quences. On my return to the Court-hou^e, I found that Mr. Gilpin had been making provision for retaining the slender title we had acquired to it. He had made up one bed in the jury-box, and another on the table, round \\iiich the counsel sit, and had composedly seated iiimself, read- ing a Greek autlior, in the chair of justice. On my entrance, he was compelled to relax a little of his serious mood, and to brighten his fea- tures with a smile — the firs,t 1 had observed. The loss of his wife, and disappointments resulting from the failure of his plans, had plunged * These mountains begin almost at the extremity of the northern boundary, and extend, with little variation, to Georgia, nearly through the middle ol the United States. 2 him 31) i PVR^UIT OF (;AMr.. him in a state of miiul little better than that of settled melancholy. y\ partition which ran across the court-house formed a jury-room. Ameri- can jurymen seldom fail to retire from the court, be the case ever so plain, to agree upon their verdict. This room had been reserved for mv occupation, and accordini^ly I sjjread my mattrass onthetloor, npon winch, being greatly fatigued, I soon fell asleep. In the morning I endeavored to procure waggons to convey us to Madison Court-house, distant between sixteen and eighteen miles, without success. I won, dered what causeil my friends in Fredericksburg to advise us to pioceed to this dreary ^jlace ; i)ut I afterwards found little choice in any part of the country, as to accommodation. We were favored if any of the neio-hbors would sell us a fowl, or a dozen eggs. 1 had attended to the whistling of the quails all around me the day after our arrival, and being always provided with an excellent English ibwling-piece, I went out in the afternoon, attended by two youths, Avho appeared anxious to see an Englishman pursuing game. I had no dog, and the luxuriant, but coarse herbage of the cleared land was unfavorable to my pursuit. The young Virginians, conversant with the haunts, soon sj)rung the game, and were surprised at my success, two or three birds falling at each shot. The coveys had not been broken, and they took flight together at the same instant. Americans do not accustom themselves to shoot game upon the wing; but they are the best marksmen in the world with a rifle gun at a fixed object. The produce of my gun was very acceptable in the court-house; the girls soon prepared the game for cooking, and having with us every necessary material, without which no traveller must attempt to penetrate into the interior of this immense country, we made a delicious repast. Mere we were obliged to remain nine days, and, fortunately, during that time, our habitation was not wanted for the dispensation ot law; but the gospel was twice expounded in it during our occupancy. At length we procured one waggon, which was appropriated to Mr. Gilpin and a part of his family, wliile I remained with his nephew, waiting the MADISON COURT-KOUSE. 39.) the uncertainty of another conveyance. This presented at the expira- tion of the second day, and on the third, I arrived at Madison Court- house. My friend had already hired an unfurnished house, and to my surprise, for the long term of six months, though the contemplated ex- tent of the tour was not to exceed six or eight weeks. I soon found that he had determined to remain during the winter among the rocks and woods ; a situation, at all events, well suited to the contemplati^•e mind. In this small place we found some society. There was a doctor and a lawyer; but neither parson nor parsonage-house. A jolly justice of the peace, however, supplied the place extremely well ; being a moral, upright man, whose advice often reclaimed the offender, when the in- forcement of the law might have rendered him incorrigible. In such company occasionally, and with my giui, being in a fine sporting country, I had passed three weeks with advantage to my health, when a circiunstance occurred which greatly interrupted our peace of mind for some time. Passing the door of Mr. Alexander Ilunton, the magistrate above alluded to, I was surprised at hearing his voice elevated, and the strokes of the cow-skin applied to one of his negroes ; while at e\ery blow he urged the obstinate creature to confess something which he appeared anxious to discover. In a short time we found that a conversation had been heard among his negroes of a very suspicious tendency, and he was endeavoring to extort the meaning of it fi-om the man by whom the expressions had been used. From what was collected, there was every reason to believe that the negroes were planning an insurrection; and Mr. Hunton privately requested every white inhabitant to meet liim, well armed, on the same evening, at a certain time and place. A negro was lying in the gaol under sentence of death for murdering a white man, and we supposed that a rescue, if notliing more, would be attempted. With the insurrection at Richmond present to every mind, 3 E our SyG MMIT liXFl-DlTiON AGAINsT Tlir. SLAVES. our ft'rti-s wore wroiiglkt up to a l»i<;h degree of alarm. I attendid witFv iriy gun, and a large supply of ball cart rid j^es, witli \vhi« \\ 1 w as ^.tij)- plied, ainoiij^- otiicr iuliahitants, by the cor|)()ralioii of Norlblk, a tew moiktlis before, on a sinnlar occasion.* 1 did not expect my friend would have mustered, and )nore esj)ecial!y as he was not provided with Ih-earms; but 1 was greatly surprised to iiud hin» among the foremost, armed with a bayonet, Avhich happened to be among his travelling e(iui|)age, fixed to a long pole, which he had cut down fiom the woods, making a very formidable weajion. A thousand such, however, would have availed but little against the determined opposition of the slaves. \V'e counted our ranks at twelve or littecn ; they could form a phalanx of as many hiuulrcds within the circle of a few miles. Of our small force, six were selected to make an excursion of about two miles to a negro quarter, where we had intelligence that some of the leaders were assembled to deliberate upon the measures to be pursued^ and I was one of the detachment. The night was very dark, and I found it difficult to keep pace with my companions, who were well ac- quainted with every step of the road, to which I was an entire stranger. It was intricate, lying across ploughed fields, and over waste lands ; so that it w as no wonder that I lost my feet and fell ; and had not my companions made a halt on a near approach to the enemy, I should neither have overtaken them, nor found my way back. The party was headed bv Mr. Hunton, armed with a pairof my pistols. We surrounded the log-house ; and he entered, with three more, while I was stationed on one side without, and the sixth on the other side. I soon heard a scram- bling about the upper part of the {inside of the house ; in a moment the loose boards which served as a roof appeared to be removing, and a large negro man was making his escape. I called to him to surrender, and levelled mv gun, and gave notice to those within. Haj^pily I did not tire, • On that occasion llic leaders were appreheoded, tried, and condemned to suffer death. They were accordingly carried to the place of cxeculion, ia the Old Fields, atNorlolk; butoulyone was hanged, a; ail f xanipic to the rest. 3 slant APPREHENSION AND PUNISHMENT OF SOME OF TIIE-M. 39"/ for instant death would have ensued ; thongli we had the orders of" th<" magistrate to that effect. The unha])j)y slave leaped from the roof, and ran towards the woods. In his ihght he was fired npon hy the man on the other side and by others of tlie party as they came outofthe house, witli- out effect. The other slaves found there were two old people and their daughter, who denied all knowledgeof any conspiracy ; and their asser- tions that the man w-ho had escaped was the lover of the girl, being ad- mitted, we returned to the Court-house, where we fotmd many of the slaves bound in fetters, who had been apprehended by the other parties, together with the man who had escaped from us. They iniderwent a strict examination before the magistrate, but nothing appeared to con- firm our suspicions. On being asked why they were out at such an unreasonable hour, some said they had been hunting the racoon and opossum; and others replied that they had been visiting their friends and relations, which they could not do in the day-time. I really l)e- heved the poor wretches; but the justice differed in opinion, observing, that he had nev'er known an instance of so many being out of their quarters at such a time. It was between two and three o'clock in the morning, and, perhaps, no search o+" this nature had ever been made before. He found them guilty of being out of their quarters at an un- seasonable time, and ordered them all to be severely tlugged, which sentence was executed by the white men, in turns. I was excused partaking in the disagreeable office, and thus the matter ended. The house which Mr. Gil[)in had hired Avas at the extremity of the little town, v.'hich consisted of but ten or twelve houses, and it stood at some distance ii'om the rest. About four or five nights after this punishment had been indicted, while my friend and myself, after supper, were very moderately indulging ourselves with a glass of apple brandy* and water, * This is tlie common drink of the country. It is only l>alf a dollar per gallon. Poach brandy, dis- tilled entirely from tliat fruit, and of greater strength, may be purchased for le^s than a dollar. Fowls were here three-pence British each ; a fine fat turkey or goo>e, half a dollar; butcher's meat tfiree-pcncc per pound ; and good uncleared land is from live to twenty dollars per acre. 3 E 2 we 308 FALSE ALARM. wc wtrc gnally alanm-d hy an iiiicmitl) siiit,ni):i- of tlie nep;rfics, a[)]ja- rciitlv about a mile distant. Wc listciud attentively, and limcied the noise tirow nearer. The remainder of Mr. Gilpin's (iuiiily were in bed, and in great consternation wo sallied out, myself willi my loaded gun, and Mr. Gil[)iM with his mounteil bayonet. \Ve first ascended a rising ground, to determine Avith more precision from what cjuarter the alarm proceeded. Convinced that our surmises were just, apprehending au attack, and conceiving that it was the negro-war song, we hastily pro- ceeded to the tavern, where we found a party playing at cards, the con- stant custom here in the evening. They were greatly surprised on see- ing us enter, armed as we were the night of the general search ; and, upon our mentioning the cause of our alarm, they burst into a laugh, inic)rming us that it was only a liarvest-home of the negroes, in one of the quarters. We now felt ashamed; but they greatly commended our activity, and thus we became more respected by our neighbours. The remainder of the time I passed here was free from molestation, and I left my friend, who remained at iNIadison nearly two years, during which a correspondence by letter continued. The last I received from this worthy man informs me of his determination to visit Canada, and then to return to England. On my return from this excursion I met with Colonel Thomas But- ler, who was then u{)on his journey as a prisoner, in order to take his trial before a court-martial, at Frederick town, in Maryland. Tliis gallant ofTicer, M'ho had with honor served his country through the whole revolutionary w ar, and shed his blood in its service ; in the decline of hfe Avas convicted of an ofl'ence hitherto unknown in military service — of refusing to cut off his hair ; a sentence which his feelings sunk under, and he died, much lamented, — of a broken heart. At the commencement of the American war, Mr. Butler was a stu- dent of law under the late Mr. Wilson, then an eminent barrister, and since ANECDOTES OF COLONEL THOMAS BUTLER. 399 biiice one of the judges of the supreme fetleral courts. He joined the army of the congress, as a subaltern officer, and soon rose to the rank of captain. Four of his brothers were engaged in the same service, all of whom, as well as the subject of these anecdotes, acquitted themselves with courage and good conduct. He was in almost every action which took place in the middle states ; and at that of Brandywine, he received the tiianks of the commander in chiefj General Washington, through his aid-tie-camp, the lamented Hamilton. He there rallied a de- tachment of retreating Americans, and greatly annoyed the British troops. At the severe buttle of iVIonmouth, he defiended a deliie against the heavy fire of his enemy, and thus covered the retreat of his brother's. Colonel Richard Butler's regiment. For this gallantrv he received the public thanks of General Wayne. The war being ended, like many of his brother officers, he retired to pri- vate life, and assuming the character of a farmer, he cultivated a small plantation, sufficient tor the support of his family. In this rural retirement, and in the midst of domestic happiness, he was again called by his country into the field of battle, and ordered to join the army then raising under the unfortunate General Saint Clair, lor the purpose of subduing the confederate tribes of hostile Indians. That commander, from an ill- judged coi]tempt of his savage enemy, incautiously marched into their country, and fell into an ambuscade, which they had with great judg- ment and secresy prepared for his army. The slaughter made among the Americans was great ; and being taken completely by surprise, a great part of them fell victims to savage fury. Major Butler, lately ap- pointed to that rank, was dangerously wounded; and his brother, Capt. Richard Butler, at the imminent hazard of his life, carried him ofi'the field of battle. The eldest brother. General Butler, was numbered with the slain. Having recovered from his wounds, he was continued on the establishment as a major, and, in the year 1794, promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel coinmandauc of the fourteenth sub-legion. 400 SERVICES OF COLONEL BLTLF.R. In the \\'luskey insurrection he commandcfl Fort Fayette, at Pittsliurt;, and by liis aiklress, for he had a very small garrison, prevented tlie de- luded insurgents from storniinp; the fort. In 1797 he was appointed by General Washington, under wUomi he had long served, to the chief command in the new state of Tennessee, and ordered to dislodge some American citizens who had possessed thems<^lves of land belonging to the Indians. Me acconhngly nvarchrd at llie head of his regiment, and bv that prudence aiid good sense which had ever marked liis con- duct, prevailed on them quietly to abandon their project ; for wl)ich he received the thanks of that slate. On the reduction of the army, which took place soon after Mr. .]< tiei*son had become president, he was ap|iointed colonel of the second regiment of infantry, on the peace e.>lublishment. It seems Colonel Butler had incurred the displeasure of General ^^'ilkinson, the American commander in chief; but the cause, if any, does not appear. On the 30th of April, 1801, the general issued the following order : — " For the accommodation, comfort, and health of the troojys, the liair is to be cropped, without exception, and the general Avill give tlie exaniple." It appears that Colonel Butler remon- strated against this order ; that he field his locks, now groNvn grey in the service of his country, as tlie gift of nature ; and that he thought no power on etirth had a right to take them fi-om him. To be de|)rived of those hairs which he had so often worn in tlie battle's front, was an indignity vhich the veteran could not submit to. The reasons which he alleg-ed against submitting to the order obtained him, for a time, the exclusive privilege of retaining his hair; and an order to that etiiect was given by the general. Two years afterwards. Colonel Butler was, l>y name, called upon to conform to the first order, with which he refused to com|)ly. He was immediately ordered under arrest by the com- mander in chief; while commanding at I-'ort Adams, on the banks of the Mississippi. To Ills TRIAL. 401 To the charge of disobedience of orders, two were added for neglect of duty, in the following order:— 1st. For disobedience of the general order of the 30th of April, 1801, regulating the uniform of the hair. 2d. For disobedience of the order of the president of the United States, communicated on the 8th of June, 1802. 3d. For neglect of duty in not descending the IVIississippi to take the command of Fort Adams, and organise the troops, agreeably to the peace establishment, and according to the orders of the president, but proceeding to Pittsburg with a military command on his private business, and without permission. To these charges the colonel made an able defence. To the first, he pleaded a justification that the order was illegal ; and in support thereof he advanced various instances where an officer was not bound to obey the orders of his commander ; but these cases im])lied a supposition that the orders were notoriously illegal. He underwent many mortifying circumstances before he could obtain a trial. He was ordered from Fort Adams to Frederick town, in Mary- land, a distance of many hundred miles, without any reason being as- signed for putting him to this tedious and expensive journey. Upwards of six months expired before a court-martial sat in judgment on his case, and from the honorable manner in which he was acquitted of the two last charges, accusing him of neglect of duty, it becomes evident that they were added to magnify in the eyes of the world, the offences which he had committed. This circumstance, added to his being so long harassed before he Avas brought to trial, reflects little honor on the present commander in chief of the American array. The following is a copy of tlie sentence : — " The 40:2 SENTENCE OF THE COURT-MARTIAL, AND BUTLER'S MI:M0RL\L. " The court, after mature deliberation, are of opinion that the pri- soner is shearing took"^ place at Arlington, and was attended by gentlemen from the adjoining counties. The annual premium for the fuiest ram lamb of one year old, was adjudged to a lamb bred by Ludwell Lee, Esq. of Belmont, in the county of Loudoun. The judges were very minute in their inspec- tion, and we hope succeeding years will produce increasing exertion in the improvement of this valuable race of domestic animals. " The prize lamb possesses fine proportions, with a fleece of good quality, close and well packed, though rather short. His gross weight 161 pounds; weight of fleece seven pounds three quarters. Fleeces weigh very light this season, owing to the mildness of our winter. Arlington prime ewes average five pounds. " The annual premium will continue for eight years j'et to come, together with a valuable privilege annexed, viz. Any person obtaining a premium has a right, within the time just mentioned, to demand a lamb of the improved stock, free of charge." The science of agriculture, whatever perfection it may have attained in England, will not prosper in America. Emigrating farmers and hus- bandmen from this country conceive that they are perfect masters of all the knowledge that can be required for tilling the earth in the imaginary paradise which they have adopted.* In this they will find themselves woefully • fettled lanJs are very far from being much cheaper in Amnrica than in England. It verj- oftrn happen* ADVICE TO THE EMIGRANT. 409 woefully deceived, and that they have to acquire a new and totally difl ferent mode of farming, extremely repugnant to the principles in which they have been educated. It will be in vain for the emigrant to continue the English practice; he will soon find that the sooner he not only conform^ to the mode of the country in this respsect, but the more sj^eedily he adopts even the manners and customs of the people among whom he has chosen to take up his final residence, the sooner will they cease to treat him as a stranger, whom, and especially the English, they loolc upon with a jealous eye. They are extremely tenacious of being thought inferior to the ancient stock, and every comparison of this nature will ex- cite their hatred; for, however you may knomi to the contrary, they i/iink themselves a superior order of beings. The Americans may be considered as a commercial people, displaying a spirit of enterprise and perseverance, which, though it may be said they commenced their career without capital, has greatly enriched the coun- try. Several adventurous merchants, whom fortune has fiivored, have ac- quired large properties, but a great number have failed in their specula- tions. The greatest part of commerce is still carried on by a kind of superficial capital, so that the failure of a single voyage often renders the owner of the cargo incapable of taking up the securities which he happens that a man does not suit himself at the first state he touches at, and then he has either to remove Jii-i laiiiily, in a wandering and expensive searcii, or else to leave them behind him in a strange place, whilst he is running aboutto find a home for them, which, from his hurry, he generally does to his dis- advantage. I have known several who have never taken their families from on board the ship which brought them over ; not finding their expectations answered, they returned the same way they came. " In the purchase of back lands, nothing can be more infatuated than the practice which has prevailed with emigrating persons, of purchasing lands of British agents, previously to their sailing. A man is shewn a plan of a tractof land, with, of course, a varnished description of the fertility of its soil, and the variety of its productions, plenteous streams, mill-seats, &c. ; and thus the freehold of the land may become his own at four or five shillings per acre. True: but then it never cost the proprietors as many pence ; and from natural causes, such as its distance fVom any settlements, or of navigable streams to communicate with any market,, however distant, it will be worth little or nothing to the settler, even if its soil was exuberance itjeJf." Information respecting emigration to North America. S has 110 LONr. CKEDIT— franklin's PICTURE OF A.Ml.RIi A. bat> given ii)r his adventure. 1 found no business done without long cre- dit, ii" I may cxeept the slave trade, in whieh tliey generally re(]nire prompt payment. Even in this disgracetiil IraHic, barter is sometimes made the cireulaling medium. 1 was privy to a negoeiation of this kind, vviiere General J3embury, of North Carolina, gave a fine young negro woman, and who was an excellent house-servant, for a horse, on wliiclL 1 have seen him reviewing the militia. In every other transaction, not excepting the produce of agriculture, the farmer is obliged either to dis- pose of the surplus of his crop by way oi baiter, or he must sell it upon a long credit. This circumstance also bears hard upon the emigrant. Having sur- mounted the diHicukies already pointed out, which may have reduced him to liis last dollar, and with great labour raised some grain for mar- ket, he nmst yet wait sixty or ninety da) s before he can realize the pro- duce of liis industry. Doctor Franklin laboured hard in his writings to encourage emigra- tion, lie drew a fascinating picture of his country wherever he found an o[)portumty of offering it to the European. He expatiates upon il»c salubrity of an unfi'iendly clime, and he urges the facility of forming a settlement among \ns countrymen. It was his interest to do so ; the doctor was conspicuous for his amor patr'uc, which is generally carried even to enthusiasm. It is true that contagion had not visited America, nor was the summer's heat so fatal, when the doctor treated on tlie sub- ject. That it is) a country where great labour under a burning sun must be endured, jiarticularly in the pursuit of agriculture, we find fi-om his own words: — " America is the land of labour, and by no means wiiat the English call lubbcrland, and the PVench paya de cocagnc, where the streets are said to be paved with half-peck loaves, the houses tiled with pancakes, and where the fowls fly about ready roasted, crying, come eat me !" 1 Having PROSPECT FOR THE MECHANIC. 411 Having now sketclied the prospects before the emigrant on an agri- cultural plan, I shall address a few lines to the mechanic and labourer who may pant to behold the new world. The same cause which takes the farmer into the interior of the coun- try, I mean employment, will keep the mechanic fixed to the spot where he may chance to land. The latter cannot expect work in the woods, and the former must penetrate into them before he can find work. Man chuses the spring of the year for emigration — birds, the fall of the leaf. The spring, comprehending all the delay unavoidable in such an under- taking, passes, and simimer is advanced, before he arrives in America. He lands at New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, or Charleston, in the very jaws of the yellow fever. The husbandman may perchance avoid it by speedy flight, but the more unfortunate mechanic is doomed to face death in all his terrors. I can aver, and I may do so without offence to the natives, because I speak the plain truth, that not one Eu- ropean in one hundred ever survived of late years two summers, with- out undergoing the dreadful ordeal of the fever, now attached to the climate. This fever always partakes of the nature of the bilious; some- times it assumes not a more dangerous aspect, but too often arising from local contagion, it proves fatal. The New England States, indeed, are much more healthy, but there the land is mostly under cultivation, and consequently bears a high price ; and almost every branch of labour is sufficiently supplied with hands. The mechanic, then, having survived this probation of his constitution, remains in the port where he landed, or removes to another, follows his trade by which he may undoubtedly earn a dollar and a half every day he is able to Mork. The climate in summer, far different from his own — the violent perspiration he must un- al reasons that so few Enijlish emigrants, Avho outlive the immediate effects of the climate, ever return to their native land. The labourer's wages are a dollar |)er day, lis long as he can toil twelve hours in the burning sun of August, or the pinching fi-osts of Januarj-. Of the learned professions, I am certain that very few indeed will quit their native country, the region of taste, science, and literature, for the sole purpose of following their respective avocations in America. My admission to the bar, and practise in the law, was a circumstance unlook- ed for when 1 landed in the United States. That pursuit was not at- tended with pecuniary remuneration adequate to my labour in the pro- fession ; and had I depended alone upon my exertions in this capacity, my situation would have been by no means enviable. The lucrative business of the courts is chiefly engrossed by natives who have extensive connections. A young practitioner there has not the ample field before him which the courts of Westminster aHibrd; and, as in the case of Mr. Lincoln, great interest will leave little to superior abilities without [)atro- na^e. For these reasons, the profession with me was from the first a secondary object, which I never should have embarked in but for tlie ill-judged solicitations of a gentleman then at the l)ar, with whom I had formed an intimacy, John Faxon, Esq. of the state of Rhode Island. The practice of physic is easier of attainment. Gentlemen of that profession have opportunities of pushing themselves forward by methods which lawvers cannot adopt. A medical man, Avith tolerable address, may plant himself in any town in the United States, without undergoing the probation required from the lawyer. His di|>loma is not necessary —it will not be asked tor; nor will it l>e enquired whether he lias under- gone a regular course of stut late veai-s, this profession has in Philadelphia been placed on a more re- spectable footinii-. In that citv is established an institution somewhat re- semblitiif a college of physic, and a suri;et.»ns' hall, attended, in the win- ter season, by about two hundred pupils, who come from the distant states. 1 have, however, witnessed the commencement in practice of one of these medical collegians, and one who had a tew years served a country practitioner, at the same time, and in the same town; and their respective increase of business depended alone upon friends or tortuitous circumstances. The large cities, as in London, swarm with tjuacks ^^ho dissemnrate their poison in all dn-ect ions, and fUl the newspapei-s with their fdthy falsehoods. The church, in this republican country, is also open to all who chuse to enter it as preachers; upon whom there are no restrictions — who arc not under the necessity of adducing any qualifications previous to an at-** tempt to expoimd the scriptmvs. An enthusiast, should he not innuedi- atelv obtain a tooting in a pulpit already tixed. may, if he has a little money, soon tind some dissat^ected to their place of \\oi-ship. who will join him. and in a short time he is enabled to build himself a meeting- house. Until a traveller from the north reaches the Carolinas, he will tind the Tnited States the very hot-bed of religion— but I have alreaily devoted a chapter to this subject.* \o man of indcpeiulcnt t'ortune, who is not an enemy to his country. » In treating of the Slukors, tlio author oiiiittol to mention that Anna Lecse, whom these tanati(-s styled the Elect Lady, asserting tlut she was the woman spoken of in the tvventietli chapter of Revelations, died in l7St. notwithstandiiiji all her prv-dietions to the contrary. She was suceeeded by James Whit- aker. who also died in 1787, and their present leader is J.m-ph Meacbani, who has obtained among them the reputation of a prv)phet. 3 G 2 ^viU. 41 I HESSIAN SETTl.ERS IN AMERICA, will, it mav noAv be presumed, emigrate to America. Some few, in- deed, may be tbund willing to make a sacrifice, in order to indulge a desire to visit remote countries. It is, notwithstanding, the pride, the boast of its native inhabitants, a large majority of whom, happily for them, believe themselves the lirst peoph; upon the earth. On a shooting excursion in the skirts of the Blue Ridge, so called from the blue tint appearing at a distance over them, I met a German inhabitant, who invited me to refresh myself, with a draught of cyder. I gladly accepted his invitation, and over the glass he informed me, finding I was an European, that he came to America with the corps of Hessians that composed a part of General Burgoyne's army. He proved very communicative, observing that instead of being sent by the Americans to Boston to be embarked for Europe, according to the terms of capitulation, he was marched to Frederick Town in Mary- land, which proved, eventually, a fortunate circumstance for his future prospects in life. The industrious among the prisoners quickly found employment, and the whole, in a short time, obtained their freedom. The Germans apphed to agriculture, land being then easy of attain- ment, and he had become a man of considerable property. On this subject, one Richard Dinmore, * who resides in Alexandria, neat * Tliis Dinmore left his country, as common report states, at a time when so many fled to avoid the punishment which awaits traitors. Like Callender, Duanc, Antiiony Pasqulii, and a horde of British scribblers in America, he lias the direction of a petty newspaper at Alexandria, which he calls the Expositor; wherein he vents his rancor against liisotTcnded nation. Dinmore was an apothecary at Wal- ton, in the county of Norfolk, in England ; and agreater enemy to the British constitution is not in ex- istence. Not content with slandering his country through his own press, he has found the means of publishing his observations in one of the most respectable London monthly publications. They appear under the shape of Letters to the Editor, and are pompously called a Tour through the United States of America. He labors to impress the reader with the idea of his being an American. This tour is a dull account of a journey from Alexandria to Kentucky. Speaking generally of the present place of his resi- dence, he says, ue Americans, our country, my felloic-citizens, and the American war he calls, our rtvolutionan/ tear, lie certainly has abundant reason to value the country which has adopted him, for HESSIAN SETTLERS IN AMERICA. 415 near the city of ^\'ashington, in a letter published in London, says, " la Alexandria, there are now resident several of those Hessians, whom the for America not only proved to him an asylum, but the present government, ever rewarding democratic bawlers and apostate Englishmen, actually employed him on some internal negociation, in the execution of which he gives a tedious detail of his journey over the Blue and Alleghany mountains. There is scarcely a number of his newspaper which does not contain malignant paragraphs, and infa- mous falsehoods respecting the British nation ; but in a style so wretched, that its circulation even with democratic support, is very limited ; and were it not for the advertisements and favor of the government, Mr Dinmore's editorship would long ago have yielded to the smarting strokes of poverty. Among the vile scurrility of his •' Expositor," last summer was the following. — After noticing the intro- duction of the American minister, Mr. Munroe, to the king, he adds : For once au honest man has ap- peared at the court of St. James's." Another paper printed by Mr. S. Snowden, in the same town, but in the federal interest, makes this observation upon the paragraph. " It is no doubt difficult for an honest man in the doctor's (Apothecary Dinmore'-; esUmatioi) of the word, to get admission there; yet he cannot have forgotten that he himself was within a cable's length of having his name announced to his Britannic majesty — not by Sir Stephen Cotterill, but by the recorder of London, and ordinary of Newgate, as joint masters of the ceremonies." The following will shew the principles and the style of writing of this man, in his letters, published in London, " Should the present administration of Great Britain pursue towards the United States the same con- duct as was practised by the last, this nation will take such steps as will be severely rued in >/oiirs. Be- lieve, and I wish your politicians to believe me, that the sense of this nation is against you, more espe- cially since the aggression and murder of Pierce, by one of your commanders. It is true tie deprecate ■war, for ue know if it will not actually make us miserable, it will retard the progress of our national liap- piness ; but sooner than permit our free citizens to be murdered and impressed, their property plundered, and our national character dishonoreti, ue will, in the first instance, cease to deal with you, next (cry havock and let slip the dogs of war) let loose our privateers, and enter into the unprofitable, detestable, and impious contest of trying zvhic/i nation can do each other most harm." It is a very old but a very just observation, that wiien an unprinc^pled man injures another, he in- stantly becomes the inveterate enemy of the party aggrieved. This maxim may be extended farther than the ordinary intercuurse of individuals. Have we not seen Englishmen who have injured society, who, to avoid the punishment due to their crimes, or the just demands of their creditors, have either crossed the Channel or the Atlantic, exceeding in political rancor those who would naturally be expected to shew the most decided hostility to the interests of Britain 1 'Tisthis feeling that has impelled a Payne, a Dinmore, and a large discontented phalanx in America, to aim their envenomed shafts at the country which gave them birth ; 'tis this that causes a Goldsmith, a Button, and other expatriated traitors at Paris to surpass in the virulence and scurrility of the Argus, even the eflfusionsof Napoleon's own official Moniteur, English 4I(> STATE OF LITERATI' III.. ICni^lisli paid for, ami sent to conquer this coinitiy. 'riiey staid heir alior the war, and some of theui are now auioui,' the weakhieNt men in this plaee." Literature is yet at a low cbh in the United States, During mv sta\ in Philadelphia, where the small portion of genius is chiefly to be found, I heard of very few literary characters, superior to the political scribblers of the day. .Joseph Dcnnie, and jNIr. Brown, of that city, with Mr. Tcssenden, of Boston, are men of genius. The former is editor of a literary periodical paper, called " The Port-Folio," a publication which woidd do credit to the most polished nation in Europcern the futility of this form of government. It was weak and wicked in Athens. It was bad in Sparta, and worse in Rome. It has been tried in France, and has terminated in despotism. It was tried in Fngland, and rej*'cted with the utmost loathing and abhorrence. It is on Its trial here, and the issue will be civil war, desolation, and anar- chy. No wise man but discerns its imperfections ; no good man but shudders at its miseries; no honest man but proclaims its fraud; and no brave man but draws his sword against its force. The institution of a scheme of j)olity, so radically contemptible and vicious, I is NEWSPAPERS. 417 is a memorable example of what the villainy of some men can devise, the folly of others receive, and both establish, in despite of reason, re- flection, and sensation." This paragraph was copied into the federal papers throughout the union, and it became extremely obnoxious to the democratic party. The trial greatly interested all ranks; but, after much time being con- sumed, and much party spirit evinced by the contending advocates, Mr. Dennie was acquitted. He gives a sketch of the trial in the Port- Folio, and thus concludes : — " The causes of this prosecution, the spirit of the times, and the genius of the commonwealth, must be obvious to every observer. The editor inscribes vici on the white shield of his inr nocence, but is wholly incapable of vaunting at the victory !" Mr. Brown is editor of the Philadelphia Literary Magazine, a work greatly resorted to by the compilers of some of the London monthly publications. Printing and bookselling have of late years been extended to the most remote parts of the country. Several newspapers are printed in Ken- tucky ; and almost every town of more than a few score houses, in every state, has a j)rinting-office, from which the news is disseminated. There is no tax whatever on the press, and consequently ever}^ owner of one can print a newspaper with little risk, among a peoj)le who are all politicians. These sheets are the utmost limits of literature in most country towns, and they furnish ample food for dis[)utation. Several hundred different newspapers are daily distributed by the public mail, in all parts, to subscribers, at the small charge of one or two cents, at most, for postage ; * but printers exchange their papers with each other, by that mode, free of any charge. I have often seen a printer receive as many newsi)apers b\' one mail, as would fill the room of several hun- dred letters. * The post-towns in tlic ruilc-d States, and wliicli arc rapidly ijicreasiiig, in tlie year ISOI amounted* to 1,159. English. 418 PRINTING AND BOOKSELLING. English publications are reprinted in various parts of the United States; but in order to make them "cheap editions," tliey are generally on an inferior paper, contracted and garbled In tliis state tbey are issued from llie press, often at one-liftli of the price of the London editions. A work recently publishetl here at the price of two pounds, five shillings, iu the last l*hiladel|)hia papers is advertised at two dollars. A book of the description of these sbt ets, with views to illustrate the subject, will there appear divested of those ornaments, and the whole matter in explanation of the |)lates suppressed. If works of great ex- tent, such as the Encyclopjedia Britannica, in which a London pub- lisher will expend many thousand pounds before a single copy can be oflerec) for sale, are attempted there to be copied, many months are passed in procuring subscril)ers ; and for this purpose riders are sent to every large town, by which means almost every inhabitant is solicited to lend assistance. In some instances, however, much typographic spirit is to be met wi:h. jNIatthew Car' y, an old estal)lished bo(jkseller in Phi- ladelphia, has announced the accomplishmet of his attempt to keep one of his quarto editions of the Bible, standing, in the type; and he advertises for sale, eighteen ditterent priced qnarto Bibles. In his advertisements he says that " he trusts it will be borne in mind that it is the first attempt that has ever been made to keep the quarto Bible completely standing. The paper, type, printing, engravings, and binding, are all American." In Philadelphia the printers have instituted a typographical society, of which Mr. John Childs is the president. This society consists of one hundred and twenty members. They have stated meetings, and an aimiversary on the first day of November, The trade contril)ute to- wards a fund f()r the relief of the sick members, and the burial of such as depart this life in distressed circumstances. The last report men- tions only one death in the fraternity during the last four years. They 2 profess BOOKSELLING— THE ARTS. 4l9 profess the principles of Franklin, who is revered by them as the father of the tvpographic art in America. This trade have an annual book fair, upon the plan of that at Leipsic, in Gennanv. It is lield in the mouth of June, at Newark, in the state of New Jersey, twelve miles from New York, Here the principal booksellers meet from all parts of the United States, or send a repre- sentative, to arrange the general business, enter into regulations, an- nounce intended publications, and exchange with each other those al- ready on sale. Matthew Carey, above-mentioned, is the secretary : but Matthew has threatened to attend no more, unless the fair is alter- nately held in the vicinity of Philadelphia, where the booksellers con- sider themselves as taking the lead of any other place in the Union. In a countrv presenting agriculture and trade in their most advan- tageous points of view, there is still less encouragement for the arts and sciences. Few individuals have 3^et amassed a fortune sufficient to enable them to indulge in elegant luxuries ; and where that may have occurred, the possessor, of mean origin, remains still sordid, or is devoid of taste. Except the public buildings, there is little employment for the artisan. Haifa dozen of our best portrait painters would not find employment in the United States, unless, like lawyers on a circuit, they travelled from one city to another. As many engravei-s obtain a bare competence in Philadelphia and New York. Mr. Edwin, son of the late comedian, the best engraver iji the first of tliose cities, informed me that he was paid with parsimony, was obliged to give long credit, and was undetermined as to his longer residence among them. Mr. Haynes, another artist in the same branch, after some perseverance in the execution of his busi- ness, was obliged to return, little more than a j^ear ago, to London. Before I quit the subject of literature I cannot forbear taking some notice of a publication which recently made its appearance in Boston, under the title of" Letters from London, written during the years 1802 3 H and 142© SI nicTU'Rr'?: ON Austin's ilttir^ *r^' *«♦).% by -W^nmiHAn^ni." Were I to pass it over in siktire, it miirht |)crlia|)s be coiiNtrued in Amcrist>n o(i(>nsi,on. ^br such u triumph, I hero, in the most unqua- lilied monher det^lare, that his book is throuGrhout a tissue of fiiUehood, misre^M*$entatforj,S prejndroie, -and sriirrihty. Tn support of this opinion I shall inti-odnce a in\t passajTes, which, 1 think, will prove quite sufli- cient tor every English reaUei*. Spenkinc; of monoiT^ical governmeMts, our republican says: " Kini^ and noiil'js are the severest libel which a:iy people can snfTi'r; tl>ey had their origin in the ztxtikncsi of mankind, at length usurped an liereditary authoritv", ai>d now have tlK'ir continuance through the Z»£f.«'«i'.«s of man- kind. And when these orders are once instituted, it is their constant |)Olicy tadifscourage every advance to former virtue." h' r, '*T.' His observations on th<'. relations between masters and servants in England, furnish not only a corroboration, but also a contrast to what has been said in a former part of this volume concerninor those of Ame- rica. *' Wiiat do you imagine is tliie tye," says he, " which restrains tbeEnaHsh seinonis in this ready senilitv to their masters: Vou observe I mse the terms srri<;vjifs and viasters. A sewant isjKit offended if you ask hiin where his master is. In the United States — a country where triumph the purest principles of leg>islation Avhich ever adorned civil so- ciety*— a country i« which the human character is already elevated to a' superior species of man, compared with the miserable wretches of Eu- ro|je — shonld one ask a person where his master was, he would, doubt- less, meet with a rough reply : for, in truth, there are uo such characters in the United Stutes, as masters and iservanLs. 1 will now tell you the reason why the English make such excellent servants. They have three things liefore their e^•e8, servitude for lile. Botany Bay, luul the gal- lows. Servitude they most commonly esteem the least of the three evils. But servitude has its terrors: lor if their masters dismiss them. J without STRICTURES OX ALSTIK'3 LETTOS.; 4^1 without a charact<>r, thev are undone. Their hal>its ami educatitm, or rather want of education^ render! ni* them useless, they, are forced to enter the lowest class of that great body of men who live at the [jiiblic expence in England." The author then proceeds to display his wit, as he doubtless imagined, though it is obvious that he borrowed his ideas from the degraded situa- tion of the wretched slaves in the favored land of republican eqnalitv. " The servants in England are not exactly what they ought to be: where the fathers and sons for many generations are likely to be servants dur-» ing their lives, it is of great consequence they should possess as little as possible either of tlie dress, m&nners, form, or feelings of men. Thev should be bred in the most profound ignorance, and the5' should b& taught from their infancy to consider themselves a distinct s|:)ecies. To im|>ress this more deeply, they should be ilisfigured' as much a^ nifsfFit be consistent Avith their usefulness: both of their ears might' be spai^etV, so might their noses. It might injure their healths to paint them, but" it is a pity that a certain dye-stuff" could not be invented, through v/hich pers|)iration might pass. ' In short, they shouM ift^' sni* respects' be treat- ed like beasts of burden!!'^ "' ^ " :8<>i'« '^'^ .uoian-joo bsooiJnsm-l^ri 9i\i 1 -jtii f:i doum hiloubiioo aiB hnftlpn!! With such ribaldry has this sd'ibhler co^itiiVetl 'ib^'fifl n p wards o"f three hundred octavo pages, for the amus&mtrtt of his Yafila^e-hrethrcii across the Atlantic. Not even the mirSst solemn sul^(^6>''ean claim an exemption from his scun-ility. He makes himself extferneh' mei-'i^}' at -a funeral, describing it as the most humorous sight which, after a residoiicc- of tour months in I^ondon, he had yet beheld. He mitto'dk it, he ;4iys, for a shew, and in the fulness of his simplicity, nb doubt, tinqniredof an honest Englishman what the shew was.-' The' toter,- it seettts, #Ith (ii^- coming indignation, gave thisblunt reply^' **''V'Ou liid^- know one day, if you do not come to the gallows." Thfe American woidd persuade u*» that he took the hearse for a baggage-waggon, and aodelighted is our Yankee with this idea, bright as that of Polonius, who pretended to 3 II 2 fancy 422 STRICTURES ON AUSTIN'S LETTERS. fancy a cloud to be a camel or a whale, that he constantly calls this ve- hicle a watrgon. Now for my part, friend William, I must protest that this is scarcely more ludicrous than your black boxes on wheels, with sculls and thigh-bones on the sides, in which you convey your dead, and not much worse than dragging them on the shafts of an old buggie, or in an open cart. The greater the decency observed in paying the last tribute of re- spect to a departed relative or friend, the more profound is the impres- sion which the awful scene is calculated to produce. Had our contem- plative traveller followed the funeral to the grave, which I sujjpose he did not, he would there have witnessed the performance of the last so- lemn rites, which perhaps would have furnished a new subject for his satirical talents, because the English have not yet adopted the enlight- ened custom of consigning their dead to the parent earth, like some fa- natic sects in America, in fields and gardens, without a burial service, or even a prayer. Each observation of this author concludes with a comparison. On the last-mentioned occasion, he adds: " I believe our funerals in New England are conducted much in the manner as they were in ancient Rome." If this be the case, I wonder how they came by this tnanner, as this land of fanaticism was peopled by malcontents from Old Eng- land, and ignorance, the handmaid of superstition, prevented them from distinguishing the manners of Rome ti'om those of Grand Cairo. The truth is, that no people upon earth make a greater parade in the burial of the dead, than Mr. Austin's countrymen. On such occasions what they call " warnings," is the day before, or early in the morning, given of the funeral. This is a notice or warning of the event in writ- ing, which is regularly carried from house to house, and shewn or read to some of the family. Some hours previous to the procession being })ut in motion, the neighbors assemble, and the tenement of the deceabcd is soon AMERICAN FUNERALS. 423 soon filled; to whom wine, punch, toddy, and cakes, are handed round. During this time some dissenting minister is frequently ha- ranguing those within the house, in what is called a funeral sermon, while the great body of those who mean to swell the procession gather together on the outside. In some places they have a vehicle which may be called a hearse, but as rude in comparison to that which diverted the Yankee in London, as their stage-waggons are to the elegant and com- fortable public coaches met with on the ingh roads of Britain. It is in fact, as I have already said, a kind of black box on wheels, and some- times decorated, not with nodding plumes of feathers, but with misera- ble daubings, meant to represent human sculls and crossed thigh-bones. This vehicle is, however, seldom to be found ; carrying dead bodies upon men's shoulders, the most usual mode, is certainly attended with less expence. The sermon ended, which generally consumes an hour, and sometimes two, the procession, if the subject of the ceremony has died rich, is conducted in the following order: — First comes the undertaker, in a scarf and hatband of black silk or white linen, according to the state of the deceased, then follow, side by side, the parson and die doctor, per- sonao-es deemed necessary on those occasions, and who are also compli- mented with the insignia of mourning; the other clergy of the town ; the bodv, when no hearse or chaise wheels are used, carried by four in- ferior republicans, without the smallest trappings of woe, while the pall is borne by six of their superiors, in hatbands and scarfs similar to those of the parson and doctor;* but which are generally put over a drab or other coloured coat, presenting a motley view; then Ibllow the inhabi- tants, two and two, beginning with those who arrogate to themselves in this land of liberty a superiority over the others, until the whole is brought up by the slaves of the deceased. These processions, such is the usage, * The Briiish Aristop'.ianes, Foote, in one of his ilrainas, introduces a doctor and a taylor. The for- mer has just returned from a funeral, and Snip from carrying to a customer a new garment ; upon which he observes to the doctor that they have been both on the same errand, " carrying home their work !" are 424 AMKRICAN FUNl-RALS. arc sometimes the whole Icnjjth of a lariijje town; and the surviving re- latives are gratified in proportion to the number ot attendants. The interment of inferior persons is also ffenerallyattended with a pro- cession. Instead, however, of scarfs and hatbands, the mourners con^ tent themselves with a piece of black ribbon or crape, tied round the arm above the elbow; and on these occasions, the [)aradinfj^ of the priest and the doctor, for reasons which need no explanation, is omitted, and the corpse is committed to the grave w ithout the reading of a i)rayer, or the singing of a psalm. From these customs it would seem that Mr. Ansi'm'^^ admiration should have been excited, at witnessing the superior solenmity of a funeral in the metropolis of Britain. A touch of eini/ must have rankled in his breast when he mistook the procession for afslicic; especially when he compared with it the barbarous imitation of his countrymen, which has already been described. Such is their propensity to parade, especially on these occasions, that the}' would certainly adopt this slitw were the Dicans of making it in their possession. If any proof of this is yet want- ijig, 1 shall adduce the circumstance of their burying General Wash- ington /// effigy in most of their large towns. A drawing of the proces- sion on this occasion at Philadelphia I have annexed, which will con- vince the reader not only of the projiiiety of my remarks, but fully dis- play their proj^ensity to pomp, even in the mockery of the funeral rites. CHAP. -^p.. -J ■^^ 1 ^^ n^ ''1 ( ^ .^ ^ V (!i ^ ^ ^ ■i -^ -X ^ 423 CHAP. XXXII. THE AMERICAN CATTAIN LITTLE TAKES A FRENCH CORVETTE — TRI E D ON CHARGES BROUCHT AGAINST HIM BY THE PRISONERS, AND SUPERSEDED IN HIS COMMAND — THE FRENCH SHIP REPAIRED AT THE EXPENCE OF AMERICA, AND RESTORED BY CONGRESS— BLOCKADED IN BOSTON BY A BRITISH SHIP — ACTION OFF SANDY 'hook BETWEEN THE AMBUSCADE AND BOSTON — CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING THE RETURN OF A DET, THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR — BLOCKADE OF A FRENCH FRIGATE IN NEWPORT BY THE ASIA — JOHN PIERCE KILLED BY A SHOT FRCJ.M THE LEANDER — PROCLAMATION OF PRESIDENT JEFFERSON ON THE OCCASION. XN the former part of this vohime I have mentioned the vigorous mea- sures resorted to by President Adams against the depredations daily com- mitting- upon the commerce of the United States during his administra- tion, by the French in the West Indies. 'The American frigate called the Boston, commanded by Captain Little, was one of the cruisers sent by Mr. Adams, to check their ])ira- tical depredations. Tliis ship had fallen in with a large French corvette called Le Berceau, and took her after a faint resistance. Little brought his prize safely to the harbor of the town irom which his ship was named and at this time Mr. Jefierson was seated in the presidential chair. On a similar occasion, when Commodore Truxon captured a French fri- gate in the presidency of Mr. Adams, she was condemned as a lawful prize, and refitted to cruize against her fijrmer owners. On the arrival of Captain Little with his prize at Boston, the repub- lican prisoners were extremely clamorous against him, and found means to 426 CHARGES AGAINST CAPTAIN MTTIE. to send a remonstrance to President Jefferson. This was a proceeding natm-al to men who are prevented from tbllowing their nefarious career, hut that the reiu:ning ruler of the country, sui)verting in every instance the measures of his predecessors should notice their com- plait-.t hy degrading Captain Little, was, at tlie time the circumstanco happened, a matter of astonishment. This gallant man, like Colonel Butler, was of the school of Washington. The Columbian Centinel, edited hy Major Benjamin Russell, one of the best diurnal prints in the United Stales, thus mentions this trans- action. " The trial of Captain Little on charges alledged against him bv the oificers of the French corvette, Le Berceau, has excited much sensibility in the breast of every real friend to the American navy. It has been considered a new thing under the sun, for a brave and humane officer, without the least previous investigation by the government un- der which he serves, to be deprived of his sword and ship, and be com- pelled to stand a public trial, on the bare com|jlaint of the prisoners he liad just captured — \vhose characters were known to be intiiinous, and whose conduct to several American vessels has been proved on oath to have been little better than that of pirates. Yet such things we have seen, and on the oath of such men has a gallant naval commander been subject to the ignominy of arrest and trial — whether from a desire to rescue the American navi/ from the suspicion of reproach, or from an undue attachment to the the French republic, let the manly, good sense of the American public determine." Captain Little was brought to trial on the charges of the French ma- rauders of Le Berceau and on the following accusations : " 1. Taking money from the prisoners. " 2. Plundering them of articles, their private property. " 3. Indecent conduct in searching them, and tlie corvette in which they were made prisoners. 2 " 4. Cruelty CAPTAIN LITTLE TRIED AND SUPERSEDED. 427 " 4. Cruelty towards them. " 5. Kidnapping a part of the crew of the prize." Upon the trial not a charge was proved. It was evident they origi- nated in that vindictive spirit so conspicuous among the nation of the accusers. By the judgment of the court-martial before whom he un- derwent this derogation, he was, of course, honorably acquitted. The publication above quoted farther observed, " that it will give pleasure to the public to learn that not one syllable of these charges were founded in truth ; on the contrary, they appear to have originated in malice towards an officer who had arrested the piratical career of tiie complainants; and in the expectation that the government would be more ready to punish than countenance an act so degrading to the French re public as the capture of a national corvette." It appeared that the secretary of the navy betrayed emotions of dis- appointment on reading the sentence of the court-martial ; and that, failing in fixing the pretended indignities offered to the Frenchmen on the gallant commander, he transferred it in general terms to his crew in order to convince the adverse party of the high consideration he entertained lor the sister republic. Captain Little was, not- withstanding, deprived of the command of his ship, being superseded by Captain Daniel M'Niell, and has not since been in the employ of the government. The Boston, on the 7th of February, 1800, was con- demned as unfit for service. The French shij) was immediately restored, and ordered to be com- pletely repaired, at the cost of 32,000 dollars, and every possible satis- faction was made by the loving government of the United States to the crew, to enable them again to commit fi-esh depredations on their com- merce. A Boston publication of that date says, " Yesterday the Ex-American corvette saluted the morn, noon, and sun-set, with 21 guns 3 I each. AdH 1.E nr.iuKAi' biockaded in boston i;y the pheasant, c-adi. U'liL'Uirr in honour of the destruction of" the Bastille in 1780, t)r ul' till' estal)lishmi*nt of" Cayenne bastiles in 1801; or, as miiiht be conjectured from the luimber of guns, in connncmoration of the sixty- three revolutions, constitutions, See. &c. in France, we have not learnt." " It was quite gallant in Lc Berceau yesterday to degrade the British colours while lying snug in a neutral port, es])ccially when it is known that an English ship of" inferior force has invited her to sea to take a trial at flag-striking." When the corvette was ready for sailing, a small sloop of war called the Pheasant, under the command of Captain Skipsey,* tlien a master and commander in the British navy, was found ready to dispute her passage into the ocean. The Pheasant, I thiiik, is rated at eighteen guns, the corvette at twenty-eight ; and yet iiotliing could prev.iil upon the Frenchmen to go out of Boston harbour. Here is another instance, to use the language of Mr. Juhn Randolph in the house of representa- tives, of Great Britain fighting the battles of the United States, in seek- in? to destroy her own enemv. Le Berceau was blockaded in Boston many months by the Pheasant ; and without this interposition, she would have renewed her ravages upon the American trade. Thus, in s]iite of the government, did Captain Skipsey save their vessels from falling a prey to the piratical crew of Le Berceau, which at length escaped in the usual manner— favored by a gale of wind. The day of my first arrival in New York was rendered memorable by the severe engagement which took place off Sandy Flook, between the Boston and the Ambuscade. We heard distinctly the broadsides as we jiassed down Long Island Sound, but knew not on what account they • This gallant officer was a lieutenant on board the Berwick man of war, one of the British squadron under Admiral I'arkcr, wliich tngagcd the Dutch fleet on the Dogger bank during tiic American war. a were ACTION Bi^TWEEN THE AMI3USCADE AND THE EO.STON. 429 vere fired. This battle being premeditated on the jwrt of the FreiieH, various were the conjectures respecting tlie cause, and I therefore took some pains to gain correct iiilormation. The Ambuscade, a hirge 44 gun frigate, had been some time lying opposite to New York, and it was known that the Boston was stationed on the outside of Sandy Hook. Captain Bompard, who commanded the Ambuscade, had given no intimation of his intended departure, un- til, on a sudden, preparations were made to go out, and a report was sj)read that Captain Courtenay, the British commander, had sent him a challenge. The circumstance which gave rise to the report was this : A pilot-boat had carried some provisions to the Boston, and as the pilot was retiu'ning down the side of the shi[) to his boat, a young midshi[>- man said to him, " Give our compliments to Captain Bompard, and tell him we shall be glad of his company on this side the Hook." This lost nothing by the way in being communicated to the French commander, who was even told that it was a direct challenge from Captain Courtenay. It soon spread over New York, and the French faction began to feel ashamed that their ship should be blockaded, and thus challenged to come out, by an enemy so inferior in force. This was a spur to Bom- pard, who, having taken on board a number of American seamen that had offered themselves as volunteers, he promised to chastise the haughty foe. He accordingly went out, attended by a great number of vessels and boats crowded with Americans to witness the tight. The Boston soon descried the enemy, and was observed to alter her tacks and to prepare for battle, which soon began on the j)art of the French, while her anta- gonist waited her nearer approach. The Gallic- Americans assembled on the occasion had already begun to persuade themselves that the little Boston was declining an engagement, when she opened a tremendous and incessant hre. I was inlbrmed, so rapid were her broadsides, that she gave three to two received ti'om herenemy during the whole engage- ment. In the heat of battle the brave Captain Courtenay was killed, and the tirst lieutenant of the Boston badly wounded. I'he latter, having 3 i2 passed 430 VISIT TO TME AMBUSCADE AFTER THE ACTION. pa'vsod throujili tlie surgeon's hands, was hrounht npon deck, and proved an able substitute for his deceased ea|)tain during the remainder of the bloody conflict. The mainmast of the Ainbu>eade was shot through, and could barely be supported by the shronils — a breeze would have car- ried it by the board. The Boston having lost her t()re-to|)-mast, she put about to rei)lace it, and soon after descrying the I'reneh fleet lioni St. Domingo, she made sail towards Halifax, while the Ambuscade de- clined Ibllowing, happy, no doubt, in getting back. The Democrats sft u[) the cry of victory, and they publicly rejoiced at what I thought a discomfiture. Nhibitin£c the importation of Ei)gUsh nianutactures into their ports. Tliis was coiisidereil hy some as a preliminary step to a declaration of war, wliich, it is to be hoped, is averted by the recent treaty with that country. The man whose death excited sncli an extraordinary sensation, was John Fierce, who had borne through Hfe the character of an indus- trious citizen. His remains were interred with every demonstration of resentment against those who caused his death, at the pubHc expencc ; and were attended to the grave by the state officers, corporate bodies, the mifitarv, and great numbers of inliabitants, in |)rocession. The following proclamation of the president, Mill sufficiently shew the temper of the government on tliis occasion : — " BY THOMAS JEFFERSON, " President of the United States of America, " A PROCLAMATION. " Whereas sati^factory information has been received, that Henry Whitby, commanding a British armeil vessel, called the Leandor, did on the ^.^th day of the month of April last, within the waters and juris- diction of the United Slates, and near to the entiance of the harbor of New York, by a cannon-shot tired from the said vessel Leander, com- mit a murder on the body of John Pierce, a citizen of the United States, then pursuing his lawful vocations within the same waters and jurisdiction of the United States, and near to their shores; and that the said Henry Whitby cannot at this time be brought to justice by the or- dinary process of law. " And PROCLAMATION ON THE DEATH OF PIERCE. 455 " And whereas it does further appear that hoth before and after the said day, sundry trespasses, wrongs, and unlawful interruptions and vex- ations on trading vessels coming to the United States, and within their waters and vicinit\% were committed by the said armed vessel the Leander, her officers and people ; by one other armed vessel, called the Cambrian, commanded by John Nairne, her oHicers and people ; and by one other armed vessel, called the Driver, commanded by Slingsby Simpson, her officers and people ; which vessels being all of the same nation, were aiding and assisting each other in the trespasses, interrup- tions, and vexations aforesaid. " Now therefore, to the end that the said Henry Whitbv mav be brought to justice, and due punishment inflicted for the said murder, I do hereby especially enjoin and require all officers having authority,- civil or military, and all other persons within the limits or jurisdiction of the United States, wheresoever the said Henry Whitby may be found, now or hereafter, to apprehend and secure the said Henry ^\'h^t- by, and him safely and diligently to deliver to the civil authority of the place, to be proceeded against according to law. " And I do hereby further require that the said armed vessel the Leander with her other officers and people, and the said armed ^ essels the Cambrian and Driver, their officers and people, immediately and without any delay, depart from the harbors and waters of the United States. — And I do for ever interdict the entrance of all other vessels which shall be commanded by the said Henry Whitby, John Nairne, and Slingsby Simpson, or either of them. " And if the said vessels, or any of them, shall fail to depart as afore- said, or shall re-enter the harbors or waters aforesaid, I do in that case forbid all intercourse with the said armed vessels, the Leander, the Cambrian, and the Driver, or with any of them, and the officers and crews thereof, and prohibit all supplies and aid from being furnished them, 3 k or 4y/ PROCLAMATION oN THE DEATH OF PIERCC. or anv of tlietn. And I do declare and make kii«)\vn, that if any per- son, tioin or within the jurisdictional limits of the United States, shalt afford any aid to either of the said armed vessels, contrary to the pro- hibition contained in this proclamation, eitlvcr in repairing such vessel, or in furnishing her, her olhcers or crew, with supi)lies of any kind, or in anv maimer whatever; or if any pilot shall assist in iwivigating any of the said armed vessels, unless it be for the purpose oi" carrying them in the first instance, beyond the limits and jurisdiction of the United States; such person or persons shall, on conviction, suffer all the pains and penalties by the law provided for such offences: And I do heieby enjoin and require all persons bearing office, civil or military, within the- United States, and all others, citizens or inhabitants thereof, or being within the same, with vigilance and promptitude to. exert their re-- spective authorities, and to be aiding and assisting to. the carrying this. proclamsUion and every part thereol" into full effect. •^ Ih testimony thereof, I have caused the seal of the- h. S. United States to he affixed to these presents, and signed* the same with my hand.. " Given at the city ofAVashington, on the third diay ofMay, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and six, and of the sove- xeignty and independence of the United States the thirtieth, (Signed) " Th. Jefferson.. " BY THE PRESIDENT. (Signed) " James Madison. " Secretary of State"' CHAP. 457 <:iIAP. XXXIIL CVPSLM — LAllGE OIANTITIUS OF THAT SUCSTANCC l.Ml'OllTEU FKOM CANADA INTO THE UNITED STATES, AND EMPLOYED AS MANURE — VITTSBUHCi — GENEHAL OB- SEUVATIONS ON THE WESTERN TERRITORIES — MILITARY T A V U R N -K E LI' URS — QUALITY AND PRODUCE OF THE SOIL IN KENTUCKY — REASON FOll THE LOSS OF TEETH AMONG THE AMERICANS — DIFFICULTY OF BRINGING PRODUCE Id MARKET FaOM THE WESTERN COUNTRIES. It is surj")rising to observe the quantities of gypsum, or plaister of Paris, which is carried from the sea-ports of the United States, into the country. The waggons, of late years, make a profitable return load of this article, which is pulverised and used as manure. On certain lands it produces a better crop of w heat and Indian corn than any other kind, and is more durable. When it is known that this valuable substance is not found within the United States, the trade in that article becomes more a matter of surprise. It is procured from the British possessions, and not from the boundary line on the river St. Croix. Vast rocks and quarries of gvpsum are Ibund along the coast; and the Americans, uumolested, piltier it ti-om the inhabitants, who, indeed, seem to account it of little value, ^^'hen an owner of the soil, which rarely happens, prohibits in- terlopers from taking it away, he is satisfied with some small tribute, ]Many scores of vessels are employed in canying the stone along the coast as far as Savannah, in Georgia. I have often wondered that the British government do not turn the matter to their profit. The Americans would purchase it by weight, as they sell it, to great ad^ antage. I have seen this valuable manure carried as far as Pittsburg, on the Ohio, between three and four hundred miles. This is the principal commercial place of the new states. The river Ohio is formed b}' the conilux of the Monongahela and Allegany, where Pittsburg is situated. 3 K 2 The 4:^8 pirrsBURG. The town is \vtll built, pnnci|jally of brick, has a smoaky appearance, and contains about live hunclrc(i lionses. The situation is saitl to be hi'allh\', and agues and intermittent fevers rare. My stay there did not aftord time enoiinh to ascertain tlie trutli of this assertion; but the inha- bitants of Lexington, and other places in Kentucky, are not only subject to those distressing complaints, but to bilious attacks towards the end of autumn. Pittsburg is a place of considerable business. It is the staple of the trade to Philadelpiiia, Baltimore, and Alexandria. Here are two print- ing-offices, each publishing a newspaper ; a glass-house, and an iron- founderv. The exports consist of flour, Indian corn, salted meat and jbutter, bar iron, and whiskey.* Redstone, an improving town on the river Monongahela, and fifty miles above Pittsburg, also sends a great quantity of produce down the Ohio to \ew Orleans. Of late years, ship-building has been carried on here, though upwards of twelve hundred miles from the ocean ; and vessels of a size and strength fit for the trade of the most distant parts of the world, have been steered safely down the Ohio and the Mississippi into the gulph of Flo- rida. Vessels of war are now building on the Ohio, intended to have been used as gun-boats against the powers of Barbary, with whom the Americans are generally at war. The cordage for these vessels is manu- factured at Redstone and Lexington ; and the adjacent district contains abundance of iron. The produce of the country is transported to New Orleans in large barges, which are sometimes forty, and even fifty days» on their passage, going with the current.f To return by the same route • Next to Yankee rum, this is the most execrable of ardent spirits distilled in the United States. Whiskey, made of rye, and yt a prupir age, is not so very deleterious. 'I'lie manufacturer will swear to the jmrchaser that it is genuine whiskey, though made from Indian corn. t lo the spring of the year, the current of the river is so rapid, that there is no occasion for oars or t.iils. They might, indeed, prove dangerous, being liable, from the great swiftness with which the boat would then go,[to turn it out of the current into an eddy, where it might be entangled among sunken hranches and roots of trees, rendering the situation extremely dangerous, would WESTERN SETTLEMENTS OF AMERICA. 439 would require many months; the barges are therefore sold at New Or- leans for some trifling consideration, being frequentl}- cut up for fuel, and the bargemen generally prefer returning by the Atlantic ocean. Thev procure a passage on very moderate terms to Baltimore or Phila- delphia, and return on foot to Pittsburg. This trip, in the territory of the United States only, requires two, and sometimes three months. The increase of population in this country, so far removed from the ocean, is astonishing. Previous to the American war, it was an unexplored de- sart, occasionally penetrated by the savages on their hunting excursions. They opposed the white men on their taking |iossession of the banks of the Ohio ; but thev are no'v driven to a considerable distance ; and this country, formed by nature for a distinct empire, comprising the new states of Ohio, Kentucky, and Tenessee, with the territories of Indiana and the Mississippi, contain little short of half a million of inhabitants! The land on the banks of the river is chiefly improved, and it produces on an average, if entirelv cleared, iitteen, twenty, and on some spots twenty-five bushels of wheat per acre. It is the custom to notch the trees intended to be felled, the year before, by which the sap no longer running, they perish, and are more easily cut down. The stumps are ge- nerally left to the decay of time, and on such land the crop will conse- quentlv yield a third less. This plan is adopted, from the great scarcity of working hands. An emigrant eagerly grasps the idea of the cheapness of the land in this part of the world, without ever reflecting on the great difficulty and enormous expence of clearing and tilling it. It is like calculating on the smns of money the timber would produce in Eng- land, without allowing the expence of land carriage to his vessel, and for its transportation across the Atlantic, which would render his oak dearer than mahogany. Without a sufficient number of labourers, all his prospects become \'isionary; and hence we find so many removals from one place to another, and such numbers entirely abandoning the: enterprize, and returning impoverished to the sea-coast. 1 Every 440 EXPENCli OF SErTLlNO IN kliNTfCKY. Every afticle of lite in Kentucky is about half the price required on the sea-coasts.* Lest any reader should he prepossessed so irretrievahly as to he resolved to ascertain the truth oi" my oliscrvalions, I heg him lirht to peruse the lollowing, made hy Mr, 11. Toulmin, a district judge, and residing at Tranktort. After descrihing the difticulty and expense of travelling, which, by the bye, he tells you, " that Englishmen Irecpiently do not learn till they have spent all their money !" or in olhur and plainer words, that they are ruined by the length, dilheulty, and expense, of reaching the place of their destination; Mr, Toulmin descends to the minutite.of living. He says that wheat is half a dollar per bushel; oats one quarter of a dollar; potatoes the same price; beef M. to 3d, |)er |)ound; (in order •to acconnnodate the reader, 1 shall deviate from Mr. Toulmin, and men- tion the price in British money); fresh pork (generally shot, or otherwise killed in the woods) 2d,; bacon 3d. halfpenny to.4d; salt 3s, 9d. per bushel; sugar and tea as dear as in England; but English and other European goods are one half more at least than in the respective places Avhere they are manufactured. This gentleman next presents a scheme for purchasing and stocking a farm, and laying in a year's provisions, with the small sum of 1721. I9s. British; and which, like all other xXmerican speculations, is extremely flattering when viewed upon paper. It is as lijllows :— » At l.Lxington. in Kenluiky, there is a retail store, kept by a Mr. Trotter, wlio is supposed to do as much business as any trader in ti.e large towns on the sea cbast. He sends to market immense quantities of deer skins, the sales of which are said to amount to between thirty and forty lliousand dollars annnally. This circumstance shews the numerous herds of deer with whicl, the immense forests of that country abound. In winter, the carcases are also frequently brouglit to the sea-jwrt towns, and sold at the price of fresh beef, and frequently for much less; the Americans not being su(Viciontly skilled in F.picuriMU to admire {[».- haul gout of a haunch of venison, it is frequently soUl at a much lower price as it advances to that state which is so much admired at out city feasts. Mr. Trotter employs many waggons in bring- ing his goods from Pliiladelphia, and returning tlie produce of the country, which he receives in barter for the manufactures of England, and which cost him several thousand dollars yearly. ;TUCKY. 441 L. S. D. 80 Acres of land, with decent cabbins, and 30 of whicli to be cleared (that is, tit lor sowing grain) _______ 2 Plough horses --..__ 2 Cows and Calves ------ 10 Sheep I Plough Gecrs and saddles ------ A one-horse cart - - ^ - - - Household furniture - _ - - - One year's provisions,* viz. 1000 lbs. of pork - 300 lbs. of beef 3 l)nshels of salt ------ 40 ditto of wheat - - - - - 8 ditto of Indian corn - - - . 2000 lbs, of hay - . - . . 20 bushels of potatoes - - _ _. Sundries ------- S. 172 ly All this sounds pleasing to the ear, and appears satisfactory to the eye,, but Mr. Toulmin was no judge, it seems, of the cost of this farmer in arriving with his family at the place of purchase. Indeed, it appears beyond his calculation, for he very judiciously puts it under the sM'eep- ing observation — " that Englishmen frequently do not learn it (to travel) until they are ruined." At a nearer guess, I can inform him, that it will * In all parts of the United States, tamilies lay in provisions of this kind every winter for the year. In summer time, especially in the back forests, they can have no fresh provisions. The heat of the wea- ther, and the myriads of insects, keep the cattle in the state of Pharaoh's kine; and the torment is often so. insupportable, that they run off half-mad, and become wild. cost 90 22 4 10 Q 4 10 1 7 a 4 10 7 10 a 15 4 10 2 10 d I 7 a 4 TO 3 12 1 10 1 2 6 4 10 442 MILITARY TAVERN-KEEl'ERS. cost nearly double the contemplated price of this farm before he can piacr his family upon it; if I may calculate upon the charge of one hundred •Guineas lately paid by a mercantile friend of mine,* for his passage to New York. It will also.be remembered, that the cause of the apparent cheapness of provisions arises from the diihculty of carrying the surplus to market after supplying themselves. Taking, this into consideration, together with the advanced price of European goods, tea, and sugar, and above all, the expense of travelling, there will remain no very great ba- lance in favor of the western country over the Atlantic states. This is a subject which writers, who wish to flatter emigrants, will not touch upon ; and for the same reason, they will be apt to deny the truth of these observations. It will not be amiss also to take in view that Mr. 'J'uulmin holds a large? property on the very spot which he describes; and that, being a man of influence, and a district judge, every emigrant in some degree adds to his fortune and his power.. In travellinji these dreary roads, a stranger is amazed at the number of ci-devant military officers and infatuated emigrants he meets with. The miserable places of entertaiimient, which they call taverns, are ge- nerally kept by a colonel or a major; and I have known even waggoners who had formerly been field-ofHcers. They are extremely tenacious of their titles, and though many acquired them merely by attending a muster in the militia, and were then displaced, yet, to omit the colonel or the major would imply disrespect, and bring on you some rebuke, if not from the redoubted hero himself, at least some friend or one of the family would inmiediately supply the defect, or tell you how to accost your host. They rigidly adhere to the vulgar adage, " once a captain always a captain." I have had the honor of being qucsiinned by these, men of rank, from Colonel Coleman, landlord of the Bunch of Grapes inn. State-street, Boston, to Colonel Ri[)ey, who keeps the sign of the ♦ III the nn>t chapter, I have mentioned that 1 paid for my passage to Boston lliirty guineas— such was. the price in those times. '■' General QUALITY AND PRODUCE OF THE SOIL IN KENTUCKY. 443 General Washington at Shippensburg, in the back part of" Pennsylvania. At the house of the latter commander ended the line of stages running towards Pittsburg, and the travellers were obliged either to purchase horses, or to walk the remainder of the road— one hundred and sevent}^ miles! There were several horses, it is true, kept for sale; even Colo- nel Ripey could have accommodated the traveller; but then, aware of his distress, he would have exacted double price. I was sorry to hear that this lucrative part of the colonel's business was destroyed, by a re- gular stage being lately established the whole way to Pittsburg, for he was good-humored, and dealt out his interrogatories with some decency- One principal cause of the richness of the land in Kentucky is tiie thick bed of leaves, and rotting trunks of trees, with which the earth had been covered every year for many generations, and which decayed into a rich and deep vegetable surface that will endure manj^ years' cultiva- tion without being exhausted. This was in some measure the case on the shores of the Atlantic on the discovery of America, but the virtue has been long extracted, and the planter is very sparing of manure, though it may often be made from the weed thrown up by the ocean, uhich, from its saline particles, is excellent for most of the land, the trouble being the great obstacle to its employment. I have seen thou- sands of acres zoom out, as they call it, and lying waste, particularly tobacco-fields, that being a plant which greatly impoverihhes wherever it is cultivated. The goodness of the land is ascertained by the description of the tiiri- ber with which it is covered. That of the first qualit}^ produced black oak, commonly called black jack; white oak, some of which yield acorns nearly the size of hens' eggs; white, black, and blue ash; the white walnut; the cherry tree; the slippery elm; the coffee tree, which bears no fruit of its name; the honey-locust, j)roducing nothing sweet; the sugar maple, Ironi which sugar is made; the beech and ))lane; the white and yellow poplar; the cucumber-tree, which bears not good iruit; and the tall and weeping willow. 3 L Land 444 rRODUCE of kentlxky — cause or the loss of teeih. Laiul of the st'concl ([uality beai-sthe red oak ; hlack oak, of an infe- rior c|uality to the bUick jack ; tl»e sassafrass, the root of which is a great cleanser and purilier of the blood; the sweet and common ^nnn trees, which produce neither a gummy nor resinous substance. On the third uualily will be lound some interior kinds of red and black oak, pines, and cedars. Indian corn thrives in an eminent degree in Kentucky; the best lands producing fr(.)m thirty to forty bushels per acre, each weighing from lifty to sixty pounds. Some writers on this sul>ject allirm, that in very plentiful years the produce has been known to yield an hundred bushels per acre.* I confess, that I never knew such an instance, nor could 1 find any planter to corroborate the assertion. This grain, greatly as it is esteemed and used where it is grown, is not suited for consumption either in England or Ireland. In the latter kingdom, during the years of scarcity, 1797 and 1798, when it was brought over in large quantities, it was despised even by the lowest class of the people. Many reasons have been adduced for the premature loss of teeth among Americans. I am, myself, convinced, that the principal cause arises from the constant use of Indian meal, which they make into Hat pieces of dough, seven or eight inches in length, three or four in width, and generally half an inch thick, and bake upon a flat board before the fire. This they call Johnny cake, and they eat it with butter quite hot; in fact, it is never used cold but on some emergency. Their salt pork, |)ickled herrings, and coffee infamously made, druidc almost scalding hot, added to the Johnny cake, the constant breakfast and supper of the lowest class, must certainly be great enemies to the teeth. At dinner, also, the common bread is this favorite hot cake. * The climate here is less subject to summer rains, gusts, and whirlwinds; and these crops are the produce only uf what they term lucky scasont ; yet the crops are in some degree uncertain, while the animals which destroy the seca in iho planting season arc more numerous than towards the coast. The DI^TAXCE OF MAKKKTS I'RO.M THE WESTERN COUNTRY. 445" The quantity of Indian com raised in this western countrj', lias proved another incentive to the emigrants to Hock towards the Oh o ; but they do not wait to calculate on the small value it bears. A quarter of a dol- lar per bushel, is about the medium. If the planter sends it to a distant market, ISew Orleans, a barge load will cost two or three hundred dol- lars. If sent to the sea-coast, the carriage is still more expensive; and though the price the corn may bring when arrived, should defray ex- pences and leave a protit, yet no one will undertake the long voyage witiiout an advance; and very few emigrants are possessed of superllu- ous cash for a few years after their arrival. Tobacco, hemp, and flax, are also cultivated to advantage in the wes- tern territory. The price of the former, where grown, is, on an ave- rage, two dollars per hundred weight; but when it arrives at the port whence it is shipjied, it is advanced to eight dollars. This fact I had an opportunity of ascertaining, having paid that price in Philadel- phia, and this is about the ratio of other kinds of produce. Thus, it costs three times the expense of raising, to bring it to market. When in the merchant's hands, the emigrant certainly expects to realize the fruits of his toil. Here he will meet with another impediment, for he must expect no remittance from his commercial agent for at least six months. The merchant ships it as a payment ibr English goods, on which he has, perhaps, had a year's credit. Every description of bu- siness on a large scale in America, is done on very long credit; and it you cannot give that accommodation, you must keep your articles till tliey perish, or dispose of them at an inferior price. 3l2 chap. 440 CHAP. XXXIV, THOMAS PAINE. X^ ROjVI the commencement of this work, it has been my intention to devote a page or two to a cliaracter Avho has caused much disturbance in England, who once acquired great notoriety in France, and who has recently returned to the United States of America to close a mortal ca- reer, wliich has been marked with efforts to cause anarchy in go^ crn- ments, and to subvert even the christian religion. The reader will per- ceive that I mean the accursed English apostate, Thomas Paine. From one chapter to another I have contemplated the introduction of the hateful subject, until I came to that which gives some American j^ub- lic characters. Here I paused, but, after some deliberation, I consi- dered even the worst set of men would be disgraced by admitting him into a classification. Arnold was a traitor to the country which gave him birth — but Arnold did not add to this crime that of scoffing against the laws of his God. He did not subvert the religion in which lie was educated; and though he broke the bonds by which he had bound himself to the service of his country, he did not attempt to warp the minds of his fellow-men, from the homage they owed to an over- seeing and indulgent Providence, which, by Paine's own confession, snatched the infidel even from the jaws of death. Here he alludes to some interposition which saved him, though long in prison among the proscribed, from the axe of the guillotine. This interflM'ence was the mercy of Providence, who, we must suppose, for a while spared his life, JEFFERSON'S INVITATION OF PAINE. 447 life, that his obdurate heart might be softened into true repentance, in which all christians found their hope of everlasting salvation. How did this recreant employ the hours of his imprisonment ? With death staring hmi in the face — with momentary expectation of being called to render an account of his misdeeds before a judge omni- potent—he com|)oscd a part of his blasphemy called the " Age of Jlea- son," and when liberated through the agency of the invisible and merci- ful Divine power, he fell to work to disseminate his impiety through the world. I have therefore determined that he shall stand alone, in order that the reader may either point the finger of scorn, or pass over the despised subject of this chapter. Mr. Jefferson, the present |)resident of the United States, is, beyond contradiction, in many worldly attainments, of superior abilities — but in Mr. Jefferson we have another proof of the fallibility of man— ano- ther strong instance how imperfect is our nature, and that perfection is in God alone. A fatal error committed by the present ruler of a large democracy, was his inviting this apostate to accept an asylum in the bosom of his country, and procuring the means of his esca|)e from France, after he had made himself the detestation even of that nation. Americans have shewn their hatred to this fellow, even to such a de- gree as to attempt his assassination. He was fired at while sitting in his parlour, and again Providence averted the blow. Much as I despise him, I reprobate tliis worst of crimes which one mortal can commit against another. No, I would not have even Thomas Paine die by the hands of an assassin; but I would, in pity to so great a sinner, let him die a lingering death, that he might still have ample time to make his peace with offended heaven. Finding at the present moment that I am near the end of my volume, I have taken up the pen on this head. PTere have I again hesi- tated 448 SIRICTLRES ON JEFlERSON's INVITATION OF PAINE, tutcil, and resorted afresh to my inomorandiims and dociunents. Hap- pily I have found myseU" sparcjd the necessity of penninf:f my own com- ments, which might have |)rovcd in their progress too violent to be pre- sented to the eye of the reader, by the well-applied sentiments of an American, who signs himself " A native Virginian, and whicii are ex- tracted from a |)rint published at tlie very seat of government. Alter many severe strictures on the conduct of President Jefferson, with re- spect to Paine, this author thus proceeds : " Citizens of America! I mean ye native born and long-since-adopt- ed citizens: ye who have something at stake; ye who believe in the existence of a God ; ye who dread those distressing and those over- whelming scenes of anarchy, rapine, and murder, which Iiave so re- cently covered with blood a great portion of the ancient world; pause a moment, I beseech you, on this most inglorious and insulting act of the tirst magistrate of this great and enlightened nation : see the out- rages offered to your imderstandings, and the sovereign contempt in Avhich the good opinions of the religious, the orderly, and most inde- pendent characters of our country are held by the man whom we so inifortunately conducted to the most dignified seat in the Union. I mean not to attempt at declamation with a view to inflame your pas- sions, or to beguile your understandings. It will be only necessary to call your attention to a few plain and well established facts, to satisfy you that the invitation to this country of that monster of impiety, Paine, by the president, was an act mean, base, and degrading in itself, and highly dishonorable to the nation; and, as such, be assured it will be viewed by all Europe, and in every quarter of the globe, where chris' tianity or morality shall be revered. " Recollect, that this beastly, drunken infidel was confined in one of the gaols of Paris, under dailj^ expectations of being dragged to the guillotine. Well knowing the temper of the times, and the extreme viciousncss and licentiousness of the jacobin, then the ruhiig fiiction, he wrote STRICTL'RES OX JEFFERSON'S INVITATION OF PAINE. 449 wrote and published that detestable book, the ' Age of Reason.' This ■work being congenial with the principles and the new philosophy of that faction, it was patronised and disseminated with great fanatic zeal and industry, for the purpose of destroying the Christian religion, and of corrupting the morals ot the people, that they might the more easily be brought within the fangs of arbitrary power and despotism. With what success this was done, let the innocent spirits of the thousands and tens of thousands, of all ages and sexes, m ith whose blood it is well known that unfortunate countr}' was deluged — answer. Let our own observations too, respecting the rapid advances which atheistical and deit/tical sentiments have made in this country, within the last ten years, also, answer the question. Know then, that for these labors, which the president of the United States calls ' uselul,' the sacrilegious liead of the author was then spared. This is a fact too m ell established to be con- tradicted. But as the jacobin party sunk in France, that miscreant, Paine, became unnoticed and contemptible. He ^^as only seen and known as a drunken blackguard in the streets, or heard of in the stews and garrets of Paris. And as order and religion gained ground in France, the name of Paine became e\ery day more and more abhor- rent to men of character, and consequently to men in power. His in- significance and brutality of demeanour, of course, became more and more despised. Finding himself abhorred by all good men, and shunned for his meanness, bestiality, and perfidy, by infidels like himself, he saw that he had at length got out of his element. Without any pros- pect of laboring again successfully in his vocation of beguiling the un- informed, or of urging to deeds of Avickedness and bloodshed the cor- rupted portion of his fellow-men in that countr}^ he began to give him- self up as a last atom. In this situation, a situation truly miserable to infernal spirits, did he receive the consoling and affectionate letter from our philosophic president, • written in the eas>/ confidence of old acquaint- ance,' cordially inviting him to the bosom of his country, with prayers for the ' success of his useful labors !!!' Gracious Fleaven ! that ever I 1 should 4.*)0 STRICTURES ON JKITERSON'S INVITATION Oi' PAlNr:. shoulil have advocated the views of such u man tu the chief magistracy ol tiie Luioii ! •' Now that Paine could no longer work evil in Europe ; could no longer be supported in reviling the idea of the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, and those who believe in liim ; could no longer be coun- tenanced in speaking irreverently of your never to be forgotten Wash- ington, the unsullied patriot and father of his country, is he brought hither, to pursue his ' im-ful labors ' with the prayers of the president of the Ihiited States of America for his 'success.' l*ause, reader, and think of this. The impious and atheistical Paine ; the base calunniiatur and slanderer of your belovetl Washington, invited to your bosoms by the chief of your nation, with prayei-s for the 'success of his useful labors!' Can this be true ? Yes, fellow-citizens of America, such is the polluted hoary wretch wliom your president has brought to your shores. But will the people of this country, no matter what their poli- tics mav be, (for Heaven forbid that every democrat should be a jaco- bin) submit to such an outrage on their feelings and understandings? Will they suffer such an infidel to insult them with his blasplemies ? or will they listen to the opinions of a man, or men or measures, A\ho could, like a detestable villain, call our (all but immortal) Washing- ton 'a coward and a traitor?' In one word, will they listen to any thino- that mav fall from his sacrilegious and prostituted pen ? Or will thev hold in future estimation the hypoeritical, pusillanimous, and de- oTaded character, who has so 'belittled' himself; as to invite him to our land ? " 1 will now, ye honest, well-meaning citizens of the United States, (,nly call your attention to another fact respecting this mammoth of baseness, this infidel, and despicable ingrnte, Tom I\iine.— It is upon our own records that he was cashiered and degraded for |)erfi(iy of con- duct, while holding an office of confidential trust, under the old con- gress STRICTURES ON JEFFERSON'S INVITATION OF PAINE. 4.') I gress of the United States, It is equally notorious that he had ontlive<| in this country, as it has been proved he had done in England before his migration hither, ever}'^ thing like reputation or respectability of charac- ter; and that he was all but kicked out of every honorable or rcs|jcctable company in Philadelphia, before he returned to Europe. Notwith- standing these things — circumstances well known to our president — and notwithstanding he afterwards became, every day he li\ed, moi-e and more conspicuously ' infamous for his many crimes,' still he has found, not only favor and countenance, but protection in the arms of the man, whom the evil genius of America, in an unguarded hour, placed in her presidential chair. To sum up, then, my fellow-citizens, in a few words, the whole of this most shameful and atrocious act, it will stand thus : — that the traitorous oiHcer, the infamous and unarate- ful slanderer of our Washington, the reviler and scoffer of our holy re- ligion, and one of the most debauched and immoral beings in existence, has been solicited by Thomas Jefferson, president of the United States of America, to spend the remainder of his days among you, with praj'ers ' for the success of his useful labors.' 3 M CIIAF, 452 CHAP. XXXV. EMIGRATION — SMVGGLING— GERMAN REDEMPTIONERS. The emigration from the British dominions, and more especially from Ireland, to the United States, is almost incredible. I took some pains to gain correct information on this subject, and was astonished at the numbers that of late years have crowded the American ships from different parts of Europe. In the year 1801, fourteen thousand souls were landed from Ireland by the Philadelphia ships alone ; and upon the moderate calculation of the like number arriving at other ports, we find the emigration to be twenty-eight thousand ! These people paid, on an average, for their passage, ten guineas each, making 294,000/. sterling. Many of them, took with them considerable property ; and almost the whole had the saving of a year or two in their pockets in specie on their landing on the American shore : but, supposing they drained their country of only ten guineas each more, the loss to Ireland w^ould be 588,000/. ! ! ! Guinea-men with slaves, were never crowded like the American ships irom Londonderry to Philadelphia with Irish passengers. A small ship, of only 215 tons, took on board five hundred and thirty passengers, who first paid the captain above 50001. for their passage. To these must be added the ships crew, making Cwe hundred and forty-two souls, being •nearly double the number ever attempted to be sloued in a slave ship ot that burthen. ^ By EMIGRATION FROM IRELAND. 453 By an act of parliament, vessels are restricted to a certain number of passengers, according to which, the ship above mentioned could legally carry only A3 persons. American ingenuity, added to a little connivance of those who ought to carry the law into effect, produced this destructive increase. The ship of 215 tons, swells into 400, on her arrival in Derry, and thus it is pretended she can carrj'' eighty passengers. This number, on her departure from the port, are mustered on the deck, before the mayor and procurator of the city, and permission is given for her sailing. She then drops with the tide down the river, on the banks of which she is expected by the surplus of her passengers, who pour on board by hun- dreds. Some, who could not procure boats, fearful of losing their pas- sage to the " land of milk and honey," have been known to swim after the ship, and sometimes to lose their lives in the attempt. On the passage alluded to, thirt}^ of these unfortunate people perished ; and from their crowded situation, and the uncleanliness of the lower order of the Irish, together with their approach to a warm climate, it is a matter of sur- prise that pestilence did not sweep away the greatest part of them. Arrived in the river Delaware, the strangers are set on shore upon the banks, as fast as boats can be procured for that purpose; for the laws here too are strict respecting the landing of passengers of this descrip- tion — for instance, the owner and captain must enter into bonds, that they shall not become a charge to the parish where they are landed, with some other regulations, which have now escaped my memory. The emigration from Ireland was particularly increased by the politi- cal disturbances in that country. To many who acted a conspicuous part in the ranks of rebellion, America has afforded a refuge. Among these jNIr. Emmet, who has been mentioned as the counsel of Mr. Ogden, the proprietor of the Leander, is now on the road to fortune and reputation. I am indebted to a most respectable friend for a biographi- cal sketch of that gentleman, which, it is true, is rather out of its place here, but not having received it in time to be introduced in amoresuit- 3 M 2 able 4.14 PARTICULARS OF THE FAMILY OF EMMET, able situation, I trust the indulgence of my readers will dispose them to pardon the digression. Thomas Addis Emmet, Esq. is the son of Dr. Robert Emmet, an emi- nent physieian, w lio practised vith considerable cclel)rity in the city of Cork and its vicinity ibr several years. Having acquired an independent fbrtnue, he removed with his lamily to Dublin, whore he was appointed ^tate-physician, having been previously elected fellow of the royal society. Doctor Emmet had three sons, Temple, Thomas Addis, and Robert who was considerably younger than his brothers. They were all edu* cated in a most liberal manner — were each early matriculated in the uni- versity of Dublin, and made extraordinary progress in every branch of science and of literature. In early life they displayed strong evidence of talents, energy of mind, and attaehuK^nt to democratic jM'inciples, which pervadetl the whole famil\% injured their father materially in his profes- sion, and brought on his sons, Thomas Addis and Robert, the most serious misfortunes. Temple Emmet was bred to the law, and was ad- mitted a barrister in the court of Dublin early in life ; and from his great talents must have risen to the zenith of professional emolument and honors, had he not fallen prematurely under the malignant influence of a putrid fever, which blasted his youth, and brought him to the grave. Those who knew him, revere his memory and praise his worth. His forensic abilities were distinguished by accurate and logical argument, scienti'ic knowledge, and brilliant eloquence. He was a powerful ad- vocate, and though young, accounted an excellent legal opinion. The younger son, Robert, distinguished himself in college when a very young student, as a powerful orator, partii-ularly in the historical society; but his attachment to republican politi* s, and his bold promul- gation of democratic principles, raised him many enemies in the univer- sity ; and at length being strongly suspected of cUsattiiction to the British 3 government. ROBERT E:sniET. 455 government, to avoid a prosecution with which he was threatened, he fled into France, in which country his brother, Thomas Emmet, at that time resided. Early in 1803, this unfortunate young gentleman returned to his native land, where he joined a band of conspirators who had escaped in the re- bellion of 1708, and who had determined upon seizing the castle of Dub- lin, and makuig the lord-lieutenant prisoner. On the -23d of JuIn^ 180:1, this conspiracy broke out into an insurrection about nine at night, and was completely quelled before morning. Lord Kilwarden, the chief justice of Ireland, was murdered in his carriage by a banditti ; and Em- met, to adopt his own expression, instead of fmding himself a leader of a formidable insurrection, found himself without any influence or com- mand, in the midst of a ruffianly mob. With a few adherents, he escaped into the mountains, but returned in a few days, was taken near Dublin, tried for high treason, convicted and executed, being not more than twenty-four years of a2,e. 'a^ This unfortunate youth had early imbibed, under the tutelage of his fiither, those political doctrines, Avhich caused his ruin. The object of his enthusiastic mind was to separate Ireland from Great Britain, and this he hoped to accomplish without any interference or assistance from France, as appears firom his address to the court after his conviction. These are his words : — " God forbid that I should see my country under the hands of a foreign power. If the French should come as a foreign enem\', oh, my countrymen ! meet them on the shore with a torch in one hand, a sword in the other — receive them with all the de- struction of war} immolate them in their boats belbre our native soil shall be polluted by a foreign foe! If they proceed in landing, fight them on the strand, burn every blade of grass before them as they ad- vance, raze every house; and if you are driven to the centre of your comitry, collect your provisions, your property, your wives, and your daughters ; 456 THOMAS ADDIS EMMET. daui^liters : form a circle around them — fight while but two men are left ; and when but one remains, let that man set fire to the pile, and release himself) and the fiimilies of his fallen countrymen, from the ty- ranny o\' France." As Robert had then recently returned from France, and from communing with his brother, it is but fair to conclude, that on this point they coincided in political sentiments. From the conduct of this youth, he a|)pears an enthusiast in politics, heated by a sanguine mind even to a degree of insanity, which, though it may not excuse, must palliate liis offences. His oratorical abilities were considerable; and his conduct at that awful moment when death stood before him, inexorable and inevitable, proved his courage. He directed the executioner in the preparations necessar}' to deprive him of life; and did all in his power to impress on the minds of the spectators, that even in the violent manner in which he was about to lose his life, there was neither fear nor terror — " making a virtue of calamity" — and leaving the world without a tremulous nerve. Mr. Thomas Addis Emmet, at the time of his (Robert's) execution, was in France ; nor is it known that he approved of his brother's expe- dition to Ireland. This gentleman received his education in the univer- sity of Dublin, and took out his degree as a doctor of piiysic in Edin- burgh, where he studied for some time with great reputation, not only for his learning, but his pure, honorable, and moral conduct. Soon after his arrival in Dublin, he wan joined in the patent of state physi- cian with his fiitlicr : but this patent was not a gift from government. Doctor Emmet having paid his predecessor a full ])rice for the emolu- ment of the oHice, so that in this point neither Dr. Emmet nor his son was indebted to the benevolence of the state. On the death of his elder brother, Temple, Mr. Thomas Addis Emmet resolved on quitting the profession of physic, and to substitute that of the law; and accord- ingly, about the latter end of l787, he became a student of the Middle 2 Temple, THOMAS ADDIS EMMET. 457 Temple, London, and was admitted a barrister in the Irish courts in INIichaeknas term, 1790. In 1790, a confederacy, calling themselves " The United Irishmen of Belfast," was formed in the north of Ireland ; on the 9th of November, 1791, the Society of United Irishmen of Dublin commenced their meetings, chusing for their chairman the honorable Simon Butler, se- cond son to Lord Viscount IMountgarret, and for their secretar\^ the celebrated James Napper Tandy, who at that time was a citizen of considerable interest and political influence in Dublin, and a member of the Whig Club, This extraordinary demagogue was afterwards con- victed of high treason, pardoned, went into France, and died at Bour- deaux, a general in the service of Bonaparte. Mr. Emmet was an early associate of this society ; and their leading resolutions and tests point out his avowed political principles. After a recapitulation of grievances, they say, " In the present great ajra of re- form, when unjust governments are falling in every part of Europe : when religious persecution is compelled to abjure her tyranny over con- science ; when the rights of men are ascertained in theory, and that theory is substantiated by practice ; when iniquity can no longer defend absurd and oppressive forms against the coinmon sense and common in- terests of mankind : when all government is acknowledged to originate from the people, and to be so far only obligatory as it protects their rights and promotes their welfare; we think it our duty, as Irishmen, to come forward and state what we feel to be our heavy grievance, and what we know to be its effectual remedy." This declaration then states several resolutions, complaining of the English influence in Ireland, the neces- sity of an equal representation of all the people in |)arliament, the rejec- tion of a place bill, of a pension bill, and of a responsibility l)ill ; the sale of peerages in one house ; the corruption avowed in the other; the bo- rough traffic between both, symptoms of a mortal disease which corrodes the 458 THOMAS ADDIS KMMliT. the vitals of till' constitution, anil leaves to tlic people in their own go- vernment bnt the shadow of a name. Tli€ society then specially resolves " that the weight of Eng'lith influence in the government of Ireland is so great, as to require a eor- tlial union among all the people of Ireland to maintain that balance of pow er which is esseiitial to tlie preservation of liberty, and the extension of their conmierce. " 'I'lmt the sole constitutional mode by which such inlluence can be opjKJsed, is by a complete and radical reform of the re|)resentation of the people in parliament; and that no reform is practicable, which shall not include Irishmen o'L every religious pei"suasion." From the above resolutions it is clear that a principal object of the society was completely to emancipate the Irish Roman C-'atholics, and to admit them into the house of lords and commons ; and, indeed, a great majority of the society were of that religions persuasion ; and since its origin, the catholic claims have been unceasing, Mr. Emmet, and a few others, had, however, two diH'erent objects — first, to separate Ire- land from England; and, secondly, to establish a republic. This party formed a [jrivate societ}^ among themselves, and with them originated the system of insurrection which in 1798 broke out into a rebellion, in which several thousands lost their lives, and many of the promoters su tiered on the scaH'old. On the 19th of May, 1708, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, vho had been an officer in the royal army, and had served with great reputation in America, was taken prisoner, after a conflict in which he displayed uncommon jicrsonal courage. Armed with a dagger only, he o])posed no less than four persons. Mr. Ryan, an ollicer in the yeomanry, lie slew. Town-major Swan he wounded in several places; but at last one of the party discharged a musket at iiim, and he received the ball in his shoulder. THOMAS ADDIS EMMET. 459 sbouldtT. Of course he was made prisoner, and died in goal, without beintj brought to trial. A silk-weaver of some eminence, and a member of the directory of the rebels, having betraNed his party, the garrison of Dublin was increased by regiments from the country, and a number of persons were made prisoners in the house of Mr. Oliver Bond, an eminent linen-merchant in Dublin. Soon after INIessrs. Shears, brothers and barristers, were ap- prehended. Arthur O'Connor, Mr. Emmet, and Dr. M'Nevin, stood their ground, and were arrested. Henry and John Shears, Mr. Byrne, Mr. M'Cann, and others, were tried and executed. Mr. Bond was capitally con\icted, and this produced a very extraordinary negociation between the prisoners in gaol and the government of the country. The executive government were certainly in possession _ of sufficient evi- dence to convict all the conspirators in their power, but they were not acquainted with the extent, the plan, or the strength of the conspiracy, to come at which was a material and serious object. Terms were therefore proposed and agreed on, that the life of Mr. Bond should be spared, on condition that Messrs. Emmet, and M'Nevin, a doctor of physic, should make a fair disclosure of all the}'^ knew (names of persons excepted) to a committee of the house of lords, and should remain pri- soners during the war, then to have permission to retire to any place out of his majesty's dominion. The examination accordingly took place; and from the conduct of the Irish government afterwards, there can be no doubt but the information they received, and wdiich was printed, was not only candid, but ample. On this occasion. Lord Clare, their chan- cellor, asked Mr. Emmet, "Had you a committee of assassination?" He answered " No : — if we had, you, my lord, would not be here to ask me that questiort." Mr. E nmet and coadjutors having performed their compact, were sent prisoners to Fort George, in Scotland ; and liere a serious dissention took place between him and Arthur O'Connor. Alter some time, during 3 N the 400 ILLICIT TRADL OV THE AMERICANS IN IRELAND. the temporary peace with France, these prisoners were permitted to ^o to that coiintrv, with the pohtics of which Mr. Emmet soon hecame distrusted ; and he left the tyranny of Bonaparte to enjoy freedom under tiie states of America. Tliere he has heen permitted to practice as a conn- sellor-atdaw, and his ahihties cannot fail of puttinj]; him at the head of his profession, particularly as he enjoys the triendship and patronage of Mr. Jerterson. Mr. Emmet is married, and has several children : he is now ahout forty-five years of age, hale in constitution, moderate in his living, mild in conversation, amiable in manners, and probably Avill long enjoy the |)eaceful situation he has chosen. IMie Americans carry to Ireland, flax-seed, tobacco, and lumber, but chiefly contraband goods; and return with the living cargo already de- scribed. Every voyage is calculated to clear the first cost of the ship, which may be estimated at ti-om three to five thousand pounds— a better voyage, to use a mercantile term, than to China, or the coast of Guinea. Smuggling is carried on by these American traders to a great extent, and to the shame of the ofTicers of the customs, in the'most bare-faced manner. On making Tory isl4nd, the land-mark for the north of Ire- land, boats put ofi' fi-om the shore, the crews of which appear in the very worst shape of human degradation— their outer garments more wretched than London beggars, but the pockets within full of guineas. All the country jjcople next the sea are smugglers, and illegal distillers of whis- key. These fellows 0|)en a trade with the captain, the mates, and the crews, all of whom have a plentiful supply of tea in chests, nankeens in bales, tobacco in rolls, bandana, and other silk handkerchiefs, spices, and, in line, every kind of contraband commodity. AVhile this fraud is practised upon the revenue, government cutters and custom-house boats, whose business it is to prevent smuggling, are lying snug at anchor in Lough Foylc, Lough Swilley, or other convenient harbours. With such case and security have they carried on this illicit traffic, 1 that EUROPEAN EMIGRANTS. 461 that the ship Kliza, of Baltimore, began dehberately to unload her to- bacco in Lough Fo3']e, in sight of a. revenue cutter at anchor; and what tended to aggravate the matter was, that the crew had the impudence to commence the discharge in the middle of the day, when the inhabit- ants on either shore witnessed their proceedings. 71ie cutter was conse- quently compelled to do her duty ; and the ship was seized and con- demned. Tlie king's stores at Londonderry are full of tobacco, which will not sell except at a great'loss, owing to the great quantity of smug- gled tobacco with which the country is supplied. Surely this is a fiict worthy the attention of government. To return to the emigrant, whom we must now consider in his earthly elysium; and where, unless he immediately sets off for the woods and mountains, he viill find room for his bones before the hot season is past. Look at Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Norfolk, Cbarlcston— in short, most towns on the coast, and you will find them in the latter end of the summer scenes of putrefaction. The habit of a stranger, fresh from the salubrious breezes of England and Ireland, instantly imbibes the prevailing disease—and this they call the yellow fever. The English emigrants are not so numerous, yet the property they carry with them is estimated higher than that drained from Ireland. Hence, English gold is in circulation in all parts of the United States. From Germany, of late years, there have been considerable impor- tations of redemptioners. These are poor people, Avho bind themselves to the captain or his assigns, for the price of their passage. Their time of servitude is from three to seven years, which the patient German ge- nerally endures without a murmur. These are the most valuable emi- grants to America ; for they are generally honest and industrious, and often acquire considerable property after the expiration of their servitude. In some parts of Tennsylvania, the country for many miles is inhabited 3 N 2 entirely 462 CONCLUSION. entirely by Germans, who retain their native language, and pursue their ancient customs. The present situation of the continent can scarcely he supposed to have diminished the importation of rcdcmptioners. Oppressed hy all tlie miseries of war and military tyranny, his liahitatiou hurned, his fields laid waste, his relatives j)erhaps butchered, or sold into worse than nf'ro sluverv, can it be surprizing that all the bonds which attached the peasant to his country are dissolved, nay, that he loaths the scene of such complicated horrors; and having lost all that he possessed in the world, is ready to compromise his liberty for a stated period, in order to obtain the present blessings of security and rei)ose, with the prospect of future competence and ease ! But that men, who enjoy all the blessings and privileges of British citizens, to whom the cala- mities of war are known only by name, should renounce those advan- tages to condemn themselves to a life of mortification and toil, in an unfriendly clime, must be attributed to the delusions which the human mind is fond of cherishing with respect to distant objects, which often neither the evidence of facts nor argument is able to remove, and vhich experience, like the morning sun chasing the nocturnal vaporu that shroud the horizon, is alone capable of dissipating. APPENDIX. APPENDIX. 465 APPENDIX. THE documents ichich the author has thought proper to bring together in the forvi of an appendix, not only contain much interesting and authentic matter relative to the American republic, but zvill likewise serve to illustrate many of the subjects of zihich he has treated in the preceding sheets. ABSTRACT OF A REPORT ON AMERICAN ROADS. J. HE committee of the senate of the United States, to whom was referred the examination of the act entitled " An act to enahle tlie peo- ple of the eastern division of the territory north-west of the river Ohio to form a consitution and state-government, and for the admission of such state into the union, on an equal footing with the original states, and fop other purposes," and to report the manner the money approjiriated by said act ought to be applied, report as follows : — That, upon the examination of the act, they find the one-twentieth part, or five per cent, of the nett proceeds of the lands lying within the state of Ohio, and sold by congress after the :50th June, 180i, is appro- pViated for laj'ing out and making public roads, leading from the naviga- ble waters emptying into the Atlantic to the river Ohio, to said state and through the same ; such roads to be laid out under the authority of congress, with the consent of the several states through which the roads shall pass. By a subsequent law, passed on the 3d of March, 180.3, congress appropriated three per cent, of the said five per cent, to laying out and making roads within the state of Ohio, leaving two per cent, of the api)ropriation contained in the first-mentioned law unexpended ; which now 4b6 APPENDIX. now remains for " tlie laying out and makinc; roads from the navi- gable waters emptying into the Atlantic, to the river Ohio, to said state." The nett proceeds of sales of lands in the state of Ohio, from July 1st, IS02, to June 30th, 1803, inclusive, was DOLLS. CTS. 124,400 «)i From l3t July, 1803, to June 30th, 1804 - 176,203 35 From 1st July, 1804, to June 30th, 1805 - 200,000 From 1st July, 1805, to 30th September, 1805 66,000 Amountinir in the whole to - - - - 632,604 27 'o Two per cent, on which sum amounts to 12,652 dollars. Twelve thousand six hundred, and iifty-two dollars was, therefore, on the 1st of October last, subject to uses directed by law, as mentioned in this report. The fund is constantly accumulating, and will probably, by the time preparations can be made for its expenditure, amount to eighteen or twenty thousand dollars. The committee have examined, as far as their limited time, and the scanty sources of facts within their reach, would permit, the various routes which have been contemplated for laying out roads, pui-suant to the pro- visions of the act first mentioned. The distance from Philadelphia to Pittsburg is 3 14 miles, by the usual route, and on a straight line about 270. From Philadelphia to the nearest jjoint on the river Ohio, contiguous to the state of Ohio, which is probably between Steubenville and the mouth of Grave Creek, the distance by the usual route is 360 miles, and on a straight line about 308. From Baltimore to the river Ohio, between the same points, and by the usual route, is 275 miles, and on a straight line 224. I'rom this city (Washington) to the same points on the river Ohio, 2 the APPENDIX, 4(J7 the distance is nearly the same as from Baltimore, prol)abl3- the differ ence is not a plurality of miles. From Riclimond, in \'irgiiiia, to the nearest point on the Ohio, the distance by the usual route is 377 miles, hut new roads are opening vhich will shorten the distance 50 or 60 miles; 247 miles of the |)roposed road from Richmond north-westerly will he as good as the roads usually are in that country, hut the remaining 70 or 80 miles are bad for the present, and probalMy will remain so for a long time, as there seems to be no jiresent inducement for the state of Virginia to incur the expence of making that part of the road passable. From Baltimore to the Mo- nongahela, where the route from Baltimore to the Ohio will intersect it, the distance, as usually travelled, is 218 miles, and on a straight line about 184. From tins point, which is at or near Brownsville, boats can pass down with great facility to the state of Ohio, during several months in the year. The above distances are not all stated from actual mensuration, but they are sufficiently correct ibr the |)resent purpose. The committee have not examined any routes northward of that lead, ing from Pliiiadelphia to the Ohio, nor southward of that leading from Richmond, because they suppose the roads to he laid out must strike the Ohio, in order to fulfil the law. The mercantile intercourse of the citizens of Ohio, with those of the Atlantic states, is chiefly with Philadelphia and lialtimore; not very ex- tensive with the towns on the Potomack withm tlie district of Columbia, and still less with Richmond in Virginia. At present, the greatest por. tion of their trade is with Philadelphia ; but their trade is rather increas- ing with Baltimore, owing to the ditierence of distance in favour of Bal- timore, and to the advantage of boating down the Monongahela, from the point where the road strikes it, about 70 miles by water, and 50 by land, above Pittsburg. The sum apj^ropriated for making roads is so small, that the committee have thought it most expedient to direct an expend. ture to one route only ; il ry have therefore endeavoured to fix on that which, for the prc- 3 o sent. 4()8 APPENDIX. sent, will be most convenient to the citizens of Ohio, leaving to the fu- ture benevolence and policy of congress an extension of them on this or any other route, and an increase of the requisite fund; as experience may point out their expediency or necessity. A wise government can never lose sight of an object so important as that of connecting a nume- rous and rapidlv-increasing population, spread over a fertile and e^en- sive country, with the Atlantic states, now separated from them by moun- tains, which, by industry and expense, moderate compared with the ad- viiutages, can be rendered passable. The route from Richmond nmst necessarily a|)proach the state of Ohio in a part thinlv inhabited; and which, from the nature of the soil, and other circumstances, must remain so, at least for a long time; and, from the hilly and rough condition of the country, no roads can be conveniently made leading to the principal population of the state of Ohio. These considerations have induced us to postpone, for the pre- sent, any further consideration of that route. The s|)irit and perseverance of the people of Pennsylvania are such, in road making, that, no doubt, they will, in a little time, complete a road from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, as good as the nature of the ground will permit. They are so particularly interested to facilitate the inter- course between their trading capital Philadelphia, not only to Pittsburg, but also to the extensive country within their own state, on the western waters, that they will of course surmount the difficulties pre- sented by the Allegany, Chesimt ridge, and Laurel hill, the three great and almost the sole impediments which now exist on that route. The peoj)le of Maryland, with no less spirit and perseverance, are en- gaged in making roads from Baltimore, and the western boundary of tlie district of Columbia, through Fredericktown to Williamsport. VV^ere the government of the United States to direct the expenditure of the fund in contemplation upon either of these routes, for the present, in Pennsylvania or Maryland, it would probably so far interfere with the respective states as to produce mischief" instead of benefit; especially as the sum to be laid out by the United States is too inconsiderable alone to -2 efllbct APPENDIX. 4G<) effect objects of such inagnitiide. Rut as TNIarylniKl has no particular interest to extend its road across the mountains, and if it liad it would be impracticable, because the state does not extend so far, the counnit- tee have thought it expedient to recommend the making of a road from Cumberland, on the north bank of the Potomack, and Avithin the state of INIar} land, to the river Ohio, at the most convenient j)lace between a |)oint on the eastern bank of said river, opposite to Steubcnville and the mouth of Grave creek, which emj>ties into the Ohio, a little below M^ielen, in Virginia, This route will meet and accommodate the roads leading from Baltimore and the district of Columbia; it will cross the Monongahela at or near Brownsville, sometimes called Redstone, where the advantage of boating can be taken, and from the point where it will probably intersect the Ohio there are now roads, or they can easily be made over feasible and proper ground, through the principal population of the state of Ohio. Cumberland is situated at the eastern foot of the Allegan}^ mountain, about eighty miles from Williamsport by the usual route, which is circu- itous, owing to a large bend in the I'otomack, on the bank of which the road now runs ; the distance on a straight line is not more than 50 or 55 miles, and over tolerable ground for a road, which will probably be opened by the state of Maryland, should the proposed route be establish- ed over the mountains. From Cumberland to the western extremity of Laurel hill, by the route now travelled, the distance is 66 miles, and on a straight line about 55. On this part of the route, the first and very considerable expendi- tures are specially necessary. From Laurel hill to the Oliio river, by the usual route, is about 7o miles, and on a straight line 54 or 55; the road is tolerable, though capable of improvement. To carry into effect the principles arising from the foregoing facts, the committee present a bill for the consideration of the senate. To take the proper measures for carrying into effect the section of the law re^ specting a road or roads to the state of Ohio, is a duty imposed upon congress by the law itself. 3 O 2 To 470 APPENDIX. To enlarge on the high importance of cementing the union of our citizens on the western waters with tliose of the Atlantic states, would be unnecessary. Politicians have generally agreed that rivers unite the interests and promote the friendship of those who inhabit their banks; while mountains, on the contrary, tend to the disunion and estrangement of those who are separated by them. In the preceding case, to make the crooked ways straight and the rough ways smooth, will, in etfect, remove the intervening mountains, and, by facilitating the iiiL'rcourse of our western brethren with those of the Atlantic, essentially unite them in interest, which is the most effectual means of uniting the human race. ABSTRACT OF THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. Revciiue and Receipts. Dollars. Nett revenue arising from duties on merchandize and tonnage, during the year 1801 - - - - 1:^,020,^279 Nett revenue arising from the same source, during 1802 10,154,564 That which accrued during 1803 - - - 11,306,430 And that which accrued during 1804, deducting the ad- ditional duties constituting the jMediterranean fund - 12,672,323 The nett revenue accrued during the three fu'st quarters of 1805, does not fall short of that of the corresponding quarters of 1804 ; and that branch of the revenue may, exclusively of the Mediterranean fund, be safely estimated at twelve millions of dollars, which is nearly the ave- rage of 1803 and 1804. The defalcation which took place in 1802, and the increase in the following years, sulFiciently show that no inconsiderable portion of that branch APPENDIX. 471 branch of the revenue is due to the neutrality of the United States dur- ing the continuance of war in Europe. Yet if the revenue of 1802, tlie only year of European peace since 1795, he the hasis on Avhich to form an estimate, this, with an addition of ten per cent., the increase of po- pulation for three years, and of near three hundred thousand dollars computed revenue of New Orleans, will give near eleven millions and a lialf. The revenue arising from the sale of puhlic lands has been greater during the year ending 30th of September, f805, than that of any pre- ceding year. During that period, besides one hundred and forty-five thousand acres sold to persons claiming a right of pre-emption, four hundred and seventy-four thousand acres have been disposed of at the ordinary sales, making altogether, with the preceding sales, from the time when the land-ofiices were opened in 1800 and 180f, near two millions of acres. The actual payments by purchasers, which, during the year ending the c30th of September, 1804, had amounted to four hundred and thirty-two thousand dollars, and had not, in any one pre- vious year, exceeded two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, have, during the year ending 30th September, 1 805, amounted to five hun- dred and seventj'^-five thousand dollars, of which five hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars were paid in specie, and the residue in stock of the public debt. The specie receipts fi-om that source may, for the ensuing year, be safely estimated at five hundred thousand dollars. The permanent revenue of the United States may, therefore,, without the duties on postage, and other small incidental branehes, be computed, for 1806, at - - 12,500,000 The payments during the same year, on account of the temporary duties, constituting the Mediterranean fund, to the 31st March next, are estimated at nine hundred thou- sand dollars, and about one hundred thousand may be expected from the arrears of internal duties and direct tax, and from other incidental branches, making, for tempo- rary and incidental receipts . . . _ 1,000,000 Balance 472 APPENDIX. Balance in the treasury, nliich, on the 50tli September Inst, amounted to lour millions, five hundred and seventy- five thousand, six hunilred and fifty four dollars, will (as the receipts and expenditures of the present quarter may be considered as nearly equal) he diminished, at the end of this year, ouly by the payments on account of the Ameri- can claims, assumed by the convention Avith I'rancc, and as the whole amount of those claims unpaid on the ;30th September last, will, in this estimate, be stated among- the expenditures of 180(), the whole of the above-mentioned lialance may be added to the receipts of that year, viz. - 4,575,000 INIakino- in the whole .... - 18,075,000 'a Expenditures. Theexpences of 1806, defrayed out of those resources, arc either permanent or temporary, viz. the permanent expences arc estimated at eleven millions, tour hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and consist of 1. The annual appropriation for payment of the princi- pal and interest of the public debt, of which more than one l)alf will go to the discharge of the principal, and the residue to the payment of interest _ _ . 8,000,000 2. For the civil department, and all domestic expences of a civil nature, including invalid pensions, light-house and mint establishments, surveys of public lands, the third instalment of the loan due to Maryland, and one hundred and iifty thousand dollars to meet claims allowed by con- gress - 1,150,000 3. For expences incident to the intercourse with foreign nations, including the pcnnanent aj)pro|)riationslbr Algiers 200,000 4. For the military and Indian departments, including the permanent appropriations for certain Indian tribes - . 1,030,000 5. For APPENDIX". 473 5. For the naval establishment, exclusive of the defici- encres for the service of 1804 and 1805, estimated at six hundred thousand dollars .... 1,070,000 The extraordinary demands for 1806, are Thenavydeficienciesof 1804 and 1805 - 600,000 Balance of American claims assumed by the French convention, unpaid the 30th September last 3,400,000 11,450,000 4,000,000 Making altogether 15,450,000 It hence appears, that the permanent revenues of the United States will, during the ensuing year, exceed the permanent expenditures by more than one million of dollars, and that the money in hand, with the temporary resources of the year, will, after leaving the sum always ne- cessary to keep in the treasury, discharge the navy deficiencies, and the whole amount of the claims assumed by the convention Avith France, the large receipts of last year rendering it unnecessary to recur to the loan authorised by law. Mediti^rranean Fund. The additional duty of two andahalf per cent, on goods paying duties ad valorem, which constitutes the Mediter- ranean fund, amounted, during the six last months of 1804, to five hundred and sixty -three thousand and thirty-eight dollars. The amount of the duty accrued, during the year ending on the 30th June, 1805, was nine hundred and ninctT 474 APPENDIX. ninety thousand dollars. This product will, it is true, bo diminished by subsequent cxportatioiis : but from a vie\V of the value; of goods iuiportctl in IBOo and 1804, eharged Avith that duty, the fund may be estimated at nearly nine hundred thousand dollars a year. The fund will, therefore, xiltimately produce, during one year and nine months, commencing the 1st July, 1804, and ending the 31st ISIarch, 1805 1,575,000 The cxpenccs heretofore charged on that fund have been Paid in 1804, to the said department, under the act constituting the fund ... 525,000 Paid in 1805, to the said department under the second section of the act of 25th January, 1805 590,000 Making a total of ..... 1,115,000 and leaving a surplus of four hundred and sixty thousand dollars, but which will be more than absorbed by the navy deficiences above-men- tienod. The monies actuall}' received or to be received into the trea- sury on account of that fund, prior to the 1st January, 1806, are about six hundred thousand dollars. The residue will be received between that day and the 31st March, 1807 ; and creilit has been taken for a sum of nine hundred thousand dollars, on that account, in the preceding es- timate of the receipts of 1805. ruhlic Debt. The payments on account of the principal, during the year ending on the 30th September, 1805 - - 4,vi77,808 63 The two last instalments due to Great Britain, dis- charged during the same period ... 1,77(3,000 00 Making ...... 0,153,898 63 As APPENDIX. 475 As the exportation of" the sjjecle necessary to discharge the last-nieii- tionetl instalment would have been sensibly felt, it was found eligible to pay it in London, in contbrniity to the act of the 3d of March, 180."5, and this was effected, at par, by the Bank of the United States. Payments on account of the public debt, from the 1st of April, 1801, to the 3oth of September, 1805 - 17,954,790 A9 Paid to Great Britain, in satisfaction of what the United States might have been liable to pay, by the sixtharticleofthetreaty of 1794 - \ " . 2,004,000 00 Balance in the treasury on the 1st of April, 1801 - - - - 1,794,052 59 On the 30th of September, 1805 - 4,575,654 37 Making an increase of - -2,781,60178 Whi( h, deducting proceeds of sales of bank shares . - - - 1,287,600 00 Leaves for the increase from the ordinary revenue - 1,494,001 78 Making a difference in favor of the United States during four years and a half of - - -22,112,792 27 During the four years, commencing on the 1st of April, 1801, and ending on the 3 1st of March, 1805, there has been paid into the treasury. By duties on tonnage and foreign merchandise - 45,174,837 22 By all other sources, including 1,596,171 dollars, and 43 cents, from the sales of bank shares and public vessels 5,492,639 83 50,667,467 04 I. Less than one-third of this whole has defrayed all the current ex- pences of the United States, viz. 3 p For 476 APPENDIX. For the civil list, and all domestic civil DOLL. CTS. expences .... 3,780,114 79 For the military establishment and In- dian department - - - 4,405,192 26 For the naval establishment - - 4,842,635 15 For the expences attending the inter- course with foreign nations - - 1,071,437 84 Amounting to . - - - -14,105,38004 2. Near one-third was necessary to pay the interest on the public debt, viz. _ . . . 16,278,700 95 Part of that sum (3,l60,000 dollars) was paid on ac- count of the interest on the deferred stock, a charge which commenced only in 1801, and w^as therefore in addition to the annual sum wanted before that year for the payment of interest on the public debt. 3. More than one third, and which may be consider- ed as the surplus revenue of [the United States, during that period, has been applied towards the extinguishment of the debt, viz. On account of the principal - 16,317,663 92 In payment of debts contracted before the 1st of April, 1801, under the British treaty and the French couvention - 2,963,782 64 19,281,446 56 49,665,527 55 While one third of the national revenue is absorbed by the payment of interest, a persevering application of the resources afforded by seasons of peace and prosperity to the discharge of the principal, in the manner directed by the legislature, is the only mode by which the United States can APPENDIX. 477 can ultimately obtain the full command of their revenue, and the free disposal of all their resources. Every year produces a diminution of interest, and a positive increase of revenue. Four years more will be sufficient to discharge, in addition to the annual reimbursements on the six percent, and deferred stocks, the remainder of the Dutch debt, and the whole of the eight per cent., navy six per cent., five and a half per cent., and four and a half per cent, stocks. As the portion of the pub- lic debt which shall then remain unpaid will consist of the six per cent, deferred, and Louisiana stocks, neither of which can be reimbursed, except at the periods and in the proportions fixed by contract, and of the three per cent, stock, which its low rate of interest will render in- eligible to discharge at its nominal value, the rapidity of the reduction of the debt, beyond the annual reimbursements permitted by the con- tracts, will, after 1809, depend on the price at which purchases may be effected. And should circumstances render it eligible, a considerable portion of the revenue, now appropriated for that purpose, may then be applied to other purposes. DUTIES OF THE SEVERAL PORTS OF THE UNION. THE following statement of paj^ments made into the treasury of the United States, by the several collectors of customs, during four 3'ears, commencing April 1, 1801, and ending March 3 1st, 1805, exhibits the amount of revenue of the respective ports in the Union. Ports. New York - Philadelphia Boston Baltimore Charleston Norfolk Salem (Mass.) Savannah Providence - Portland Paymeiili 2,862,020 87 7.777,905 14 6,408,400 26 3,861,9(33 08 3,031,639 54 1,761,673 77 1,034,498 07 914,039 73 781,556 12 545,265 66 Ports. Payments Newhaven 510,637 15 Petersburg - 510,506 17 Portsmouth 484,513 41 Alexandria - 467,761 23 Newburyport 400,614 30 Newport 390,916 70 Middletown - 382,757 31 Wilmington (N. C.) - 319,110 07 Richmond 290,032 43 New London 282,049 88 3 P 2 Wilming toa 478 Ports. VViliiiiiigloii (l)il.) Keniifbtiiik - Ni'wbern i'.denton Brislol (R. I.) Cloiices(cr Bath Tap|)ahaiiiiock Marblcliead - V.'iscasset Faiiiield New Bed fowl \\'asliingloii (N. C.) Biddeford Nantucket Plymoutli Waldoborougli Penob'cot Dightoii Georgetown (S. C.) Micliirunackiiiack CaiiKk-n Fort Adams - York (Mass.) New Orleans Edgartown - Detroit Georgetown (Col.) Barnstaple Hudson iinowbili APPENDIX. Pai/tneiils. Port?. s;30,J27 87 Brunswick 108,984 64 Beaufort (X. C.) 1-16,429 95 Fully Landing J 29,505 57 C'lierrvstonc loe.tioo East River - 104,049 Gl Great Keg Harbor 9e,iJ27 19 Perth Aniboy 93,949 97 Btraiifort (S. C.) 92,439 48 Vc-rniont 811,422 45 Oxford 70,900 46 St. Mary's - 71,227 52 Massac 67,234 64 Vienna 61,941 62 Stag-FIarbor 58,395 41 Birlington 57, '256 99 j Yorktawn 52,932 96 j Palmyra 51,301) 63 Champlaine - 35,200 61 j Alllnirgh 33,786 59 1 Bridgetown - 33,005 05 '< Havre de Grace 32,900 Frencliman's Bay 26,900 Ipswich 26,698 72 Mac hi as 23,791 83 Chester (Md.) 21,879 21 Dumfries 18,132 Passamaquoddy 15,950 Louisville 15,042 58 14,200 43 12,156 48 ■ Total Pmjmciit.t. 11,318 54 10,000 8,900 7,104 63 6,63* 5,700 5,150 4,500 4,022 83 3,840 56 3,551 27 3,400 2,500 2,456 7& 3,152 1,500 1,370 1,200 1,145 1,000 950 614 48 600 500 350 340 5212 42 - 20 45,174,837 23 SALARIES OF PUBLIC OFFICERS. THE President — Twenty-five Tliousand Dollars. The Vice-President — Ten Thousand Dollars. The Secretary of State — Five Thousand dollars. The Secretary of the Treasury — Five Thousand Dollars.. 3 Thi APPENDIX. 4/y The Secretary of War— Four Thousand Fire Hundred Dollars. The Secretary of the Navy — Four Thousand Five hundred Dollars. The Attorney-General — Three Thousand Dollars. The Comj)troller of the Treasury — Three Thousand Five Hundred; Dollars. The Treasurer — Three Thousand Dollars. The Auditor of the Treasury — Three Thousand Dollars. The Register of the Treasury — Two Thousand Four Hundred Dollars. The Accountant of the War Department — Two Thousand Dollars. The Accountant of the Navy Department — Two Thousand Dollars. 'The Post-Master General — Three Thousand Dollars. The Assistant Post-Master General — One Thousand Seven Hundred Dollars.. Payable quarterly — to continue for three years from January 1, 1804. 611,911 50 310,982 31 269,550 942,992 48 PUBLIC EXPENCES OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR IS05. DOLLS. CTS. CIVIL LIST, including the civi| expenses of the territory of New Orleans - . . - Miscellaneous expenses - . - Intercourse with foreign nations _ . - Military establishment ----- Naval establishment, including 71,340 dollars, 76 cents, as an appropriation for the crew of the frigate Pliiladelphia 1,240,445 29 ESTIMATE. Legislature, including stationary, printing, fuel, &c. - - 228,565 Executive, president and vice-president _ - _ 30,000 Department of State -.---- 27,304 Treasury Department - - - - - - 73,277 27' AVar department -^ - - - - - 29; 450 Naval 480 APPENDIX. Naval department General post-ortice Compensations to loanoflkers, &c. Surveyor general department south of Tenessee Officers of the mint 21,170 1J,36'0 2(),250 2,000 3,200 10,600 GOVERNMENTS IN TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES. Territory of New Orleans Mississippi territory Indiana territory ^'aluation of lands, &c. Aliscellaneous - 21,240 5,500 5,500 13,595 23 2,000 JUDICIARY. Chief justice and five associates Nineteen district judges District of Columbia - Attorney-general District attornies ^larshals - - _ Expenses of courts, &c. Light-house establishment 21,500 26,200 5,200 3,000 3,400 1,600 4,600 126,776 52 DURING the passage of the Non-importation Act, the secretary of the treasury was called upon by the senate for an account of the imports from Great Britain. Mr. Gallatin, the secretary, in consequence thereof, made the following reports of the value, agreeably to prime cost, of goods paying duties ad valorem, imported during the years 1802, 180.'^, and 1804, from the dominions of Great Britain in Europe, and in the East Indies ; and also, from all other parts of Europe, and from China; and the quantity of salt, rum, and nails, imported during the same years from Great Britain and her dependencies. 2 A STATEMENT APPENDIX. A STATEMENT, 481 EMbiting the value {agreeably to the prime cost) in sterling money, of Goods, paying duties ad valorem, imported from the dominions of Great Britain in Europe, and from her dominions in the East Indies ; and also, from all other parts of Europe, and from China. For the years From the dominions of Gt. ISntain in Europe. From the British From all other parts of (io„,i„io„s j,, t^e Europe. ga^t [^^i,^; From China. Endingonthe 30th Sept. 1802, <£. sterl. 1803, 1804, At 121 per cent. At 15 per cent. At 20 p. cent At 12J per cent. At 15 p. cent. At 20 p. cent At 124 p. cent. At 15 p. ct. a. o 2 At 121 p. cent. At 15 At20 p. centp.ct. 3,907,582 4,091,692 4,088,450 1,315,946 1,254,852 1,211,060 49,650 39,273 49,923 1,306,183 343,864 678,513 259,922 1,106,564 318,575 65,976 40,980 34,676 594,506 ;67,718 733,497 1,453 5,162 9,705 456,135 37,328 398,169 58,691 408,218 34,036 4 358 65 A STATEMENT, Exhibiting the quantity of Salt, Rum, and Nails imported from the dominions of Great Britain in Europe, from the British JVest Indies, and from other British dependencies. For the years From the dominions of Great Britain in Europe. From the British West Indies. From other British de- pendencies. Ending on the 30th September, 1802, 1803, 1804, SALT. RUM. NAILS. SALT. RUM, NAILS. SALT. RUM. NAILS. Bushels. Gallons. Pounds Bushels Gallons. Pounds. Bushels. Gallons Pounds. 1,262,039 1,431,274 1,260,122 5,8)6 45,459 17,778 3,051,782 3,841,185 3,924,803 801,802 758,421 803,668 4,213,087 3,628,264 4,368,316 65,811 4,426 10,692 4,608 12,688 30,050 11,872 7,883 14,940 7,469 6,598 messag"^ 482 APPENDIX. MESSAGE Ol' THE PUESIDENT, COMMUNICATED DECEMBER C, I80n. " To tlie Si'Udlc and Iloitxc of Pvcprcsentdf/Dii of flic United Slates of America in Congn'ss assembled. " VY woiikl have given ino, iellow citizens, great satisfaction to an- nounce, in tin: moment of ymir meeting, that the difficulties in our fo- reign relations, existing at the time of your last separation, had been amicably and Justly terminated. " I have lost no time in taking those measures which were most likely to bring them to such a termination, by special missions, charged witli such powers and instructions as, in the event of failure, could leave no imputation on either our moderation or forbearance. The delays which have since taken place in our negotiation with the British government, appear to have proceeded Irom causes which do not tlirbid the ex[)ecta- tion that, during the course of the session, I may be enabled to lay be- Ibre you their final issue. " What will be that of the ncgociation for settling our differences with Spain, nothing which had taken place, at the date of the last dispatches, enables us to pronounce. On the western side of the Mississippi she ad- vanced in considerable force, and took post at the settlement Bayou Piertre, on the Red River. This village was originally settled b\^ France, was held by her as long as she held Louisiana, and was delivered to Spain only as a part of Louisiana. Being small, insulated, and distant, it was not observed at the moment of" re-deli very to France and the I'nited States, that she continued a guard of half a dozen men, which had been stationed there. A proposition, however, having been lately made by our commander-in-chief, to assume the Sabine river as a tem- jiorary line of sejiaration between the troops of the two nations, until the issue of our negotiations shall be known, this has been referred by the Spanish commandant to his superior, and in the mean time he has with- drawn his force to the uxstern side of the Sabine river. The correspond- ence on this subject, now communicated, will exhibit more particularly the present state of things in that quarter. " The APPENDIX. 483 " The nature of the country requires indispensably timt an unusual proportion of the force emplovcd there should ha cavahy, or mounted infantr^^ In order therefore that the commanding officer might be enabled to act with effect, I had authorised him to call on the governors of Orleans and Mississippi, for a corps of Jive hiimhcd vo!i/nfeer cavalry. The temporary arrangement he has proposed, may, perhaps, render this unnecessary. But I inform you with great pleasure of the promp- titude with which the inhabitants of those territories have tendered their services in defence of their country. It has done honor to themselves, entitled them to the confidence of their fellow-citizens in every part of the Union, and must strengthen the general determination to protect them efficaciously under all circumstances which may occur. " Having received information that in another i)art of the United States a great number of private individuals were combining together, arming and organizing themselves, contrary to law% to carry on a mili- tary expedition against the territories of Spain, I thought it necessary, by proclamation, as well as by special orders, to take measures for pre- venting and suppressing this enterprize, for seizing the vessels, arms, and other means provided for it, and for arresting and bringing to jus- tice its authors and abettors. It was due to that good faith which ought ever to be the rule of action in public as well as in private transactions; it was due to good order and regular government, that, while the public force was acting strictly on the deiensive, and merely to protect our citizens from aggression, the criminal attem|)ts of private individuals to decide, for their own country, the question of peace or war, by com- mencing active and unauthorised hostilities, should be promptly and and efficaciously suppressed. " Whether it will be necessary to enlarge our regular force will de- pend on the result of our negotiations with Spain. But as it is uncertain when that result will be known, the provisional measures requisite for that, and to meet any pressure intervening in that quarter, will be a sub- ject for 3'our early consideration. " The possession of both banks of the Mississippi reducing to a single 3 Q point 484 A I'ENDIX. point the d(.tence of that river, its waters, and the countrj' adjacent, it beconncs hiulily necessary to provide for that point, a more ade(|uate se- curity. Some position above its mouth, commandinq; the passage of the river, should be rendered sufliciently strong to cover the armed vessels which may be stationed there for defence ; and, in conjunction with them, to present an insuperable obstacle to any force att:em|)ting to pass. The approaches to the city of New Orleans, from the eastern quarter, also will require to be examined, and more effectually guarded. For the internal sup|)ort of the country, the encouragement of a strong set- tlement on the western side of theMississi[)pi, within reach of New Or- leans, will be worthy the consideration of the legislature. " The gun-boats, authorized bjj^ an act of the last session, are so far advanced that they will be ready for service in the ensuing spring. Cir- cumstances permitted us to allow the time necessary for their more solid construction. As a much larger number will be wanting to place our sea-port towns and waters in that state of defence to which we are com- ))ctent, and they entitled, a similar appro|)riation lor a further provision of them is recommended for the ensuing year. " A further appropriation will also be necessary for repairing fortifi- cations already established, and for the erection of such other works as may have real effect in obstructing the aj)proaeh of an enemy to our sea- port towns, or their remaining before them. " In a country whose constitution is derived from the will of the peo- ple, directly expressed by their free suffrages, where the principal execu- tive functionaries, and those of the legislature, are renewed l-.y them at short [)eriods — where, under the character of jurors, they exercise in per- son the greatest portion of the judiciary powers — where the laws are con- sequently so formed and administered as to bear with equal weight aiid favour on all, restraining no man in the pursuits of honest industry, and securing to every one the [)ro[)erty which that acquires — it v/ould not be supposed that any safeguards could be needed against insurrection or enterprize on the public peace or authorit3'. The laws however, aware, that these should not be trusted to moral restraint only, have wisely 3 provided APPENDIX. 485 provided punishments for these crimes when committed. But would it not be salutary to give also the means of preventing their commission ? Where an enterprize is meditated by private individuals, against a fo- reign nation, in amity with the United States, powers of prevention, to a certain extent, are given by the laws. Would tliey not be as reason- able and useful where the enterprise preparing is against the United States? While adverting to this branch of the law, it is proper to ob- serve, that in enterprizes meditated against foreign nations, the ordinary process of binding to the observance of the peace and good behaviour, could it be extended to acts to be done out of the jurisdiction of the XTnitcd States, would be effectual in some cases where the offender is able to keep out of sight every indication of his purpose which could draw on him the exercise of the powers now given by law. " The states on tbe coast of Barbarv seemed generally disposed at present to respect our peace and iriendshi|>. With Tunis alone some uncertainty remains. Persuaded that it is our interest to maintain our peace with them on equal terms, or not at all, I propose to send in due time a reinforcement into the Mediterranean ; unless previous informa- tion shall shew it to be unnecessary. " We continue to receive proofs of the growing attachment of our In- dian neighbours, and of their disposition to place all tbeir interests under the patronage of the United States. These dispositions are inspired by their confidence in our justice, and in the sincere concern we feel for their welfare. And as long as we discharge these high and honour- able functions with the integrity and good faith which alone can entitle us to ;/je/r continuance, we may expect to reap the just reward in their peace and friendship. " The expedition of Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, for exploring the river Missouri, and the best communication from that to the Pacific Ocean, has had all the success which could have been expected. They have traced the Missouri nearly to its source, descended the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean, ascertained with accuracy the geography of that inte- resting communication across our continent, learnt tlie character of Liie 3 Q, 2 country 486 APPENDIX. country, of its commerce, and inhabitants; and it is but justice to say, that ^iessrs. Lewis and Clarke, and their l)rave companions, have, by this arduous service, deserved well of tlieir country. " The attempt to explore the Red river, under the direction of Mr. I'reeman, thoiiyh conducted with a zeal and prudence meriting entire approbation, has not been equally successlul. After proceeding up to about six hundred miles, nearly as fiir as the French setdements had ex- tended, while the country was in their possession, our geographers were obliged to return without completing their work. " Very useful additions have also been made to our knowledge of the Mississippi, by Lieutenant Pike, who has ascended it to its source, and whose journal and map, giving the details of his journey, wdl shortly be ready tor communication to both houses of congress. Those of Messrs. Lewis, Clarke, and Treeman, will require further time to be digested and prepared. These important surveys, in addition to those before |jossess- cd, furnish materials for commencing an accurate map of the Missis- sippi and its western waters. Some principal rivers, liowever, remain still to be explored, towards which the authorization of congress by mo- derate appro|)riations, will be requisite. *' I congratulate you, fellow citizens, on the approach of the period at which you may interpose your authority, constitutionally, to withdraw the citizens of the United States from all further participation in those violations of human rights which have been so long continued on the unofiending inhabitants of Ati-ica, and which the morality, the reputa- tion, and the l)est interests of our country, have long been eager to pro- scribe. Although no law you may pass can take a i)rohibilory effect till the first day of the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, yet the intervening period is not too long to prevent, by timely notice, expediti. ons which cannot be completed before that day. " The receijjts of the treasury, during the year ending on theoOth day of September last, have amounted to near fitteen millions of dollars, which have enabled us, after meeting the current tlemands, to pay two millions seven hundred thousand dollars of the American claims, in part of APPENDIX. 487 of the price of Louisiana ; to pay of the funded debt upwards of three millions of principal, and nearly four of interest; and in addition, to re- imburse in the course of the present month nearly two millions of five and a half per cent, stock. These payments and reimbursements of the funded debt, with those which had been made in the four years and a half preceding, will, at the close of the present year, have extinguished upwards of twenty-three millions of principal. " The duties composing the Mediterranean fund v.ill cease, by law. at the end of the present session. Considering, however, that they are levied chiefly on luxuries, and that we have an impost on salt, a neces- sary of life, the free use of which otherwise is so important, I recom- mend to your consideration the suppression of the duties on salt, and the continuation of the Mediterranean fund instead thereof, for a short time, after which that also will become unnecessary for any purpose of contemplation. " ^V'hen these branches of revenue shall in this W'ay be relinquished, there will still ere long be an accumulation of money in the treasury be- yond the instalments of public debt which we are permitted to contract to pay. They cannot, then, without a modilicatiou, assented to by the public creditors, be applied to the extinguishment of this debt, and the complete liberation of our revenues, the most desirable of all ol)jects. Nor, if our peace continued, will they be wanting lor any other existing purpose. The question, therefore,, now^ comes forward, to what other object shall these surplusses be appropriated, and the whole surplus of the impost, after the discharge of the public debt, and during those in- tervals when the purposes of war shall not call for them ? Shall we suppress impost, and give that ad\ antage to foreign over domestic ma- nufactures ? Of a lew articles of more general and necessary use, the suppression, in due season, will doubtless be right; but the great mass of articles on which im|)0st is paid, are tbreign luxuries, purchased by those only who are rich enough to attbrd themselves the use of them. Their patriotism would certainly prefer its continuance, and application to the great purposes of the public education, roads, rivers, canals and such 1 other 488 APPENDIX. other objects of piihlic improvement as may be thoii^lit pro[)cr to add to the constitutional enumeration of tc'deral powers. By these O[)erations, new channels of communication will he opened between the states; the lines of separation will disappear; tlieir interests will be identihed; and their nnion cemented by new and indissoluble ties. Education is iiere placed among the articles of public care, not that it would be proposed to take its ordinary branches out of tiie hands of private enterprise, which manages so much better all the concerns to which it is ecjual ; but a public institution alone can supply those sciences which, though rarely called for, are yet necessary to complete the circle ; all parts of which contribute to the im|)rovement of the countrj', and some of them to its preservation. The subject is now proposed for the consideration of con- gress, because, if improved, by the time the state legislature shall bave deliberated on this extension of the federal trusts, and the laws shall be passed, and other arrangements made for their execution, the necessary funds will be on hand without employment, I suppose an amendment of the constitution, bj^ the consent of the states, necessary ; because the objects now recommended are not among those enumerated in the con- stitution, and to which it permits the public monies to be applied. " Tlie present consideration of a National Estab/islimerif for Educa- tion, partivnlnvbi, is rendered |iroper by this circumstance also, that, if congress, approving the pro|iosition, shall yet think it more eligible to found it on donations of lands, they have it now in their power to endow it with those which will be the earliest to produce the necessary income. This foundation would have the advantage of being independent on war, which may suspend other improvements by requiring for its own pur- poses the resources destined for them. " This, fellow-citizens, is the state of the public interests at the pre- sent moment, and according to the information now possessed. But such is the situation of the nations of Europe, and such, too, the predi- cameiit in which we stand with some of them, that we cannot rely with certainty on the j)resent aspect of affairs, that may change from moment to moment, during the course of your session, or after you shall have separated. APPENDIX. 489 separated. Our duty is, iherefore, to act upon the things as they are, and to make a reasonable provision for whatever they may be. Were armies to be raised whenever a speck of war is visible in our horizon, v,e should never have been without them. Our resources would have been exhausted oil dangers which have never haj)pcned, instead of being reserved for \yhat is really to take place. A steady, perhaps a quick- ened pace, in defence of our sea-port towns and waters, an early settle- ment of the exposed and vulnerable part of our country, a militia, so organized, that its elective portions can be called to any point in the nation, or volunteers instead of them, to serve a sufficient time, are means which may always be read)', yet never preying on resources until actually called into use. They will maintain the public interests, while a more permanent force shall be in a course of preparation. But much will de])end on the promptitude with which these means can be brought into activity. If war l)e forced upon us, in spite of our long and our vain appeals to the justice of nations, rapid and vigorous move- ments, in its outset, will go far towards securing us in its course ai^id issue, and towards throwing its burthens on those who render necessary the resort fi'om reason to force. -r " The result of our negociations, or such incidents in their course as may enable us to infer their probable issue ; such further movements also on our western frontier as may shew whether why is to be pressed there, while negociation is protracted elsewhere, shall be communicated to you from time to time, as they become known to me ; with whatever other information I possess or may receive, which may aid your delibe- rations on the great national interests committed to your charge. " TH. JEFFERSON." THE END. INDEX. INDEX. A ACLAND, Major and Lady Harriet, their his- tory, 109. Adet, the French ambassador, atternpt of the English 10 intercept him, 431 ; his escape, 432-3. Advertisements, eccentric, 349 ; of a publican, 350; a loltery-oftice keeper, 351 ; for a kit- chen-maid, ibid; of a hair-dresser, ibid; of a negro oyster-inercliant, 352; of a poetical friseur, 353; of a political barbacue, ibid; of a porter-dealer, 354 ; of an itinerant par- son, ibid; notice of a marriage, 355; of a di- vorce, ibid. Alexandria, description of, 213. Allegany Nfountains, account of them, 71. Alligator, description of a young one, 308-9 America, general observations on its history, 35 ; infested in the early period of its civilization by freebooters, 39- American Independence, ceremonies observed on the anniversary of, 24. Americans, specimen of tlie effrontery of the low- er classes, S ; thtir curiosity, I S ; methods em- j ployed by them to perpetuate their enmiiy I against Great Britain, 25 ; their aversion to ' capital punishments, iGS. Andre, Major, observations on his fate, l65. Ants, description of those of North Carolina, 311. Appendix, 46'5. Arnold, General, biographical particulars of him, ) 60 ; his barbarous conduct to bis native coun- try during the American war, ibid; embraces a maritime life, l6"l ; commands a company of volunteers at the commencement of the re- volution, ibid ; marches tu Quebec under Mont- gomery, 162; his operations on Lak- Ciiam- plain, ibid; his narrow escape at Redfield, 16'3 ; takes possession of Philadelphia, I6i; detec- tion of his plan for betraying the American army, ibid. Arts, slate of them in America, 419. Austin's Letters from London, strictures on them, 420-424. Bankrupt Laws, system of, in America, 2i2 ; fa- cility of evading them, 243 ; hints for their improvement, 245". Baptists, their baptismal ceremonies, 104; fatal accident once attending the performance of them, 105. Bee-hunting, description of it, 30^. Bees, abundance of them near the Alligator river in North Carolina, 308. Bembury, General, exchanges a young negro wo- man for a horse, 410. Berceau, Le, French corvette, blockaded in Bos- ton by the English sloop Pheasant, 428. Blue Ridge, excursion to it, 39O. Bob, the cook-boy, his impudence, 8; embezzle^ the liquor of the passengers, 14; nocturnal alarm occasioned by him, 17. Bonny-clabber, description of it, 181. 3 R Book-fair, 492 INDEX. Book-fiiir, annual, fit PhiladelpUia, 419. Boston, exorbitant charges of boarding-bouses there, 21; excessive heat, i6i(/; vault contain- ing the remains of tiie British oflicers who fell at Bunker's hill, 26; situation of the town, 27 ; population, distilleries, theatres, 28 ; bridges, manufactures, 29. Brackcnridge, Judge, his satire on the order of Cincinnati, 287. Bridge, description of an extraordinary natural one, in \'irginia, 3+2. Broadhurst, Miss, the actress, her death, 253-4. Bull-frog, description of, 84. Bunkci's Hill, anecdote of the engagement at tluii place, 26. Burgiijiie, General, compelled to surrender with his army to General Gates, 113. Burr, Colonel, bis contest with Mr. Jefferson for the presidency, 1 23 ; elected vice-president, 125 ; example of his vanity, ibid; his flight after the death of General Hamilton, 12(); still continues to sit as vice-president, 127 ; judicial proceedings against him on a charge of meditating a revolution in the United Slates, 128; his overtures to General Eaton, ibid. Butler, Colonel, his services during the American war, 399 ; his narrow escape from the Indians when they surprized General St. Clair, ibid; be refuses to comply with the order of the commander in chief for cutting off the hair, 400; tried by a court martial for disobedience, 401 ; sentence of the court martial, 402; his appeal to the president, ib^d ; answer of the secretary at war, 403 ; death of the colonel, 404. Cutting, practised in Carolina, 303. Callender, his libel on Mr. Adams, 118. Campbell, Major, coramandiug ollicer at Fort Miamis, bis spirited conduct towards General Wayne, 77-79. Camp-meetings of the Methodists, 106; adver- tisement of one, 107. Carey, Matthew, a bookseller of Philadelphia, 418. Carolina, wretchedness of the lower class there, 304 ; their republicanism, 305. Carolina, South, value of plantations in that countr)', 356" ; houses of the plujilers, 357 ; cruel treatment of the slaves there, 361 ; fre- quency of duels in South Carolina, 363. Carter, Mr. ^V. accompanies the author in a hunt- ing excursion in the Great Dismal Swamp, 331. Champlain, Lake, account of it, 72. Charleston, mortality among the theatrical corps there, 253. Cincinnati, account of the order of the, 284 ; its institution, ibid; public prejudice against its members, 285 ; satire on the order, 2S6 ; in- signia of the order, 293 ; observations on the insignia, 294. Clarke, Lieutenant, his letter, giving an account of the expedition to explore the Missouri, 231, note. Cleggett, Bishop, his generosity, 102. Cobbett, Mr. his account of Dallas, the Ameri- can secretary of state, 99 i anecdote of Gene- ral Hamilton related by him, 1 15. Cock-roach, description of that msect, 311. Connecticut, excursion in that province, 80; sub- stantial breakfasts of the mhabitants, 80-81 ; accommodation for travellers, 82 ; horse-corn, ibid; general aspect of the country, 83 ; sup- per, ibid; the bull-frog, 84 ; rigid observance of the sabbath by its inhabitants, 101. Cooper, INIr. his industry as an actor, 250. Cotton, different species of it cultivated in the Carolina?', 367; its cultivation, 368 ; method of preparing it for manufacturing, 369; pick- ing frolics, 370. Coiirtenay, Captain, of the Boston, killed in ac- tion with the Ambuscade, 4'-8. Cravath, Mr. his rancour against England, 9» his example induces the passengers of the In- dustry to pay up the balance of their passage- money, 15. Custie, INDEX. 4<)3 Custis, Mr. his annual meetings and premiums for improvins the breed of sheep, 407-S. Custom-bouse officer, picture of an American, 17. D Dallas, Mr. secretary of state, his origin, 59. Debt, public, of the United States, statement of the, 47^. Dennie, Mr. Joseph, tiied for the publication of some political strictures, 4l6. Dinmore, Richard, paiticulars concerning him, 414. pismal Swamp, Great, description of it, 328 ; hunting excursion of llie author in it, 331 ; dreadful fire there, 333 ; obstinate battle in the swamp between a planter and a bear, 334 ; ca- nals cut through the swamp, 333. Dismal Swamp, Little, dangerous adventure of the author in it, 333. Dixwell, Colonel, one of the judges of Charles the First, his concealment in America, 53. Dixwell, Mrs. anecdote of her, 25S. Drama, the, its rise and progress in Philadelphia, 247 ; account of the New York company, 251; mortality among the performers at Charleston, 253 ; behaviour of an American audience at the theatre, 255-257 ; dramatic performers treated with contempt in America, 258. Drumtnond, Lake, description of it, 329. Duane, a printer, libels General Washington, 117; his defamation of the general, Igp; re- ceives a poetical castigation from Mr. Fessen- den, 200; particulars concerning him, 201, note. Duel between Mr. Rutledge and Mr. Senter, 363 ; between Placide and Douvillier, two players of Charleston, 364. Duplaine, the French vice-consul, dismissed by General Washington, 95. Durkee, Lieutenant, his adventure with General Putnam, 133. Dwjght, Rev. Dr. extract from his poem of Greenfield Hill, l63. Edenton, in North Carolina, slate of religion there, 103. Elections, American, burlesijue on them, 289- 293. Eleveners, description of them, 500. Emigrants, prospect for such as repair to Ame- rica on agricultural speculations, 389 ; advice to them, +09; prospect for the mechanic and laborer, 411. Emmctt, Counsellor, retained in behalf of Mr. Ogden, the owner of the Leander, 324; bio- graphical particulars of him and his family, 451. Engagement between the English frigate Boston and the French frigate Ambuscade, 428. Erie, Lake, description of it, 75. Esperance, French privateer, conduct of her crew, 3; taken by an English vessel, 7. Evans, Mr. travels up the Missouri in quest of the Welch ludians, 270. Expenditure, public, of the United States, +72. Fairfax, Viscount, particulars concerning him, 153. Falmouth, animosity of political parties therft previous to the American revolution, 40-41. Farmers, behaviour of those of New England, 85. Fessenden, Mr. his poetical castigation of Duane, 200. Fish, their fecundity in New England, 68. Foster, Mr. John, his plantation and household, 309-310. Franklin, Dr. his political prognostication, y5 ; his picture of America, 410. Gallatin, Albert, biographical particulars of him., 139 ; takes an active part in the Whisky rebel- lion, ibid; avails himself of the amnesty grant- ed by General Washington, 140; appointed by 3 R a Mr. 494 INDHX. Mr. J(fr2. Gaits, Gem Tul, liis early services iu tlu- Hriilsii army in Gcraiaiiy and America, lOy ; joins the American standard, ibid; he takes General ; Burgoyne's army, 113; liis humanity to his prisoners, ibid; defeated by Lord Cornwallis, and superseded in his command, 1 l-l. Genet, the French ambassador, his intrigues in the United Stales, 93 ; bis remonstrance on tiie dismissal of Duplaine, 95 ; his charges against the American ministers, iK) ; letter to him from the attorney-geuerul, Mr. Randolph, 07 ; his reply, 9S ; his recal to Paris, il'id ; he refuses to comply, and settles in the United States, 99 ; extract from his diplouialic in- structions, ibid. Georgia, grant of laud by that state to the Geor- gia Mississippi company, i63 ; fraud of its go- i vcrnment, ibO" ; it sells the same laud to con- gress, 267- Cilp.n, Mr. an English emigrant, his history, 385. Goffe, Major-general, one ol ihe judges of Charles the First, his adventures in Ameiica, -15 ; sin- gular anecdotes of him, 51-5'2. Gold-mines, discovery of some in North Carolina, 065. Gouging, defrription of that horrid practice, 300 ; various insiances of its being employed, 301- 303. Gnffiih, Maurice, narrative of his adventures, •272. Grumbler, the, paid for grumbling. l6. Gypsum, large quantities ii.iported by ihe .Ame- ricans from the British colonies, and used as manure, ^37. Jk Hamilton, General, his extraction, I U; his early services in the American urmy, 115; his iiu- manity and lirmness at the siege of York-town, ibid; embraces llie profession of llie law, 116"; appointed secretary of tlie treasury, ibid; re- signs that ofllce, 117; liis literary abilities, ibid ; circumstances that led to his duel with Burr, 1 IS ; his death, '. !£) ; funeral oration by Mr. Otis, 120-123. Ilell-Gate, perilous passage of, 89; anecdote of a black pilot who carried a British ship of war safely through it, 90, note. Hessian settlers in America, 4I4'. Mill, Mr. a bookseller of Baltimore, liis indcco- rons conduct at the theatre, 256". Hodgkinson, Mr. the actor, his death, 252. Hothnan, C. .\. his horrible barbarity to a negro boy, 377. Horse-races at Washington, 200. Huron, Lake, description of it, 7-J-. Husking-fiolics described, W6. Hutchins, Mr. his survey of the AmericaQ lakes, 7^. Indian corn, its_£uTtivation, 391 ; precarious produce of that grain, 405. Indigo, -de.-cription ot the plant which produces 11,371 ; method of manufacturing indigo, i6i(/. Inn-keepers, the general behavior of those ia New England, 85. Ireland, astnnishing emigration from that coun- try to America, 452 ; crowded state of the ships with Irish passengers, ibid; smuggling carried on there to a shameful extent by ihe Americans, 4()0. isiehoche, a Greek chief, dialogue between huu and an American agent, 'J79-2S1. Hacker, Captain, his attack on the island of New Providence, 158- Hale, Captain, taken by the English, and exe- tuUd as a spy, 10". Jackson, Jilr. appointed governor of Georgia,. 26"6; his unjust and fraudulent conduct to- wards tlie purchasers of lauds in that slate, ibid; INDEX, 495 ibid ; his persecution of a printer at Savannah, 267 ; singular resolution oi a metiing called bv liim, 2oS ; his death, ibid. Jefleison, Mr. his sentiments on negro slavery, 381-2. Jones, Paul, anecdotes of him, 1 57. Junipers, a religious sect in Wales, account of them, 107, note. Kentucky, prospects for settlers in that country, 26'; expence of furniiug a setlleinenl iheie, as caleulated by Mr. H. 'I'oulmin, 440; qua- lity and pioduce of the soil, 443 ; difiicul-) of bringing its produce to market, 445. La Fayette, his barbarous proposal to Washing- ton, 115. Landois, Captain, anecdotes of him, 159. Land-speculators, their artifices and frauds ex- posed, ^5S ; their method of cooking land, 26 1. Lang, Mr. bis account of the adoption of a war- rior by the Canadian Indians, 281. Latrobe, Mr. Eenjanmi, (tiriiculars concerning him aiid his farnilv, ^01. Law, Ihom^s, esq. biographical particulars of , him, 154; acquires a fortune in the East In- dies, ib'd ; his mission to Seringnpatam, 155; returns to Eurtipe, and fettles in America, 156; his speciilalions, 157.' Law, manner of administering it in the United States, 234; procrastination of lawyers, 235; extracts of Term Reports, 236-24V ; bankrupt laws, 242 ; frauds committed under them, 213; bints for amending them, 245 ; general obser- vations on the practice of the law in America, 412. Leese, Ann, founds the sect of Shakers, 102; her death, 413 note. Lewis, Captain, sent by Mr. Jefterson to explore the river Missouri, 2'iO ; particulars of the expedition, 226". Lincoln, Mr. biographical parliculars of him, 149; appointed attorney-general, ibid; stric- tures on his public conduct, ibid; his speech before the supreme court of the L'nited Stales, 150; is removed from his office, 151. Literature, state of, in the United States, 416. Little, Captain, lakes a French corvette, 425 ; tried on charges brought against him by the prisoners, 426; superseded m his command, 427. Locusts, description of those of Carolina, 310. Louisiana, observations on iis cession to France and to the United States, 31 note. -M Madison Court-House, state of society there, 395 ; alarm of an insurreciion of the slaves, ibid ; night expedition against them, 396. Madogians, or Welsh Indians, conjectures con- cerning them, 270. Magicienne, French frigate, blocked up in Nor- folk by the Boston, 3t3 ; rencounter between a party of her crew and some British sailors, 3 14. Maine, province of, first exjilored by English ad- venturers in search of gold, 36 ; artifice of the savages there, b7 ; changes its proprietors, 39 ; its extent, ibid ; produce, 40 ; its principal towns, ibid. Mala Maniii, the Tunisian amb.ssador, his arri- val at Washington, 2l6 ; his pirsimony, 217 ; his departure trom the United States, 2 1 9. M'Fingal, an American poet, extract from his work, 7 !• Manufactures, state of them in America, 194; proposed company for their encouragement, 193. Martin, Colonel, account of him, 173 ; his phi- lanthropic disposition, 174. Mediterranean Fund, statement of ihe, 473. Methodists, their camp-meetings, 106; adver- tiseraent of a camp-uieeting, 107. Miamis, Fort, battle in us vicinity between the troops of the United States and the savages, 75. MJchillimackinnac, 496 INDEX. i\lichillimackinnac, strtiglit ot", rsmaikablu ele- vation uud depression of its waters, 74-. Miranda, particul.irs concernitjg him, 313; he equips a naval force ai New York, 314; is joined by Anieriuiin advunlurers, 3J5 ; alarm in New York aftor his departure, 3l6'; failure of his ex|)e(lillon, 3'J4 ; his early history, 325. Missouri, an expedition sent out to exjilore the source of that river, 220 ; description of the country contiguous to it, 2'.'S-g. Mockingbird, its vocal powers, 346 ; compari- son between its notes and those of the nightin- gale, 3 I". Wolong, Colonel, forms an ambush to intercept an English detachment, 13+ ; rescues Major Putnam from imminent dtatli, 137. Montgomery, General, killed before Quebec, 162. Moore, Mr. his Lake of the Dismal Swamp, a ballad, 321). Morris, Governor, pronounces a funeral oration on General llaiuilloii, at New York, 11.0. ft orse, Dr. his account of the horrid practice of gouging, 300 ; his observations on negro sla- very, 382-38 1. Mount Vernon, description of, 211. Wusquitoes, consequences of their bite, 22 ; not so severe as represented by Mr. Weld, 23. N Navy, state of the American, 210; charges for it in 1805, 214. ■ Kew England, extremes of heat and cold in that country, 57 ; nocturnal annoyance from insects and reptiles there, 5S ; observations on its atmosphere, 5y ; price of fuel, ibid; seve- rity of the cold in winter, (iO ; tables of ve- getation, ibid.-y frost, 61 ; table of winds and rain, 62 ; alteration of climate, 63 ; variation of the seasons, 64; general behavior of inn- keepers in New England, S5 ; character of the farmers there, 86; curiosity of the females, 87 ; influence of republican principles on their character, ibid; arrogance of domestics, ibid; siiigulai cusloms in this country, 88. New London, description of, 42. Newspapers, their multiplication in America, il6. New York, the author's arrival there at mid- night, .01 ; its situation, ibid; prevalence of tlie yellow fever there, <)2 ; increase of the city, 93. Nilson, Mr. Andrew, anecdote of him, 307- Norfolk, description of, 327. Norton, John, a Mohawk chief, atcount of, 278, note. O Ogden, Mr. owner of the Leander, proceeding* against him, 317; his address to tltc public, 318; he is arrested, ibid ; and examined, 319; is liberated, 321 ; spirited defence of his coun- sel, 321 ; farther judicial proceedings respecting him, 322-324. Ohio, account of the countries bordering on that river, 439. Oldmixon, Sir John, particulars concerning him, 152; marries Miss George and removes to America, ibid ; singular equipage in which he conveyed his lady to the theatre, 153; her infidelity, ibid. Orange Court-House, dancing-school there, 392; sporting e.'ccursion in the neighbourhood, 394. Osage Indians, send a deputation to Washington, 220; their visit to congress, 221 ; their dress and manners, 221-2 ; specimens of their songs, 223-4 ; their performance in the theatre at Washington, 225 ; death of one of the chiefs, ibid. Otis, Mr. extract from his funeral oration on General Hamilton, 120-123. Paine, Thomas, observations on his character, and on JetTerson's invitation of him to America, 446. Peale, Mr. his Museum at Philadelphia, 191. Philadelphia, founded by William Penn, 175; description of the city, 176; its population, 1 78 ; the market, 179 ; excessive heat iu sum- mer. INDEX. 4P7 iiier, 181 > the gaol, 184; tlie bettering-house, 185; the hospital, jJirf ; Bank of the United States, 1 86; water-works, ibid; covered bridge over the Schuylkill, I $7 ; the library, ibid ; its foundation, 188; number of volumes it comprises, 189; retnarkable clock, I90. Phipps, Sir William, anecdotes of, 38. Physic, general observations on the practice of it in the United States, 4.12. Pierce, John, killed by a ball from the Leander, 4 33; proclamation issued by the president on the occasion, 434. Pigeons, wild, their multiplication in New Eng- land, 67 ; their abundance in North Carolma, 68. Pinckney, General, biographical particulars of him, leP; he joins the Americans at the com- mencement of the revolution, j'Wrf; taken pri- soner at Charleston, 130 ; his political and di- plomatic services, 131 ; appointed third in com- mand in the army raised to quell the Whisky Rebellion, 132; his political principles, z'Wi/. Pitcairn, Dr. particulars of him, 26, note. ■ Pitcairn, Major, anecdote concerning him, 26. Pittsburg, description of, 438. Flank, Mr. one of the passengers in the Industry, his altercation with Mr. Cravath, g ; tantalizes the curiosity of the Americans, IS. Portland, the capital of the province of Maine, description of, 40. Portsmouth, in New England, description of, IS ; Its market, 20. Potomack, British expedition up that river dur- ing the American war, 213. Preston, the Rev. Samuel, bequeaths his books to the library of Philadelphia, 19O. Printing and Bookselling in America, 418. Proudfit, Mr. John, circumstances attending his bankruptcy, 243. Putnam, General, biographical particulars of, 132; his adventures in Canada, 133 ; his con- duct in an engagement with the Indians, 134; is taken prisoner by tl-.em, 135 ; his sufl'erings, 130 ; the Indians prepare to roast him alive. 107; he is rescued by a French officer, ibid; singular method employed by the Indians for securing hiiu, 138; rejoins the English army, J 39. R Randolph, Mr. Edmund, his letter to the French ambassador Genet, 97. Randolph, Mr. John, biographical particulars of him, 142; description of his person, ibid; op- poses the appointment of a navy during the presidency of Mr. Adams, 143 ; is insulted by some naval officers in consequence of his speech on that occasion, 144; appeals to the president, and report of a committee on the subject, ibid ; he opposes hostile measures against Great Bri- tain, 145 ; extract from his speech on the Non- importation Act, 146; his speech on Governor Jackson's death, 269. Read. I\Ir. John, discovers gold in his land, 3(J5, Red-bird, the, description of, 348. Redemptioners, large importation of them from Germany, 46 1. Representation, system of, in America, 29 ">; num- ber of representatives, 296. Revenue, public, of the United States, 470. Rigby's Mountain, in Connecticut, description of» 43. Roads, wretched state of them in America, 172; abstract of a report on them, 465. Rogers, Major, his unsoldier-like conduct, 133-4. Russell, the Honorable Thomas, introduction of the author to him, 25. Savannah, intended insurrection of the slaves there, 36 1, note. Shakers, an extraordinary religious sect, account of, 102. Shark, singular manner of catching one, 11. Slaves, their employment in South Carolina, 358; hints for improving their situation, ibid ; ad- vertisements of slaves for sale, 359 ; fatal con- sequences to be apprehended from this traffic, 360 J, 498 INDEX. 360; horrible cruelties inflicted on slaves, 3Cl their iv>mbrrs in the American states, 362 farther particulars of their treatment, 373 a nepro quarter, 37+ ; their food, ibid filial affection of a negro boy, 37.5 ; annual sale of nfgroes, 37Ct ; barbarities indicted on them, 37 7; dreadful punishment of a slave, 37^ ; mutilation of a negro for incontinence, i ibi'l; sentiments of Mr. Jcfi'urson and Dr. Morse on slavery, 381-384. Slingers, description of the class of people so calle.l. Q9i). Smith. Colonel, his arrest and examination, on suspicion of abetting Miranda, 320. Squatters, description of them, 38<). Stage- waggon, American, description of one, 171. Stiles, F.sra, observations on his history of the three judges, .53. Superior, Lake, description of it, 73. Swine, method of raising and killing them, 180. Talmage, Jud£;e, his sentiments on liberty, 323. Tate, Mr. his miserable death at St. Domingo, 314-310, note. Thornton, Mr. W. his report concerning the lands belonging to the North Carolina Gold | Company, 366. Tobacco, immoderate use of it by children, 297 ; its cultivation, 339 i method of curing and packing it, 340 ; frauds of American dealers in this article, 3 H. Toulmin, Mr. II. account piibtibhcd by him rela- tive to the Welsh Indians, '27'2; his observa- tions on llie possibility of the existence of such a race, 'J77 ; his cak ulation of the expence of settling in Kentucky, 440. Trask, Captain, the author takes his passage with him to America, C ; detained by a French pri- vateer, 3 ; treatment of bis passengers, 8 ; neglects to lay in a supply of provisions, 13. Trivctt, John, commands the attack made on New Providence by Captain Hacker, 158. Truxton, Commodorei attacks and takes a French (rigate, 143 note. I'rotter, Mr. of Lexington, his extensive deal- ings, 440 note. Timisian embassy, account of it, CI 5. Turtle, land, abundance of them in the swamps of Carolina, 312. ' Typographical Society of Philadelphia, 418. ' Tyron, Governor, accused by the Americans of barbarity, 1 63. U United States, their extent, 31 ; population, 32; probability of a dismemberment of theai, 35; statistical view of, 34; their mountains, 70; lakes, 7? ; state of religion, 100; their mili- tary establishment, 167 ; badness of the roads, 172; rarity of capita! punishments there, 182; economy of their prisons, 183 ; few beggars to be seen in the United States, J 85; state of manufactures, 194. Villiers, Mr. the actor, bis death, 254. W Washington, General, countpracts the machina- nations of Genet, the French ambassador, and dismisses the vice-consul Duplaine, P-l' ; sus- pends the functions of Genet, 9^ ; anecdote of him, 115; he assumes the command of the army raised to quell the Whisky rebellion, 131 ; his retreat frnni I/nif Island during the American war, 166; ingratitude of a portion of the Americans towards him, I.';8 ; he is ie- fained by Duane, 1£)0 : directs all his property to be sold, in his will, 212, note; buried in efligy in most of the large towns of America, 424. Washington, the federal city, founded by General Washington, 198; avenues to it, 202 ; wretch* ed state of the city, 202-3 ; total failure of the plan, 203: the capitol, 204; the Pennsylvania Avenue, INDEX. 49 Avenue, Ibid; description of the president's house, 20C; the navy-yard, 208 ; horse-races, ibid. Wayborne, Mn battle between him and a bear, 336. Wayne, General, commands the American army in the last engagement with the savages, 7t> ; his insolent conduct to the British garrison in Furt Miarais, 77-8. Weld, Mr. strictures on his observations con- cerning musquitoes, 23, note ; his observations on the expedition of General Wayne, 79; his description of the roads, J72; his account of the president's house at Washington, 205. Welsh Indians, conjectures on their existence, 270 ; pretended account of them, 274. Whalley, Major-general, one of the judges of Charles the First, his Adventures in America, 4-5 ; account of bis second childhood, 5*). Whip-poor-Will, description of the bird so called, 34-8. White-Mountains, account of them, 71. William and Mary College, outrage committed by the students nt that seminary, 29S. Wilson, Captain, biographical particulars of him, 1 54, note. Wii.terbotham, Mr. his character of tlie Ameri- can farnter, 8(5. Woodcock, the American, 3 VS. Woodpecker, the American, 313. Yankee notions, 38S. Yellow Fever, its prevalence in New York, 92 ; dreadful symptoms of that disorder, 387. iiUtS CUNDF.K, PRlXtEn, I.OMOO.V, IS Directions to the Binder. riates. Pug* Ho. 1. View of Philadelphia, and 2. Vignette, to face the title page. 3. View of Boston - 30 4. View of Hell-Gate - 89 5. Plan of Philadelphia - - 175 6. High-street, Philadelphia - - 177 7. View of Second-street - - 179 8. Bank of the United States - - 186 9. Vignette . . - - - 197 10. Mount Vernon - 211 1). Philadelphia Theatre - 250 12. High-street— Death of Washington - - 424 POPULAR 1