The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-10-07

Tobacco,

INV 10 IIUm NuHlics
Mackuy's recent work on America 4
Aud here, as well AS at any other point in
his journey. let European. unaccustomod
TO tho O6iOus practice of tobacco chowug
and its concomitant aud still moro odious
practice of splitting, SO disgustngly prava-
lent in the Southern and Western States.
ani to muur extent in the Northern,
dishurden himself upon the subject, aud
have done with it. Before witnessing tho
cxtont and prevalence OF this fithnoss,
imagined that tho accounts given by pro.
cedIng travellers wcro cxuggcralions aud car.
rcaturUs, intended to raise an ill-naiurud
laugh; but observation speedily convinced
mo what | had previously read upon tho
subject fell short of tho truth, and that il
would bc ditlicult to cxiggcrato tho cxtont
of tho vice. and tho callOusness with which
it is regarded even BY people of education
and refinement. Americans who have trav-
eled in Europe 30 not seom aunuycd that
strangers should tako notice of the practice
and DO offended by il but custom so dolls
their perception of its oiicnsvenCss that
they consider tho fault finders as somewhat
sqIeainish aud over sensitive. Ouce, at
! Washington. | found myself just in tho cen
ter OF group of Mumbers of Congress,
two of whom were among tho most expert
mud protuso spttors [ | was going to write
cxpec' orators, but tho word is not strong
Hnough) whom it was ever my fortune To
meet with, when tho conversation having
turned upon tho military prowess and skill
OF several gentlemen who had distinguished
themselves in the Mexicon war, was sud
! denly asked by ono OF them-who cleared
his mouth. for the purpose. of u most por.
tentous flood of tobacco iuice-who 10 NV
opinion, and in that OF Europeans who
studied American politics. was the creates t
I General in tho United States. The rop,y
was, General Spit. "Woll, said tho Sena-
.or, IL calculate you are about right; and
though you, as Britisber, may say so,
should advise you not to put the observation
into print, us some of our citizens may Ia ke
it as personal" On another occasion, an
eminent lawyer. who had filed somo of the
highest offices in the State, man to whom
ancient and modern literature wore equally
familiar, who had studied Euroneau us well
rs American politics, whose mind seemed to
have run through the whole circle of human
knowledge, and who could converse clio
quently on any subject, though, while he
spoke, the tobacco juice oozcd out of tho
corners of his mouth, and ran down upon
shirt-frOnt and waistcoat, took II largo cake o
of tobacco from his sde.pockot, and cour-
toously offered mo chow. Tho cake,
should think, weighed about half u pound
| asked him it ho had ever calculated how
many gallons of spit such cake repre-
sonted. "Well," no said, putting tho cake
back again into his pocket, sit is u disgust
ing habit. quito agtce with YOU. have
made several attempts to break myself of it,
but in vain. l cannot think or work with
out chew F.; and, although know it Injuries
my stomach, and is in other respects bad
for mo, | avn the slave of tho habit, and will
| fear, bo so to the end Of my days Even
in tho presence of ladies the chewers and
spittors do not reent; and ladies seem al
most it not quite as indifferent to tho prac-
tice as the other sex. In theatres and lee
/ turo rooms are constantly to bo soon in
scriptons requesting gentlemen not to spit
/ in tho boxes or on tho stoves; and in all
places of public resort the spittUOu is au in.
variable article of furniture. Spittoens gar.
nish tho marble steps of the Capitol at
Washington spittoons are in all the read
ing-rooms, bars, lobbies, and offices of the
! hotels spittoons in every railway car, and
! in tho balls of every State Legislature
which visited, tho Parliamentary spittoont
seemed to DO as indispensable as the desks
and benches of tho members. Ii the Amer
lean eaglo were represented as holding il
his or her claw spittoOn instead of tn,
thunder bolt of Jovo tho change might not
be graceful or poetcal, but would certainly
not be Inappropriate. But enough on this
subject, which would gladly have omittec
to mention it had not hoped, as do, tina
tho concurrent testimony of all traveller,
will ultimately produce somo effect, ant
that, sooner or later, gontemen addicted tC
this form of intemperance-tor there ar,
many gentlemen among thom-wilI b.
shamed out of habit so loathsome il
itself. and SO prejudicai to the health. bodil,
us well as mental, of all who indulge in it