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“The present state of things in this city is, to say the least of it, very singular.  A bold and eloquent woman lays siege to the very foundations of society—­inflames and excites the public mind—­declaims with vehemence against every thing religious and orderly, and directs the whole of her movements to accomplish the election of a ticket next fall, under the title of the ’working-man’s ticket.’[24] She avows that her object is a thorough and radical reform and change in every relation of life—­even the dearest and most sacred.  Father, mother, husband, wife, son, and daughter, in all their delicate and endearing relationships, are to be swept away equally with clergymen, churches, banks, parties, and benevolent societies.  Hundreds and hundreds of respectable families, by frequenting her lectures, give countenance and currency to these startling principles and doctrines.  Nearly the whole newspaper press of the city maintain a death-like silence, while the great Red Harlot of Infidelity is madly and triumphantly stalking over the city, under the mantle of ‘working-men,’ and making rapid progress in her work of ruin.  If a solitary newspaper raise a word in favour of public virtue and private morals, in defence of the rights, liberties, and property of the community, it is denounced with open bitterness by some, and secretly stabbed at by them who wish to pass for good citizens.  Miss Wright says she leaves the city soon.  This is a mere ruse to call her followers around her.  The effect of her lectures is already boasted of by her followers.  ‘Two years ago,’ say they,—­’twenty persons could scarcely be found in New York who would openly avow infidelity—­now we have twenty thousand.—­Is not that something?’

“We say it is something—­something that will make the whole city think.”

On the day of my departure for Europe, is was announced to the merchants of New York, that the West India ports were opened to American vessels.

This is a heavy blow to the interests of the British colonies; and it does not appear that even Great Britain herself has received any equivalent for inflicting so serious an injury on a portion of the empire by no means unimportant.  The Canadians and Nova Scotians found a market for their surplus produce in the West Indies, for which they took in return the productions of these islands—­thus a reciprocal advantage was derived to the sister colonies.  But now, from the proximity of the West Indies to the Atlantic cities of the United States, American produce will be poured into these markets, for which, in return, little else than specie will be brought back to the ports of the Republic.