Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-11-18
An Englishmsn's Impression of the Far W..

An Englishmsn's Impression Of the Far Ws.,
large and select audience assembled -.
the Mercantile Library Hail. last eyrnIu, ~
hear the lecture announced To be delilerrJ hr
Sir Grantley Berkeley, on the subject d, En-:
lsh impressions OF the manners, cu.,.,n7
and sports of the Far West. Tie lc.,n~..
was introduced precisely at eight o'rInrk
Several Of his hunting dogs we're brouybt
on the stage, and remained beside tbs
speaker.
The distinguished lecturer spoke about an.
hour, and has graceful and distinct dr;y.
~. His remarks were humorous aud .oma.
what tlnged with ilattery towards this conn.
try. Indeed, We fancy that our EnpIi,b
friend must have visited Ireland en- rouIr "a
the United States, aud stayed there sufficient.
ly long to have licked the barney stone cnn.
siderably, to attain the ability Of insinua,lp,
praise so cautiously and ingeniously as thu
which ran through the whole vein ami spiyt
OF last evenings lecture.
He paid q high tribute to the noble doc
and quoted Byron's epitaph upon a faithful
Newfoundland. Believing this was 4 conn.
try where no standing army was kept up i.
WAS much surprised upon meeting on a sin.
gle platform, four captains, eight colonies. and
eleven malors-a proneness 10 titles utterly
unheard of before. If disappointed painfully
in this, he was disappointed agreeabIy IN IN,
observations on board the Western steam.
boats. where he saw the captains On duty
constantly, everything working ike click
work, the tables Clearly spread, and order
and decorum observed in eatiug-all con.
trary to the generally received impressions IN
England.
Sir Grantley related some funny stories he
had heard of the buffalo before leaving home
which caused considerable amusement 10 The
audience, but his experience would enable
him, on returning home. 10 laugh the hear.
tier, ana expose reader those stories told SO
seriously
Upon his arrival in Kansas CITY, in this
State, he was reserved with great JUNCTION hy
several citizens, one OF them, II Doctor. who
insisted on going with him on his Western
journey, US lie had previously saved the lives
of at least fifty English lords, in the Rocky
Mountains-lords who had titles never he.
fore heard of. Another was little wiry
sort Of fellow, who expectoratcd continu.
ally, and with great accuracy Of ann. A
little black vnlise, with shining kcy.holc
lay beside him on the floor, and as the little
man proceeded with his speech Of welcome,
he aimed his tobacco juice with perfect skill
ut the key-hole-he never missed 1t once
Perhaps" said Sir Grantley, my yal>eis
in your way" Not at al" said the other,
and, as if to prove it, another discharge Of
the tobacco juice found its way to the place
Of the previous deposits. Now, continued
the lecturer, if this incident had been con.
strued, as some English tourists have con-
strued other incidents, all England would
have been told that in the United States the
| people all chewed tobacco, and spit at key
holes. The use of tobacco, however, was
condemned, and he advised ladies', II they
could not stop their lords from using it. To
throw of the crinoline, and adopt the bloom
er costume for street wear Three things
seemed to 20 ahead together in this country
man, whiskey, and tpbacco-though he
didn't know but that crinoine went quite as
far-as he had been told that -quaw felt
herself dressed without it. We fear our
English friend has been slightly sold by tins
story-it is a stretch Of the truth.
The serious attention Of the audience was
called to the subject Of duelling as practscd
in this country Here he regarded It aS no
obligation whatever upon society to maintain
honor by fighting duel. In ninety-nine
cases in hundred, the shedding of blood was
not only unnecessary, but criminal. when
two gentlemen quarrel, one must be more
wrong than the other: both cannot be right.
Now, in England, these matters were refer
red to seconds, and left wholly in their hands
the principles abiding by their decision,
whatever it might be. When arms were re-
sorted to, and one Of the parties was expert
enced, and the other WAS not. no aim was
allowed, and swords left out Of Impractical
hands. In brief, no advantage Of weapons
was allowed, and no such thing as removing
watches and coin, dreamed Of 1t WAS even
there perniciuus practice here highly rep
rehensible.
Sir Grantley closed with tribute 10 the
genius and enterprise of the United States
and the city Of ST. Louis. The latter he re-
garded rs one Of the greatest signs OF the
countrys prosperity, and had no doubt that
when he came here again, as he intended, he
would see twice six thousand buildings IN
progress of erection, rs he had been informed
there were now that number Nothing could
stay our onward progress "a nation, but
some rash act Of our own. and he wished
that love and harmony would ever be cher
ished and cultivated as the choicest OF ma
tional blessings.-,S. Louis Dem.