The fame and glory of England vindicated : being an answer to "The glory and shame of England."

Contents

FagEo

CHAPTER I. Our author's arrival in England, . . .10

CHAPTER H.

London, and its Distress, ...... 2f>

CHAPTER HI.

Poor Laws of Britain, 39

CHAPTER IV.

The Factory System of Britain,. . . . „ 5(?

CHAPTER V.

British Corn Laws, ....... 77

CHAPTER VL

Taxation on the Working Classes in England and the -United States, . . ^ . . . , 89

CHAPTER VH.

British and American Commercial Systems, . - 10-5

CHAPTER VHL

Vice in England and the United States, . . . 148

CHAPTER IX.

Education in Britain and United States. ,158

IV. CONTENTS. '

CHAPTER X. 5

Church and State, . 170 )

CHAPTER XI. 1

CHAPTER XII. I

The East Indies, China, and Slavery, . . .198

CHAPTER XIII.

N OF England a States^ 247

General Comparison of England and the United ,

INTRODUCTION

Our attention was first attracted to Mr. Lester's work, entitled " the Glory and Shame of England," by the extraordinary nature of that title. After a careful perusal of the work itself, our surprise was entirely removed. We have no doubt the author was seriously puzzled about the name under which his offspring should be ushered into the world.

The work consists of extracts from English publications, speeches of eminent individuals, alleged conversations with distinguished English authors, fabricated adventures, information and anecdotes long since given to the world, with misrepresentation and hatred of England, transparent in every page. He might have thrown twenty titles into a ballot box, and whichever he drew out, would have been just as suitable as that he has adopted.

Mr. Lester passed a few weeks in England, in 1840 ;

and has ventured, on the faith of that visit, to palm on the

world a tissue of the most impudent fabrications, that

were ever published— relating as adventures which he

6 INTRODUCTION. j had in that country, circumstances which could not have ^ occurred, and pillaging from other publications in a manner entirely his own. =!

It has been too common to make extracts from other ''i works, without acknowledgment, but the author of " the ' Glory and Shame of England" has not been contented | with the old mode of appropriation, but has introduced a i new and improved system. He first creates certain per- i sonages, with whom he becomes acquainted, invests them ' with extraordinary memories, and makes them repeat to him, almost word for word, long passages from books already published. These passages are given as entirely ' new matter, and they form a considerable part of the book reviewed in the following pages. In order that this sys- ; tern may be rendered acceptable to his readers, the author ' never ceases to pour out the most gross abuse upon Eng- I land and her institutions, and to laud the freedom, and proclaim the perfect happiness of the people of the United ■ States. ;

The author has paid a poor compliment to his country- ' men, in supposing that such a work would be acceptable ; to them — every well educated and liberal minded American, especially those who have visited England, must i turn from his pages with disgust. But he has evidently ., addressed his work to that large class of the commu- ; nity, who know little of Britain, excepting from the j public press, which is too much under the influence of those, w^ho appear to think that they can best forward ; the interests of that party spirit, which covers the Union j like a leprosy, by their unbounded abuse and misrepre- , sentation of their Father-Land. J

INTRODUCTION. "^i

That he has not erred in his calculation, appears from the favor with which his work has been received, and the complimentary notices it has obtained, both from literary and religious publications. But there have been honorable exceptions to this rule, and it is evident, that the time has passed away, when works of unmeasured calumny and misstatement can be received with universal favor in this country. How much it is to be desired, that all who publish their observations on foreign countries, would take the calm and philosophic Combe for their guide, in the tone and temper of their rem.arks.

If we have not copied that model, in dealing with the .'.'ork in question, the blame must rest with him, who has made an attack on England, in which truth and decorum are entirely set aside.

Our first object was to expose the mode in which Mr. Lester's book had been got up, and the numerous misstatements, and unwarrantable inferences it contains respecting England, and her institutions. But in the course of our examination, we have been led into the discussion of a variety of important subjects, which are prominently brought forward, or alluded to in that work. We have not confined our remarks on the English Corn Laws, Poor Laws, British and American Tariffs, Taxation, Education, Church and State, Slavery, and other interesting questions, to a mere answer to the loose and calumnious statements of that work, but endeavored to give such views of these questions, as we trust, may be read with interest by those who have not seen Mr. Lester's book.

8 INTRODUCTION.

In reversing the low position, on which he has placed \ Britain and her institutions, and the high elevation he has i assigned to the United States, we conceive that we have ! done no more than justice requires, and which, we feel as- | sured, impartial history will award to the two countries, ; when the transactions of the present generation shall be j placed on record. ,i

The important statistical information in the following j work, has been drawn from the most authentic sources, i and much care has been bestowed to make no deductions from the facts contained in them, but such as are con- ^ sistent with the most strict limits of truth, or probability, j We hope that there will be found in that part of the work, ; much to arrest the attention, and excite the interest of | the Merchant and Politician. j

The author will think his time well bestowed, if he j shall succeed in showing the impossibility of such works as •' the Glory and Shame of England" being published with- ■ out risk of detection and exposure, or in throwing any ad- •; ditional light on those questions which are now agitating -i the public on both sides of the Atlantic. j

LiBERTAS. I

March, 184 2 i

THE

FAME AND GLORY OF ENGLAND VINDICATED.

CHAPTER L

The first volume of Mr. Lester's work consists of eight Letters ; five of them dated from London, one from Chelmsford, one from Liverpool, all addressed to anonymous Correspondents, and one from Manchester, addressed to Rev. Dr. Channing.

The second volume contains seven Letters. The first is from London, dated July, 1840, addressed to Washington Irving, Esq. ; the second from Utica,Sept. 1841, to Hon. J. C. Calhoun ; the third anonymous address and without date; the fourth to Fitz Green Halleck, Esq., dated July, 1840 ; the fifth is dated London, 1840, to Esq., New York ; the sixth

to Hon. John Quincy Adams, dated London, 1840 ; and the seventh from Utica, addressed to Hon. John C. Spencer, without date. It will be observed, that there is here no continuity of dates, and that the order of the letters is as loose and wandering, as the matter they contain. We cannot therefore take up the examination of 2*

10 author's arrival in ENGLAND.

them in direct course^ as the same topics are frequently to be found in all the letters. We begin with

OUR AUTHOR'S ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND.

Mr. Lester, from his own account, reaches England in May, 1840. It is said he was one of the deputation from the United States to the World's Convention, held in London, in June, 1840.

The author informs us that he was present at some of the meetings of that body, and gives some account of their proceedings, but he does not say in what capacity he attended. But however this may be, it is evident, from almost every page of his work, that the object of his journey was to make out a case of gross oppression, by the British Government, and deep degradation, and misery of the people, in order to show to the gaze of an admiring world, the free institutions, and perfect happiness of the people of the United States. American Slavery is seldom introduced, and when it is, our author employs language so guarded and submissive, as might serve as a model for an experienced courtier.

Fully embued with the most patriotic views, our new Knight of La Mancha sets off in quest of adventures, and on his landing at Liverpool, meets with a blind woman, begging — " her only covering a tattered skirt, and a ragged handkerchief thrown over her shoulders, and an old straw bonnet tied over her head with a coarse string.'^ Now he might meet with a blind

ADVENTURE IN LIVERrOOL. 11

beggar woman in Liverpool, in London, in New York, or Philadelphia, but that he met any person so dressed, in Liverpool, cannot be true.

He had heard " so much about the profession of begging, that he determined to examine the case himself." This was a wise resolution, as nothing can be more improper, than to bestow without examination, money, which may thus be given to the shameless impostor, but which might have been far better bestowed on the quiet and submissive sufferer. But what does our author do ? He has a few minutes' conversation with the person applying for relief. He calls that an examination, and down goes complaint number one, against Britain, and a feeling eulogium on himself, as having the " blessing of one ready to perish" on his head.

The next adventure is with a very pretty, but pale faced girl, who offers him a companion. Our Rev. author, [we draw from the preface of his work that he is entitled to that address) very naturally asks, whether it is a gentleman, or a lady, when the pretty pale-faced girl replies, with a smile, that it is a companion " more intelligent than a gentleman, and less troublesome than a lady." Having delivered this speech, \vhich must have struck our author as no unfavorable specimen of the talents of the country he was visiting, she proceeds to offer him a book, called " the Railway Companion." But after all, this speech may have been learnt off the hook, as we shall show is customary with our author's speeches, and those of his friends. Be this as it may,

12 LESTER S ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND.

the Rev. gentleman was " interested in the girl's appearance," and finds this case number two. " She was in poor health/' and besides was pretty, and pale faced, which must have reminded him of the characteristics of domestic beauty. So he goes on to question her, confining his inquiries, as in the former case to the party herself alone. But here he appears to have caught a tartar, for the pale faced girl proceeds to tell him, that she has a brother in America, that she thinks a deal of the 4th of July," " and that there is no such country in the world as America," and that she should think " that her brother liked it better than his own." Our author is not contented with these hints, but asks, " pray how did you know that I was an American ?" and she replies, " well Sir, I can hardly tell you," (no wonder) " but there is something about an American gentleman, that strikes me the first moment I see him." Now this was really too severe of the pale faced girl — we know many American gentlemen, who dislike the unpolite practice of chewing tobacco, (which was no doubt the thing she felt delicacy in mentioning) as much as any gentleman in England, and we rejoice to observe, that the disgusting practice is every day declining in America. Our traveller goes on notwithstanding, with his inquiries, and the girl informs him that her mother was ill of " the consumption," a phrase never used but in America.

He then, on being informed that the girl had resided some time in Bristol, asks " if she had ever heard

THE FALE-FACED GIRL. 13

Robert Hall preach." Now that celebrated preacher, and excellent man died, in 1831, and supposing the pale faced girl to be fourteen or fifteen, what could a child of five or six tell about Robert Hall's sermons 1 But our author, determined she should be a character, makes her reply, that she not only remembers Robert Hall, but that he often used to drink tea at her mother's house, and always had in his pockets " something good for us."

Our author here commences a course, which he follows up throughout his whole work, of making extracts from published works, and making these extracts to be delivered to him in conversation with people, whom he professes to have met with in England. This we will make apparent as our work advances. In Mr. Hall's biography, page 67, it is stated, that in the early part of his ministry, " he used occasionally to take tea with the poorer members of his congregation when he resided at Cambridge and Leicester; on which occasions he used to take tea and sugar in his pocket, and leave whatever was not used behind him." On this statement doubtless, has this story been founded. Mr. Hall was twice minister at Bristol, first, from 1784 to 1790, when the pale faced girl could scarcely have received a visit from him, and second, from 1827 to 1831, when he died. During this last period, his biographer informs us, page 192, " that he was not able to visit the poorer members of his flock, as he used to do, at their own habitations.

14 LESTER S ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND.

when at Cambridge and Leicester." But the truth of the story was of no consequence, so as it would form a little episode, in the tale of England's distress.

We might dismiss the pale faced girl here, but there is a statement put into her mouth, by the Rev. author, which we cannot overlook. In page 19, we are informed '* that she and her family would be pretty comfortable, but for their being obliged to pay the surgeon so much for cutting off Charles's arms." This is a little brother, who had been so injured at a factory, as to render it necessary to have his arms cut off. When we read thus far, we began to doubt whether the author had ever been in England ; and if we had not been in possession of better evidence than his own, we should certainly have concluded that he had never been there. It is so monstrous to suppose, that if such circumstances had occurred, the proprietors of the factory would not pay all expenses attending so distressing an accident, when it is notorious that this is uniformly done, and that in most cases, permanent relief is given to the unfortunate sufferers. But if any proprietor could even be found, so forgetful of what was due to justice and humanity, there are abundance of humane surgeons, who would at once interpose their skill gratuitously on such an occasion, and hospitals in every considerable town and city, where such cases receive the most prompt and skilful attention, without fee or reward. Every inhabitant of Britian knows this to be the fact, and so must every American traveller, who is at the

THE PALE-FACED GIRL. 15

pains to examine the institutions of the country. To them we confidently appeal for the correctness of our statement. The ignorant only can be imposed upon, by this bare faced libel on the country, and on the honorable and useful prolfession alluded to. We repeat, that there is not a town in Great Britian, where gratis medical and surgical attendance, as well as gratis medicine, cannot at once be procured.

The pale faced girl still farther gratifies our author by stating, that " there are thousands in England who have nothing but what they get by begging," and that '^many go naked and hungry." Why, this girl is quite a philosopher. How fortunate our author is in his acquaintances. They seem to know by intuition what will please him. If there are such people as this girl represents, it is their own choice to remain beggars, as the law provides support for all unable to maintain themselves. This the girl admits, but she very properly dislikes the work-house ; — no wonder ; having hobnobbed at tea parties with Robert Hall, her taste must be somewhat elevated.

We now leave this part of the " Shame of England " to introduce a new character, expressing our unqualified conviction that the whole story of the pale-faced girl is a tissue of falsehoods ; the honor of which may be divided between her and the author.

THE IRISH NOBLEMAN.

We are informed by our author, (page 20,) that after he had received his book, " the girl turned away to seek another customer ; " and that " an accomplished and fine-looking man, of youthful appearance, who had been seated near us, and overheard our conversation, called her back, and gave her a sovereign for one of her books." Now, we can understand how a fine looking man can be at once discerned ; but how an accomplished man can be known, before he opens his mouth, is beyond our comprehension. But, patience ! the discernment of our author is not at fault, although he had determined " to contemplate the society and institutions of England with the eyes of a Republican." (page 47.) He knows a nobleman intuitively ; and vrho does the new comer turn out to be, but an Irish nobleman, a real genuine live nobleman. Commend us to a repubhcan, for at once finding out a man of rank. On his lordship's polite introduction of himself, our author at once accepts the offer of another comfanion for his journey to London, and expresses " his satisfaction at riding with him, no less as an Irishman than a nobleman."

Now this, though a very clumsy, was a very complimentary speech. We would seriously recommend that Congress, or the State Legislatures, should look after those stray republicans. The few weeks of Mr.

Lester's stay have evidently not injured his principles. But if men of weaker minds are to be allowed to travel in such dangerous places, some gag-law (which they know well how to manage in the United States) should be passed, restraining these men from liberty of speech when they meet with fascinating noblemen. Why should the salutary rule of restraint of speech be monopolized by those who sit in high places, when it might be made so generally useful, and afford, in all places, such a judicious and delightful commentary on ^* the free institutions of the New World V

But we shall see whether our author maintains the accomplished character of his nobleman in the narrative. He begins by saying, " Your Repubhcanism I do respect, after alV After all what 1 Is it possible he had begun already to annoy his lordship in the way so waggishly alluded to, by the pale-faced girl % If such was the case, his lordship's good humor must have soon returned, as he is represented as giving much information about the curiosities and antiquities of the country through which they were now passing, on their way to Birmingham.

Twelve pages are occupied with a speech of his lordship about gambling in Crockford's, and other houses in London, all of which, we think, we have seen somewhere hefore. Here it is; and we earnestly request the reader's attention to what follows. Our traveller, after having received these twelve pages of a speech, asks permission, on parting with " his 3 noble fellow traveller," (page 46,) " to make the conversation public, suppressing all the names of parties, when it was necessary;" and informs us that this permission " was cheerfully given." Now what shall be thought of the matchless assurance of the man who can pass to the world as recent information, from an Irish nobleman, statements which, in almost every particular, have, years ago, been laid before the American public 1 Yet so it is.

In Mr. Foster's Cabinet Miscellany, published in New York, in 1837, is a work originally published in London, entitled, the " Great Metropolis," believed to be by Mr. Grant, of that city. The whole of his lordship's speech, excepting a few things, which have been most likely taken from some other work, is to be found in the " Metropolis ; " some change being, of course, made in the language, in order to conceal the deception. We give some specimens from both works, which our readers will compare.

Irish Nobleman. Metropolis.

In page 25, our author's The Metropolis (page 80,)

Nobleman says, " There is a says, " Crockford'sis the larg-

vast number of gaming houses est gaming establishment in

in London, but the chief of this metropolis, perhaps in

all is Crockford's ; it is proba- the world. It was built at

bly the most extensive ga- the enormous expense of

raiiig establishment in the £60,000, while the furnishing

world; it is supposed, that of it cost £35,000, making

the household furniture cost altogether a sum, not much

GAMBLING.

Irish Nobleman.

The jMobleman, ing of Crockford's merits, p. 26, says, ' dinner, and liberal choice wines, will spire a disposition bling, when it did before."

in speakentertain- A superb supply of often infor gamnot exist

Page 26— "Crockford's wine cellar, which is the great agent that insures the success of the house, is 300 feet long, and filled with the choicest wines and liquors in the world; it contains 300,000 bottles and innumerable casks,"

Paofe 27

Crockford's cook, the celebrated Mon-

seiur , I forget his name,"

(cunning little Isaac,) " has a salary of one thousand guineas."

Page 27 — In speaking of the gaming at the hazard table. '* Crockford's delicious wines once more sparkle on the table afresh, and the game once more goes on ; an immense stake is laid, exceeding the aggregate of all that had gone before; the throw

'Metropolis.

The Metropolis says, "A superb supper, with a liberal supply of the choicest wines which London can afford, often inspire a disposition to gamble, when nothing else will."

Page 83— *'The wines are of the choicest sort;" and again, " the number of bottles which I saw shelved before me, independent of innumerable hogsheads, was 300,000.

Page 83 — " Crockford's cook is the celebrated Monsieur Ude. His salary is a thousand guineas per annum."

Page 85 — In speaking of the hazard table: "The stakes are unusually high.

He loses perhaps a fourth part of his fortune in less than an hour; he tables another fourth — he loses again. He becomes desperate. In the delirium or madness (for that

THE IRISH NOBLEMAN.

Irish Nobleman. is made — he loses it ! He now feels that unless he can recover himself by one fortunate throw, he is a ruined man; and in the random of desperation, he resolves to make or mar his fortune forever. ' He stakes his all.' The next cast of the dice makes the young nobleman a beggar."

Page 29 — Not many years

ago, Lord , paid down

on his coming of age, for debts of honor contracted at Crockford's, before he was twenty-one years old, the enormous sum of j£100,000.

Page 29—" Lord , the

grandson of an aged and venerable Earl, lost £30,000 in one night."

Page 29— "It is well known that the Marquis of

H , has at different times,

won over a million and a half sterling, and spent the greater part of it in dissipation."

Metropolis. is the proper word) of the moment, he determines on staking his all on one throw.

The dice turn up. All is lost.

He, who a few hours before was a rich man, is now a beggar."

Page 83 — Some years ago, a noble lord paid down £100,000 on his coming of age, for debts of honor he had contracted at Crockford's."

Page 86 — " It is only three years ago, since a noble lord, the grandson of an aged and noble earl, lost £30,000 in one night."

Page 86—" It is said that one nobleman, has from first to last, in the course of his life, won upwards of £1,500,- 000 ; how it has been spent, for it is understood to have been for the most part spent, is pretty generally known to the public."

GAMBLING.

Irish Nobleman.

Page 29—'* If a gentleman whose estate is sufficientlylarge, offers to play for a stake of £100,000, at Crockford's, he is instantly accepted."

Page 33— Crockford was once a small fishmonger in Temple bar, as ignorant as he was low."

Page 33— "He purchased a small share in a gambling bank; afterwards he engaged in a large establishment, which cleared in one season, £200,000; loaded dice, and other means of foul play, which were afterwards found in that place by the magistrates, insured their success."

Page 33— "He (Crockford) is still an exceedingly illiterate fellow, and speaks in the style of a hackney coachman."

Metropolis.

Page 87—" Let any nobleman or gentleman whose fortune is sufficiently larg^, offer to play for a stake of £100,- 000, and he is accepted by Crockford in a moment."

Page 92— In speaking of Crockford : " He was originally a small fishmonger, without a penny in the world, in the neighborhood of Templebar."

Page 93—'- Crockford purchased for £100, the fourth share of a gambling bank, at No. 5 King street, St. James."

Page 94 — "In one season, according to the statement of a gentleman who lost to a very considerable amount the proprietors must have divided among them, the sum of £200,000. At this place, loaded dice were found."

Page 94—^*1 have mentioned that he (Crockford) is quite an illiterate person, notwithstanding the polished society into which circumstances have brought him for many years past; he still speaks in the same hackney coachman style as formerly."

Irish Nobleman. Metropolis.

Page 34—'' Why it is stated, and probably was true, that the late aid-de-camp of Lord Hutchinson, after having ruined himself by play, cut his throat in a fit of despair. It happened, however, that his life was saved, and after some weeks he recovered. The first place he went to, after he was allowed by his surgeon to go out, was the very gaming house where he had lost his money, and formed the desperate purpose of destroying himself"

103— "But perhaps the most extraordinary proof ever furnished, of the difficulty, if not impossibility, of curing the propensity, was that afforded by a late aid-decamp of Lord Hutchinson.

This gentleman, after having ruined himself by play, went one day, in the depth of his despair, and cut his throat with a razor. It chanced, however, that the wound, though so dreadful, that no hopes of recovery were for some days entertained, did not prove fatal. Aided by the first surgical skill and care, he recovered. Where does the reader suppose he went to on the first day he was allowed ? to the very gaming house in which he had lost the money, the loss of which had made him form the resolution of destroying himself"

We could multiply proofs of the identity of the two books on the subject of gambling, but have done enough. In page 33, the Irish nobleman is represent-

TRULY MARVELLOUS. 23

ed as referring to Mr. Grant for one of his facts, viz. that eight millions sterling are annually lost in the different gambling houses in London. If the author intended this as a resource in case of detection, it cannot avail him, as the object is too apparent. The slightest examination of this part of the author's work, will show, that he could not have received the information about gambling, in the way he has stated. He was travelling from Liverpool to London by rail-road, and before reaching the capital, he parted with his Irish friend. Can any man suppose that travelling at the rate of from twenty to thirty miles an hour, he could put so much matter in a shape for publication ? The Irish nobleman's memory in reciting so many facts, with names, sums of money, &c. must be the most extraordinary that the world has ever witnessed ; to say nothing of the hero of the story himself. We submit to every reader of these pages, that the author of the " Glory and Shame of England" made up this portion of his w^ork, from Foster's Miscellany, published some years ago, and \vi\h a hardihood which has never been exceeded, put the facts in the mouth of an Irish nobleman, a character, that every one must be satisfied never had an existence.

But it may be said, that from whatever source these statements have been derived, they reflect much on the character of England. We admit that nothing can be more disgraceful and pernicious than gambling, being alike dangerous to the welfare of those who indulge in the practice, in time and eternity. We may however remark, that there is evidently much loose and hasty statement, in the work of Mr. Grant. So much is this believed, that the American editor of the Miscellany (page 109) has appended the following note at the conclusion of these statements. " It is almost needless to say that these accounts are grossly exaggerated, received upon hearsay, by a credulous as well as prejudiced mind, and retailed as facts without examination." An impartial writer in copying from this book would have given the above note also, but that "would have both detracted something from his charge against England, and have discovered the source from which he had derived his information.