The Americans as they are

Please note that the longitudes used in this text, which predates the establishment of Greenwich as the reference, used the nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. (approx. W 77°) as its basis. Thus, Cincinnati, at W 84° 30′ on p. 1, is placed at a longitude of 7° 31′. Also, on p. 33, the location of the state of Indiana is mistakenly given using seconds (″) of longitude, rather than minutes (′). These were corrected.
The spelling of place names was fluid at the time and all are retained here.
Footnotes, which appeared on the bottom of pages, have been relocated to the end of the text. They have been lettered consecutively from A to K, and hyperlinked for ease of reference.
The cover of this book was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
BY THE AUTHOR OF “AUSTRIA AS IT IS.”
LONDON: HURST, CHANCE, AND CO. ST. PAUL’S CHURCH YARD. 1828.
LONDON: Printed by Bradbury and Dent, St. Dunstan’s-ct., Fleet-st.
The publication of this tour was intended for the year 1827. Several circumstances have prevented it.
The American is, as far as relates to his own country, justly supposed to be prone to exaggeration. English travellers, on the contrary, are apt to undervalue brother Jonathan and his country. The Author has twice seen these countries, of whose present state he gives a sketch in the following pages. He is far from claiming for his work any sort of literary merit. Truth and practical observation are his chief points. Whether his opinions and statements are correct, it remains for the reader to judge, and experience to confirm.
London, March, 1828.
Upwards of half a century has now elapsed since the independence of the United States became firmly established. During this period two great questions have been solved, exposing the fallacies of human calculations, which anticipated only present anarchy and ultimate dissolution as the fate of the new Republics. The possibility of a people governing themselves, and being prosperous and happy, time, the sure ordeal of all projects, has at length demonstrated. Their political infancy is over, they are approaching towards manhood, and fully sensible of their strength, their first magistrate has ventured to utter those important words contained in his address of 1820: that “notwithstanding their neutrality, they would consider any attempt on the part of the European Powers, to extend their system to any portion of their hemisphere, as dangerous to their peace and safety; and that they could not admit of any projects of colonization on the part of Europe.” Thus, for the first time, they have asserted their right of taking a part DE FACTO in the great transactions of European Powers, and pronounced their declaration in a tone, which has certainly contributed to the abandonment of those intentions which were fast ripening into execution.