The great country; or, Impressions of America

by George Rose

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1868 ... was to be accomplished by attending a meeting at which General Something was to speak, the said general having, it was stated, humbled the pride of Great Britain in the field. Having never heard of this humiliation, I did not care to have my national feelings mortified, and moreover, being a sincere well-wisher of Ireland, I did not rally round her on this occasion; feeling sure that I should not be listened to if I attempted to state the truth, that as well might the Indian hope to expel the white man from America, as the Fenian Brotherhood expect to subvert the English rule in Ireland. In Chicago it is that you may hear the most benevolent feelings expressed for the Negro; sentiments that do honour to our fallen nature; but the effect of which is slightly marred by very different views being entertained respecting the disposal of the Indian, for whose destruction I have heard some advocate the use of strychnine. The United States government has passed very stringent laws prohibiting the sale of all spirituous liquors to the Indian, for whom the fire-water has a fascination quite as great as, if not greater, than that by which it enslaves the "pale-faces." To no one, except to a commercial traveller, would a visit to Chicago prove a source of gratification; it is essentially a place of trade and nothing else, and looks very much as if it had been made elsewhere and brought to the spot it at present occupies--there is a "ready-made" air about both place and people. Some of the latter are said to be very wealthy; and the house of one man, a German, I believe, is pointed out as a marvel of costliness, the screws with which some of the doors are fixed being silver, which will give an idea of its magnificence. The opulent owner did not live...

102 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2012