\ 
but thofe 
i 
552 
from the operations of the Feederal army, 
but from the internal ftrensth and popula- 
tion of the country. The fronticrs of 
Kentucky, it is true, are often molefted ; 
frontiers are perpetually extend- 
ing farther from the centre of the State. 
sthly, But it is faid, that You cannot 
‘go to the country or return from it in 
fafety. Awniwer, It is two years fince any 
boats were attacked in going down the 
river: and I cannot imagine any danger 
to thofe who ufe fufficient precaution. 
Thoufands go down every year. without 
injury; and thoufands of men, women, 
children, and cattle, pafs through the wil- 
derne{s (now reduced to an hundred 
miles), and no accidents have lately hap- 
pened, buat in confequence of the carelefs 
practice of going in too {mall parties. 
é6thiy.. But the ‘diftance itfelf has been 
Sed to. But why areweto calculate 
ance of every place qn the continent 
nerica, from the town of Philadel- 
2? It is true, we are 700 miles from 
copie of Philadelphia ; but it is only 
miles from men like ourfelves. We 
are as much in the midft of the bufy and 
interefting {cenes of life, as the people of 
Philadelphia are. The fettlements of 
Eeentucky are but one hundred miles from 
the fettlements of Virginia, -or- North Ca- 
rolina. And ere long, it is probable, 
that the road from Kentucky to the new 
Foederal city, will be no more than 400 
miles. As to intelligence, we have a re- 
gular poft, which comes and returns every 
fortnight, and brings a multitude of news- 
papers from all parts of the continent. ~ I 
have had frequent opportunities of ob- 
ferving as great a want of information re- 
{pecting the public affairs of America and 
of Europe, within fifty or an hundred 
miles of Philadelphia, as in Kentucky. 
Jam aware, however, that the tedioufnets 
ef the journey from Kentucky to Phila- 
. Gelphia will have confiderable weight with 
many perfons who might like the idea of 
being eafily able to make an excurfion to 
that town, though in reality they might 
never think of doing it once in ten years, 
if within 200 miles of that place. Poffi- 
bly afettlement deficned to accommodate 
any number of fuch perfons, might be 
more acvantageoufly formed on the Mo- 
" nongahala river, which rifes in Virginia, 
and, running northward into Pennfylvania, 
unites with the Allegany at Fort Pitt,-and 
forms the river Ohio. The land\on the 
Monongahala frequently refembles that 
on the Kentucky, is within fifty miles of 
the navigable parts of the Poto.:mac, 
Obiecie 


£7) 
pe 
end has the fineoutlet to the fea by the . 
Letters fron Mr. Toulmin of Kentucky. 
[July 1," 
Ohio and the Miffifippi. But though I 
think this country tar preferable to lands 
on the Sufguehannah, which, though no 
more than. 200 miles from Philadelphia, 
ie EL 
-have not been thought worth fettling upon, 
though they have gone over them, and 
fettled beyond them ;—yet Kentucky has 
the advantage, in being a ‘more level 
country—in being better fupplied with 
fait—in being nearer- the market—and in 
having milder winters ; thovgh the win- 
ters on the Monongahala are greatly pre-— 
ferable to. thofe. on the branches of the 
Sufquehannah. And, even from the Mo- 
nongahaia country produce is. carried 
cheaper to market, than from above Nor- 
thumberland on the Sufquehannah. They 
have attempted, indeed, to unite the Suf- 
quvehannah and the Schulikili; but are 
forced, for the prefent, to abandon the 
undertaking. There is an idea of open- 
ing it to Baltimore; but whether the idea 
‘can be realifed for many years, is much 
queftioned. 
qthly. A confiderable objection is, the 
want of water.—This objeélion is partly 
founded on an imperfect knowledge of the 
country. Thofe who firft vilited it, 
through the thicknefs of the herbage and 
the impenetrability of the cane-brakes,. 
were not aware of the many {prings which 
water thecountry. They found too, that 
feveral {prirgs, which flowed nine or ten 
months, were dry curing the remainder 
of the year. This, brought an evil re- 
port upon the country. Experience has, 
however, in part, removed the objection. 
Tt is found, that {prings which two years’ 
ago, were always dry a month or twa, 
have, in coniequence of the clearing of the 
timber, and the cultivaticn of the sand, 
become permanent; and that the number 
of f{prings is amazingly increafed. And 
even when the {prings are fill irregular, 
it is found, that wells may be dug at a 
{mall expence to f{prings which~ never~ 
fail. 
Sthly. But of all_obje€tions, the moft 
unfounded is furely that which refts onthe 
character of the inhabitants. It is faid, 
that they are an idle, @iflolute, quarrel- 
fome, infelvent fet of adventurers; who 
Were too vicious, or too poor, to live 
where they were born, and have, there- 
fore, fled frain the fociety of honeft and 
civilized men. I have not met with a 
fingle péNen, who has vifited Kentucky, 
that dees not abfolutely contradict. this 
account. As far as my own ob{ervation 
extends, I may fay, that I have met with 
no people, in America, more regular and 
thriving. I compare not the body of peo- 
ple 
