the population is 605,613 whites, 425,153 slaves, 34,600 free blacks. This hasty sketch I took from Morse's Geography, which lay in my room.

Richmond. The stage leaves Fredericksburg at two o'clock, A. M. and arrives at Richmond at three o'clock, P.M. I was much disappointed upon seeing Richmond -I had heard it praised for its beauty, but it far exceeded my utmost expectation. Great part of the city is spread out upon an elevation called Shockoe Hill;this part of the town overlooks the lower part, which lies upon James River. In approaching the town from Fredericksburg, you enter it on the north side, while the river is on the south: the river, however, was much smaller than I expected to find it: after leaving the lordly Potomac, James River sinks into nothing. I saw the basin, I saw the canal, and the little vessels, nothing to compare to our boats-I expected to be transported with these things, but I failed even to be pleased. In Richmond, however, much business is done-it is all alive, every thing is in motion, the streets and shops display great activity, and a profusion of goods and wares. Richmond is the seat of government of Virginia, and the largest town in the state, having 12,067 inhabitants, whereas Norfolk, the next largest, has only 8,478. Its exports amount to $8,000,000 annually.Few towns have increased so rapidly as Richmond ;—in 1783 the population was less than two thousand. People are flocking to Richmond from all parts, for commercial and other purposes. Many of the citizens of Alexandria have quit that city and come to this place, with a view of bettering their fortunes. In short, Richmond bids fair to be one of the first commercial towns in the eastern country. Its public buildings are, a state house, a penitentiary, an armory, two churcnes for Epis copalians, two for Methodists, one for Presbyterians, one for Baptists, one for Friends, and one for Jewstwo banks, four printing offices, and a post office.

Amongst other disappointments, to me the capitol was one: it was not half so large or splendid as I had anticipated; but some of the private buildings are superb.

Richmond is celebrated for its hospitality, but of this I had no opportunity to judge; I saw very little of itindeed, I should give it quite a contrary character; nor did I find it so refined as it is represented. It would be unfair, however, for me to say any thing positively on this head, as the few days I tarried there were principally I spent in my room. I saw but one of the nabobs, Dr. T. He was a man of vulgar manners, with his "yes mawm,' and" no mawm." If this be a specimen of the refinement of Richmond, they have great room to improve. A servant (I mean a genteel one) in the western states, would have spoken with more propriety. Here too you have the "paw and maw," (pa and ma,) and "tote," with a long train of their kindred. I happened to see a turn-out of the volunteer companies of Richmond, while there. They were much better looking men than those of Alexandria; they were stout, and had a martial appearance. Their music was exquisite, and their uniform gay and splendid. But even these lack a great deal, in point of size and manly appearance, compared to our heroes of the west. The men of Richmond are very much burnt with the sun, though the ladies are fair, have beautiful features, fine figures, and much vivacity of countenance. The men have more expression than those more northerly.

History. The land where Richmond now stands was originally owned by a man whose name was Sherror. His grand-daughter, Mrs. Doctor Dow, is now living in Richmond; she states that he was a German by birth. No vessel of any size can come to Richmond; the large vessels stop at City Point, about twenty miles below the city. Richmond is an incorporated town.

Much interest is excited in this place, as well as all others where I have been since I crossed the Blue Ridge, respecting the approaching election of President. It is amusing enough to observe the straits into which each party is driven. It is impossible to learn the truth, either from the parties or the papers. It must be a matter of serious grief to all lovers of their country, to witness the low means by which electioneering is conduct

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ed, particularly in this country, where the lower order of the people are so grossly ignorant that they are incapable of judging for themselves. They are mere tools in the hands of designing sycophants, who practice on their credulity in the most shameful and barefaced manner. The following anecdotes may give an idea of that duplicity resorted to in this part of the Union. On my way to the east, between Winchester and Alexandria, for the sake of amusement, (no other person being in the stage,) I entered into conversation with the dri "and who do the people speak of for President in this part of the country?" said I; "why Crawford, to be sure," said the man, "he is sure to be our next President;"" are there no other candidates?" 66 why yes, he believed there was, but he could not think of their names;" "have you never heard of Adams, Jackson, Calhoun, &c.; have they no supporters in this country;" "no, d-n such men as Adams and Jackson, any man that would vote for them ought to be hung; do you think we would vote for a murderer ?" "and which of those men is the murderer, my friend? I never heard of it before" "why Jackson" "and where did he commit the murder? and whom did he kill?" "he did 'nt know who he did kill, or where it was done, but he was tried for his life at Washington city!" "ah!" said I, in affected astonishment, "and was he acquitted ?""yes, I suppose he was acquitted then;"" and what then, is he to have another trial;" "he could not tell how they managed it;" can you not tell where he killed the man ?" "the man," said the driver" he killed three or four men out somewhere where he lives, and he was brought here for trial;" "must be some mistake in this friend; ifhe committed the murder in that part of the country at all, he could not by our laws be brought here for trial, every state claims the right secured to them by the Constitution, of exercising exclusive privileges in disposing of their citizens. For instance, if you were to kill a man in this state, you could not by our laws, be tried for it in another; so from this view of the matter there must be some mistake;" no mistake at all;" he did not know where the murder was committed, but this muchhe was

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certain, Jackson took his trial in Washington, and was within a hair's breadth of being hung; "you must be for Jackson," said he, " but before he should be President ́ I'd kill him, if there was no other man in the world; no no, we want no murderer for our President;' you appear to be a man of courage," said I," by your manner of speaking; where were you when the British captured Washington, and exandria?" This seemed to check his mettle; he was at a loss what to answer; in short, it cost me a long argument and much address to convince this poor ignorant man how much he had been imposed on. In doing this, however, in the first place, I had to demonstrate what was true, that I was no ways interested in the election. He had been made to believe that Adams was the same that passed the alien and sedition law; and that Clay was a gambler. After an absence of some years from my old neighborhood in West Virginia, upon my return, I inquired of an old friend of the Jeffersonian class, how politics stood in that country; "you must by this time have your eye on some one for the Presidency ;" this was in 1822. He replied "that Crawford was the favorite candidate of Virginia ;"" and who opposes him," I said; he seemed astonished at the question, as it implied a total indifference on that subject, which grows more warm as you approach more near the seat of government; and but for want of courage, would bring the parties by the ears. informed him of the truth, that nothing had been expressed on the subject in the country from whence I came, that the people there never meddled with politics, being all of one mind, and were wholly engrossed by other objects. He seemed thunderstruck at the news, and asked whom I preferred; I told him I did not know who were the candidates, and that I was perfectly uninterested since parties were done away. That I had heard John Q. Adams spoken of as a very proper person to succeed Monroe ; "oh we will not have him," said my friend, "we are doing every thing in our power for Crawford; he mentioned Calhoun and Clay, and observed that some spoke of Gen. Jackson, but he thought the old fellow was over fond of fighting. I replied (with

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out ever having heard the General mentioned as a candidate,) that " I thought he was the very man, and that had he been President the last war the British would not have captured the seat of government; are all these firm republicans," I asked, "that you have mentioned;" "yes," he answered; "and what difference does it make which of them is President, provided their abilities and virtues are equal;" "ah," but sa he, "don't you know Crawford is a Virginian, although he lives in Georgia ;""well, what of that, you have furnished Presidents long enough;" "softly my dear friend, don't you know that the President has many lucrative offices at his disposal; don't you know that he has all the appointments, officers of the navy, army, &c. in his gift." It may be easily imagined how much I was hurt at this declaration of my friend. It showed his principles in the clearest light. In other respects he was a correct upright man; had been a member of Congress, and was esteemed for his republican principles. I was much shocked at this palpable want of probity and patriotism, which went far enough to show that no matter what party rules, or what the form of government, corruption, that noxious weed, will spring up in all civil compacts. This misfortune may be deplored, but no provision can secure us from the evil, whilst the fabric of government is composed of frail man; he cannot resist the temptation to enrich himself, though at the expense of patriotism and moral obligation. This is the rock upon which the ark of American liberty is to be wrecked some day; so be it: what is to be, will be. When men of the first talents and information, as we find many of these party leaders, descend so low, so far beneath the character of gentlemen, as to aid in blinding and misleading the honest and unsuspecting yeoman of his country, by fashioning him into a tool to vote as they please, to help a set of needy unprincipled men into office, it is time for the people to think for themselves no matter what party rules, office seems to be the watchword of the old states. As I have once observed, it is ludicrous enough to see the difficulties into which the parties are plunged, particularly when it hap