64 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



conversation the next day, but the unanimous opinion 

 was that the lot should be valid as against any claims 

 of rank, and that no exception to the generally allowed 

 equality should be granted even the fair sex beyond 

 that due personal merit and accomplishment. 



According to the principles of a general equality 

 was the behavior at our tavern, which in its arrange- 

 ments was very like an eastern caravansery. Mr. For- 

 micola, + a Neapolitan by birth was the landlord here. 

 The entire house contained but two large rooms on 

 the ground-floor, and two of the same size above, the 

 apartments under the roof furnished with numerous 

 beds standing close together, both rooms and chambers 

 standing open to every person throughout the day. 

 Here, no less than in most of the other public-houses 

 in America, it is expected that rooms are to be used 

 only as places for sleeping, eating and drinking. The 

 whole day long, therefore, one is compelled to be 

 among all sorts of company and at night to sleep in 

 like manner; thus travellers, almost anywhere in 

 America, must renounce the pleasure of withdrawing 

 apart, (for their own convenience or their own affairs), 

 from the noisy, disturbing, or curious crowd, unless 

 it may be, that staying at one place for some time, 

 a private apartment is to be rented. The Assembly 

 meeting at this time was the occasion of a great gath- 

 ering of strangers and guests at Richmond, and every 

 evening our inn was very full. Generals, Colonels, 

 Captains, Senators, Assembly-men, Judges, Doctors, 

 Clerks, and crowds of Gentlemen, of every weight and 

 calibre and every hue of dress, sat all together about 

 the fire, drinking, smoking, singing, and talking 

 ribaldry. There is in this no great ground of com- 



