Notes on America. 35 



and conversation of German, Spanish, and Italian nobles, have been 

 correctly delineated and reported in the journals of numberless tourists: 

 but where shall we meet with the traveller, more especially the English 

 traveller, who is qualified to describe the domestic manners, and instruct 

 us in the habits of thought, which distinguish the middle classes of Con- 

 tinental Europe from their self-exhibiting superiors in rank the lawyers, 

 the merchants, the agriculturalists, and the working clergy, from the 

 " puff and patty portion of mankind ?" Now, in their boarding-houses, 

 you see the Americans in their natural and unassumed characters j and, 

 notwithstanding the repeated assertions of the contrary, I am ready to 

 maintain, that courtesy and good humour almost invariably mark the 

 conduct of the guests. I allude, of course, to the well educated classes. 

 If soi-disans ladies and gentlemen will visit coarse and low-bred people, 

 and will frequent third-rate hotels, they ought at least, in common decency, 

 to refrain from attempting to pass off the manners and conversation of 

 their associates as those of the nation at large. 



This mention of American inns, reminds me of having once dined at 

 the Planter's Hotel, in Charleston, in rather singular company. Imme- 

 diately opposite to me sat Mr. Conway, the actor; next to him, on the 

 right, the then Prince, now reigning Duke of Saxe Weimar, who was 

 supported on his left by a " yankee " judge from Connecticut. This latter 

 personage, to the duties of a judge united the business of a hat manufac- 

 turer, and kept a shop for the sale of his goods in Charleston. 



The table at these hotels is generally spread with great abundance. 

 Turtle and terrapin soup, fish, venison, wild turkeys, and meat of all kinds, 

 are the common dishes. Very little wine is drank, and rather too much 

 brandy. The wine is almost always Madeira, to the perfection of which 

 the climate is very favourable. The charge per week is about two 

 guineas. 



It has been already mentioned, that the whole white male poulation, 

 capable of bearing arms, is compelled to perform military duty, although 

 the French are expressly exempted from it by treaty, and the English, and 

 all other aliens, by the universally acknowledged law of nations. Treaties 

 and laws, however, are disregarded in the southern States, whenever the 

 more effectual coercion of the slaves is the point to be considered. Self- 

 preservation is declared to be the paramount duty. When called 

 out upon fire duty, or to quell an incipient insurrection, the militia 

 force of South Carolina is cautious, steady, and resolute. The ser- 

 vice on which they are engaged is amply sufficient to make them so. 

 But upon other occasions, such as training days and reviews, the dis- 

 regard of all discipline is quite laughable. The different companies 

 choose their officers by ballot, and the captain, under whose orders I had 

 the honour to serve for a short time, was a comical old Dutchman, espe- 

 cially elected because it was impossible to understand one word he uttered. 

 Shouts of laughter broke from the ranks whenever he attempted to give 

 the word of command. As we marched through the streets, to and from 

 the place of exercise, one file of our warlike company would amuse them- 

 selves and the spectators, by closing their right eyes ; the next, their 

 left : another would shoulder their muskets with the butt ends uppermost, 

 or would carry their cartridge boxes dangling from the tops of their 

 bayonets. 



The whole militia system of the United States is faulty in the extreme. 



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