\ 
1S806.] Obfervations in a Tour 
one fourth to one-third of a dollar per 
bufhel. To the European tafte, net be- 
ing fo {alt as in that quarter of the werld, 
a little habit is neceflary before they are 
relifhed ; and I have been told by perfons 
succeded to our oyfters, that the fame 
habit has been neceflary to them before 
they could relith the oyfters in London. 
The Potomak and the Sufquehannah are 
the only rivers frequented by that deli- 
cious wild duck called the W&ite, or 
Canvss Back : they afford a very high treat 
to tic epicure; but as the waters of thefe 
rivers become more freq vented, it is mot 
probable thefe jowls will become more 
fcarce. Khe ‘oil of the lower parts of 
the weftern fhore cf Maryland, and in 
the vicinity_of Alexandria, is, generally 
{peaking. far from good. Many Roman 
Catholics are yet to be found in Mary- 
land, though, generally {peaking, mott 
of the well-informed men in our jouthern 
fiates aredeifts.,; Maryland is a-very rich 
ftate: I believe not afingle cent of tax 
is paid inio her ee waich however 
is very full. She is alfo domg herlelf 
great credit by the ‘mprovements fhe js 
making in her roads;,among many, a 
law pafled Jat feffion of her legifla: ure to 
incorporate a company, who are to make 
a turnpike read from ber capital, Baltt- 
more, to Federic and Hagen Town. 
But the great difference which diftin- 
guifhes the country we have left from that 
we are about to enter, is the flave-holding 
fyttem. When we conficer the paucity 
of flaves in the ftate of Delaware, the 
ready means they pefle(s of emancipating - 
fo {mall a body, and the certainty thar 
they will be all freed in the courfe of a 
few years, it may not be improper to con- 
fider Maryland, therefere, as the moft 
northerly of the flave-holding ftates. Ac- 
curled be the hour which firt faw that 
unfortunate race landed in our country ; 
aad doubly fo be the narrow policy which 
induced a iuperintendant power to crowd 
one divifion of ber then colonies. with 
thefe wretched beings, in order that fhe 
might the more eafily feparate and govern 
the whole. Wherever we meet with 
flaves, induftry is difcreditab'e ; and in- 
dolence is unqueftionadly the charaéteriftic 
of the white inhabitants of thofe parts 
of Virginia and Maryland, which abound 
moft-with them. hey are, however, 
almoft exclufively confined to the eaftern 
parts of thote ftates. But i mae is 
not the only evil incident on civil davery. 
It has a demoralizing ef dt. The child 
accuftomed to command from two to fix 
littie blacks, and to exercife on them all 
through the United States. | 29 
the vagaries of its wanton imaginations 
will acquire a habit of infolence and com- 
mand, which it will ever retain; and the 
boys, at the age of puberty, will expect 
and receive the moft oofequious fubmif 
fion from their female flaveg. Civil flavery 
leffens the political furce of the country s 
and in cafes of invafion, the inhabitants 
of cur fouthern flares might have to de- 
pend on their northern brethren for aid, 
whilft they themielves would be fully em. 
ployed to guard their own flaves. It in~ 
duces a habit of myftery and hypocrily, 
the bane of democracy. The fouthern 
white dares not exult in his freedom; he 
muf teach his children to appreciate their 
political rights cautiowfly and fearfully, 
left his Blacks apply the god-like: prin- 
ciples of liberty and equality to their own 
fituations. It is faid that the exiftence of 
Negro flavery begets a love of liberty in 
their mafter; that, proud of the diftinc- 
tion of a free man, he will be ever mot 
jealous of his rights, Je he alfo be de- 
graded intoaflave. Allow all pa pleafe 
to this argument, it will, I think, by no 
means counterbalance, the evils arifing 
from flavery. But how is our country 
to be extricated from this heavy curfe. 
Two modes have been propofed ; the one, 
that as flavery is immoral, we ought at 
ore blow to emancipate the race, and 
leave the con{fequences ¥ ith God.** The 
other, to emancipate them by flow de. 
grees, fay that every black child, born 
after a certain fixed period, fhall be free 
at a-given age. But great difficulties 
opvofe themfelves even to the latter mcde. 
The Whites and Blacks form two very dif. 
tin€t claffes in this country, and the pre. 
judices refulting therefrom will for ever 
keep them diftinét and feparaie; and were 
we to give them freedom, the Whites’ 
would not affociate with the Blacks. If, 
they were free from civil flavery, on what 
pretence could we refute them citizenthip ¢ 
i.e. political freedom. We admit no 
man to be a citizen (that is, a portion of 
the jovereignty of our count try), who is 
not mediately or immediately concerned. 
in making the laws by which he is go- 
verned : and this is the true pride < and 
glory of an American. But White prejae 
dice will never permit the Black man to 
fit in the legiflature, or on the oe 
bench. No, were it once attemp:ed, 
mui expect to fee reaéted in our eoiitlg 
the horrors of St. Domingo, What thea’ 
* The imprudence of fo hafty an emanci- 
even not to {pea of its impo fibility, wil 
ender reatoning unneceflary, A 
can 
¥ 
f 
