Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-12-17
~chAAi4sj' Gaa So in A%srisie: Ain;rt {

Charles MackAy, the ENglssh poet and Ht6r-
0tSur, thus mOEaiiSss in bic recently publish
cd American Tour upon what be calls .
distinguished habit prevalent In this coun-
try" Describing his Journey from SoUth Car
Olina to Virginia, during the month Of March.
he says! g. a.!c = ~' .ui. f'.r7 sri
Behind Tho stove, on the sidos Of the rail.
way car, was the following inscription :".Glr:
tleMtn are reqWested not to spit on. the stoef,"
And here, as weH as aay other point OF HIS
Journey, let European, uhaccuUtomed tQtA
OdiouE practice of tUbaccDschswiug, and Iitx
concomitant and still more odiops practice Of
splitting, so disgustingly prevalentin the South.
crn and Western 6tates, md to 4 minor *.
tent IN the Northern, bisbUfdcn himself !hP0n
the snbjsct and have ldQns with HI BsfoF6
witnessing the extent and ,prsHAlepcp Of this
tiIthiHess; Imagined that Tie accounts 6vem
by preceding travellers were txRkgerttioKS aid
caricatureS, intended to raise an Nl.natpred
laugh but Observation speedily coisSitleedmc
that all had previously read upon the ua6-
jGct Cell short pf the truth, aud that it would
be difficult 10 cxaggerate the extent of tho
vice, aud the call6usness with which Il iH re-
gardCd even by people Of education and letliie-
ment. AmericaAs who have. travelled IN b.
rope do not seem annoyed that strane eers shoAd
take notice Of the practice and be offended ~
1t, but custom so dulls even their peTceptie1
Of its CtFensiveMess that they consider the ikdit
finders a. somewhat squeaIhish and 0vetaseT-
sitive. ,-t.s,.h Ea9 T.. s.l;.i .!..id 9fi
Once, at Washington, / found myaelf the
ccnlre Of q group Of Members Of Congress-.
two of whom were among the most EXPERT
Spittcrs OwAs going 10 wtito expectCEat6tA,
but the word Is not strong onough, whOtnItt
was ever my fortune, to meet With, when the
conversation turned upon the military pg0wSas
and skill Of several gentlemen who had distln.
gulshed themselves IN the Mexican war Il vida
suddenly asked By one Of thenS-+whO cleared
his mouth for the purpose, of m0st ports0-
tious flood Of tobacco juice5--who, in my Aplp-,
ion, and Ia that Of EngTishmen who studied
American politics, WaR the greatest Reiief2l III
che Uniteas Stats ssTAs reply wIaGu Glemetxl
Spit "Well," said 'thelD elDsaaAopt I" ticalculate
you are about right; IND though You, 90 Bit.
isheF. may sAy q. feH6uAai Ttivibe S6u isBt to
put thp observation iAAs psii3, ID sSssopOf cot
citizens might take itas personal = On another,
occaeiOn, an eminent lawyer, EhS hAd Allsd
some Of the highest oinces of The State; man
to whom ancient and modern literature GCtNSI
equally familiar, VINO hid studied EmubeaR
a. well rs American politics; ;Wt6SS i1ihH u etS.
I'd to haRe run slrOugA the whole 6Res5q4
human kNpWlNdge, 81 anao Who eoula nOdVAsuN
spoke tho tobacco Juice oossd out 81 In -, ~.
ners Of his mouth and ran dow q upon his sl,irf,
front and waistcoAt took b hfk6 cake 6f ttEdcs
co from his eide pocket end o0AFSd metwNe@ty
The cake, should think, weighed about half
. pound / aakSd II he he'd ever ellS6g6led
how many gallons Cf ppit such calCi yyDSsa
seUted Well" be, said lputtipg ,tAaseshG
back again into his pocket Ut Is 4 di9usfine
habit I quite tgfe0 with you. / hRx4 ~ mae
several attempts % NVeAk myself NR ~ TAatfN
vain. canNOt thinksf work without aVhkssv
and, Atho9gh knew ik Injuries mN sApmaek
and is 10 other reapects badqor me. lam tha
slave of the habit, GnH viii. fear, 6e S6 u thss
end OF my dAys"'l in-r5S''T7vNf. va 'ssi''f
Even In the presence Of -lAdisG, the chexptS
and SpiltesS % noe felShtt khe IA aiSS SSehiA II.
nOse, &c cot quite, aRla11 0rtut % kAs pricsicS
- the other, aex. n,skheatef1l Apds lecture
rooms are constantly to be eesN inscriptians
requesting gentlemen not to spit N the boxes
or on the stovest and IN an places o. PHblic
resort the spittO0n is an iAsaviable article of
furniture. Spitto0Os garnish tho matblSsesp6
Of the Capitol ct Washington; sRittOoue arAlAs
oil the reading rooms. bars, lobbiea, and otfces
Of the hOtes; spittOOps in sveEy Eailreaa ,Mr3
and in the halls Of every State LcRiolature.
which IhAve visited. The ParIiameutSsy SIT.
tocNs seemed to be as Indispensable Is VhS
desks and bsneheA Of tie membessk lethS
American Eagle we're rspresenGeIlaa holaiaeim
his or her claw spittOOn, instead Of lha tipn.
bolt OF Joye, the change might not BE- U1cefnl
or poetical, but would certainly not bS yI.Sb..
prOpriate. But cnough on this sdhlUCkf hsck
I would have gladly omitted 10 VAeAklenifSE
had not hoped, as do, that the copcrerontAear
timony Of all travellers will ultimately tFoducs
some effect and that sooner t0r lateHS Seakleuen
addicted to this form Of ,intempeSNpce- FIR
there are many gentlemen among thS;Is- VIII
be shamed oot ct hAbit 70 l0AthsTsad % a00lt
and % Prejudieiaa = che health, 6Odl asi i3tlh
Is mental Of ell wAo indulge n It, d bssees