CHAPTER YIII.

BALTIMORE TO WASHINGTON.

Baltimore, 20 th Nov. 1854.—My feelings on entering a slaveState for the first time were not easily described. In travel-ling through the north and west, little incidents are now andthen occurring, which show an entire absence of the class-feeling necessarily arising at home in our dense and morestationary society. The equality which prevails among tra-vellers who observe the ordinary courtesies is striking, and wefeel happy that the progressive condition of all classes admitsof such a state of things. A few days ago I enjoyed thecompany of the frank and lively fanners of Ohio; and to-day,when at dinner, I learned that the gentleman on my left wasGeneral Scott, the hero of the Mexican war, who was receiv-ing no more attention than I. The abrupt line, therefore, thatis drawn betwixt different races appears more unreasonable;and we wonder why labour, so honourable in one State, shouldin another become associated with a feeling of degradation.That one class is stationary in Baltimore, the mean huts inthe suburbs bear sufficient testimony.

Keeping out of the suburbs and lower parts of the town,Baltimore, so far as a staid and aristocratic appearance goes,has no rival in the Union. The exterior of the newer man-sions vie with each other in tasteful ornament. The streetsare wide and kept in fine order, and rows of trees line theside walks. Many elegant squares having gardens in thecentre occupy the high grounds, where numerous monu-ments form conspicuous objects in the distance. The ladiesperhaps dress a little too gaudy, but the “ Baltimore Belles ”do not owe their well-merited fame to what art has done