north america-1-第93章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
through New York to Philadelphia； and made a short visit to the latter town。 Philadelphia seems to me to have thrown off its Quaker garb； and to present itself to the world in the garments ordinarily assumed by large citiesby which I intend to express my opinion that the Philadelphians are not； in these latter days； any better than their neighbors。 I am not sure whether in some respects they may not perhaps be worse。 QuakersQuakers absolutely in the very flesh of close bonnets and brown knee… breechesare still to be seen there； but they are not numerous； and would not strike the eye if one did not specially look for a Quaker at Philadelphia。 It is a large town； with a very large hotelthere are no doubt half a dozen large hotels； but one of them is specially greatwith long； straight streets； good shops and markets； and decent； comfortable…looking houses。 The houses of Philadelphia generally are not so large as those of other great cities in the States。 They are more modest than those of New York； and less commodious than those of Boston。 Their most striking appendage is the marble steps at the front doors。 Two doors； as a rule； enjoy one set of steps； on the outer edges of which there is generally no parapet or raised curb…stone。 This； to my eye； gave the houses an unfinished appearanceas though the marble ran short； and no further expenditure could be made。 The frost came when I was there； and then all these steps were covered up in wooden cases。 The City of Philadelphia lies between the two rivers； the Delaware and the Schuylkill。 Eight chief streets run from river to river； and twenty…four principal cross…streets bisect the eight at right angles。 The cross…streets are all called by their numbers。 In the long streets the numbers of the houses are not consecutive； but follow the numbers of the cross…streets； so that a person living on Chestnut Street between Tenth Street and Eleventh Street； and ten doors from Tenth Street； would live at No。 1010。 The opposite house would be No。 1011。 It thus follows that the number of the house indicates the exact block of houses in which it is situated。 I do not like the right…angled building of these towns； nor do I like the sound of Twentieth Street and Thirtieth Street； but I must acknowledge that the arrangement in Philadelphia has its convenience。 In New York I found it by no means an easy thing to arrive at the desired locality。 They boast in Philadelphia that they have half a million inhabitants。 If this be taken as a true calculation； Philadelphia is in size the fourth city in the worldputting out of the question the cities of China； as to which we have heard so much and believe so little。 But in making this calculation the citizens include the population of a district on some sides ten miles distant from Philadelphia。 It takes in other towns； connected with it by railway but separated by large spaces of open country。 American cities are very proud of their population； but if they all counted in this way； there would soon be no rural population left at all。 There is a very fine bank at Philadelphia； and Philadelphia is a town somewhat celebrated in its banking history。 My remarks here； however； apply simply to the external building； and not to its internal honesty and wisdom； or to its commercial credit。 In Philadelphia also stands the old house of Congressthe house in which the Congress of the United States was held previous to 1800； when the government and the Congress with it were moved to the new City of Washington。 I believe； however； that the first Congress； properly so called； was assembled at New York in 1789； the date of the inauguration of the first President。 It was； however； here in this building at Philadelphia that the independence of the Union was declared in 1776； and that the Constitution of the United States was framed。 Pennsylvania； with Philadelphia for its capital； was once the leading State of the Union； leading by a long distance。 At the end of the last century it beat all the other States in population； but has since been surpassed by New York in all respectsin population； commerce； wealth； and general activity。 Of course it is known that Pennsylvania was granted to William Penn； the Quaker； by Charles II。 I cannot completely understand what was the meaning of such grantshow far they implied absolute possession in the territory； or how far they confirmed simply the power of settling and governing a colony。 In this case a very considerable property was confirmed； as the claim made by Penn's children； after Penn's death； was bought up by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania for 130；000l。； which； in those days； was a large price for almost any landed estate on the other side of the Atlantic。 Pennsylvania lies directly on the borders of slave land； being immediately north of Maryland。 Mason and Dixon's line； of which we hear so often； and which was first established as the division between slave soil and free soil； runs between Pennsylvania and Maryland。 The little State of Delaware； which lies between Maryland and the Atlantic； is also tainted with slavery； but the stain is not heavy nor indelible。 In a population of a hundred and twelve thousand； there are not two thousand slaves； and of these the owners generally would willingly rid themselves if they could。 It is； however； a point of honor with these owners； as it is also in Maryland； not to sell their slaves； and a man who cannot sell his slaves must keep them。 Were he to enfranchise them and send them about their business； they would come back upon his hands。 Were he to enfranchise them and pay them wages for work； they would get the wages； but he would not get the work。 They would get the wages； but at the end of three months they would still fall back upon his hands in debt and distress； looking to him for aid and comfort as a child looks for it。 It is not easy to get rid of a slave in a slave State。 That question of enfranchising slaves is not one to be very readily solved。 In Pennsylvania the right of voting is confined to free white men。 In New York the colored free men have the right to vote； providing they have a certain small property qualification； and have been citizens for three years in the State； whereas a white man need have been a citizen but for ten days； and need have no property qualificationfrom which it is seen that the position of the negro becomes worse； or less like that of a white man； as the border of slave land is more nearly reached。 But； in the teeth of this embargo on colored men； the constitution of Pennsylvania asserts broadly that all men are born equally free and independent。 One cannot conceive how two clauses can have found their way into the same document so absolutely contradictory to each other。 The first clause says that white men shall vote； and that black men shall notwhich means that all political action shall be confined to white men。 The second clause says that all men are born equally free and independent。 In Philadelphia I for the first time came across live secessionistssecessionists who pronounced themselves to be such。 I will not say that I had met in other cities men who falsely declared themselves true to the Union； but I had fancied； in regard to some； that their words were a little stronger than their feelings。 When a man's breadand； much more； when the bread of his wife and childrendepends on his professing a certain line of political conviction； it is very hard for him to deny his assent to the truth of the argument。 One feels that a man； under such circumstances； is bound to be convinced； unless he be in a position which may make a stanch adherence to opposite politics a matter of grave public importance。 In the North I had fancied that I could sometimes read a secessionist tendency under a cloud of Unionist protestations。 But in Philadelphia men did not seem to think it necessary to have recourse to such a cloud。 I generally found； in mixed society； that even there the discussion of secession was not permitted； but in society that was not mixed I heard very strong opinions expressed on each side。 With the Unionists nothing was so strong as the necessity of keeping of Slidell and Mason； when I suggested that the English
