SMUGGLING INTO CANADA. 457 



for the southern market. It seems strange that, with 

 means of direct intercourse, the merchants in the large 

 southern towns should come to Boston and New York 

 to buy British and German goods. They are them 

 selves beginning to be alive to this fact ; and direct 

 commerce with Europe is one of the means by which 

 the slave States propose gradually to loosen their depen 

 dence upon the free States of the north-east. 



In heavy spun silk hose for the extreme North 

 American market, the English makers cannot compete 

 with the Americans themselves. Heavy spun silk wove 

 shirts, costing 60 dollars a dozen, wholesale, are made 

 for the colder regions. Strong woollen hosiery is also 

 made in the New England States, to compete success 

 fully with the English, and is manufactured expressly 

 for the purpose of being smuggled across the Canadian 

 border ! 



I had seen considerable interest at various times 

 excited, where I happened to be, by the proceedings in 

 the case of Power the actor, before the legislature of 

 Pennsylvania, for a divorce ; and by the documents 

 which from time to time were published in connection 

 with it. But this interest was nothing compared with 

 that which I found agitating all the party at the break 

 fast table this morning, in consequence of an advertise 

 ment that a certain Mr Laurence of Boston would not 

 in future be answerable for his wife s debts. The 

 gentleman and his connections were well known in 

 Boston. The lady was from Kentucky, Avhere she 

 and her family were also well known and very popular. 

 One of our party, who was from Louisville, where the 

 Kentucky legislature was then in session, was especially 

 indignant at the insult offered to the State, as he said, by 

 this advertisement, and was sure that something serious 

 either would or ought to follow by way of wiping it out. 



Shortly after, it appeared by the public prints that 



