Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

a market-house, and a theatre. From the centre of the city, where the state-house stands, the streets diverge in every direction, like radii; and most part of the buildings are arranged according to this awkward plan.

The city of Baltimore is situated on the north side of the Patapsco river, on a branch called the Bason, fifteen miles from Chesapeak bay, and 160 from the Atlantic ocean. No other town in the United States, except New Orleans, has made so rapid a progress in wealth and population as Baltimore. At the commencement of the war, in 1775, it was but an inconsiderable village; but such has been the astonishing rapidity of its growth, that it is now the third commercial city in the Union. The plan of the town is somewhat similar to that of Philadelphia, most of the streets crossing each other at right angles. The main street, which runs nearly east and west, is about eighty feet wide; the others are from forty to sixty feet: the houses are generally built of brick, and many of them very elegant. The principal public buildings are a courthouse, a jail, three market-houses, a work-house, an exchange, a theatre, an observatory, assembly rooms, library, and eighteen places for worship, belonging to Roman catholics, German Calvinists and Lutherans, episcopalians, presbyterians, baptists, methodists, quakers, Swedenborgians, Nicolites, or new quakers, and unitarians. The last-named sect have just erected (1819) a most superb church, which for external elegance and internal beauty far exceeds any similar edifice in the United States. Baltimore is divided into the town and Fell's Point by a creek, over which are two bridges; at this place wharfs have been built, along side which vessels of 600 tons burden can lie with perfect safety. Numbers of persons have been induced to settle on this Point on account of the shipping; and regular streets have been laid out, with a large market-place. But though these buildings, generally speaking, are considered as part of Baltimore; yet they are a mile distant from the other part of the town. The whole city exhibits a very handsome appearance; and the adjoining country abounds in villas, gardens, and well-cultivated fields: towards the north and east, the land rises, and presents a noble view of the town and bay.

This city, from its fine situation, must naturally continue to rise into great importance; and being forty-eight miles nearer to Pittsburgh than Philadelphia, will always be a great thoroughfare for people passing into the western country. The inhabitants of Maryland seem aware of this, and to secure a preference, are acting with a laudable

zeal in making good roads; and the great national turnpike which is now constructing between Cumberland, 148 miles above Baltimore, and Wheeling, on the river Ohio, fifty-eight miles by land, and 100 by water below Pittsburgh, will be a powerful means of causing the great tide of emigration from Europe to the western states to pass through Baltimore. The inhabitants of this city are collected from most parts of Europe; but the English, Irish, Scotch, and French greatly predominate. Of these the Irish appear to be the most numerous; and many of the principal merchants of the town are in the number. With a few exceptious, the citizens are all engaged in trade, which is closely attended to; their main object (in which, indeed, they are far from being singular) seems to be to make their fortunes in this world. They are mostly plain, sociable people, maintaining a kind and improving intercourse with each other, and are very friendly and hospitable to strangers. Baltimore is 39 miles distant from Washington, 100 miles from Philadelphia, 191 from New York, 423 from Boston, 228 from Pittsburgh, 584 from Charleston, 540 from Lexington, 436 from Chilicothe, 928 (by the Ohio) from Louisville, and 1224 from New Orleans. North lat. 39° 21'.

Fredericktown is situated forty-two miles from Baltimore, on the Pittsburgh road, and is a flourishing place, carrying on considerable manufactures, and a brisk inland trade through a fertile and well-cultivated country. It contains a court-house, academy, market-house, jail, and seven places of public worship for German Lutherans, Calvinists, presbyterians, baptists, and methodists. The arsenal of the state of Maryland is placed here, the situ ation being secure and central.

Elizabethtown (formerly Hagerstown) is situated beyond the first range of mountains, in a fertile valley, and carries on a considerable trade with the western country, The houses are principally built of brick and stone, and there are several streets regularly and handsomely laid out. The episcopalians, presbyterians, and German Lutherans have each a church. The court-house, and market-house are handsome buildings, and the jail is of stone, substantial and well built.

Elkton is seated at the head of Chesapeak bay, thirteen miles from the mouth of Elk river, and fifty-six northeast of Baltimore. The tide flows up to the town, and it enjoys great advantages from the carrying trade; upwards of 300,000 bushels of wheat being collected here annually, for supplying the markets of Philadelphia and

Baltimore, or the neighbouring mills. Elkton consists chielly of one street, in which are about 100 houses, a court-house, academy, and jail. Besides these, there are a great number of small towns and villages, containing from 100 to 1,000 inhabitants; but none of them are of sufficient importance to require a particular description.

The Roman catholics, who were the first settlers, are the most numerous religious sect in Maryland. There are also episcopalians, English, Scotch, and Irish presbyterians, German Calvinists, and Lutherans, quakers, baptists, methodists, mennonists, Nicolites, and unitarians. All these sects live together in friendship and good will; worshipping God according to the rites of their respective churches, and agreeably to the dictates of their own consciences, without disputing or interfering concerning each others religious opinions.

The inhabitants of this state, except in the towns and villages, live on their plantations, often several miles distant from each other; you therefore observe little of that cheerfulness of look and action which is the offspring of social intercourse. As the negroes perform all the manual labour, their masters are left to saunter away life in sloth, and too often in ignorance; and there is apparently a disconsolate wildness in their countenances, and an indolence in their whole behaviour, which are evidently the effects of solitude, and of the existence of slavery. Notwithstanding these observations, which a regard to truth imperiously demand, yet national advancement have kept pace with the prosperity and wealth of the people; and the rising towns, cultivated farms, bridges and roads, are all so many proofs that the citizens of Maryland are not behind their brethren in public spirit and general improvement. Considerable funds are appropriated to the support of education; there are five colleges, and a number of very respectable academies in the state, and common schools are established in every county.

Trade, manufactures, and agriculture.-In point of foreign trade this state ranks the fourth in the Union, and as the greater part of it centres in Baltimore, it must necessarily add greatly to its wealth and importance. A great portion of the export trade is flour, much of which is received from the state of Pennsylvania; and the citizens have a brisk trade in importing and reshipping foreign articles, particularly West India produce, rum, sugar, and

coffee. To Europe and the West Indies they export tobacco to a great amount; besides large quantities of wheat, pig iron, lumber, beans, and flax-seed. The total foreign exports for the year 1817 amounted in value to 3,046,046 dollars; and to the other states, to 5,887,884 dollars. The principal part of the imports are manu factured goods from Britain, and having to supply the demand of an immense back country, this is an increasing trade.

It has been already stated, that mines of iron are numerous in this state. Furnaces for running this ore into pigs and hollow ware, and forges to refine pig iron into bars, have been erected in a number of places in the neighbourhood of the mines. The iron is of a remarkably tough quality, and the utensils made of it, as pots, kettles, &c. though cast much thinner than is usual in England, will admit of being pitched into carts, and thrown about, without any danger of being broken. The forges and furnaces are all worked by negroes, who seem to be par ticularly suited to such an occupation, not only on account of their sable complexions, but because they can sustain a much greater degree of heat than white persons, without any inconvenience. In the hottest days in summer they are never without fires in their huts. In addition to the iron manufacture, the following are carried on to a considerable extent, viz. ships, cordage, paper, saddlery, boots and shoes, hats, wool and cotton cards; and an immense quantity of wheat made into flour for exportation.

This is the first state in which there is a material difference of agriculture from the northern states; still, however, the staple crop is wheat; but they raise a considerable quantity of tobacco, and some cotton, though the latter is not an article of export. All the other grains, grasses, and roots that grow in the states to the eastward, flourish here; and the sweet potatoe, a root belonging to a warm climate, comes to considerable maturity,

Constitution. The civil government of this state is rested in a governor, senate, and house of delegates, all chosen annually. The senators are elected in the following manner: on the first of September every fifth year, the freemen choose two men in each county to be electors of the senate, and one elector for Annapolis and and ther for Baltimore. The efectors must have the qualifications

necessary for county delegates. They meet at Annapolis on the third Monday in September, and elect by ballot fifteen senators out of their own body, or from the people at large. Nine of these must be residents on the western shore, and six on the eastern; they must be more than twenty-five years of age, must have resided in the state more than three years next preceding the election, and have real and personal property above the value of £1,000. In case of death, resignation, or inability of any senator, during the five years for which he is elected, the vacancy is filled by the senate. The senate choose their president by ballot. The house of delegates is composed of four members from each county, chosen annually in October; Annapolis and Baltimore send each two delegates. The qualifications of a delegate are, full age, one year's residence in the county where he is chosen, and real or personal property above the value of £500. The election of senators and delegates is viva voce, and sheriffs the returning officers, except in Baltimore town, where the commissioners superintend the elections and make the returns. Every free white male citizen of the state, above twenty-one years of age, having resided twelve months in the election district, next before the time of the election, may vote for delegates to the general assembly and electors of the senate. On the second Monday in November, annually, a governor is appointed by the joint ballot of both houses, taken in each house respectively, and deposited in a conference room, where the boxes are examined by a joint committee of both houses, and the number of votes severally reported. The governor cannot continue in office more than three years successively, nor be elected until the expiration of four years after he has been out of office. The qualifications for the chief magistracy are, twenty-five years of age, five years residence in the state, next preceding the election, and real and personal estate above the value of £5,000, one-fifth of which must be freehold estate. On the second Tuesday of November, annually, the senators and delegates elect, by joint ballot, five able discreet men, above twentyfive years of age, residents in the state three years next preceding the election, and possessing a freehold of lands and tenements above the value of £1,000, to be a council for assisting the governor in the duties of his office. Senators, delegates, and members of council, while such, can hold no other office of profit, nor receive the profits of any office held by another. Ministers of the gospel are excluded from civil offices.

« AnteriorContinuar »