Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-05-13
NO. XIV.
For the Spectator.


Mesrs Editors Having visited New York,
Boston, and Yankeedom in general, have seat
ed myself to write brief paragraph concerning
these cities and the Yankee country.
With the locality of New York, or city of in
iquity, every school boy is familiar; but with
the evils that are abroad in the city, and the
high-handed imposition that is practiced upon
strangers, no school boy should ever become ia
miliar. have visited this city frequently, but
have hever done so without being molested in
some way by backlegs, pick pockets, ,cut-throats,
and fiends in human shape of like profession.
cannot in this short paragraph enumerate the
many plans and devices they resort to for the
purpose of decoying the young and unthoughtful
who may perchance visit or pass through this
great metropolis, bnt to say the least OF them,
| they are legion. The police, whose business it
| is to put down all annoyance of this kind, are,
with but few exceptions, no better, ifnot worse,
than those over whom they are appointed to
govern, for they have greater opportunities, be-
| ing protected by their Office. If law and order
prevailed in this as in other eastern cities, it
would add much to the business of tho place;
but as it is, no one will visit the place unless
necessarily compelled and no one will pass
through without getting through ticket at Bal
timore or Philadelphia, and then continue
through on the fast line, which is indeed the sa-
fest plan, and have no communication with any
one who approaches you on the street, and II
they do, show them fve-shooter!
From New York went to Boston; there
found law and order. Istopped at the Marlboro
hotol, on Washington street. When the bell
rang for breakfast thegentlemen arose, and after
the ladies had passed in and taken their seats,
we took ours; after pause on aged gentleman
at the head of the table asked a blessing, and
then, by some sign not perceivable by US, the
walters made their appearance all uniform in
their dress and Caucasian in their origin. Bos-
ton has no regularity in regard to its streets;
some are of sickle form, some cross at right
angles, others at acute angles. causing some dir
fculty to a stranger who wishes to pass round
the city and to keep the correct way. Across
Charleston bridge is the city of Charleston.
beautiful place. which contains the Navy Yard
and Bunker-hill Monument, which is 225 feet
high, 80 feet at its base Is at its apex, and bnt
of pure granite. It's erected on gentle eleva-
ton, and makes beautiful appearance and
sublime impression, being connected with the
revolution. After passing over Cambridge and
visiting Cambridge University, | went to the
town of Salem, 10 miles northeast of Bos-
ton, one of the oldest towns in the State, and
viewed Witch-hill, SO called from its being the
place where the Salemites executed their witch
es during the days of their blindness and super
stition, and which they ought to be ashamed of
to this day. then visited Beverly, village
near by, where | was introduced to an old lady,
who asked me if / was from Virginia. told
her that was. Then you own slaves down
there" said she. l told her that we did, and
after some further conversation left.
During my stay in Massachusetts the Governor
proclaimed fast day, and in his proclamation
recommended the clergy to abandon on that day
of fasting and prayer from speaking on politics
and national questions but to speak of individ-
ual sins; which offended the whole fraternity
of clergy to think that the Governor should pre-
sumo to dictate to them show they should
preach and what they should preach" They
are in the habit on fast day, as well as on the
Sabbath, to pray and preach tor tile ameliOra-
tion Of the poor slares of the South, to the ne
glect of the more precious doctrine so much
needed for the conversion of sinners, to which
1 have no doubt the Governor had reference.
The Yankees speak of Virginia almost in
strains of contempt, without ever visiting the
State, while tho most of their country is cold,
barren and rough, unlike the fertile and pro-
ductiye soil of Virginia. ] have travelled "a, 900
miles by sea, and don't know how many by land,
visited foreign climes, but have yet to visit
that country, all things considered like that por-
ton Of country lying between the Allegheny
mountains and Blue Ridge of the "Old Domin-
ion." 1t is the Palestine of the Western hems-
phere with but one exception and that may be
no objection to many persons, viz: the winters
are little too cold. think that if the Protes-
tant clergy of the ''Old Dominion would pray
for the amelioration and moderation of our sea-
sons, as the Yankee preachers do for the slaves
of the South we would have much milder
winters. think they could do so with as much
propriety: for no man has yet proven that sla-
very was not designed by the great Head of the
Church for some great and majestic end.
D. A. PLECKER