Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-11-01
THE GAZETTE.
MONDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER /, 1858.

FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO VIRGINIA.
The following is from one of DR.. Mackay's
recent Transatlantic Sketches" published
in the London illustrated News:
"Awsy again through the eternal pine for
ests for hundreds of miles! The railway is
as straight as an arrows ght or a msthe-
maticsl line; and we have to travel for thirty
hours without other stoppages than an occa-
sional ten minutes or quarter of an hour for
breakfast or dinner. The county is uopic-
tureque, the railway the reverse Of comlorta.
BILE sleep and if wooed, is difficult 70 be won in
''csrs" or carriages where there is no support
for the back or the head of the unhappy ira
WELLER; where there is not even q place TO stow
away hat, stick. an umbrella or q bag;
and whore about sixty persons of all ages
and condition in life, including half a dozen
young children, and at least twenty people
who chew tobacco and spit, are closely pack
cd in an atmosphere deprived of all moisture
and elasticity by the red heat OF an anthra-
cite stove that glows and throos In this iocc-
motive den. Behind the stove, and on the
side of the car, in large letters, Is the follow
ing inscription: "Gentlemen are requested
not to spit on the stove" And here. as well
as at any other point of my journey. | may
as well say what have to say on The tJect
OF the odiOus practice Of tobacco chewing, aud
its ooncomitant aud still more odous prac-
tioe of spittiog, 80 dsgustingly prevalent in
the Southern and Western States, and to q
minor extent in the Northern. Before saw
with my OVID eyes the extent and prevalence
Of this tilthiness imagined thstthe accounts
given by preceding travellers were exsgera-
tions and csricatures. intended to raise an
ill-natured laugh; but observation speedily
convinced me that all had previously read
upon the subject fell short OF the truth. aud
that it would be difficult to e1aggerate the ex'
tent of the vice, aud the caliousness with
which it is regarded even by people OF edu-
cation and refinement. Americans who have
travelled in Europe do not seem to be annoy
ed that strangers should take notice of the
practice and be offended by it; but custom so
duls even their perceptions of its offensive
ness that they consider the fault finders as
somewhat squeamish and over sensitive
Once at Washington, found myselfthe CEN
ire Of group OF members of Congress, two
of whom we're among the most expert and
profuse spitters Il was going to write expec-
torstors, but the word is not strong enough
whom it was ever my fortuneto meet, when
the conversation having turned upon the mill
itary PROV ess and skill Of several gentlemen
who haG distinguished themselves in the Mex-
lean war, / was suddenly asked by one OF
them-who cleared his mouth for the pur-
pose with one of the most portent ous floods
of tobacco Juice ever saw--who was the
greatest General in America? The reply
was General Spit. "Well," said the senator,
81 calculate you are about right; and though
you. as Britsber, may say 30, l should
ADVISE you not to put the observation in'
to print, as some of our citizens might
take it as personal" On another oeca
sion an eminent lawyer, who had filled
some of the highest Offices Of the State
q man to whom ancient and modern Int.
ersture were equally familiar, who bad
studied European as we'll as American politics,
whose mind seemed to have run through the
whole circle of human knowledge; and who
could converse eloquently on any SUBJECT
though while he spike the tobacco juice ooz
ed ont of the corners Of his mouth, and ran
down upon his shirt front and waistcoat, took
q large cake of tobacco from q side pocket
and courteously offered me chew. The
cake, | should Think, weighed about bali
pouud. asked him if be bad ever calcula
ted how many gallons of spit such cake re-
presented? "Well," be said, putting the
cake back into his pocket, "it is disguslitg
habit. Iquite agree with you. have made
several attempts TO break myself OF 1t out In
vain. ! cannot think, nor work, without
chew; and, although know it Injuries my
stomach, aud is in other respects bad tor me-
] sm the slave Of the habit, and will, lear
be 30 to the end Of my days" Even 10 the
presence Of ladies, the chewers and spltters
do not relent; and ladies seem almost 1t not
quite, as indifferent to the practice as the
o.her sex. 10 theatres and lecture-rooms are
constantly to be seen Inscriptions requesting
gentleman not to spit in the boxes or on the
stoves; and in all places Of public resort the
spittoon is an invariable article of furniture.
Spittoous garnish the marble steps OF the
Capitol at Washington; spitroons are IN all
the reading rooms, bBrs, Hobbies, and cfhces
of the hotels; spittoons in every railway CIR
and in the balls Of every State Legislature
which visited the Parliamentary spittoons
seemed to be as Indispensable as the desks
and benches of the members. Ii the Ameri'
c % eagle we're represented as holding 10 DIE
or Der claw spittoon.instesd of the thunder
bolt Of Jove, the change nigh. not be grace
full or poetical. but would certainly not he H.
appropriate. But enough on this SUBJECT
which would gladly have omitted to met
ton, if had not hoped. as do. that the con
current testimony Of all travellers will ult''
mstely produce some effect, and that, sooner
or later, Americans will be shamed out OF
habit 90 lostbsome in itself, aud so proud,
oisl to the health bodily and mental, OF all
who indulge in it.