MY JOURNEY SOUTH.

Friday morning, the 13th October.—I left New York at nine A.M., and crossed the North River per steam-boat to New Jerseytown, to the Philadelphian railway. Each carriage held about eighty; still they were comfortable with the windows up; and cheap—four dollars for 100 miles. No second or third class. Six carriages, all crammed. The first station we stopped at was Rohaio; thence to Elizabethtown; thence to New Brunswick; then crossed the Delaware to Trenton, Pennsylvania state, and to Bristol ferry, to the new Philadelphia steam-boat, waiting to take us down the Delaware to Philadelphia. The country is fertile, capable, with good farming, of producing good crops, which it has, of buckwheat, Indian corn, and peaches—any quantity. We passed the seat of Joseph Bonaparte; and also the notorious Nicholas Biddle's, who was President of the United States Bank for twenty years, whose stock is now worth £5 that sold once for £140. I was much interested on my journey with a gentleman from Heilderberg region, in the Rensselaer country, where the native Indians, as they call themselves, assemble masked; and on one occasion tarred and feathered the sheriff for attempting to enforce the rents of the Van Rensselaer family estates, the deluded beings having persuaded themselves they had as much right to the property as the family that had it confirmed to them by the law of the land. When will the Locofocos be satisfied? Nearly opposite Philadelphia is a smart town called Camden, where the wealthy merchants reside. We saw lots of people shooting reed-birds on the banks of the Delaware. This is about ninety miles from Cape Mare: then it is open sea to England. I was struck with the town of Philadelphia. The streets all run in triangular directions, and, as in New York, are called First, Second, and so on; and many by such names as Cedar, Pine, Walnut, Chestnut, Mulberry, &c. The ruined United States Bank is really a fine building of marble, uninhabited. The Exchange is worthy of remark. The receiving-room, where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, is magnificent. It has a statue of Washington, and a portrait of William Penn, the first white man as a settler in 1661. This building was erected in 1733. The Pennsylvanian Bank is a fine building. The Post-office small and inconvenient. I then visited the Sessions-house, and heard them trying the rioters. Home to bed at eight, tired out.

Saturday morning.—Walked the Market-street, being the market-day. Was much gratified with the immense quantity of domestic articles of every description, particularly fruit: water-melons as big as 16 lbs. or 20 lbs. weight, and the finest of peaches selling at 1 s. per bushel. I then called upon all the commercial people I wished to see, and found they depended upon New York for supply. Found an old neighbour, Lewis Brown, from Rose Castle, Cumberland, who arrived here without a penny, and is now worth 150,000 dollars. Returned to Jones's Union Hotel to dinner. I may observe, it is the best-conducted house I ever saw, and the cleanest, situated in Chestnut-street, opposite the Arcade. After dinner, Matthew Williams drove me to the water-works, Fairmount, where there is a magnificent view of the town. Philadelphia is most bountifully provided with fresh water, which is showered and jerked about in all directions. The Water-works are no less ornamental than useful, being tastefully laid out as a public garden, and kept in the best order. The river is dammed and forced by its own powers into certain high tanks or reservoirs, whence the whole city, to the top stories, is supplied at 5 dollars a tap. It was a fine evening, and we took a long drive, always passing everything on the wrong side. Very bad roads, and quite new scenery to me. Returned over a wooden bridge, covered, as they all are; and crossed the Schuylkill river, which runs parallel with the Delaware, distant about seven miles, and joins it there, which makes Philadelphia, like New York, almost an island.

Sunday morning.—Heard a splendid sermon from Mr. Barnes, at his Presbyterian chapel, Washington-square; text 4th chap. of Philippians, and 8th verse: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." We then walked to Christ Church burying-ground, and saw the grave of the immortal Franklin. George III. built Christ Church. After dinner took another drive to Girard College, a splendid unfinished marble structure: when completed will be the richest edifice of modern times. Girard was a banker, and died worth 10,700,000 dollars, two millions of which were left to educate and provide for orphans of all classes. He was a poor French tobacconist, and rose through trading with the West Indies. We then drove to the Laurel Hill Cemetery, a beautifully situated place or plot of ground, by the Schuylkill river: there is the figure of Sir Walter Scott's Old Mortality cut out of solid stone. The cost for interment is 3s. 6d. per square foot. We then drove up the Wissiocou-road to German Town, where they beat us in making woollen drawers, stockings, &c., owing to our laws and the American high tariff. Came home by the West, having now driven all round—East, North, and South. Had tea; and went to St. John's Episcopal Church, and heard a good sermon from the rector, the Rev. Mr. Newton; text, Hebrews i. 11: "They shall perish, but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment." It was most eloquent. With a population of 250,000, they have 250 churches of different sects, and nearly all talented men for preachers—indeed, Philadelphia has ever been known for its learning and benevolence since its rise. I forgot to say we crossed a wire bridge, the only one in the world that would bear 80 tons. Home, and to bed.

Monday morning.—Took a regular turn through all the commercial houses again, and like their system better than New York. Lunched off peaches, and then drove off to the Mint—not worth seeing. Thence to the Eastern Penitentiary, where they have 360 prisoners. The solitary system is abominable. I could not walk a happy man beneath the open sky by day, or lay me down upon my bed at night, with the consciousness that one human creature, for any length of time, lay suffering this unknown punishment, and I the cause, or consenting to it in the least degree. The building is very large, and kept in perfect order: it cannot be praised too highly. We entered into a large chamber, from which seven long passages radiate; on either side of which is a long row of low cell-doors, numbered. Standing at the central point, and looking down these dreary passages, the dull repose and quiet that prevails is awful. I was much interested with one prisoner that had nearly completed his seven years, who stated that he had been guilty of stealing 100 dollars, and that, his conscience upbraiding him, he took them back previous to being found out: still he was sentenced. He had a loom, had extracted some colours from the yarn, and painted his room all over. But enough. I left it labouring under a feeling of melancholy, and visited the Blind Asylum, where we saw the system of reading by raised letters beautifully carried out. A little girl and boy, about nine, who had been there only one year, could read the Bible well: a young lady from Gloucester (England) could tell you the latitude and longitude of any place upon a raised map; and two others could sing and play well, thoroughly understanding music. They take thirty boys and thirty girls upon the charity, and educate them so that they can get a living in after-life; and others they take at 200 dollars a-year for any period. Strange to say, they sometimes get married. I bought some of their work, and printed some of the raised letters. Contributed to the charity, and left much pleased. And I may here observe—Jones's, the Union Hotel, is very first-rate. He is from Warwickshire: all black servants, with a first-rate system. Got a good dinner; and then saw the process of hatching chickens by steam. I regretted I saw this, as I think I shall never like eggs again. We ought to have visited the City Almshouse, Navy Yard, Marine Hospital, Widows' Asylum, and many more places, but had not time. We then visited the Pennsylvania Hospital, established by William Penn. His statue is erected in the front, where he is represented as treating with the Indians, after his mission from Charles II. After seeing the patients, which are taken free to the number of 200, (others are paid for by different institutions,) we saw the splendid painting by West, "Christ healing the Sick." We then visited the Musical Fund Hall, and heard the far-famed Ethiopian serenaders, Messrs. German, Hanwood, Harrington, Warren, and Pelham, upon the accordion, banjo, congo-tambo, and bone-castanets, in all of which they stand unrivalled in the world. They were representing Niggers' lives, with songs, &c. Home and to bed, tired out.

Tuesday.—Started for Baltimore at eight, per rail: crowded as usual. Horses drag you out of the different towns: thence steam. The first station was Chester: thence across the Schuylkill and Potomac to Wilmington; and crossed the Delaware and Susquehanna into Maryland—the first slave state I had been in. A shudder involuntarily came over me. Having worked up my imagination, I fancied every black I saw was a slave. We crossed Havre de Gras, and two or three other beautiful lakes, with bridges of wood over, to save us some miles round, exclusively for the rail, and arrived at Baltimore Exchange Hotel to dinner. Afterwards strolled about the town; and passed the house of Jerome Bonaparte, who lives in the park quite retired. All the houses here appear as if built within the last few years: the bricks are quite red, and apparently new. The women, as in Philadelphia, are very handsome, except their bosoms, which are quite flat. I climbed to the top of Washington's Monument. It is 180 feet high. The enclosure is flagged with white marble. It was erected by the slave state of Maryland. The inscriptions are: "Born 22nd Feb., 1732. Died 14th Dec., 1799, aged 67. Commander-in-chief of the American army 15th June, 1775. Commission resigned at Annapolis 23rd Dec., 1783. Victorious at Trenton 25th Dec., 1776; and conquered Lord Cornwallis at York Town Oct., 1781. President of the United States 4th March, 1789. Retired to Mount Vernon 4th March, 1797, and died as above." It cost half a million dollars. Home and to-bed, tired as usual.—Population, 125,000.

Wednesday morning, the 18th Sept.—Satisfied myself about business, which appears to be in a thriving state. I then visited the Catholic Cathedral, which cost 300,000 dollars; St. Paul's Church; and several other public buildings; the City Fountain, which supplies the town plentifully with spring water; the Battle Monument, erected to the memory of those who fell in the defence of Baltimore in 1814—James Madison president at the time. Gen. Jackson conquered Sir Henry Pakenham at New Orleans in the same year. Jackson was president in 1832, and re-elected. This battle took place in the 39th year of Independence. General Ross was killed in 1816, at North Point battle, after bombarding Fort M'Henry. The army in the United States is only 6000, commanded by Major-Gen. Scott. The President is the nominal Commander-in-chief. We visited the Race-course, and saw a couple of bad races: it is a burlesque after England. After dinner we proceeded per rail to Washington City, through Delaware, another slave state; but am happy to say both this and Maryland are wearing out—that is, they will soon be free. The market-price in these two states is, for men, from 5 to 10 dollars; and women about half the price. The contrast is great between the States and England in regard to windows. Here they cram as many windows into a house as it will hold, as there is no duty or tax upon anything but business or real property—very wise and just tax. Retired, at Brown's Hotel, Washington, at ten, used up, as usual, with the heat.