CHAPTER XI.

THE city of New York, and indeed the whole State bearing the name of that grand sea-port, was at this period, November 1827, agitated by the tempest of a popular election; and as I was anxious to make myself acquainted with the details of the machinery by which such things are carried forward in America, I resolved to give the subject fair play, by remaining for some time où the spot. During a whole month, accordingly, I devoted my time as assiduously as possible to this one purpose. I am quite sensible that to have dived completely to the bottom of all the intrigues, and counter intrigues, or to have mastered the infinite variety and complicated ramifications of party, as many weeks as I could afford days would not have been sufficient. My object, however, was different; for I had no hope, and no great wish, to arrive at a minute knowledge of circumstances not essentially connected with the general principles of the

system I was anxious to understand. Many such points, it is true, did come, incidentally, under my view, and thus helped occasionally to explain anomalies which at first had greatly perplexed me. But there were still many things which I could by no means fathom; and though I was sometimes told that in this way I had lost much, I had no reason, upon a further acquaintance with the subject, to think these minute particulars were of great consequence, since they generally hinged upon some personal considerations having no concern with the main question.

Of

I laid myself out on this occasion, to make ac-quaintance with all sorts of people, with men of all parties, and with persons of every different degree of standing in the estimation of the public. In general, I found these gentlemen as unreserved in their communications as could be wished. course, very different statements were made by the different sides; and often also, entirely opposite opinions were expressed by persons of the same way of thinking in politics, but who took different views as to the fittest method of initiating a stranger into such mysteries. On these occasions, however, I had always abundant means, ready at hand, of checking the information obtained from one man, by reference to that derived from others. While watching the progress of events, also, I could

pretty generally subject what I heard to a certain amount of experimental scrutiny.

I am thus particular in stating the degree of pains which I took to arrive at a correct knowledge of these subjects, because it has been said again and again by the Americans, that no traveller has ever staid long enough amongst them to know what is going on; and consequently, that the opinions formed by foreigners have heretofore been invariably hasty and prejudiced. No man, as I have said before, can pretend to be free from error in such enquiries. But on this occasion, at least, it might easily be shown, even to the satisfaction of many of these objectors, that however erroneously the subject may be handled, it was certainly not examined hastily or carelessly, or without the constant and friendly assistance of well-qualified local authorities. To give the details of these conversations is impossible. Even to mention the names of the persons with whom I communicated, or to allude to them, however indirectly, might be thought indelicate and unfair in many cases; and certainly this sort of reference could not be made

useful for any effective purpose of authority, without in some degree withdrawing that confidential veil, behind which I felt at the time most happy and most proud to be admitted. I might possibly never have received this information, had there not

been a tacit understanding, that the main object of such frank communications was to guide my immediate researches on the spot, and was never meant to be quoted in order to substantiate any opinions I might express at a future time.

I have, indeed, occasionally thought of attempting to arrange and modify my own ideas on the workings of the republican system of America, by combining them with the opinions of gentlemen on the spot, and with those of previous travellers and writers on such subjects; but having satisfied myself, after some reflection, that although much might thereby be gained in extent and variety of knowledge, much, also, of the freshness of original observation, might probably evaporate. I have, therefore, determined to put forth my own incomplete and crude remarks alone; though I shall be sorry if these sketches for truly they are no more

-be considered as attempts to exhaust so copious a subject. Their only purpose is, to describe the state of things as they appeared to me, in the United States at the time of my visit. Whether those impressions be correct or not, is, of course, another affair. My first object is to be thoroughly understood; and if I can accomplish this point, the collateral, or secondary reflections, such as they are, may stand or fall, according to circumstances; every one being at liberty to draw fresh inferences

for himself from the picture I shall endeavour to present.

The Union of the Americans as a political body existed long antecedent to the Revolution of 1776, which ended in the entire separation of the colonies from the parent State. Such mutual agreements amongst themselves were considered necessary to their safety and prosperity, long before they dreamed of absolute and entire Independence. So early as the middle of the seventeenth century, several of the colonies entered into an offensive and defensive league by the name of the United Colonies of New England. They had a Congress' which met annually; and every determination in which threefourths of the assembly concurred, was binding on the whole confederacy. This was the first of a long series of efforts for a more extensive and perfect Union of the colonies. The Mother Country, indeed, was at that time too much occupied with a civil war on her own immediate soil, to think of such remote symptoms of a wish for Independence; and the Union alluded to lasted nearly half a century. Occasional Congresses, however, were held from time to time, chiefly, indeed, for the purpose of concerting measures for the defence of the frontiers, always menaced by the Indians. As might be expected, these meetings tended more or