American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-05-24
aJOHN BULL IN AMERICA"

AMERICA work which Justly ridcuIes the gene
raj style of ignorance and superstition adopted by
many oil the foreign tourists who have written on
our country. The work abounds throughout in the
happest touches exhibiting vein of humorous
but keen and satirical irony, which will doubt
prove the best corrective to the silly msrepresenta
tons with which these tours, sketches and travels,
for the most part are filled. Sat Er Post
"The city of Philadelphia, (every thing is city
here, is little hggedy piggledy place, with hardly
decent house in 1t, and whose principal trade con-
sists in the expectation of Toughy and Pepper Pot.
| 1t is situate between two rivers, the Delaware on
the West, and the Schuylkil on the East the for
mer is decent sort of river, but nothing to be
compared to the Thames, or the Avon. The streets,
for the part, laid out in the shape of RAM
horn, at the little end of which commonly reside
that class of people who have been unfortunate in
business.-Hence the common phrase Of "coming
Tout at the little end of the horn" There are no
public buildings, nor indeed any thing else worthy
lof strangers notice, and so pass them by I'M
worthy of notice.
l took lodgings, (for hate your first rate ho
tels,) at the sign OF the Goose and Grdiron, where,
for the first time since my arrival in the States,
tasted sweet bread. | was at loss to account for
this phenomenon, until found my land!ady was an
English woman. 1t is singular fact, noted by all
travellers in this country, that, go where you will,
1.-The bread is sure to be sour. Whether this is ow
ling to the yeast, the bad taste of these republi
leans, or to some intrinsic quality in the wheat,
lcannot say am rather inclined to the latter opn
lion, because the grapes in this country as well as
1.-THE apples, peaches, and every species oil fruit
Tasted, are sour as vinegar. There must be some
acidi,y in the soil or air, or both produce this
1dsagreeable singularity: or perhaps il is owing to
1.-THE turbulent spirit OF democracy after all.
1t is not without some reason that Philadelphia
lis called the Athens Of America, since among other
advances in civilization, the people sometimes wash
their hands and faces. This practice was intro
fduced about seven years ago, by the Marquis OF
IEweedsle and his suite. 1t was at first violently
Iopposed as aristocratic custom, unworthy OF free
men !; but it gradually made its way, and there are
lnow few except the radicals and ultra democt ats
THAT demur to the practice. The popular opinion
lis however, rather against it., and 1t is seldom that
person, with clean hands and face, is elected TO an
office, unless he can demonstrate his republicanIsm
10y red nose, black eye. or some other unequivo
cal mark Of his high calling.
The city has also nightly watch popularity
did not observe either at Boston or New York
Here wachmen are Obliged to call the hour through
the whole night-an excellent regulation, as sup
posed, since this Is pretty good evidence OF maj
being awake. But the spirit of democracy eyade
every salutary regulation, 1t seems, and was as
sured by worthy alderman, a native OF England
that these fellows, from long habit, call the hour
mo additional security to the citizens. The alder
man told me, that not less than three or four watch
men were robbed at their posts every night; AM
lnothing was more common than fellow 10 bs baW
ling out i" all's wel,' when somebody was ACTUALLY
lpickng his pockets. The alderman related a hu
morous instance:
It seems sturdy Waterman, who, being consid
erably the best Of the gang at nap, was Away
placed at some responsible post, was in his box nod
.uI.o 81 ktnFf onL off hIQ
lput in its place nightcap which he had stolen fror
an old apple woman who had lived near the ferr
ia stairs in High street, and to whose house he carrie
land left the watchman's hat. The old dame, upo
IL discovering the theft, set out, bright and eary wit
1.-The watchman's cap on her head, for the want OF
better to lay her complaint before the police, wheI
las luck would have it, she the vgant child I
the night, still noddng in his box, with her cap
Ibis head. The Amazon seized her property, an
lcried out astop thiefo with such astonishing ylgo
THAT she actually awoke the Waterman ahoug
people who best knew him thought 1t impossible
The watchman, rubbing his eyes, and seizing ii
apple woman with his cap on her head, natural
concluded that the cry of :" stop Their applied
her. Upon which, he carried her to the police,
which the lady followed with great alacrIty, supp
sing she had the Waterman in custody. When
rived at the police, there was the deuce to pa
The Waterman charged the apple woman with stes
ling his hat, and the apple woman charged u
Waterman with stealing her cap-the police otfic
scratched his head and the clerk gnawed two goo
lquills to the stump. But what was most to be
mired, two lawyers were entirely puzzled to dea
to decide between the two and to puzzle Phil
dephia lawyer, is proverbially difficult. In conel
sion, the Waterman was broke, as the safest cour'
but the sovereign people, considering him as an o
pressed citizen, Immediately elected him an alds
man.
There is great show, or rather affectation OF III
nature here, and the good people crow in their Gu
a good deal, on account OF the Oldest periodical !
be hnincr nuhlished here Ii is call