s the news forty miles in a
second. This is a good line of single rails, which they all are. At
Baltimore we took steam up the Pennsylvanian states to Frenchtown--about
sixty miles; and thence rail twenty miles to Newcastle; thence steam up
the Delaware to Philadelphia; thence rail to Amboy, through Burlington,
Bordingtown, and Hidestown. Amboy is only five miles from the Atlantic,
where we came in from England. We came up Staten Island Sound, with New
Jersey on the left, and passed Elizabeth Port and Payrosville, and saw
Newark and the Pacific river about eight miles in the distance: then
passed the Narrows, Governor's Island, Ellis and Gibbet Islands, and
arrived at the Battery at seven, after travelling 400 miles in
twenty-seven hours. Received my letters at the Astor, and was pleased
with their news: retired to rest very tired, after my companion had read
two chapters in the Bible to me, which has been our custom since we
came together.

I have now seen enough of the independent states of America to convince
me that Henry Clay is the proper man for President. The whole tenor of
his life has been for his country's good. He feels the moral degradation
the states of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, and Mississippi have
brought upon his country by repudiation; and he would, if returned,
advocate appropriating the waste lands to paying their debts. He would
also _veto_ annexing Texas and the Oregon territory, and by such means
keep the southern and northern states from collision. My humble opinion
is, if the southern states get hold of Texas, as their interests are
diametrically opposed to the interests of the North, all they require is
a little more strength to set about a separation.

_Saturday_ morning.--Rose dissatisfied with the Astor, they having
placed us four stories high to sleep. Called upon several friends in the
course of the day. Nothing particular in view. In the evening visited
the Chatham Theatre, a regular Yankee place, to see the original Mr.
Rice perform a burlesque _Othello_!! and the farce _Here's a Go_! He
acted to admiration, and sang lots of Nigger songs, amongst which his
masterpiece, "Jump Jim Crow," was encored three times. He placed us in a
private box, and we spent half an hour with him. A more gentlemanly man
I never met. He is retiring upon a fortune made of L10,000. Home and to
bed at eleven.

_Sunday_ morning.--Mr. Pearce called for me to go and spend the day at
Staten Island, at t