The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-18 00:00:00

DIRT IN THE SLAVE STATES.

"In old English books of travel about Switzerland, it
used to be a stock remark, that you could tell whether a
canton was Protestant or Catholic, by the relative cleanli-
ness or dirtiness of the towns. How far the fact was true,
or how far, if true, it established the truth of the Protes-
tant religion I could never determine; but a similar con-
clusion may certainly be drawn with regard to the Free end
Slave States. You may lay it down as a rule throughout
America, that wherever you flad slavery, there you have
dirt also. Nashville, as I said before, is one of the cleanest
and brightest of towns at a distance ; but when you come
close the illusion vanishes. There is no excuse here for
want of cleanliness. The position of the town makes
drainage easy ; the stone used so plentifully is clean of
itself ; and water is abundant. The only thing wanting is
energy to keep the place clean. The hotel where I am
stopping is in itself an institution (in American phrase) of
the country. It is the best in the city ; and Nashville
was always celebrated as one of the most thriving and pro-
sperous cities in the South. Hotel keeping is not suffer-
ing, like other trading concerns, from the depression of the
moment. This hotel is crammed with guests, and has
been crammed throughout the winter. Outside, it is hand-
some enough ; but, internally, I say without hesitation, it
is the dirtiest and worst managed hotel it was ever my for-
tune to stop in. The dirt is dirt of old standing, and the
mismanagement must be the growth of years long preced-
ing the days when Secession was first heard of. The bar,
as I mentioned, is closed by order; but the habitues still
hang about the scene of their former pleasures. In the hall
are a number of broken shattered chairs ; and here, with
their legs stretched in every conceivable position, a num-
ber of well dressed respectable perlons loaf all day long,
smoking and chewing. They don't seem to have any-
thing to do, or much to say to each other; but
they sat here to kill time by looking at ono
another. The floor is as dirty as successive strata
of tobacco juice can make it ; and, at the slightest symptom
of chill in the air, the stove is kindled to a red hot heat, and
the atmosphere is made as stifling as the cracks in the
doors will allow it to become."

Colburn'e New Monthly.

In " Recent Acquisitions of the Russians in Cen-
tral Asia," we have a description of that imperfectly
known region, peopled by Tartar tribes of which
Russia is slowly but surely making itself master.
The tales in progress are " The Shadow of tshly-
dyat," and " Granville de Vigne." Sir Nathaniel
gives a sketch of " Lord Falkland." The writer of
the article on " The Japanese " does not think their
condition so blissful as some have represented,
" Japan," he says, " cannot be allowed to Live
solely for itself, and the Japanese must take their
place among the great families of nations for better
or for worse. The system of mistrust at home and
abroad—publio and private spies being the most
prized and the best paid of all services—a cynicism
exceeding that of the most servile and the most
gangrened °pooh° of Venetian society—a systematic
demoralization of youth and beauty—a disregard of
those forms which most distinguish man from beast ;
a natural piety enfeebled by the dogmas and cere-
monials of a barbarous and primitive age, and an
exclusiveness which is the offspring of a mistaken
policy, and of pride, fear, and ignorance, must all
gradually be made to disappear." The papers
Icalled " Episodes of the Fronde," and " A German
Soldier," are both readable.