The Project Gutenberg EBook of American Scenes, and Christian Slavery by Ebenezer DaviesThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.netTitle: American Scenes, and Christian Slavery A Recent Tour of Four Thousand Miles in the United StatesAuthor: Ebenezer DaviesRelease Date: February 1, 2004 [EBook #10898]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTIAN SLAVERY ***Produced by PG Distributed ProofreadersAMERICAN SCENES,ANDCHRISTIAN SLAVERY:A RECENT TOUR OF FOUR THOUSAND MILES IN THE UNITED STATES.BY EBENEZER DAVIES,LATE MINISTER OF MISSION CHAPEL, NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE.MDCCCXLIX.PREFACE.During his recent sojourn in the United States, the Author did not conceive the intention of writing a book on the subject.All he contemplated was the publication of a few letters in a London Journal on which he had been accustomed to rely forintelligence from Europe when residing in Berbice. So much he was disposed to attempt for several reasons.Having entered the States by their most Southern port—that of New Orleans, and finding himself at once in the midst ofSlavery, he had opportunities of observing that system not often enjoyed by a British "Abolitionist." As the Pastor, also, ofa large congregation, of whom a great number were but a few years ...
The Project Gutenberg EBook of American Scenes, and Christian Slavery by Ebenezer Davies
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,
give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
www.gutenberg.net
Title: American Scenes, and Christian Slavery A Recent Tour of Four Thousand Miles in the United States
Author: Ebenezer Davies
Release Date: February 1, 2004 [EBook #10898]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTIAN SLAVERY ***
Produced by PG Distributed ProofreadersAMERICAN SCENES,
AND
CHRISTIAN SLAVERY:
A RECENT TOUR OF FOUR THOUSAND MILES IN THE UNITED STATES.BY EBENEZER DAVIES,
LATE MINISTER OF MISSION CHAPEL, NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE.
MDCCCXLIX.PREFACE.
During his recent sojourn in the United States, the Author did not conceive the intention of writing a book on the subject.
All he contemplated was the publication of a few letters in a London Journal on which he had been accustomed to rely for
intelligence from Europe when residing in Berbice. So much he was disposed to attempt for several reasons.
Having entered the States by their most Southern port—that of New Orleans, and finding himself at once in the midst of
Slavery, he had opportunities of observing that system not often enjoyed by a British "Abolitionist." As the Pastor, also, of
a large congregation, of whom a great number were but a few years ago held in cruel bondage, he would naturally look
upon the treatment of the same race in America with keener eyes and feelings more acute than if he had not stood in that
relation.
Identified, too, with those persons who represent the principles of the old Puritans and Nonconformists in England, he
would survey the growth and spread of those principles in their new soil and climate with a more than common interest.
New England, especially, on whose sods the foot-prints of the Pilgrims had been impressed, and on whose rocks their
early altars had been reared, would be to him hallowed ground.
Travelling, leisurely, as he did, at his own expense, northward from New Orleans to Boston, and westward as far as Utica,
—making a tour of more than four thousand miles, sometimes known and sometimes unknown, just as inclination
prompted,—representing no public body, bound to no party, a "Deputation sent by himself,"—he was completely free and
independent in thought and action, and enjoyed advantages for observation which do not often meet.
It was natural that he should wish to tell his friends in Great Britain, and in the West Indies, what he had seen and heard.
To denounce what is evil and to commend what is good is at all times gratifying; in doing which, he sought to describe
the men and the manners of America just as they appeared to him.
Several letters, containing the narrative of a few days spent in New Orleans, appeared in the Patriot. Their favourable
reception by the readers of that journal led to the preparation of the present volume, in which the letters referred to, having
undergone a careful revision, re-appear, followed by nearly thirty others descriptive of the Author's tour.
Our Transatlantic friends are morbidly sensitive as to the strictures of strangers. They hate the whole tribe of Travellers
and Tourists, Roamers and Ramblers, Peepers and Proclaimers, and affect to ridicule the idea of men who merely pass
through the country, presuming to give opinions on things which it is alleged so cursory a view cannot qualify them fully to
understand. Our cousins have, doubtless, had occasional provocations from the detested race in question; but their
feeling on this point amounts to a national weakness. It is always worth knowing how we appear to the eyes of others,
and what impression the first sight of us is apt to produce; and this knowledge none can communicate but the stranger,
the tourist, the passer-by. What faults and failings soever we may have in England, and their "name is legion," by all
means let them be unsparingly exposed by every foreign tourist that treads upon our soil. Let us be satirized, ridiculed,
laughed at, caricatured, anything, so that we may be shamed out of all that is absurd and vicious in our habits and
customs. In the present instance our Western kinsmen are described by one, if they will believe his own testimony, of the
most candid and truthful of travellers,—one who has viewed them and all their institutions, except one, with the most
friendly eye, and who deeply regrets that so much of what is lovely and of good report should be marred and blotted by so
much of what is disgraceful to a great and enlightened people.
As to the performance in a literary point of view, the Author will say nothing. The public will form their own judgment. If they
like it, they will read; if not, the most seductive preface would not tempt them.
E. DAVIES.
LONDON, January 1, 1849.
CONTENTS.
LETTER I.
Occasion of Visit to the United States—First Impressions of the
Mississippi—Magnitude of that River—Impediment at its Entrance—The
New Harbour—The "Great" and "Fat" Valley—High Pressure Steam-Tug
Frolics—Slave-Auction FacetiaeLETTER II.
American Oysters—Becalmed in the Mississippi—Anchor raised—Ship
ashore—Taken off by a Steam Tug—Slave-Sale Advertisements—Runaway
Negroes—Return of Fever—Terrific Storm—Frightful Position—Ashore at
New Orleans—A Ship-Chandler's Store—American Wheels—A
Joltification—The St. Charles's Hotel
LETTER III.
New Orleans—The Story of Pauline—Adieu to the St Charles's—Description of that Establishment—First Sight of
Slaves for Sale—Texts for Southern Divines—Perilous Picture
LETTER IV.
A Sabbath in New Orleans—The First Presbyterian Church—Expectoration—A
Negro Pew—The Sermon
LETTER V.
First Religious Service in America (continued)—A Collection "taken up"—Rush out—Evening Service—Sketch of the
Sermon—Profanation of the Sabbath—The Monthly Concert for Prayer
LETTER VI.
"Jack Jones"—A Public Meeting for Ireland—Henry Clay—Other
Speakers—American Feeling in reference to the Irish Famine—A
Slave-Auction
LETTER VII.
The Slave-Auction (continued)—"A Fine Young Woman"—A Man and his
Wife—Jim, the Blacksmith—A Family—A Ploughboy—Cornelia—Another
Jim—Tom, the House Boy—Edmund—Tom, and "his reserved rights"—A
Carriage Driver—Margaret and her Child
LETTER VIII.
St. Louis Exchange—Inspection of Human Chattels—Artizan
Slaves—Scenes and Proceedings of the Auction—Sale of the Men
LETTER IX.
Sale of Women—Second Sabbath in New Orleans—Cricket in front of the
Presbyterian "Church"—The Baptist "Church"—A Peep at an American
Sabbath School—Proceedings in "Church"—A Sermon on "The New
Birth"—Nut-cracking during Sermon—"Close Communion"
LETTER X.
Interview with a Baptist Minister—Conversation with a Young Man in the Baptist Church—The Presbyterian Church, and
Dr. Scott again—A Peep at the House of Representatives of Louisiana—Contrast between the French and the
Americans in the Treatment of their Slaves—Dinner Table in New Orleans—American Manners
LETTER XI.
Farewell to New Orleans—Revolting Bargain—"The Anglo Saxon"
Steam-boat—Moderate Fare—Steam Navigation of the Mississippi
—Steam-boat and Railway Literature—Parting View of the
"Crescent City"—Slave Advertisements—Baton Rouge—A Sugar
Estate—Fellow-Passengers—The Ladies' Cabin—A Baptist Minister—AReverend Slave-holder
LETTER XII.
Voyage up the Mississippi (continued)—"Patriarchal" Establishments—The
Red River—Elder Wright—Lynch Law administered by a Preacher—Natchez
—Story of Mary Brown—The Flat Boats of the Mississippi
LETTER XIII.
Voyage up the Mississippi (continued)—Grand Gulph and Big Black
River—Snags—"I belong to myself, Sir"—Vicksburg and Lynch Law—A Man
Overboard—"Drove of Horses, Mules, and Niggers"—Character of
Fellow-Passengers—The Sabbath—Disobedience to Conscience
LETTER XIV.
Voyage up the Mississippi (continued)—The Arkansas—Treatment of the
Indians—M de Tocqueville—"Napoleon" and Lynch Law—Memphis, and its
Advertisements—A Scene witnessed there—The Ohio—Nashville, and Amos
Dresser
LETTER XV.
Voyage up the Ohio (continued)—Illinois—Evansville—Owensborough
—Indiana—New Albany—Louisville, and its Cruel Histories—The Grave of
President Harrison—Arrival in Cincinnati—First Impressions—The
Congregational Minister—A Welsh Service
LETTER XVI.
Stay at Cincinnati (continued)—Close of the Welsh Service—The
Governor of Ohio and his Relatives—The "Black Laws"—Governor Bebb's
Hostility to them—Dr. Weed and American Versatility—Private
Lodgings—Introduction to Dr. Beecher and others—A Peep at a
Democratic Meeting
LETTER XVII.
Stay at Cincinnati (continued)—The Democratic Meeting—A Visit to Lane
Seminary—"Public Declamation"—Poem on War—Essay on Education
LETTER XVIII.
Visit to Lane Seminary (continued)—Dr. Beecher and his Gun—The
College Library—Dr. Stowe and his Hebrew Class—History of Lane
Seminary—Qualifications for Admission—The Curriculum—Manual
Labour—Expenses of Education—Results—Equality of Professors and
Students
LETTER XIX.
A Sabbath at Cincinnati—The Second Presbyterian Church—Mutilation of a Popular Hymn—The Rushing Habit—A
wrong "Guess"—A German Sunday-School—Visit to a Church of Coloured People—Engagement at the Welsh
"Church"—Monthly Concert—The Medical College of Ohio—Tea at the House of a Coloured Minister
LETTER XX.
Stay at Cincinnati (continued)—The New Roman Catholic Cathedral—The
Rev. C.B. Boynton and Congregationalism—"The Herald of a New
Era"—American NationalityLETTER XXI.
Stay at Cincinnati (continued)—The Orphan Asylum—A Coloured Man and a
White Fop treated as each deserved—A Trip across to Covington—Mr.
Gilmore and the School for Coloured Children—"The Fugitive Slave to
the Christian"—Sabbath—Mr. Boynton—Dr. Beecher—Lane Seminary
—Departure from Cincinnati
LETTER XXII.
Cincinnati—Its History and Progress—Its Trade and Commerce—Its
Periodical Press—Its Church Accommodation—Its Future Prospects
—Steaming up the Ohio—Contrast between Freedom and Slavery—An