Memorable days in America: being a journal of a tour to the United States, principally undertaken to ascertain, by positive evidence, the condition and probable prospects of British emigrants; including accounts of Mr. Birkbeck's settlement in the Illinois ..

Front matter

THE UNIVERSITY

OF ILLINOIS

LIBRARY

Preface

IN any other point of view than with reference to the facts and observations which are here submitted to the public, who I am, and what J am, is certainly a matter of small moment; nor shall I detain the reader with any observations on that subject, on which sufficient information, through the medium of the following pages, will probably be found.

The motives which induced me to visit America, and afterwards to give to the public the results of my experience, originated in many favourable prepossessions for that country, and in a strong desire to ascertain the naked truth, in all particulars relating to emigration to that land of boasted liberty. When I saw thousands of my countrymen hurrying thither, as though they fled

Vlll PREFACE.

for life, and from the city of destruction, I became very anxious to know the real nature of their prospects. To them, I felt assured, that a statement, containing, to the best of the writer's belief, the truth and nothing but the truth, plainly and fearlessly spoken, and calculated to give a correct impression, would be of the most essential service; and, upon those subjects to which my inquiries were particularly directed, I may, perhaps, be allowed to say, that I was, in some measure, qualified to judge, by experience, and by the habits of my life. With these views, 1 have endeavoured to retrace my many steps, and to take the reader with me, that he may see, taste, and know, things as they are; the rough with the smooth; the bitter with the sweet; the good with the evil. That he may go where I go; hear all, see all, and, by evidence, judging all, form his own resolutions and conclusions.

1 may truly say, that throughout the whole of this eoterprize, I have been, in a great degree, influenced by a sense of patriotic duty. The same sentiment impels me to the .completion of my task, in the hope that the truth, so long per-

PREFACE. IX

verted and concealed, may contribute to destroy the illusions of transatlantic speculation, and to diffuse solid, home-bred satisfaction Amongst ray industrious countrymen. Deeply sensible, as I am, of all the kindness which I met with in the United States, and fond, as its natives are proverbially known to be, of unmixed praise, I shall yet speak of them and their country, as I, from first impressions, corrected by subsequent reflection, thought, found, and felt,, alternately and impartially blaming and praising, where I believe censure and encomium to be honestly due.

To my many subscribers in both the old world and the new, some apology for the delay which has taken place in the publication of this volume, may be thought necessary. It is simply this; and found in one circumstance, over which I had no control — a long and painful paralysis, contracted in America, which seemed, for some time, to threaten my life.

Throughout the work, I have studiously avoided every thing which might savour of systematical or methodical arrangement ; it being my wish

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to give, as nearly as practicable, my Journal, as it was begun, progressively continued, and ended; and thus to make plain delineations and convey correct impressions — Pictures from life — Things as they are !

Somerskam, June, 1823.

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS.

A.

ATKINSON, Rev. John, Somersham.

Asplan, Mr. William, Bluntisham. Asplan, Mr. ditto, for three friends, ditto, 3 copies.

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BEDFORD, His GRACE THE DUKE OF, Woburn Abbe?/.

Butler, Rev. Mr. London.

Bon field, Rev. J. Chatteris.

Bonfield, Mr. Wimblington.

Bird, Mr. Thomas, London.

Blake, Mr. John, Yarmouth.

Biggs, Mr. Linton.

Brown, Mr. John, Earith.

Brown, Mr. Samuel, Somersham.

Barley, Mr. Edward, March.

Betts, Mr. Potton.

C.

COKE, T. W. Esq. M. P. Holkham.

Curwen, J. C. Esq. M. P.

Chowns, John, Esq. Welches, near Welwyn, Herts.

Chatfield, Rev. Dr. Chatteris.

Xll LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS.

Cooper, Rev. Mr. Potion.

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Cockle, George, Esq. M. D. St. Ives.

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Cole, Mr. G. Norwich.

Cole, Mrs. St. Ives.

Cooche, Mr. ditto.

Coote, Mr. William, ditto.

Coote, Mr. John, Wisbeach.

D.

Dudley, Sir H. B. Bart. Ely.

Day, G. G. Esq. St. Ives, 4 copies.

Dawes, Frederick, Esq., M. D., Washington, America,

100 copies.

Dumbleton, Mr. E. Coppingford Lodge.

E.

Emery, Mr. T. W. Potton.

Ellis, Mrs. ditto.

F.

Fiske, Rev. Mr. Fulborn.

Farre, J. R., Esq. M. D. Charter-House Square.

Fryer, John, Esq. Chatteris.

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Fryer, Mr. Daniel, ditto, 6 copies.

Faulkner, William, Esq. Potton.

Freshwater, Mrs. ditto.

Fisher, T. E. Esq. St. Ives.

Fountain, Mr. J. Norwich.

Faux, William, sen. Sutton.

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Xlll

G.

Gurney, John, Esq. Serjeant's 7nw, London.

Gifford, Mr. J. Cambridge.

Gray, Mr. Nathan, March.

Grey, Mr. G. Wimblington.

Groocock, Mr. W. A. St. Ives.

Gell, Miss, ditto.

Gray, Mr. Bwkworth, (for the Kimbolton Book Society).

H.

Hunt, Henry, Esq. King's College, Cambridge.

Hardy, Johnson, Esq. March.

Hammond, John, Esq. Fenstanton.

Hatchard, Rev. John, Chatteris.

Holmes, Rev. Mr. Wisbeach.

Hill, James, Esq. ditto.

Hallack, Mr. Cambridge.

Huckberry, Mr. Spalding.

Harris, Henry, Esq. Peterborough.

Howson, Mr. sen. Huntingdon.

Hagger, Mr. Potton.

Hall, Mr. Biggleswade.