-_,-, 

 ( Library. ] 



CHAPTER VI. 



Social Equality. Position of Servants. War with England. Coalition of 

 Northern Democrats, and Southern Slave-owners. Ostracism of Wealth. 

 Legislators paid. Envy in a Democracy. Politics of the Country 

 and the City. Pledges at Elections. Universal Suffrage. Adventure 

 in a Stage Coach. Return from the White Mountains. Plymouth in 

 New Hampshire. Congregational and Methodist Churches. Theo 

 logical Discussions of Fellow-Travelers. Temperance Movement. 

 Post-Office Abuses. Lowell Factories. 



Oct. 10, 1845 DURING our stay in the White Mountains, 

 we were dining one day at the ordinary of the Franconia hotel, 

 when a lawyer from Massachusetts pointed out to me &quot;a lady&quot; 

 sitting opposite to us, whom he recognized as the chambermaid 

 of an inn in the State of Maine, and he supposed &quot;that her 

 companion with whom she was talking might belong to the same 

 station.&quot; I asked if he thought the waiters, who were as respect 

 ful to these guests as to us, were aware of their true position in 

 society. &quot; Probably they are so,&quot; he replied ; &quot; and, moreover, 

 as the season is now almost over in these mountains, I presume 

 that these gentlemen, who must have saved money here, will 

 very soon indulge in some similar recreation, and make some ex 

 cursion themselves.&quot; He then entered into conversation with 

 the two ladies on a variety of topics, for the sake of drawing 

 them out, treating them quite as equals ; and certainly succeeded 

 in proving to me that they had been well taught at school, had 

 read good books, and could enjoy a tour and admire scenery as 

 well as ourselves. &quot;It is no small gratification to them,&quot; said 

 he, &quot; to sit on terms of equality with the silver fork gentry, 

 dressed in their best clothes, as if they were in an orthodox 

 meeting-house.&quot; I complimented him on carrying out in prac 

 tice the American theory of sociul equality. As he had strong 

 anti-slavery feelings, and was somewhat of an abolitionist, he 

 said, &quot; Yes, but you must not forget they have no dash of negro 



