that they believe the object of the Society to be the perpetuation of slavery.

This is not the only misconception they entertain of its views; some of them think it is intended to decoy them to sea, and then to sell them to the Spanish colonies; and others, that they are to be made slaves in Africa.

Others again, who believe in the benevolent intentions of the Society, are unwilling to exchange a tolerable degree of present comfort for remote and contingent advantages, especially as there is a prevalent idea among them, that they may be considered intruders in Africa by their negro brethren, I have talked with some of them on the subject; and while I was with Judge Washington, some of his black people were asking my servant what was his opinion of the scheme, and whether it was intended to compel them to go. The Judge informed me, however, that more were desirous to go than could be accommodated; and if experience shall prove the change to be a happy one, I have no doubt this misconception of their brethren will quickly vanish.

Letter ELE.

Charleston, North Carolina, Feb. 19th, 1820.

The celebrated Missouri question continued the great subject of discussion, both in and out of Congress, as long as I remained at Washington. The debates, both on the constitutional difficulties involved in the question, and on the expediency of the proposed restrictions, were very interesting; the former, as developing the spirit of the constitution, and requiring a constant reference to the original principles of the confederation; the latter, as exhibiting the views of the most enlightened men in the country with regard to the probable effects of the admission of slavery into Missouri.

I left Washington on the 24th ult. proceeding only to Alexandria, six miles distant, where I slept, and where I had been not a little surprised to meet Joseph Lancaster a few days before, I set off the next morning at three o'clock, in what is called the mail-stage, the only public conveyance to the southward, and a wretched contrast to the excellent coaches

in the north. It is a covered waggon, open at the front, with four horses; and although it was intensely cold, I was obliged to take my seat by the driver, in order to secure a view of the country during the remainder of the day. The road lay across woody labyrinths, through which the driver seemed to wind by instinct; and we often jolted into brooks which were scarcely fordable. Leaving Mount Vernon, which I had previously visited, to our left, we reached Occoquan, twenty-three miles, to breakfast. Occoquan is romantically situated on a river of the same name, which winds below masses of rock, which my companion compared to those of the Hot-wells at Clifton, but they did not appear to me to be so high. We then proceeded by Neapsco, Dumfries, the Wappomansie River, Acquia, Stafford, and Falmouth, to Fredericksburgh, a small town on the Rappahannock, which we crossed by moonlight. Our journey this day was fifty miles in sixteen hours. The next morning, at three o'clock, we left Fredericksburgh, and passing the Bowling Green, Hanover Court-house, and the Oaks, reached Richmond at seven o'clock, sixty-six miles in seventeen hours. At Hanover Courthouse, at least 150 horses were standing fast-· ened to the trees, all the stables being full, as

it was a court day. This gave me a good opportunity of examining the Virginia horses, which appear to deserve their reputation.

On

After we left Alexandria, the country assumed an aspect very different from any which I had before seen. For miles together the road runs through woods of pine, intermingled with oak and cedar; the track sometimes contracting within such narrow limits that the vehicle rubs against the trees; at others expanding to the width of a London turnpike-road, yet so beset with stumps of trees that it requires no common skill to effect a secure passage. emerging, at intervals, from forests which you have begun to fear may prove interminable, the eye wanders over an extensive country, thickly wooded, and varied with hill and dale; and the monotony of the road is further relieved by precipitous descents into romantic creeks, or small valleys, which afford a passage to the little rivers hastening to the Atlantic. Every ten or fifteen miles you come either to a little village, composed of a few frame houses, with an extensive substantial house, whose respectable appearance, rather than any sign, demonstrates it to be a tavern, (as the inns are called,) or to a single house appropriated to that purpose, and standing alone

in the woods. At these taverns you are accosted, often with an easy civility, sometimes with a repulsive frigidity, by a landlord who appears perfectly indifferent whether or not you take any thing for the good of the house. If, however, you intimate an intention to take some refreshment, a most plentiful repast is, in due time, set before you, consisting of beefsteaks, fowls, turkies, ham, partridges, eggs, and if near the coast, fish and oysters, with a great variety of hot bread, both of wheat flour and Indian-corn, the latter of which is prepared in many ways, and is very good. The landlord usually comes in to converse with you, and to make one of the party; and as one cannot have a private room, I do not find his company disagreeable. He is, in general, well informed and well behaved, and the independence of manner which has often been remarked upon, I rather like than otherwise, when it is not assumed or obtrusive, but appears to arise naturally from easy circumstances, and a consciousness that, both with respect to situation and intelligence, he is at least on a level with the generality of his visitors. At first I was a little surprised, on enquiring where the stage stopped to breakfast, to be told, at Major Todd's ;-to dine? At