Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-06-28
From Our Oun Correspondent.
Toronto.

Toronto.
left Montreal at seven o'clock on Saturda,
morning (May 21st) and reached Toronto abou
nine at night. This journey of 3S3 miles, strang
to say, was less fatiguing than some trips of hal
the length; difference owing not so much tt
the roads or the conveyance as to the arrange
ment OF the stops and the provision made for tht
convenience of the passengers. Then after the
first hour or two we were allowed to stop in
Cornwall long enough to get an excellent break
fast, which served to supplement wretched one
for which had already paid at Montreal. In
the middle Of the day we had still longer res
pite at Kingston, and dinner worthy of the
best hotel. A third stoppage for Refreshments
was at Ooburg, where We found a very appeti-
zing supper ready, the bill of fare having beer
put in circulation long before we reached the
station, and its efforts at French technics very
wittily exposed by some of the great men on
board; for was still travelling with 'Mr. Mac
donald's party" some of whom supped with
great apparent relish, upon fricasseed frogs. Our
course throughout the day was not far from the
northern shore of Lake Ontario, and frequently
in sight of it, Toronto is itself built directly or
the lake and in very level situation, 80 that II
makes but little show at any distance. We ar
rived there in the midst of violent shower and
went, as I had been advised, to the Rossir
House, massive structure recently erected, and
among the most conspicuous buildings in the ci
ty. The interior is equally imposing from the
almost lavish waste of room in halls and pass.
ages, but not at the expense Of the chambers,
which are also large and with loftiness of ceiling
quite unparalleled in my experience of hotels
The table is excellent, The management complete
and the service we'll administered by blacks,
whose skill and manners led me to suppose that
they were selfemanoipated house-servants from
the South. To any of your friends who may be
visiting Toronto, you can safely recommend the
Rossin as one of the best houses in America
There is double dinner, to accommodate tray
ellers from the States and from the Provinces or
Mother Country. The former dine at one, the
latter at six o'clock; an interval so long that
some, as it would seem, are tempted to partake
of both against which fraudulent voracity there
was warning, and threat of extra charge on
the bill of fare As we arrived at night and in
the rain, / saw nothing of the city till the next
day, which was Sunday, and of course exhibited
the business streets in state of closure although
filed, at the hours of service, with fair show
of decently dressed church-goers. Taking shell
ter from q shower in the vestibule or lobby OF
substantial church in Queen street with hand.
some steeple, visible in all parts of the city, l
found that it was Knox's church, connected with
the Free Church of Scotland, and heard res
pectable discourse from the minister, whose
name understood to be Topp. Before the ser.
mon, which was founded upon Matt. XII, %, he
read the seventeenth of Genesis and made re-
marks enough to call the exercise an exposition,
but with nothing of the length and breadth be-
longing to q genuine old Scottish lecture. In
the afternoon | worsbipped at the English "a
thedral OF st. James, handsome Gothic struc-
ture standing in large green court or square,
and comfortably filled, not crowded, by very
genteel congregation, some of whom alighted
from their carriages The sermon was melsn-
choly one from Job xiv, l. sort of funeral dis
course upon the unexpected death OF we'll
known citizen, whose name think was Armour,
once an editor in Montreal. The blessing was
pronounced by Bishop Strachan, whom after
wards saw walking home in breeches, CATERS,
and round hat looped up at the sides. There
seemed to be no services in any of the churches
after dark, the latest opening at six O'Clock, a.
bout which time found myself before neat
stone ediice with two conical turrets, and IN
scribed, "Oooke's Church" belonging, | believe
to the Irish Presbyterians and perhaps named in
honor of the famous DR.. Cooke, of Belfast, the
liberstol of that body fiom the Arian heresy
and still its most distinguished representative
found considerable congregation here too, and
heard very sensible and fluent lecture on the
fortieth of Genesis, from young man whose
name I understood to be Craig. Another build
ing had been pointed out to me as the United
Presbyterian Church Of DR.. Jennings, 80 that
the Presbyterian body seems to be as much di
vided here as elsewhere, though beard the
preacher in the morning give notice OF meet
ing to promote their union.
In addition to the churches which have now
mentioned, 1 looked into the Catholic Cathedral
in the morning before service, large and appa
rently unfinished structure, which was gradually
filling up with Irish worshippers. The next day
when went out, found the business street
entirely transformed and quite alive with activ'
traffic. The two main streets (King and Yonge
cross each other at right angles, and are lively
well-built well.frequented thoroughfares. Th
rest of the city is laid out with equal regularity
presenting most striking contrast to quebec
which is indeed observable in almost everything
Toronto being really like one of our own lak
cities, a genuine sister of Buffalo, Cleveland ant
Chicago. 1t is also distinguished from the two
great towns of lower Canada by the absence OF
| French population and of the two classes mos
conspicuous in them-the priests and soldiers
| heard nothing but English, excepting IN SIN
ole case and that was doubtful. The momen
YOU begin to move about you feel that you ar
| in comparatively new and rapidly improving
place. Besides the appearances of trade on eve
~ hand, numerous buildings are in progress an
some newly finished, which evince not onl
wealth but taste in their projectors. In the Oh
part of the town the public buildings are sub
stantisl but not splendid. In front of one Q
these (the City HalD witnessed on the morning
of the Queens Birth Day, (Msy 24 what to m
was novel and extraordinary spectacle, dis
tribution of bread by the authorities to such
had previously procured tickets from the corP,o
ration. There were not many in the crowd wA
had the aspect of extreme destitution, and som
1 were evidently not in need of such assistance
This indeed was loudly charged on some by tn
spectators, who appeared to be delighted Wit
| the show. During its progress an insane wo
man. with her clothes fantssticaly draped abou
her walked up and down the opposite pavement
calling on any one to say what charge had bee
brouebt against either her or her home." Whi
7 was standing in the door of q fruiterers shop
surveying this strange spectacle OF somewhat os
tentatious charity-as the bread might hay
been given in private like the tickets, instead
being dealt out in public square by well-dress
ed gentlemen and squad Of five policemen u
keep order-I was accosted by negro OF forlorl
appearauce. who had obviously mistaken me TO
another person, but informed me, in reply to m,
inouiries. that he had belonged to Edward II
Dorsey. Of Alexandria, and his wife to the Rev
Mr.. Stevens, of the Eastern shore, but had beel
Hrunn by certain Quaker aboitionists. He own
ed that he had been we'll treated by his maste
and was now reduced to beggary, but disclsimet
all desire to return and loudly blessed QueeI