Excursion through the Slave States, from Washington on the Potomac to the frontier of Mexico, etc

Front matter

E X . C 0 R S I 0 NT THE .SLAVE STATES, FBOl' TOTOMAC TO XME • MEV AND GEOJLOG.' BY G. W. PEATHERSTONHAUGH, F.R.S., F.G.S. N E W - Y O E . Price 25 Cents. WORKS OF IMPORTANCE PREPARING FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW-YORK. The Works of the Rev. William Jay. The Worlds of William Jay, Collected and Revised by Himself. With a beautiful Portrait. New and enlarged Edi \ Jtion. To be published in about Twelve Numbers, at 25 Cents each, forming three splendid oetavo Volumes Jacobs's Narrative. Scenes, Incidents,, and Adventures in the Pacific Ocean, or the Islands of the Australasian Seas, during the Cruise of the Clipper Margaret Oakley, under Captain Benjamin, Morrell. Clearing up the Mystery which has heretofore surrounded this famous Expedition, and containing a full Account of the Exploration of Bidera, Papua, Banda, Mindoro, Sooioo, and China Spas, the Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants of the Islands, and a Description of vast Regions never betore visited by Civilized Man.

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Chapter I

Barnum's Hotel at Baltimore— Canvas-back Ducks — Soft Crabs; the Process of changing their Sheila— Railroad to Fredericton in Maryland — Impositions practised upon Travellers— Notices of the Geology of the Country— Harper' s-ferry ; the Shenandoah Valley — Nationality of the Germanico- Americans 11 CHAPTER H. Ascent of the first Alleghany Ridges — A dandy Rattlesnake^ — Magnificent View across the Alleghanies from Warm Springs Mountain — Affecting Reception at the Hotel of the Warm Springs 15

Chapter III

A Virginia Hotel iOithe Mountains — A dancing Landlord — Incomparable T?eauly of the Warm Baths — Their gaseous and solid Contents — The Hot Springs — Curious Effect produced upon them by nn Earthquake — Geological Structure of the Ridges — View of the Alleghanies and the Warm Springs Valley 17

Chapter IV

The celebrated White Sulphur Springs — Mr. Anderson, a Character — Description of this Watering Place — Beauty of the Alleghany Mountain — Our various Adventures at a Blacksmith's Boarding-house and Alabama Row — An old Lady makes a double Somerset — Our Removal to Compulsion Row 21

Chapter V

State of Society at Compulsion Row — Fine Flavour of the Oysters at New Orleans. — Private Cabins at the Springs — A Cyclopean Kitchen — Merciful Plan of Killing Bullocks with the Rifle — Extraordinary Performances at Dinner — Mr. Wright's Shanty in the Woods — Generals who have never been Soldiers — The Ferryman and the Traveller without a Title 25

Chapter VI

The System of Alleghany Ridges caused by an Upheaval from below, and the White Sulphur Springs a Consequence of the Movement — Gaseous Contents of the Waters — White Rock Mountains — Horizontal Fosslliferous Strata in place . ... 29

Chapter VII

Paying beforehand as bad as not paying all — Journey to the Sweet Spring* — Beauty of the Country — Gaseous and solid Contents of the Waters — Remarkable Dam formed of Travertine — Ancient Travertine 350 feet above the Level of the present Springs, probably derived from them before the Valley existed — Proofs of the ancient Surface being lowered 31

Chapter VIII

Depart on foot across the Mountains to Fincastle — Deciduous and evergreen Trees alternating with the Soil— Fincastle, a Virginia Town — Mr. Jefferson the Confucius of the United States — Free-thinking and Universal Suffrage his grand Nostrums for good Government — A patriotic Proposition to blow Virginia " sky-high" to save its Constitution — Botetourt Springs — A Camp of Negro Slave-drivers — The Coffle of Slaves crosses New River matiicled and fettered— The Negro drivers in mourning . 34

Chapter IX

Cause of some Confusion in the Designation of the Alleghany Ridges explained— A Duck-shooting Landlord — Arrive at Abingdon — Account of Saltville — Geology of the Valley and surrounding Country — Visit to King's Cove, a singular basin in Clinch Mountain, the residence of an Outlaw — His account of the Panthers and Wild Cat Accoucheurs — Strata of the Clinch Mountain . 39

Chapter X

A pleasant Party in a Stage Coach— Arrive at BlounUville in the State of Tennessee — Fists versus Dirks and Pistols— Knoxville — Meet President Jackson . 43

CHAPTER XL

A Negro-driver in mourning for n great Patriot— Irreverence of a Negro to a White Man's Ghost— Bivouac of a Gang of chained Slaves— An agreeable and lively fellow-passenger— Cross the Cumberland Mountains— Arrive at Sparta — A Driver killed — Hickory Valley — Mounds and Graves of the Indians that formerly dwelt here— Imaginary Pigmy Race 40

Chapter XII

Indian Practice of burning the Underwood to enable the Natives to pursue the Game — The Aboriginal Races to be traced by their Mounds— General Jackson's Plantation, the Hermitage — His Character by a Neighbour- Arrival at Nashville Page 49

Chapter XIII

Description of Nashville— The College— Professor Troost — The Baptist Prencher and the Rattlesnakes — Affinity betwixt certain Mexican Idols and others found in Sequatchee Valley in Tennessee — Public Spirit of the leading Men of Tennessee — Mr. Ridley, one of the earliest Settlers — His Adventures — Indian Attack upon a stock aded Fort — Heroic conduct of Mr. Ridley's Daughter — Murder of White Children by the Savages, and immitigable Hatred of the Whites to them . . . .51

Chapter XIV

The religious Sect of the Campbellites — Order of Priesthood confined to handsome young Fellows — Geology of this part of Tennessee — Section of the Country made by the Cumberland River for 300 miles — Remarkable an cient Bed of broken Shells — Hnrpelh Ridge — Unios of the Western Waters 55

Chapter XV

Leave Nashville — The Barrens of Kentucky — The Mammoth Cave — First View of the Ohio River — Arrival at Louisville— Falls of the Ohio — Henry Clay, his great Popularity — Captain Jack of the Citizen Steamer, a most catawampous Navigator — Public Indifference to the lost of Life in new Countries — Explanation of "a Sin to Crockett" 58

CHAPTER XVL

Leave Louisville, and tnke to the Stage-Coach again — Difference betwixt the Manner* of Slave and Free States — Vincennes in the State of Illinois— Old Race of French Canadians there — Beauty of the Prairies — Horizontal Coal Seams in the Hunks of the Rivers — Grouse — Ancient Bed of the Mississippi seven miles broad — The Town of St. Louis in the State of Missouri — Col. Smith of the British Army—" Running a Negro" explained — Jefferson Barracks; admirable .MrmHgi'inent of a regimental Fund — Vuide Poe he and Pain Court — A group of thirty Barrows 62

Chapter XVII

A remarkable Barrow — The monuments of the Ancient R<d People analogous to those Of the Old Races in Europe — Probable Cause of the Diversity in Indian Dialects — A petrified Forest — Society at St. Louis — More Bolting at the Table d'Hdte— Fur-trappers of the Rocky Mountains— Excellent Markets at St. Louis — Money the real Object of Life 60

Chapter XXI

Mine la Motte — Veins of Galena disturbed by electric Matter— Earthquake at New Madrid in 1811— Frederictown— A Judge's Encomium on the Missouri Bar— Panther Stories— Greenville— Fare at an opulent Missouri Farmer's— Life of a Squatter— How to "bring up" the Sovereign People— Bear Oil Currency— Scene in a Court of Justice 78

Chapter XXII

Big Black River— First Appearance of Parroqueets— Efts and Buffalo — Little Black River— A Disaster, and a Night In the Woods— Ivory-billed woodpeckers, and one of the Sovereign people unable to hold the reins of Government— A Forest on Fire— The Currant River CONTENTS Raft — Method adopted of cutting it out — Danger to which New Orleans is exposed — Fight betwixt a Man and a Panther — Tragical Story of a Hunter — Comical Relation of a Solo played by a Negro to a Gang of Wolves — Fossil Oysters in the Saline .... Rage 125

CHAPTER XXXVI.

Reach Little Rock again — A pleasant Christmas Eve — Embark in a Steamer for New Orleans — A painful Moment — Structure of the Banks of the Arkansas — Snags and Sawers explained— Frequent Change of the Channel of the River — Cotton Plantations — Cause of the Variegated Slructure of the Banks explained . . 128

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Approximative Method suggested of calculating the Age of Fluviatile Deposits — Brutal Conduct of the Passengers — The Quapaw Indians a Tribe of the Osages — Monsieur Baraque, his Adventures — A young Vagabond — Post of Arkansas — Monsieur Notrebe — The River en croaching upon the Country 132

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

The Steamer boarded by Swindlers — Pandemonium afloat — Day and Night Orgies — A Mysterious Lady — Printed Rules to Decoy Passengers — White River — Reach the Mississippi — Arrive at Vicksburg — Mr. Vick and his brother Gentlemen — Worse and worse — Compliments to the Captain of a Steamer by the Gentry of Vicksburg — A View of the Grand Gulf — Reach Natchez — .'V happy Deliverance of the Swindlers — Judge Lynch in the State of Mississippi — Arrive at New Orleans . . 135

CHAPTER XXXIX.

The Delta of the Mississippi — Shillings of the Channel of the River — Formation of new Land at its Mouth — Visit the Cemeteries — Mode of contriving dry Graves — Piratical-looking Population — Green Peas out of doors, Jan. 1 — Literature and the Sciences — New Orleans Americanised — Sunday Evening Meetings — Faro the principal Business transacled in New Orleans — The Legislature in Session — Good Theatres 139

CHAPTER XL.

Quadroon young Ladies, their hard fate — Liaisons of a Bat de Societe—An amiable Father of several Families — Good Prospect for the Anglo-Episcopal Church — Spanish Cathedral— Depart from New Orleans— A Railroad — Embark in a Steamer for Mobile — A Storm — A Bishop on Board— Come to an anchor— The Bay and River of Mobile — Tokens of Commercial Activity— Beauty and Cleanliness of the town of Mobile— Spanish Creoles The Bolero 241

CHAPTER XLI.

Embark in a Steamer, and ascend the Mobile and Alabama—Tertiary Deposits at Fort Claiborne — Great Fertility of the State of Alabama— Aptitude of the Creek Indians for Labour — Reach Montgomery, in Alabama Filthiness of the " principal" Holel— Engage a carriage to cross the Indian Territory —Country inundated — Cross the Oakfuskee and enter the Creek Nation . 144

CHAPTER XLII.

Description of the Muscogee or Creek People — Their Sachem, M'Gillivray— Their Trealies with the American Government— The Chiefs Corrupted by the Georgians— Weathersord. the Sachem os the Lower Creeks attacks and massacres the Garrison at Fort Minims- General Jackson takes the Field— Fatal Battle of Tohopeka, or the Horse Shoe — Wealherfoi d's Heroic Conduct— M'Intosh betrays his Countrymen, and is shot— The Creeks compelled to cede all their Country— Apology for the Whiles j4g CHAPTER XLIH. The Ruins of a Nation— Kateebee Swamp— A Turkey implumis— Emigrants with their Slaves — Phlebotomy — Diamond Rattle Snakes— Reach Columbus, in Georgia —Falls of the Chatahoochie— Leave Columbus— Observations upon the Family ofNaiades — Arrive at Augusta — Railroad to Charleston, in South Carolina — R*each Columbia, in South Carolina 151

CHAPTER XLIV.

The Gentlemen of America— The Tariff and Nullification — Wise Conduct of Mr. Clay and Mr. Calhoun— Warlike Propensities of an Octogenarian philosopher— A black animal chained on the roof of a Stage-coach— The character of the White Man elevated by the Slavery of tie Black one .155

CHAPTER XLV.

Inside and Outside Passengers in Chains— Bob Chatwood and the Game of All Fours— A social Bottle— An Over turn in the dark— Reach Charlotte, in North Carolina— Description of the Gold Region in North Carolina and Virginia— Richmond, in Virginia— The Chesterfield Coal-field — Speculations respecting it . 153 Concluding Chapter

Chapter XXIII

The " Military Road"— Eleven-Mile Point River— Obliging Conduct of Widow Newland — The Advantages of "camping out" — Our front and hind Wheels quarrel; the hind Wheels turn back — Mr. and Mrs. Meriwether — Two suspicious Travellers--Murder of Mr. Childers— Extraordinary Spectacle produced by wild Pigeons — Bury the remains of Mr. Childers . . . Page 85

Chapter XXIV

Description of White River— Judge Tucker's Cabin; his Account of the Murder of Childers — Account of the first Judge Lynch, and the state of Legal Practice in his Court — A successful Speculation in Lead — Clock Pedlars insinuating Persons — -White River Mountain — A Ruffian of the first order 83

Chapter XXV

Little Red River — A distressed Family of Emigrants — A new kind of Grist-mill— Black Wolves — A wild American Scene — Reach the Arkansas River — A Tavern at Little Rock 92

Chapter XXVI

State of Society at Little Rock— Don Jonathan— The Reverend Mr. Stevenson — Newspapers versus the Bible — Governor Pope and his Lady — The Laws of Honour at Little Rock— A Duel in the Dark— A Bully killed— A College of Faro and Rouge et Noir — Arkansas Legislators — The Speaker murders a Member in the body of the House— His Trial 9-1

Chapter XXVII

Apology for the Manners of Arkansas — Manner of living at Little Rock — Aversion to Shutting the Doors— Tertiary Deposit — Alluvial Bottoms, and the Species of Plants growing there — Visit tnthe Marnmelles — German Emigrants — Geology of the Mammelle Mountain — Enter an immense Swampy Plain — Danger of travelling without a Guide — Some apprehension of being obliged to treat the Wolves — Reach a House . . . .89 CHAPTER XXVIU. A Concert of Wolves— Ancient Bed of the Arkansas — An Arkansas Honeymoon — Method of crossing a Bayou — Depart from Little Rock for the Hot Springs of the Washita — Explanation of a "Turn-out" — Stop at the best Hotel on the Road — "NTsby" and her "Missus" — Stump Handle and Company — A fastidious Judge — Governor Shannon's Hotel — A Jury de circumstantibus 102

Chapter XXIX

Arrive at MagnetCove — An interesting Mineral Locality — Strange effects of a Hurricane — Reach the Hot Springs — Whittington without his Cat— Rare Accommodations — Description of the Springs — Fishes in Hot Water — Temperature and Gaseous Contents of the Hot Springs — The Travertine presents different Constituents below the Surface 107

Chapter XXX

Curious and beautiful Mineral Structure of the adjacent Country — Locality whence the Indians procured the Mineral for their Arrow Heads — An unsophisticated "Bar-hunter" — Panthers fond of Buffalo Tongues — Strange single Combat betwixt a Hunter and a male Buffalo — Reasoning Power of the Animal — State of the Hunter's Nerves after the Battle .... 110

Chapter XXXI

Leave the Hot Springs — Regain the " Military Road," and cross the Washita — How to drink Coffee made of Acorns — The Caddo River — Mrs. Barkman, her extraordinary Accomplishments — A Hunter's House and Family — Tertiary Deposits — A travelling Courthouse — A Knot of Gamblers— A Paddy going to Texas . . . 113

Chapter XXXII

Bear-hunting — Approach a suberetaceous Country — Judge Cross — Disputed Territory betwixt Mexico and the United States — A Prairie Country and subretaceous Fossils — General Houston— Plot to wrest Texas from Mexico —Beauty of the Country 116

Chapter XXXIII

Probable Origin of Prairies — Land most attractive when to be obtained without payi ig for— Mr. Prior— Great Abu=e of the Government Lai d Sales— An Oasis in the Wilderness— Contrast between the educated and uneducated Classes— Two patriotic Members of the Sovereign People. . 119

Chapter XXXIV

Mr Williams his Adventures— Blunder of the Mexican Government— Reach Red River— Cross into the Mexican Province of Tevas— Lost Prairie, a beautiful tract of Land— Surprising Crop of Cotton in a field of 300 acres —The Abolition of Slavery a hopeless Case— The future —Wild Muscadel Grape 1-3

Introduction

The River Potomac, from its source to cidents of a somewhat adventurous life, its mouth, in the great Bay of Chesapeake, divides the Atlantic frontier of the United States of America into two unequal parts ; and being, with the exception of the State of Maryland, the boundary betwixt the southern slave-holding states and the free states to the north, may be said to form a line of demarcation betwixt their industrial pursuits, their laws, and their manners. To that portion which lies to the south of this line the attenion of travellers has been much less drawn than to that extensive division of the American Republic which lies to the north and west ; and it is to supply, to a certain extent, the want of information which exists respecting some portions of the southern states, that the author has drawn up the following pages.

It was during an interesting tour in 1834 — 1835 from the city of Washington to the frontier of Mexico, and whilst in one of the unfrequented and wild parts of the territory of Arkansas, that he communicated some account of those remote coun tries, and the manners of the frontier settlers, to a distinguished scientific friend in London, which not long after led to the an nouncement, by the late Mr. John Murray, of a work substantially the same as the present publication. But the author, who was at that time residing in the United States, had scarcely prepared ;t for the press, when he was induced, upon the ad vice of some American friends of great re spectability, to reconsider his intention of publishing. It was remarked to him, that however sincerely he might wish to avoid giving umbrage in any quarter, yet that the work contained some opinions, and the relation of some incidents, which could not at that time fail to irritate a powerful inter est in the United- States, and might set him at variance with many esteemed friends.

As this counsel came from a friendly and judicious quarter, he determined rather to suppress the work for a season, than to ex punge the passages objected to ; and he was the less reluctant to make this sacri fice, because, intending to return to his na tive country, he could look forward to a period when he could express with perfect freedom any opinions that were on the side of humanity, of rational liberty, and the moral government of mankind. On his return to England in the spring of 1839, his intention of devoting a portion of his time to the recording of a few of the inthirty-six years of which had been passed in various countries abroad, was again post poned. Within two months after his arrival he was honoured by Her Majesty's government with the appointment of Com missioner on the then existing boundary dispute betwixt Great Britain and the Uni ted States of America — an appointment, the official duties of which, if they had not engrossed all his attention, would, from ob vious considerations, have rendered it at that time unadvisable to act upon his first intentions.

Freed, at length, from that restraint, the author has again taken up his manuscript, and having well considered the incidents and sentiments contained in it, and finding nothing there that can be deemed objec tionable by those who are only desirous to have the truth placed before their), he has at length resolved upon its publication ; as suring his readers that it is a faithful and almost literal transcription from his origi nal journals, the incidents of the tour hav ing always been noted from day to day, and the journal having been regularly written up at least once a week. That some of the opinions these inci dents elicited at the time may not be received with the same savour by all those under whose notice they may come, is very likely to be the case ; for, in our day, the field of English literature embraces an ex tensive and populous region of America, where sentiments are cherished respecting the rights of men, both black and white, that are diametrically opposed to them.

The author, nevertheless, ventures to sub mit to the candour of those transatlantic readers he may not have the good fortune to please, that in all countries where free dom of opinion is not an illusion, but is real and substantial, there are acknowledged privileges which every fair writer can claim to enjoy, amongst the plainest of which are the describing truly what he sees, and the expressing freely, but not presumptuously, his opinions of what he has seen. Of the enterprise and industry of the peo ple of the United States, of the wonderful progress they have made in material civi lization, of the great beauty of their country, and of the many desirable things to be there admired and enjoyed, no one is dis posed to bear more favourable testimony than the author : yet, however heartily an Englishman may be disposed to commend. VI

INTRODUCTION.

sure as they are, yet they do not justify us ill cherishing an undiscriminating dislike towards the inhabitants of the country where they are uttered, although they suggest many reflections upon the causes which have made the descendants of com mon ancestors so dissimilar to each other. these excellencies, so national and sensi tive are the inhabitants of tbat young coun try, that if he ventures upon the invidious task of pointing out those peculiarities in the laws and manners of Republican Amer ica which he cannot be brought to admire, he feels that he may not escape the impu tation of intending to offend, even when he would express in the most temperate lan guage his opinions of what neither his taste nor his judgment can approve. This ex treme sensitiveness — which is never awa kened in America by the remarks of French or German writers — had its origin perhaps, with our transatlantic kinsmen, in their anxiety about an ideal perfection, of which, in virtue of their affinity to the mother country, her laws, literature, and religion, that flattered themselves they had attained the enjoyment.

Looking at the delusion from that point, we can only regret that it should have deceived a people endowed with many eminent qualities, into a con firmed habit of placing an estimate upon themselves, which has yet to receive the sanction of mankind. Sensible and amia ble as many of the Americans are, the fa vourable impression they make upon those who visit their country, is too soon over powered by the characteristic illiberality of othe»s who assume for it an excellence which admits of no criticism ; and so ex acting is the tyranny of self-adulation, that, except in the most select society, the stran ger is often compelled to be either a hypo crite or a mute. It is not to be concealed, nevertheless, that this frequent expression of aversion to the mother-cou'ntry, added to the late notorious violations of the most solemn engage ments from the same quarter, have raised a strong and deep-rooted prejudice on this side of the Atlantic, which, although natu ral, is to a certain extent unjust, because there is little or no discrimination observed in it.

The United States have not always deserved the reproaches they have now drawn upon themselves ; in the early part of the history of their government public decorum was highly valued and universally practised, and American credit only eight years ago stood as high all over the world as the credit of any other country. The change has been a great and an unhappy one both for America and for Europe, and if this were an occasion for tracing its causes step by step, the author, who has long watched its progress, would not de spair of accomplishing the task. Suffice it to observe, at this time, that the sad degra dation has been gradually produced through the arts of demagogues operating in the different States, rather than by the action of the federal government, which, although the constant object of political intrigue, has generally been administered with prudence and dignity.

To trace all the incidents that character ise the Americans at the present time to their remote sources, we should have to look, amongst other things, to their geographical position, and to the period when their colonies were planted ; for all com munities of men are distinguished from each other by peculiarities derived, more or less, from those institutions of government which local situation as well as origin have imposed upon them. The Amer icans, though descended from them, are very dissimilar to the English, and the de scendants of our settlers in New Zealand will be far from resembling the Americans. In the early part of the seventeenth century the exclusive object of the mother-country in colonizing foreign countries, was to open sources of wealth without reference to those principles which make them per manently conducive to human happiness; but in our own days the acquisition of that which constitutes real wealth is largely understood to depend upon just laws and good government both at home and abroad : in forming the character, therefore, of a colonial people with a view to bind them in interests and in affection to the mother country, everything now seems to depend If we were to condemn the American who visits England for denying that the su perior civilization he witnesses there is to be attributed to our monarchy, our dis tinctions in society, and the high moral ex amples which are the result of our social institutions, he might with some reason consider us ill-bred and illiberal.

Obvious as these truths might be to ourselves, he could not with propriety be asked to admit these consequences, since it would be to require him tacitly to condemn the coun try which nursed him, and where he im bibed all his cherished opinions. In the United States, however, it is not an uncom mon thing for an Englishman to be told that his government is superannuated, corrupt, and profligate ; and, indeed, the same sentiments are too often expressed in a more offensive manner even in the Con gress.* Greatly as these extravagancies are to be deplored, and deserving of cen- * Vide Mr. Archer's speech, March 18, 1844, in the Sen ate of the United States. " Mr. Archer repeated that he felt grieved and humiliated at the temper and the tone in which gentlemen permitted themselves to speak here of the Government of Great Britain.

Mr. A. was not here to vin dicate that Government, but still less was he here to pour out upon it all the obloquy and vituperation which our language could express, as the vilest and most faithless Gov ernment under heaven. The name of England seemed as if it could never be uttered or referred to without some terms of obloquy or reproach." — National Intelligencer.

INTRODUCTION.

VII -upon the early establishment of wise laws for the protection of the best interests of society, and upon religious education. Where these blessings prevail, true liberty and tranquil enjoyment of life are most sure to be found ; and where they do not, and human liberty is left to itself, unre strained by religious feeling, an insolent and bombastic nature is liable to be gen erated, which makes a people the tools of their own blind passions, and obliterates all reverence for the great objects which good men believe to be the true end of ex istence. It is this abuse of liberty which has so greatly changed the character of a peo ple eminently fitted for greatness by their natural qualities ; has led them to trample under foot the wise precepts of the most illustrious sounders of their republic, to re ject many of the lessons of rational free dom which have been ever before them, to barter their invaluable privileges with a demagogical despotism, for the magnilo quent, but empty, designation of " Sover eign People," and to prepare a future for their country which seems to baffle con jecture. world, it is true, has seen the opulent free State of Pennsylvania, and the productive slave State of Mississippi, two common wealths arrogating to themselves the lofty distinction of " enlightened Sovereign States," declining in one instance to pro vide the interest of the moneys they have borrowed from their confiding creditors. and refusing in the other even to acknowl edge their responsibilities ; not from ina bility, but because there is no human law to compel them to be honest.