The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-08-07
ALEAF FROM MRS. TROLLOPE's
MEMORANDUM BOOK.
[Found among some loose papers aocidently
left nt her lodgings.l

[Found among some loose papers accidently
left nt her lodgings.l
NEw-YoRK is rather a charming little
city, containing from one hundredto one
hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants,
mostly black. The streets are.altog ether
monopolized by these sons and daugh-
ters ofAfrica, who take the wall of you
on all occasions and it would be en-
tirely useless as well as extremely dan
gerOus, to notice any insult which they
may offer you, as they all carry long
daggers concealed in their bosoms, and
use them to with great impunity, under
the very nose of the public authorities.
Indeed, once saw little black boy
carried to prison for stealing, and that
very afternoon the whole negro male po-
pulation turned out IN procession, con-
sisting of twenty thousand, with banners,
which bore the words, sWilberforce Phil
anthropic Society," From this, pre-
sumo the boys name was Wilberforce !;
at all events, the court Of sessions (which
by the way, is here held in little gro
Gerry store IN William street, called Har-
mony Hall,) acquitted the culprit in con-
sequence of the sensation his i'm prison.
ment had produced. This took place
in tho month Of August, and SO great
was the alarm, that immense numbers
fled from the city, fearing another insar-
rection. Whole families departed at once.
The steamboat (of which there are to-
Ierable good ones, one plying to Alba
ny and the other to New Orleans on
Long Island,) we're every day crowded
with trembling passengers, who sought
refuge from the bloody and atrocious
scenes which yearly disgrace the streets,
and retired to Saratoga, Communipaw,
Brooklyn in New Jersey, Charlestown
in North Carolina, and Greenwich VIII
lage on lake George. Scarcely single
night passes without the negroes set two
or three ofthe houses on fire, with the view
of destroying the inhabitants. AS the
best mansions are made of light pine
wood it may easily be imagined that
they are usually combustible but for
tunately the city of New York has real
ly q most copious supply of water, which
prevents much damage.
Their theatres are positively amusing,
and must soy laughed very heartily,
although, to confess the truth. it was on
ly at their tragedies and their operas.
The Park theatre was originally an old
barn; it's outside is disgraceful, and the
interior moro 80. It has been burnt down
fourteen times, probably by the religious
party, which, form the majority, and
have now elected Jackson to the presi-
dency. The establishment stands op-
posite to the Roman Catholic Cathedral,
and is under the management of Messrs
Pierson and Druric. ] am indebted to
my kind friend for many Of these par
ticulars. He knows that ] am writing
book of travels, and although himself
only nn American, has kindly volunteer
ed his services to collect materials for
me, giving me sketches Of character and
authentic anecdotes, and corrected, with
the most scrupuIous care, my, geogra-
phical and typographical illustrations. in
which the reader may consequently re-
pose the most implicit reliance. The
theatres have, however, two or three
tolerably decent performers. Mr.. Bar
nss IL the principal tragedian. saw
him one night in Romsoto Mrs. kepPeIs
Juliet, and must say. I thought his
conce eption of tho character rather good.
He 10 quite small, with large melancho-
" eyes, and features expressive of ten
derness and passion. Mrs. keppel, 80