The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-09-24
NOTES OF A TRAVELLER.


BENJAMIN Franklin to Boston, Col Stone, Editor
of the N Y. Commercial Advertiser, was one of
the passengers. During his absence he wrote
letters home, which were published from one
of which we make the following extracts:
BosToN, Sept. l3, 1923.
Three years ago in June last, when num-
her Of us from New York, came hither 10
attend the great Banker Hill celebration,
after the entertainments of the week were
over, and while surveying, during morning
walk, the magnificent ranges of dwelling
houses, already built, or rising in massive
granite around us, the late P c. v
W exclaimed: After all, New York is
the place for business, but Boston is the place
for gentlemen" Now, without admitting
the natural inference from the latter clause
of this remark, in its broadcast sense, and
fullest force, we must candidly allow that
many circumstances conspire to Justify it.
New York, as a mart of business, has risen,
by the combined force of enterprise, and of
natural circumstances, to the first rank of
commercial cities. And this pre-eminence,
we believe, she is destined long to enjoy,
notwithstanding the dismal croakings con-
tinually sounded from certain papers to fur
Their the mad schemes of profiigate party.
Her commanding local position, the wealth
of the state, its enterprise in the accomplish
ment of splendid works of internal improve
ment, and the figiI-rniudoa, lIuuuraule, and
liberal scale upon which the New York mer-
chants proverbially conduct their business,
will ALWAYS maintain for her the proud atti-
tude which she now occupies. But Boston
had an early advantage over New York in
point of capital; and as the field OF her COM
mercial enterprise has not extended IN ra-
ito to be at all named with the present thea
ire of the mercantile operations of New
York, more of the wealth of the former has
been expended in the erection of solid and
magnificent dwelling houses; while at the
same time we are not prepared to deny but
that more time and money have there been
devoted to the cultivation of literature and
the arts, than in New York. Hence her
richly endowed public institutions, her no.
BILE ranges of dwellings, many of them con-
structed of the most beautiful building ma
terials in the world and hence, also, the
unrivalled hospitality of her citizens. The
same causes will probably continue to pro-
duce the same effect in both places. The
territory upon which Boston must rely for its
internal trade and support, embraces not
quite the whole of New England. as New
York will inevitably command the principal
part of the business west of the valley Of
the Connecticut river; while Rhode Island,
small as she is, has determined not only to
set up for herself, but by means of the Black
stone Canal, leading from Providence to
Worcester, has opened one of the main ar
teries of Massachusetts, herself Thus the
natural commercial advantages of Boston
are circumscribed, while the country to be
supplied by New York is rapidly extending
from year to year, and will continue to ex-
tend, until our settlements reach the base of
the Rocky Mountains. But not to leave Bos-
ton too far in the rear in these our waking
visions, it is proper here to remark, that she
is about to, or rather has already, become
the natural head and centre of another great
branch of national wealth. We mean the
powerful and growing manufacturing inter-
est OF New England-an interest, which, let
theorists say what they may, has already
impaired to that section of the union de-
gree of wealth and vigor, and an appear
ance of general prosperity, even among the
poorest portions of the country, which the
most sanguine could not have anticipated in
so short period ten years ago. Agricul-
ture, commerce, and manufactures, have
thousand times been denominated the three
great pillars of the wealth and greatness of
this nation. OF these, the great CONNER
cial pillar stands in New York, The man.
ufacturing pillar has been reared upon
broad and stable pedestal in New England.
The agricultural column has been reared by
New York and the Middle and Southern
States. Though separated, they are not
disunlted, nor can they be without infinite
peril to the whole.
Being a constant reader of the Evening
Post, you may Judge that on my way hither,
looked with no little solicitude for the rot
ting ships at Bristol and Providence, of
which the public have been told so many
dolorous stories for several months past but
looked in vain. Judge of my surprise,
moreover, on my arrival here, so far from
finding the stores shut up, the ships rotting
at the wharves, and the tall rank grass
growing in the streets, to perceive that the
hum of business resounded throughout the
city; and the busy cartmen were as briskly
employed as ever; the merchants with their
clerks were as busy; while the masts stood
as thicKly and as upright, and their stream
ers huttered as gaily in the wind as before
the passage of that "bill of denominations"
the Tariff. We mentioned our disappoint-
ment, and asked the meaning of this. But
the merchants with one accord told us that
never were lamentations uttered so COM
pletely without cause-at least so far as
Boston is concerned. For we were positive
ly assured that the summer business of Bos-
ton had never been better than during the
present season, and that so large business
had never been transacted there in any pre-
vious month of August.
The President left us quite suddenly, as
you will have learned, in consequence of the
severe indisposition of his lady. His health
has very considerably improved during his
short relaxation from the fatigues of bust