The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-09-16

Incidents Of a Toyage across The Atlantic.
The following extracts are from Miss Sedg-
wick's article in the Democratic Review.
We have some forty Storage passengers
Their quarters are divided from ours by sail
cloth, which nvidious barrier they may not
pass. They are, for the most part, macontent
English, who, having been lured to the United
States by dreams Of an Eldorado are disap-
pointed to find that the universal law is in force
there-Providence' stern decree that prosperity
must be paid for in the old fashioned coin Of
industry and its kindred virtues. We have
tried to stir up spirit of mutual kindness with
these people, making the first advances BY Civ
ing apples and raIsins 10 their children, but they
do not meet US halfway. They are both shy
and surly; and observed in them what have
often observed in English people of their con-
dition, an uncertainty as to their relative posi-
ton, and an unquetness that is ready 10 break
forth into presumption and nsolence
The artificial distinctions in which they were
bread have ceased--the forms and words BY
which they expressed Difference are disused-
the harness is taken of, the binders are re-
moved, and they are in possession Of liberty
to which they are unaccustomed, and are in the
midst Of objects which they have never meas
ured and do not understand. Our people, not
fenced out with briar hedges, not trained to
measure themselves withothers, and TO respect
natural elevations and real distinctions We all
agree TO dispense with certain forms of Euro
pean civilization, but doubt if in your whole
life you have been half a-dozen times treated
with premeditated disrespect by your interiors
in condition.
There is one old pair among the steerage
passengers who are quite an exception 10 the
prevailing sulkiness. have seen them when
II,
cidly, and for the most part silently, together,
seeming like people who have come TO the last
chapter of the book, have wound up its strong
interests, and are but waiting for forgone con-
cluson.
aYou are DID, p said to the good woman, who
had been telling me dismal story Of the dis
comforts of the people in the steerage, "you
are old to be crossing the Atlantic"
"Ah, indeed, maam, if it were for any thing
but to go home"
Y GU are English ?"
"Ah!" interposed the husband, good natured-
ly, "who would be any thing else that could
helpn2"
''You should not say that" replied hi. wife
meeky, 81 since our children have chosen Anne
RIGA for them and theirs"
"Well, and to say the TRUTH" he resumed, at
is fine country for the young, but it is not old
England"
~ ID uot oul HOinC yOu SHOulu Sdys IeplSu
his wife in an apologize tone, and looking at
me.
'We all allow" said, ''there is no place
like home.n
".True am, we all say it, bnt to feel il,
one must cross the seas Everybody wondered
at us, but we could not get contented feeling
the trees did not look natural-the ram on those
new houses don't sound it did on the old
matched roof-the sun never seemed TO rise nor
set in the right place."
".But you have left all your children there
eyes, and all married and doing well on
nice farms in Ohio they are busy with the
world, we have done with it-and we want to
go home and lie down in the church-yard, where
all our dead lie-where we are used to every
thing. and every thing will look natural
And your children were wilingW
Eyes they are good children and kind, yes
all but the youngest,-she was not ,ciiling-
no, not willing but when she saw us pine she
was silent-poor Annie!--I wonder if the pear
tree is living you planted the day she was born,
John 2-The shade of it killed the rose that you
set out for our Oldest girls birth day"
"Yes-God forgive mel remember" re-
piled John, g but indeed, ma'am, the little place
was so stned with shrubs and flowers, and the
like, that one could not set down tree without
killing them with the shade of it. There were
more flowers clustered under our windows than
you can find on all the big farms in Ohio II
will be long day, ma am, before your country
viii look like old England.
too had my preferences, and my aching
longings for home, and therefore the more re-
spected the old mans, and the less wondered
that he was going home in despite of all the ex-
celent reasons the political economist might
have given him for remaining in our hourishing
land. | should be very apt, like them, to go
home, if but to die amid old familiar things.