006 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



opponents, some looked coldly upon me. "With them 

 political differences severed all ties. Our worst party- 

 abuse is moderate and mild compared v^^ith the terms in 

 vrhich they speak of each other. "We seldom do more 

 than call men ignorant, incompetent, dishonest, dishon- 

 ourable, false, corrupt, subverters of the Constitution, 

 and bought with British gold ; there a political oppo- 

 nent is a robber, an assassin ; it is praise to admit that 

 he is not a bloodthirsty cutthroat. We complain that 

 our ears are constantly offended and our passions rous- 

 ed by angry political discussions. There it would have 

 been delightful to hear a good, honest, hot, and angry 

 political dispute. I travelled in every state, and I nev- 

 er heard one ; for I never met two men together who 

 differed in political opinions. Defeated partisans are 

 shot, banished, run away, or get a moral lockjaw, and 

 never dare express their opinions before one of the dom- 

 inant party. We have just passed through a violent 

 political struggle ; twenty millions of people have been 

 divided almost man to man, friend against friend, 

 neighbour against neighbour, brother against brother, 

 and son against father ; besides honest differences of 

 opinion, ambition, want, and lust of power and office 

 have roused passions sometimes to fierceness. Two 

 millions of men highly excited have spoken out their 

 thoughts and sentiments fearlessly and openly. They 

 have all been counted, and the first rule in arithme- 

 tic has decided between them ; and the defeated party 

 are still permitted to live in the country ; their wives 

 and children are spared; nay, more, they may grum- 

 ble in the streets, and hang out their banners of de- 

 fiance, of continued and determined opposition : and, 

 more than all, the pillars of the republic are not sha- 

 ken ! Among a million of disappointed men, never. 



4 



