the rights of interrogation, as understood and practised in America.

would rise with his difficulties; and after a decent interval, he would resume: 'I hope no offence, sir; but you know we Yankees "As for the Inquisitiveness of the Ameri- lose nothing for want of asking. I guess, cans, I do not think it has been at all stranger, you are from the old country?'exaggerated. They certainly are, as they Well, my friend, you have guessed right at profess to be, a very inquiring people; and last, and I am sure you deserve something if we may sometimes be disposed to dispute for your perseverance: and now I suppose the claims of their love of knowing to the it will save us both trouble if I proceed to character of a liberal curiosity, we must at the second part of the story, and tell you least admit that they make a most liberal where I am going. I am going to New use of every means in their power to gratify Orleans.' This is really no exaggerated it. I have seldom, however, had any diffi- picture: dialogues, not indeed in these very culty in repressing their home questions, if words, but to this effect, occurred continuI wished it, and without offending them; ally, and some of them more minute and but I more frequently amused myself by extended than I can venture upon in a putting them on the rack, civilly, and ap- letter. I ought, however, to say, that many parently unconsciously, eluded their inqui- questions lose much of their familiarity ries for a time, and then awakening their when travelling in the wilderness. Where gratitude by such a discovery of myself as are you from ? and, Whither are you I might choose to make. Sometimes a man bound?' do not appear impertinent interwould place himself at my side in the wil-rogations at sea; and often in the western derness, and ride for a mile or two without wilds I found myself making inquiries the smallest communication between us, which I should have thought very free and except a slight nod of the head. He would easy at home."-(Hodgson's Letters, Vol. II. then, perhaps, make some grave remark on pp. 32-35.) the weather, and if I assented, in a monosyllable, he would stick to my side for another mile or two, when he would commence his attack. I reckon, stranger, you do not belong to these parts?'-No, sir; I am not a native of Alabama.'-I guess you are from the north?'-'No, Sir; I am

not from the north.'-'I guess you found the roads mighty muddy, and the creeks swimming. You are come a long way, I guess?''No, not so very far; we have travelled a few hundred miles since we turned our faces westward.'-'I guess you have seen Mr., or General

In all new and distant settlements the forms of law must, of course, be very limited. No justice's warrant is current in the Dismal Swamp; constables are exceedingly puzzled in the neighbourhood of the Mississippi; and there is no tread-mill, either before or after trial, on the Little Wabash. The consequence of this is, that the settlers take the law into their own hands, and give notice to a justice?' proof delinquent to quit the territory. (mentioning the names of some well-known If this notice is disobeyed, they asindividuals in the Middle and Southern semble and whip the culprit, and this States, who were to serve as guide-posts to detect our route); but I have not the plea-failing, on the second visit, they cut off sure of knowing any of them,' or, 'I have his ears. In short, Captain Rock has the pleasure of knowing all,' equally de- his descendants in America. Mankind feated his purpose, but not his hopes. 'I cannot live together without some apreckon, stranger, you have had a good crop proximation to justice; and if the of cotton this year ?'-'I am told, sir, the actual government will not govern crops have been unusually abundant in well, or cannot govern well, is too Carolina and Georgia. You grow tobacco, wicked or too weak to do so-then then, I guess?' (to track me to Virginia). -No; I do not grow tobacco.' Here a men prefer Rock to anarchy. The modest inquirer would give up in despair, following is the best account we have and trust to the chapter of accidents to seen of this system of irregular justice. develope my name and history; but I generally rewarded his modesty, and excited his gratitude, by telling him I would torment him no longer.

"The courage of a thorough-bred Yankee*

In America, the term Yankee is applied to the natives of New England only, and is generally used with an air of pleasantry.

"After leaving Carlyle, I took the Shawnee town road that branches off to the

S. E., and passed the Walnutt Hills, and Moore's Prairie. These two places had a year or two before been infested by a notorious gang of robbers and forgers, who had fixed themselves in these wild parts in order to avoid justice. As the country

became more settled, these desperadoes | with some of the chief men of the Regulabecame more and more troublesome. The tors, who all lamented the necessity of such inhabitants therefore took that method of getting rid of them that had been adopted not many years ago in Hopkinson and Henderson counties, Kentucky, and which is absolutely necessary in new and thinly settled districts, where it is almost impossible to punish a criminal according to legal forms.

"On such occasions, therefore, all the quiet and industrious men of a district form themselves into companies, under the name of Regulators.' They appoint officers, put themselves under their orders, and bind themselves to assist and stand by each other. The first step they then take is to send notice to any notorious vagabonds, desiring them to quit the State in a certain number of days, under the penalty of receiving a domiciliary visit. Should the person who receives the notice refuse to comply, they suddenly assemble, and when unexpected, go in the night time to the rogue's house, take him out, tie him to a tree, and give him a severe whipping, every one of the party striking him a certain number of times.

"This discipline is generally sufficient to drive off the culprit; but should he continue obstinate, and refuse to avail himself of another warning, the Regulators pay him a second visit, inflict a still severer whipping, with the addition probably of cutting

a system. They very sensibly remarked, that when the country became more thickly settled, there would no longer be any necessity for such proceedings, and that they should all be delighted at being able to obtain justice in a more formal manner. I forgot to mention that the rascals punished have sometimes prosecuted the Regulators for an assault. The juries, however, knowing the bad character of the prosecutors, would give but trifling damages, which, divided among so many, amounted to next to nothing for each individual."(Excursion, pp. 233–236.)

This same traveller mentions his having met at table three or four American ex-kings-presidents who had served their time, and had retired into private life; he observes also upon the effect of a democratical government in preventing mobs. Mobs are created by opposition to the wishes of the people;-but when the wishes of the people are consulted so completely as they are consulted in America - all motives for the agency of mobs are done away.

opinion. Whatever the people wish is done. "It is, indeed, entirely a government of If they want any alteration of laws, tariffs, off both his ears. No culprit has ever been known to remain after a second visit. For &c., they inform their representatives, and if there be a majority that wish it, the instance, an old man, the father of a family, all of whom he educated as robbers, fixed alteration is made at once. In most Eurohimself at Moore's Prairie, and committed pean countries there is a portion of the numerous thefts, &c. &c. He was hardy being acquainted with real liberty, give population denominated the mob, who, not enough to remain after the first visit, when both he and his sons received a whipping. tiousness. But in the United States there themselves up to occasional fits of licenAt the second visit the Regulators punished is no mob, for every man feels himself free. him very severely, and cut off his ears. At the time of Burr's conspiracy, Mr. JefThis drove him off, together with his whole ferson said, that there was little to be gang; and travellers can now pass in per-apprehended from it, as every man felt fect safety where it was once dangerous to

travel alone.

There is also a company of Regulators near Vincennes, who have broken up a notorious gang of coiners and thieves who had fixed themselves near that place. These rascals, before they were driven off, had parties settled at different distances in the woods, and thus held communication and passed horses and stolen goods from one to another, from the Ohio to Lake Erie, and from thence into Canada or the New England States. Thus it was next to impossible to detect the robbers, or to recover the stolen property.

"This practice of Regulating seems very strange to an European. I have talked VOL. II.

himself a part of the general sovereignty. tion; and Burr, who in any other country The event proved the truth of this asserwould have been hanged, drawn, and quartered, is at present leading an obscure life in the city of New York, despised by every one."-(Excursion, p. 70.)

It is a real blessing for America to be exempted from that vast burthen of taxes, the consequences of a long series of foolish just and necessary wars, carried on to please kings and queens, or the waiting-maids and waiting-lords or gentlemen who have always governed kings and queens in the Old E

50

World. The Americans owe this good ever, to be thought very little of in that to the newness of their government; country, and to be very little heard of and though there are few classical in Europe. Mr. Duncan, in the folassociations or historical recollections lowing passage, speaks of them with in the United States, this barrenness is European feelings. well purchased by the absence of all "The other great obstacle to the prosthe feudal nonsense, inveterate abuses, perity of the American nation, universal and profligate debts of an old country. suffrage", will not exhibit the full extent of its evil tendency for a long time to come; "The good effects of a free government and it is possible that ere that time some are visible throughout the whole country. antidote may be discovered, to prevent or There are no tithes, no poor-rates, no ex- alleviate the mischief which we might cise, no heavy internal taxes, no commercial naturally expect from it. It does, however, monopolies. An American can make canseem ominous of evil, that so little ceremony dles if he have tallow, can distil brandy if is at present used with the constitutions of he have grapes or peaches, and can make the various States. The people of Connecbeer if he have malt and hops, without ticut, not contented with having prospered asking leave of any one, and much less with abundantly under their old system, have any fear of incurring punishment. How lately assembled a convention, composed of would a farmer's wife there be astonished, delegates from all parts of the country, in if told that it was contrary to law for her which the former order of things has been to make soap out of the potass obtained on condemned entirely, and a completely new the farm, and of the grease she herself had constitution manufactured; which, among saved! When an American has made these other things, provides for the same process articles, he may build his little vessel, and being again gone through as soon as the take them without hinderance to any part profanum vulgus takes it into its head to of the world; for there is no rich company desire it.t A sorry legacy the British Conof merchants that can say to him, You stitution would be to us, if it were at the shall not trade to India; and you shall not mercy of a meeting of delegates, to be sumbuy a pound of tea of the Chinese; as, by moned whenever a majority of the people so doing, you would infringe upon our privi- took a fancy for a new one; and I am afraid leges." In consequence of this freedom, all that if the Americans continue to cherish a the seas are covered with their vessels, and fondness for such repairs, the Highlandthe people at home are active and indepen-man's pistol with its new stock, lock, and dent. I never saw a beggar in any part of the United States; nor was I ever asked for charity but once-and that was by an Irishman."-(Excursion, pp. 70, 71.)

barrel, will bear a close resemblance to what is ultimately produced.”—(Duncan's Travels, Vol. II. pp. 335, 336.)

In the Excursion there is a list of

America is so differently situated from the old governments of Europe, the American navy, which, in conjuncthat the United States afford no polition with the navy of France, will one tical precedents that are exactly appli-day or another, we fear, settle the cable to our old governments. There Catholic question in a way not quite is no idle and discontented population. agreeable to the Earl of Liverpool for When they have peopled themselves the time being, nor very creditable to up to the Mississippi, they cross to the the wisdom of those ancestors of whom we hear, and from whom we suffer so Missouri, and will go on till they are stopped by the Western Ocean; and much. The regulations of the Amethen, when there are a number of rican navy seem to be admirable. The persons who have nothing to do, and States are making great exertions to nothing to gain, no hope for lawful increase this navy; and since the capindustry and great interest in pro-ture of so many English ships, it has moting changes, we may consider their situation as somewhat similar to our own, and their example as touching us more nearly. The changes in the constitution of the particular States seem The people of the State of New York to be very frequent, very radical, and have subsequently taken a similar fancy to to us very alarming;-they seem, how-clout the cauldron. (1822.)

In the greater number of the States, every white person, 21 years of age, who has paid taxes for one year, is a voter; in others, some additional qualifications are required, but they are not such as materially to limit the privilege.

become the favourite science of the people at large. Their flotillas on the lakes completely defeated ours during the last war.

of the articles. They have built an excellent house for their founder, Rapp,

as it might have been predicted they would have done. The Harmonites profess equality, community of goods, and celibacy, for the men and women (let Mr. Malthus hear this) live separately, and are not allowed the slightest intercourse. In order to keep up their numbers, they have once or twice sent over for a supply of Germans, as they admit no Americans, of any intercourse with whom they are very jealous. The Harmonites dress and live plainly. It is a part of their creed that they should do so. Rapp, however, and the head men have no such particular creed for themselves; and indulge in wine, beer, grocery, and other irreligious diet. Rapp is both governor and priest,preaches to them in church, and directs all their proceedings in their working hours. In short, Rapp seems to have made use of the religious propensities

Fanaticism of every description seems to rage and flourish in America, which has no Establishment, in about the same degree which it does here under the nose of an Established Church;-they have their prophets and prophetesses, their preaching encampments, female preachers, and every variety of noise, folly, and nonsense, like ourselves. Among the most singular of these fanatics, are the Harmonites. Rapp, their founder, was a dissenter from the Lutheran Church, and therefore, of course, the Lutheran clergy of Stutgard (near to which he lived) began to put Mr. Rapp in white sheets, to prove him guilty of theft, parricide, treason, and all the usual crimes of which men dissenting from established churches are so often guilty,—and delicate hints were given respecting faggots! Stut-of mankind, to persuade one or two gard abounds with underwood and thousand fools to dedicate their lives clergy; and-away went Mr. Rapp to to his service; and if they do not get the United States, and, with a great tired, and fling their prophet into a multitude of followers, settled about horse-pond, they will in all probability twenty-four miles from our country-disperse as soon as he dies. man Mr. Birkbeck. His people have Unitarians are increasing very fast here built a large town, and planted a in the United States, not being kept vineyard, where they make very agree-down by charges from bishops and able wine. They carry on also a very archdeacons, their natural enemies. extensive system of husbandry, and The author of the Excursion remarks are the masters of many flocks and upon the total absence of all games herds. They have a distillery, brewery, in America. No cricket, foot-ball, nor tannery, make hats, shoes, cotton and leap-frog--all seems solid and profitwoollen cloth, and everything neces-able. sary to the comfort of life. Every one belongs to some particular trade. But in bad weather, when there is danger of losing their crops, Rapp blows a horn, and calls them all together. Over every trade there is a head man, who receives the money, and gives a receipt, signed by Rapp, to whom all the money collected is transmitted. When any of these workmen wants a hat or a coat, Rapp signs him an order for the garment, for which he goes to the store, and is fitted. They have one large store where these manufactures are deposited. This store is much resorted to by the neighbourhood, on account of the goodness and cheapness

"One thing that I could not help remarking with regard to the Americans in general, is the total want of all those games and sports that obtained for our country the appellation of Merry England.' Although from one generation to another, and alchildren usually transmit stories and sports though many of our nursery games and tales are supposed to have been imported into England in the vessels of Hengist and Horsa, yet our brethren in the United States seem entirely to have forgotten the childish amusements of our common ancestors. In America I never saw even the schoolboys playing at any game whatsoever. Cricket, foot-ball, quoits, &c. appear to be utterly unknown; and I believe that if an American were to see grown-up men playing at cricket, he would express as much as

Englishmen played at this finest of all games in the Casina at Florence. Indeed, that joyous spirit which, in our country, animates not only childhood, but also maturer age, can rarely or never be seen among the inhabitants of the United States."-(Excursion, pp. 502, 508.)

tonishment as the Italians did when some more than we do, or more despise the pitiful propensity which exists among Government runners to vent their small spite at their character; but on the subject of slavery, the conduct of America is, and has been, most reprehensible. It is impossible to speak of it with too much indignation and contempt; but for it we should look forward with unqualified pleasure to such a land of freedom, and such a magnificent spectacle of human happiness.

These are a few of the leading and prominent circumstances respecting America, mentioned in the various works before us: of which works we can recommend the Letters of Mr. Hodgson, and the Excursion into Canada, as sensible, agreeable books, written in a very fair spirit.

MEMOIRS OF CAPTAIN ROCK. (E. REVIEW, 1824.)

Memoirs of Captain Rock, the celebrated Irish Chieftain; with some Account of his Ancestors. Written by Himself. Fourth Edition. 12mo. London. 1824. THIS agreeable and witty book is generally supposed to have been written by Mr. Thomas Moore, a gentleman of small stature, but full of genius,

America seems, on the whole, to be a country possessing vast advantages, and little inconveniences; they have a cheap government, and bad roads; they pay no tithes, and have stage coaches without springs. They have no poor-laws, and no monopolies but their inns are inconvenient, and travellers are teased with questions. They have no collections in the fine arts; but they have no Lord Chan-and a steady friend of all that is honourcellor, and they can go to law without absolute ruin. They cannot make Latin verses, but they expend immense sums in the education of the poor. In all this the balance is prodigiously in their favour but then comes the great disgrace and danger of America—the existence of slavery, which, if not timously corrected, will one day entail (and ought to entail) a bloody servile war upon the Americans-which will separate America into slave States and States disclaiming slavery, and which remains at present as the foulest blot in the moral character of that people. A high-spirited nation, who cannot endure the slightest act of foreign aggression, and who revolt at the very shadow of domestic tyranny, beat with cart-whips, and bind with chains, and murder for the merest trifles, wretched England seems to have treated Irehuman beings, who are of a more land much in the same way as Mrs. dusky colour than themselves; and Brownrigg treated her apprenticehave recently admitted in their Union for which Mrs. Brownrigg is hanged a new State, with the express per- in the first volume of the Newgate mission of ingrafting this atrocious Calendar. Upon the whole, we think wickedness into their constitution! the apprentice is better off than the No one can admire the simple wisdom | Irishman: as Mrs. Brownrigg merely and manly firmness of the Americans starves and beats her, without any

able and just. He has here borrowed the name of a celebrated Irish leader, to typify that spirit of violence and insurrection which is necessarily generated by systematic oppression, and rudely avenges its crimes; and the picture he has drawn of its prevalence in that unhappy country is at once piteous and frightful. Its effect in exciting our horror and indignation is in the long run increased, we think,— though at first it may seem counteracted, by the tone of levity, and even jocularity, under which he has chosen to veil the deep sarcasm and substantial terrors of his story. We smile at first, and are amused-and wonder, as we proceed, that the humorous narrative should produce conviction and pity-shame, abhorrence, and despair!