EDINBURGH:
PRINTED FOR W. & C. TAIT, PRINCE’S STREET;
AND LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN,
LONDON.
1822.

TO

JAMES STUART, Esquire

YOUNGER OF DUNEARN
THE
FOLLOWING SHEETS
ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED
BY
THE AUTHOR

CONTENTS

LETTER I
Voyage from Greenock to New York—Circumstances ofPassengers—Arrival, &c.[25]
LETTER II
Observations on New York—Removal to Long Island—MiscellaneousRemarks—Return to New York—FartherObservations on the City[30]
LETTER III
Journey from New York to Philadelphia—Observations onPhiladelphia—Institutions—Manufactures—People[48]
LETTER IV
Journey from Philadelphia to Pittsburg—Remarks on theCountry—Notices of Emigrants, and occurrences by theway[64]
LETTER V
Pittsburg—Situation—Manufactures—Occurrences—People[82]
LETTER VI
Descend the Ohio from Pittsburg to Beaver—Occurrencesand Remarks there[89]
{vi} LETTER VII
Descend the Ohio from Beaver to Portsmouth—Occurrencesand Remarks Interspersed[100]
LETTER VIII
Leave Portsmouth—Digression on Economical Travelling—Chillicothe—Progressof a Scotch Family—Game—Treesand Shrubs—Rolled Pieces of Primitive Rocks—Implements—Antiquities—OrganicRemains—Missouriand Illinois—Paper Currency[114]
LETTER IX
Lexington—Paper Currency—Bankers—Menials—Habits—Pricesof Live Stock—Provisions, &c.—Slavery, andits Effects—Recrimination against Illiberal Reflections—Descendthe Ohio to Cincinnati—Occurrences and Reflections[132]
LETTER X
Cincinnati—Weather—Descend the Ohio to the Falls of theOhio—Taverns and Accommodation[149]
LETTER XI
Morals and Manners—Education—Generosity—The Presidentof the United States[165]
LETTER XII
On Emigration—The Prospects of Emigrants—Inconveniences—TheMethod of Laying out and Disposing ofPublic Lands[173]
LETTER XIII
Comparative Advantages of Different Parts of the UnitedStates—Temperature at Philadelphia and Cincinnati—Reflectionson Slave-Keeping[181]
LETTER XIV
Lawyers—Doctors—Clergy—Mechanics—Justices of thePeace—Anecdotes—Punishments—Reflections[194]
{vii} LETTER XV
Outline of the American Constitution—From the Frequencyof Revolutions in Europe, the Instability of the AmericanRepublic is not to be inferred[205]
LETTER XVI
State Legislatures—Predilection for Dividing Counties, Layingout New Towns and Roads—The Influence of Slavery onthe Habits of the People—Banking[215]
LETTER XVII
Depreciated Paper Money—Want of Employment—StateExpenses—The Progress of New Settlements[224]
LETTER XVIII
Passage to Cincinnati—Trade—Manufactures—Institutions—Banks—Climate—Noticeof three Indian Chiefs—Remarkson the Indian People[237]
LETTER XIX
Descend the Ohio from Cincinnati to Madison—Notices of aScotch Settlement—Excess of Male Population—Roads—Harvest—Crops—Orchards—Timber—Elections—MethodistCamp Meeting[250]
LETTER XX
Circumstances that Retard Manufacturing Industry, andCauses of its Prosperity[264]
LETTER XXI
Circuit Court of Indiana—Lands—Crops—Salt springs—Corydon—Barrens—Caves—Tornado—AlluvialLands—LargeTrees—Wild Vines—Steam boats—the Fallsof the Ohio—Bilious and Intermittent Fevers—Taciturnity—Americanisms[276]
LETTER XXII
Miscellaneous Remarks on the Manners and Habits of thePeople[290]
{viii} LETTER XXIII
Passage from the Falls of the Ohio to Cincinnati—Journey toLake Erie—the Great Sciota—Pickaway Plains Prairies—SicklyState of the Country—Indians—People[296]
LETTER XXIV
Passage on Lake Erie—The Falls of Niagara—Passage onLake Ontario—Descend the River St. Lawrence—Falls—Montreal—Quebec—Indians—Remarks on the People—TimberTrade—Government—Climate[313]

LETTERS FROM AMERICA


LETTER I

Voyage from Greenock to New York—Circumstances of Passengers—Arrival, &c.