A Ramble of Six Thousand Miles through the United States of America Part 11

The Mechanics and other working men of the city of New York, and of _these_ such and such only as live by their own useful industry, who wish to retain all political power in their own hands;

WHO ARE IN FAVOUR OF AND WHO ARE OPPOSED TO

A just compensation for labour, Banks and Bankers,

Abolis.h.i.+ng imprisonment for debt, Auctions and Auctioneers,

An efficient lien law, Monopolies and

A general system of education; Monopolists of all descriptions, including food, clothing and instruction, equal for all, Brokers, at the public expense, _without separation of children from_ Lawyers, and _parents,_ Rich men for office, and to all Exemption from sale by execution, those, either rich or poor, of mechanics' tools and who favour them, implements sufficiently extensive to enable them to Exemption of Property from carry on business: Taxation:

Are invited to a.s.semble at the Wooster-street Military Hall, on Thursday evening next, 16th Sept., at eight o'clock, to select by Ballot, from among the persons proposed on the 6th Instant, Candidates for Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Senator, and a New Committee of Fifty, and to propose Candidates for Register, for Members of Congress, and for a.s.sembly.

By order of the Committee of Fifty.

JOHN R. SOPER, _Chairman_. JOHN TUTHILL, _Secretary_.

So far for the "Workies;" and now for Miss Wright. If I understand this lady's principles correctly, they are strictly Epicurean. She contends, that mankind have nothing whatever to do with any but this tangible world;--that the sole and only legitimate pursuit of man, is terrestrial happiness;--that looking forward to an ideal state of existence, diverts his attention from the pleasures of this life--destroys all real sympathy towards his fellow-creatures, and renders him callous to their sufferings.

However different the _theories_ of other systems may be, she contends that the _practice_ of the world, in all ages and generations, shews that this is the _effect_ of their inculcation. These are alarming doctrines; and when this lady made her _debut_ in public, the journals contended that their absurdity was too gross to be of any injury to society, and that in a few months, if she continued lecturing, it would be to empty benches.

The editor of "The New York Courier and Enquirer" and she have been in constant enmity, and have never failed denouncing each other when opportunity offered. Miss Wright sailed from New York for France, where she still remains, in the month of July, 1830; and previous to her departure delivered an address, on which "the New York Enquirer" makes the following observations:--

"The parting address of Miss Wright at the Bowery Theatre, on Wednesday evening, was a singular _melange_ of politics and impiety--eloquence and irreligion--bold invective, and electioneering slang. The theatre was very much crowded, probably three thousand persons being present; and what was the most surprising circ.u.mstance of the whole, is the fact, that about _one half of the audience were females--respectable females_.

"When f.a.n.n.y first made her appearance in this city as a lecturer on the 'new order of things,' she was very little visited by respectable females.

At her first lecture in the Park Theatre, about half a dozen appeared; but these soon left the house. From that period till the present, we had not heard her speak in public; but her doctrines, and opinions, and philosophy, appear to have made much greater progress in the city than we ever dreamt of. Her fervid eloquence--her fine action--her _soprano-toned_ voice--her bold and daring attacks upon all the present systems of society--and particularly upon priests, politicians, bankers, and aristocrats as she calls them, have raised a party around her of considerable magnitude, and of much fervour and enthusiasm."

"The present state of things in this city is, to say the least of it, very singular. A bold and eloquent woman lays siege to the very foundations of society--inflames and excites the public mind--declaims with vehemence against every thing religious and orderly, and directs the whole of her movements to accomplish the election of a ticket next fall, under the t.i.tle of the 'working-man's ticket.'[24] She avows that her object is a thorough and radical reform and change in every relation of life--even the dearest and most sacred. Father, mother, husband, wife, son, and daughter, in all their delicate and endearing relations.h.i.+ps, are to be swept away equally with clergymen, churches, banks, parties, and benevolent societies. Hundreds and hundreds of respectable families, by frequenting her lectures, give countenance and currency to these startling principles and doctrines. Nearly the whole newspaper press of the city maintain a death-like silence, while the great Red Harlot of Infidelity is madly and triumphantly stalking over the city, under the mantle of 'working-men,' and making _rapid progress_ in her work of ruin. If a solitary newspaper raise a word in favour of public virtue and private morals, in defence of the rights, liberties, and property of the community, it is denounced with open bitterness by some, and secretly stabbed at by them who wish to pa.s.s for good citizens. Miss Wright says she leaves the city soon. This is a mere _ruse_ to call her followers around her. The effect of her lectures is already boasted of by her followers. 'Two years ago,' say they,--'_twenty persons_ could scarcely be found in New York who would openly avow infidelity--now we have _twenty thousand_.--Is not that something?'

"We say it is something--something that will make the whole city think."

On the day of my departure for Europe, is was announced to the merchants of New York, that the West India ports were opened to American vessels.

This is a heavy blow to the interests of the British colonies; and it does not appear that even Great Britain _herself_ has received any equivalent for inflicting so serious an injury on a portion of the empire by no means unimportant. The Canadians and Nova Scotians found a market for their surplus produce in the West Indies, for which they took in return the productions of these islands--thus a reciprocal advantage was derived to the sister colonies. But now, from the proximity of the West Indies to the Atlantic cities of the United States, American produce will be poured into these markets, for which, in return, little else than specie will be brought back to the ports of the Republic.

It may be said, that an equivalent has been obtained by the removal of restrictions. .h.i.therto laid on British s.h.i.+pping. This I deny is any thing like an equivalent, as the trade with America is carried on almost exclusively in American bottoms. I particularly noted at New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York, the paucity of British vessels in those ports; and ascertained that it was the practice among American merchants, who it must be observed are nearly all extensive s.h.i.+p-owners, to withhold cargos, even at some inconvenience, from foreign vessels, and await the arrival of those of their own country. I do not positively a.s.sert that the s.h.i.+ps of _any other_ nation are preferred to those of England; but, as far as my personal observations on that point have gone, I am strongly inclined to think that such is the fact.

The mercantile and s.h.i.+pping interests of Great Britain must continue to decline, if the government suffers itself continually to be cajoled into measures of this nature, and effects treaties the advantages of which appear to be all on one side, and in lieu of its concessions receives no just equivalent; unless a little empty praise for "liberal policy" and "generosity," can be so termed. I am well aware that it may have been of some small advantage to the West Indies to be enabled to obtain their supplies from the United States; but with reference to the policy of the measure, I speak only of the empire at large. Nearly all the Canadians with whom I conversed, freely acknowledged that they have not shaken off the yoke of England, only because they enjoyed some advantages by their connexion with her: but as these are diminished, the ties become loosened, and at length will be found too weak to hold them any longer. Disputes have already arisen between the people and the government relative to church lands, which appropriations they contend are unjust and dishonest.

No doubt the question of tariff duties on the raw material imported into England, is one of great delicacy as connected with the manufacturing interests of the country; yet it does appear to me, that a small duty might without injury be imposed on American cottons _imported in American bottoms_. This would afford considerable encouragement to the s.h.i.+pping of Great Britain and her colonies, and could by no means be injurious to the manufacturing interests. The cottons of the Levant have been latterly increasing in quant.i.ty, and a measure of this nature would be likely to promote their further and rapid increase; which is desirable, as it would leave us less dependent on America, than we now are, for the raw material.

The s.h.i.+pping of America is not held by the cotton-growing states; and although the nationality of the southerns is no doubt great, yet their love of self-interest is much greater, and would always preponderate in their choice of vessels. It would be even better, if found necessary, to make some arrangement in the shape of draw-back, than that a nation which has imposed a duty on our manufactured goods, almost amounting to a prohibition, should reap so much advantage from our system of "liberal and generous" policy. I shall conclude these _rambling_ sketches by observing, that there are two things eminently remarkable in America: the one is, that every American from the highest to the lowest, thinks the Republican form of government _the best;_ and the other, that the seditious and rebellious of all countries become there the most peaceable and contented citizens.

We sailed from New York on the 1st of October, 1830. The monotony of a sea voyage, with unscientific people, is tiresome beyond description. The journal of a single day is the history of a month. You rise in the morning, and having performed the necessary ablutions, mount on deck,--"Well Captain, how does she head?"--"South-east by east"--(our course is east by south).--"Bad, bad, Captain--two points off." You then promenade the quarter-deck, until the black steward arrests your progress--grins in your face, and announces breakfast. Down you go, and fall foul of ham, beef, _pommes de terre frites_, jonny-cakes, and _cafe sans lait;_ and generally, in despite of bad cooking and occasional lee-lurches, contrive to eat an enormous meal. Breakfast being despatched, you again go on deck--promenade--gaze on the clouds--then read a little, if perchance you have books with you--lean over the gunwale, watching the waves and the motion of the vessel; but the eternal water, clouds, and sky--sky, clouds, and water, produce a listlessness that nothing can overcome. In the Atlantic, a s.h.i.+p in sight is an object which arouses the attention of all on board--to speak one is an aera, and furnishes to the captain and mates a subject for the day's conversation. Thus situated, an occasional spell of squally weather is by no means uninteresting:--the lowering aspect of the sky--the foaming surges, which come rolling on, threatening to overwhelm the tall s.h.i.+p, and bury her in the fathomless abyss of the ocean--the laugh of the gallant tars, when a sea sweeps the deck and drenches them to the skin--all these incidents, united, rather amuse the voyager, and tend to dispel the inanity with which he is afflicted. During these periods, I have been for hours watching the motions of the "stormy petrel" (_procellaria pelagica_), called by sailors, "mother Carey's chickens." These birds are seldom seen in calm weather, but appear to follow the gale, and when it blows most heavily they are seen in greatest numbers. The colour is brown and white; the size about that of the swallow, whose motions oh the wing they resemble. They skim over the surface of the roughest sea, gliding up and down the undulations with astonis.h.i.+ng swiftness. When they observe their prey, they descend flutteringly, and place the feet and the tips of the wings on the surface of the water. In this position I have seen many of them rest for five or six seconds, until they had completed the capture. The petrel is to be seen in all parts of the Atlantic, no matter how distant from land; and the oldest seaman with whom I have conversed on the subject, never saw one of them rest. Humboldt says, that in the Northern Deserta, the petrels hide in rabbit burrows.

A few days' sail brought us into the "Gulf stream," the influence of which is felt as high as the 43 north lat.i.tude. We saw a considerable quant.i.ty of _fucus natans_, or gulf weed, but it generally was so far from the vessel, that I could not contrive to procure a sprig. Mr. Lucc.o.c.k, in his Notes on Brazil, says, that "if a nodule of this weed, taken fresh from the water at night, is hung up in a small cabin, it emits phosph.o.r.escent light enough to render objects visible." He describes the leaves of this plant as springing from the joints of the branches, oblong, indented at the edges, about an inch and a half long, and a quarter of an inch broad.

Humboldt's description is somewhat different: he calls it the "vine-leaved fucus;" says, "the leaves are circular, of a _tender_ green, and indented at the edges, stem brown, and three inches long."--What I saw of this weed rather agrees with that described by Humboldt--the leaves were shaped like the vine leaf, and of a rusty-green colour. That portion of the Atlantic between the 22d and 34th parallels of lat.i.tude, and 26th and 58th meridians of longitude, is generally covered with fuci, and is termed by the Portuguese, _mar do sarga.s.so_, or gra.s.sy sea. It was supposed by many, from the large quant.i.ties of this weed seen in the Gulf stream, that it grew on the Florida rocks, and by the influence and extension of the current, was detached and carried into this part of the Atlantic. However, this position is not tenable, as a single branch of fucus has never been found on the Florida reef. Humboldt, and other scientific men, are of opinion that this weed vegetates at the bottom of the ocean--that being detached from its root, it rises to the surface; and that such portion of it as is found in the stream, is drawn thither by the sweeping of the current along the edge of the weedy sea. Moreover, the fuci that are found in the northern extremity of the Florida stream are generally decayed, while those which are seen in the southern extremity appear quite fresh--this difference would not exist if they emanated from the Gulf.

We stood to the north of the Azores, with rather unfavourable winds, and at length came between the coast of Africa and Cape St. Vincent. Here we had a dead calm for four entire days. The sky was perfectly cloudless, and the surface of the ocean was like oil. Not being able to do better, we got out the boat and went turtle fis.h.i.+ng, or rather catching, in company with a very fine shark, which thought proper to attend us during our excursion.

In such weather the turtles come to the surface of the water to sleep and enjoy the solar heat, and if you can approach without waking them, they fall an easy prey, being rendered incapable of resistance by their sh.e.l.ly armour. We took six. Attached to the breast of one was a remora, or "sucking fish." The length of this animal is from six to eight inches--colour blackish--body, scaleless and oily--head rather flat, on the back of which is the sucker, which consists of a narrow oval-shaped margin with several transverse projections, and ten curved rays extending towards the centre, but not meeting. The Indians of Jamaica and Cuba employed this fish as falconers do hawks. In calm weather, they carried out those which they had kept and fed for the purpose, in their canoes, and when they had got to a sufficient distance, attached the remora to the head of the canoe by a strong line of considerable length. When the remora perceives a fish, which he can do at a considerable distance, he darts away with astonis.h.i.+ng rapidity, and fastens upon it. The Indian lets go the line, to which a buoy is attached to mark the course the remora has taken, and follows in his canoe until he thinks the game is exhausted; he then draws it gradually in, the remora still adhering to his prey. Oviedo says, "I have known a turtle caught by this method, of a bulk and weight which no single man could support."

For four days we were anxiously watching for some indications of a breeze, but were so frequently deceived with "cat's paws," and the occasional slight flickering of the dog vane, that we sank into listless resignation.

At length our canva.s.s filled, and we soon came within sight of the Straits of Gibraltar. On our left was the coast of Spain, with its vineyards and white villages; and on our right lay the sterile hills of Barbary.

Opposite Cape Trafalgar is Cape Spartel, a bold promontory, on the west side of which is a range of basaltic pillars. The entrance to the Mediterranean by the Straits, when the wind is unfavourable, is extremely difficult; but to pa.s.s out is almost impossible, the current continually setting in through the centre of the pa.s.sage. Hence, onwards, the sail was extremely pleasant, being within sight of the Spanish coast, and the Islands of Yvica, Majorca, and Minorca, successively, until we reached the Gulf of Lyons. When the northerly wind blows, which, in Provence, is termed the _mistral_, the waves roll against the coast of Provence, and the recoil produces that ugly chopping sea for which this gulf is renowned. In the Mediterranean, even in the calmest weather, a light pleasant breeze springs up after sunset; this and the cloudless sky, and un.o.bscured brilliancy of the stars, are attractions sufficient to allure the most somnolent and unromantic mortal to remain on deck.

The molusca, or oceanic insect, which emits a phosph.o.r.escent light, appeared here in vast quant.i.ties, which induced me to try experiments. I took a piece of black c.r.a.pe, and having folded it several times, poured some sea water taken fresh in a bucket, upon it: the water in the bucket, when agitated by the hand, gave out sparkling light. When the c.r.a.pe was thoroughly saturated with water, I took it to a dark part of the cabin, when it seemed to be studded with small sparkling stars; but more of the animals I could not then discern. Next day I put some water in a gla.s.s tumbler, and having exposed it to a strong solar light, with the help of a magnifying gla.s.s was enabled distinctly to discern the moluscae. When magnified, they appeared about the size of a pin's head, of a yellowish brown colour, rather oval-shaped, and having tentaculae. The medusa is a genus of molusca; and I think M. le Seur told me he reckons forty-three or forty-four species of that genus.

We crossed the Gulf of Lyons, and came within the road of Ma.r.s.eilles, where we were taken charge of by a pilot. When we reached the mouth of the basin, a boat came alongside of us, and a man handed up a piece of wood, and said, "Mettez sur cela le nom du capitaine et du batiment;"--we were to perform quarantine. Whoever has performed quarantine can commiserate our condition. No one can quit the quarantine ground, or rather the s.p.a.ce in the harbour alloted to vessels performing quarantine. If it be necessary to send any papers from the s.h.i.+p on sh.o.r.e, they are taken with a forceps and plunged into vinegar. If the sails of any other vessel touch those of one in quarantine, she too must undergo several days' probation.

Our time was five days; but as we had clean bills of health, and had lost none of our crew on the pa.s.sage, we were allowed to count the day of our entering and the day of our going out of quarantine. The usual ceremonies being performed, I again stepped on European ground, and felt myself at home.

FOOTNOTES:

[24] The "Education ticket," that of the "workies," carried every thing before it in New York and the adjoining states, at the election of members of congress, &c.

APPENDIX.

NEW CENSUS OF THE UNITED STATES.

An abstract of a "careful revision of the enumeration of the United States for the years 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, and 1830," compiled at the Department of State, agreeably to law; and an ABSTRACT from the Aggregate Returns of the several Marshals of the United States of the "Fifth Census."

STATES. 1790. 1800. 1810. 1820. 1830.

Maine 96,540 151,719 228,705 298,335 399,463 New Hamps.h.i.+re 141,899 183,762 214,360 244,161 269,533 Ma.s.sachusetts 378,717 423,243 472,040 523,287 610,014 Rhode Island 69,110 69,122 77,031 83,059 97,210 Connecticut 258,141 231,002 262,042 275,202 297,011 Vermont 85,416 154,465 217,713 233,764 280,679 New York 340,120 586,756 959,049 1,372,812 1,913,508 New Jersey 184,139 211,949 245,555 277,575 320,778 Pennsylvania 434,373 602,365 810,091 1,049,458 1,347,672 Delaware 59,096 64,273 72,674 72,749 76,739 Maryland 319,728 341,548 380,546 407,350 446,913 D. Columbia -- 14,093 24,023 33,039 39,588 Virginia 748,308 880,200 974,622 1,065,379 1,211,266 N. Carolina 393,751 478,103 555,500 638,829 738,470 S. Carolina 249,073 345,591 415,115 502,741 581,458 Georgia 82,548 162,101 252,433 340,987 516,504 Kentucky 73,077 220,955 406,511 564,317 688,844 Tennessee 35,791 105,602 231,727 422,813 684,822 Ohio -- 45,365 230,760 581,434 937,679 Indiana -- 4,875 24,520 147,178 341,582 Mississippi -- 8,850 40,352 75,448 136,806 Illinois -- -- 12,233 55,211 157,575 Louisiana -- -- 76,556 153,407 215,791 Missouri -- -- 20,845 66,586 140,084 Alabama -- -- -- 127,902 309,206 Michigan -- -- 4,762 8,896 31,123 Arkansas -- -- -- 14,273 30,383 Florida -- -- -- -- 34,725 3,929,827 5,305,925 7,289,314 9,638,131 12,856,437

INCREASE FROM 1820 TO 1830.

Per Cent. Per Cent.

Maine 33,398 S. Carolina 15,657 N. Hamps.h.i.+re 10,391 Georgia 51,472 Ma.s.sachusetts 16,575 Kentucky 22,066 Rhode Island 17,157 Tennessee 62,044 Connecticut 8,151 Ohio 61,998 Vermont 19,005 Indiana 132,087 New York 39,386 Mississippi 81,032 New Jersey 15,564 Illinois 185,406 Pennsylvania 25,416 Louisiana 40,665 Delaware 5,487 Missouri 110,380 Maryland 9,712 Alabama 141,574 D. Columbia 20,639 Michigan 250,001 Virginia 13,069 Arkansas 113,273 N. Carolina 15,592 Florida -- Average 32,392

EXTRACTS

FROM

"THE CHEROKEE PHOENIX,"

OF JULY 31, 1830.

_The following is part of a Letter written by a Creek Chief, from the Arkansas territory._