USA > Rhode Island > Pictures of Rhode Island in the past, 1642-1833 > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12
The farm of Samuel Elem, to whom I had a letter from William Rush, is four hundred acres in extent. He is the only farmer in the island who does not per- sonally labour upon his own ground. He is an English- man, from Yorkshire. He came hither as a merchant before the revolution. The length of his necessary stay gave him a fondness for the country, and inclined him to settle in it. He lives in a snug small house, five miles from Newport, and near to East Passage. Agriculture is the only business that he now follows. He does not boast of having found it, as yet, very profit- able. . The stone fences enclosing his fields are higher and better than any I have seen in Massachusetts. His meadows are in a state of improvement and fer- tility, which is considerably profitable. But the diffi- culty of procuring laborers stands greatly in the way of all agricultural improvements in these parts. Mr. Elem . often meets with a contradictory spirit
DUKE OF LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 133
in his working-people, who are apt to think, that their toil must make them more skilful in husbandry than their idle master.
The cheese of Rhode Island is famous throughout all America ; but the only cheese which these parts now furnish for exportation is from the isles of Connanicut and Block, which make part of this state.
The following reasons are assigned for the poverty of the farmers of Rhode-Island. It is usual for the young people, at the age of thirteen, to leave the family of their parents, and go into the service of others. The parents find it vain to endeavour to detain them ; for, if not permitted to do as others do, they will not work at home. In consequence, other labourers are to be hired ; and that accumulation of stock is materially hindered which might be best produced by the joint labour of a whole family, without hired assistance. Be- sides, so many are disposed to become farmers for themselves, even without any adequate stock, that labourers are not to be procured for any reasonable hire, even in cases of the most urgent necessity. 2. It is a disadvantage also to the agriculture of this territory, that it is everywhere adjacent to the sea. The young people have, in consequence of this, been long accus- tomed to prefer a seafaring life to husbandry, because the former affords higher wages in money, and is more grateful to the roving spirit of inexperienced youth. Even the resident farmers are tempted to join the fish- ing with the toils of husbandry, as the fishing affords, at all times in the year, a very plentiful supply for the nourishment of their families. They, consequently, take little care to improve the soil to its highest pitch of cultivation. The same thing may be said of the inhabitants all along the sea-coast of America. 3. There is a want of a regular and profitable market for
134
PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
the superfluous produce of the isle. There is, indeed, a market-place in the town of Newport ; but the farmers rarely bring their grain hither for sale ; nor do those who are in want of it resort to this market to supply themselves. The farmers bring flesh, corn, beans, and pease to the town, and there place it in houses for sale. When purchasers do not appear, as is often the case ; the quantity is far from being sufficiently consider- able to become an object of commercial speculation for foreign export, to the merchants. 4. There is such an extreme scarcity of wood, that no farmer who is in want of it, can supply himself at a less price than four or five dollars a cord. In consequence of this want of trees, the whole island is too much exposed to the winds, which often blow over it with a very troublesome violence. There has been a remarkable difference in the produce of fruit upon the farms of this isle, ever since the great trees were destroyed by the English during the war. 5. The elections to all places in the government, and to the represen- tative representation, are renewed every six months ; and the frequent journies and public meetings which these occasion, seem to withdraw the attention of these people, in too great a degree, from their hus- bandry. 6. Lastly, the people of Rhode-Island are singularly illiterate. Scarcely has the whole island a single well-conducted free-school ; such is the oppo- sition of prejudice to every thing of this nature. The public records of the small state of Rhode-Island are in greater disorder than those of any one else ; and this disorder is a primary cause of the ignorance of the inhabitants ; so that all their shortcomings in the respect of knowledge, are plainly to be charged to the misconduct of their rulers. Newport is accounted the chief town of the state of Rhode-Island. It is the most ancient ; the deputies of the state hold their as-
DUKE OF LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 135
semblies there : but Providence is more populous, and carries on a considerable trade. Before the war, there were in Newport ten thousand inhabitants ; in Provi- dence, not more than one thousand. Providence now contains seven thousand ; Newport, but five thousand inhabitants. Many of the richer inhabitants of Newport have deserted it. A number of families forsaking this town in the time of the revolution, while it was in the possession of the English, retired to Providence, and settling there, have never since been induced to change their residence. Those, on the other hand, who were attached to the cause of England, went away with the English troops, when these were obliged to evacuate the island. Political dissen- sions, which long distracted Rhode-Island, contributed farther to this desertion of Newport. It is only within these last two or three years, that its trade has begun to revive. It has twelve vessels of some considerable burthen, engaged in the trade to Europe ; two or three of which sail to the coast of Guinea for cargoes of negroes, which they bring for sale to Georgia and the West- India isles ; forty more, which are employed in the coasting-trade, and sail only for the colonies. The coasting-trade is that which the people of this town chiefly prefer. The amount of the exports from New- port was, in 1791, of the value of two hundred and seventeen thousand three hundred and ninety-four dollars ; in 1795, three hundred and seven- teen thousand eight hundred and sixty dollars.
Barley is the principal article of agricultural produce, which it furnishes for exportation. [It] is freighted rather on board the ships from Providence, than in those from Newport. The ships from Provi- dence carry it chiefly into the southern states, from which they bring, in return, other cargoes, either to some port in the United States, to Europe, or to the West-India isles.
136
PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
The houses of Newport are almost all very small, and miserably bad : they are of wood, and not painted. In the town, every thing wears the appearance of de- cay ; but the harbour has a show of opulence and active commerce. The vicinity of the sea, the spaciousness and security of the road, its easiness of access, and its convenient situation, render it a very commodious shelter for vessels going from the southern parts of the mainland of America, towards the northern, or from the north southwards. It is indeed more frequented than any other port, by foreign ships. Newport, with all these advantages, seems to be naturally destined to become a harbour for ships of war, whenever the United States shall assume the consequence of a Naval Power.
In Rhode-Island there is the same freedom of re- ligious worship and opinions, as in Pennsylvania. Baptists and Quakers are the most prevailing sects ; but the people in general, in this island, are far from being religious overmuch. In the whole island, which is fifteen miles long and three miles broad, there is no church, except at Newport ; and to this the country- people do not resort above four times in the year. The people of this state are reputed to be indolent, quarrel- some, and litigious. These faults of character, if justly . imputed, are sufficient to account for their poverty. There is said to be a great uncertainty of political opinions in Rhode-Island : they were not unfavourable to the abominable tyranny of Robespierre ; they are far less friendly to France since the guilt of that tyranny has been suppressed, and order restored. Before the war, there were many opulent inhabitants in Rhode- Island ; at present, only the ruins of their houses, and the traces of their former inclosures, remain to be seen. The houses are either desolate, or are inhabited in their least ruinous parts, by people who, on account of the
DUKE OF LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 137
smallness of their capitals, their dislike to labour, and many other reasons, are much inferior in condition to the people of the other parts of New England.
In the high-church of Newport, there is a monument erected by the order of Louis the sixteenth, to the Chevalier de TERNAY. He was commander of the fleet which conveyed M. ROCHAMBEAU and the French army to America. He died at Newport in the year 1780. The inscription is in a very simple style, and speaks very much in honour of M. de Ternay.
The State of Rhode-Island is very proud of having given birth to General Green, one of the greatest, if not absolutely the greatest, of American generals. He was, by birth, a Quaker, and was a respectable trader in Newport. But, for the sake of liberty, he quickly shook off the prejudices of his sect, and abandoned his business. He went, in the very beginning of the war, to contend against British opposition. In the whole course of this memorable war, there was not a battle, not a skirmish, in which Green did not distinguish him- self by signal valour, and extraordinary military talents. His sound and discerning mind rendered often the most important services in the Council. He is, above all, famous for his expedition into the southern states, in the year 1781. he, by a variety of the most skilful stratagems, and plans of annoyance, and by the exertion of extraordinary courage, forced the English to retire gradually from the provinces of Upper Vir- ginia, North Carolina, and almost all South Carolina ; He was the ardent friend of liberty, without laying aside, on this account, all respect to natural justice and humanity. His whole life was spent in a continued train of virtuous actions. After these illus- trious deeds in the field, he was hailed as the deliverer of the southern states, and received the thanks of the Congress. He died within a few years after the estab-
138
PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
lishment of American freedom. The Congress erected, at the public expence, a monument in honour of his partriotism, his virtues, and his talents ; and in so do- ing, gratified the earnest desire of all true-hearted Americans.
Two miles beyond Warren, the road turns to Provi- dence in Massachusetts. The land is there, for several miles, so sandy and boggy, that no stones can be found for fences. On the other hand, wood is so scarce, and so costly, that it can be as little applied to this use as stones. Yet the fields are enclosed with fences, which, to two-thirds of the height, are formed of turfs, with cross-bars of timber above. In other places where stones are not so scarce, the fences are formed one-half of stones, one half of wood.
I know not whether it might be, that the informa- tion which I received in Newport, impressed me with unfavourable prejudices against the people of Rhode- Island : but I could not help thinking, that, in the short part of my way which now led through the state of Massachusetts, I received much more obliging an- swers to my enquiries, than in the district which I had left.
I had . . no reason to complain of my reception with MOSES BROWN, to whom I had a letter of intro- duction from William Rush. He lives in a farm not far from the upper bridge over Deacon's River, on the way to Providence. Moses Brown is a very strict Quaker ; became a Quaker upon conviction ; and has been such for the space of forty years. He acquired a considerable fortune in trade, of which he has resigned the greater part to his son ; and he himself now lives in quiet cessation from business, transacting nothing of that sort upon his own account. Notwithstanding the rustic simplicity of his manners, he seemed to be a very
DUKE OF LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 139
worthy man. He pressed me to stay with him for the evening, telling me, that he did not ask me in the way of empty compliment, but that if he had not desired my company, he would not have given me the invitation. I excused myself, by mentioning, that as I had but very little time to spend at Providence, and as the weather, though generally uncertain, was now fair, I must, there- fore, avail myself of the present moment, and proceed on my journey.
The environs of Providence are more interesting than those of Newport : and they give to an approaching traveller, very favourable ideas of the town which he is about to enter. The hill at the foot of which the town lies, and over which you must pass into it, is intersected into two parts by a paved road, which has a slow and gentle descent. The town lies on both sides of the river : a well-constructed bridge affords a ready communication between its two divisions. Lofty, well- built and well-furnished houses, are numerous in this town, which is becoming continually larger : and the prospect of an increase of wealth and populousness, has induced the inhabitants to set apart a considerable ex- tent of the adjacent hill for new buildings. The trade of Providence, as I mentioned above, is four or five times as great as that of Newport. Its exports are partly from this state, and in part from Massachusetts and Connecticut. A distillery, perhaps the greatest in the American States, extensive manufactures of nails and of other forged iron-work, contribute much to the exportation from this place.
In the course of this last year, endeavours have been made to introduce the manufacture of cotton-yarn and stuffs into Providence. The author of this undertak- ing says, that he finds it already profitable : But I should suspect this to be, rather the boast of sanguine expectation, and of self-conceit, than the actual truth of
.
140
PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
the facts. All machines in America are indeed more or less profitable : but the machinery which requires workmen to be employed about it, is by no means to be compared to that of Europe, where a truly good workman gets one-half less than in America, especially in its sea-port towns.
There are some ships from Providence engaged in the accursed traffic of negroes, in contempt of the orders of Congress, by which it has been forbidden. The merchants concerned in this trade persuade them- selves, that Congress cannot alter the Constitution ; and therefore think, that in spite of whatever Congress shall order, they may continue the slave-trade till 1808, the year fixed in the Constitution for its final cessation. They allege farther, that every state pos- sesses a right to decide for itself in regard to this traffic ; and that the state of Rhode-Island has not, as yet, made any enactment against it. They therefore purchase negroes, and carry them to sale in Georgia, where there is no prohibition of any sort against the trade. Nearly twenty ships from the harbours of the United States are employed in the importation of ne- groes to Georgia, and to the West-India isles.
I am surprised, that, while there is so strong and general a disapprobation of this whole trade, and while it is in such direct contradiction to the spirit of free- dom, and to the predominant sentiments throughout America, Congress should neglect to interpose, and en- tirely suppress it here. I was informed, that this is about to happen : But it is likewise to be owned, that the merchants of Rhode-Island carry on the slave- trade in a way less offensive to humanity, than that in which it is conducted by the merchants of Europe. They take but one negro for every ton of the ship; while the English merchants, it is said, take from one and a half to two negroes a ton. Even in fetters, the
DUKE OF LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 141
negroes have more room, and suffer less. The ships engaged in this trade are usually not very large ; and the negroes, I was assured, commonly arrive at the place of their destination in good health.
There goes but a single vessel from Providence to the whale-fishery. Ill success has occasioned some others, which were formerly employed in the same fishery, to be withdrawn from it. The maritime traffic from Providence is principally that to China, and to Nootka Sound. The augmentation of the number of ships belonging to this port, the increase, and the im- proved elegance of the buildings, is more the conse- quence of the growing wealth of the people of the place, than of any new resort of foreigners to settle here.
This small state, situate in the middle of New Eng- land, differs much from that state, by peculiarity of customs, usages, and opinions, which, whether good or bad, have necessarily a great influence upon the govern- ment. There seems to be a general desire for a change of the constitution of Rhode-Island.
The population of this whole state amounts to about sixty-eight thousand souls. The highest amount of the taxes is twenty-thousand dollars in the year. When it is considered, that the Governor's salary is only six hundred and sixty-six dollars and two-thirds; and that the members of the assembly receive no salary ; this moderate sum will not be thought inadequate to the purposes to which it is to be applied. Newport furnishes three thousand nine hundred and sixteen dol- lars, two-thirds of this sum; and Providence contri- butes seven thousand one hundred and twenty dollars. The taxes paid by the country are nearly equal to those from the towns. There are but few poor to be main- tained by public charity, in it. The Quakers are not much in favour here. They have an austerity in their
1
142
PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
appearance, an extravagance in their principles, and an oddity in their state. The roads are repaired by the common labour of the inhabitants. No extraordinary expence is ever applied to the improvement of the roads. The state is so small, that these people give themselves very little concern about highways. In travelling, they call roads good or bad, without farther care. When there is anything of indispensable neces- sity to be done to them, they then raise a voluntary subscription to accomplish it.
The number of people really opulent in this state is not considerable ; nor is the number much greater of those who affect the appearance of wealth ; for this last is prevented by the democratical spirit of the con- stitution, and by the tone of public opinion throughout the country. There are, besides, certain taxes imposed, particularly upon those who live in a sumptuous style. There is in Providence a college for the education of youth in the different branches of learning ; but so far is it from being very eminent or in high reputation, that they who wish to give their children a good edu- cation, send them to Massachusetts or Connecticut. The funds for the support of this college were bestowed chiefly by Baptists ; in consequence of which it is set- tled that the president, and the greater part of the other teachers, must belong to that religion ; and they are, therefore, chiefly young persons of the Baptist sect who are educated in it. The Quakers are not much in favour here. They have an austerity in " their appear- ance, an extravagance in their principles, and an oddity in their customs, and even in their dress, which, in my opinion, differ widely and disadvantageously from the amiable simplicity of the character and manners of the Quakers of Philadelphia.
But here, as elsewhere, the Quakers strongly disap- prove of slavery, and of the traffic in negroes. On
DUKE OF LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 143
this account they are looked on with an evil eye by the slave owners ; because the smallness of the state ren- ders it exceedingly easy for the slaves receiving any encouragement to that effect, to make their escape from their masters.
In Providence there are some rich merchants, who expend their wealth by living in a comfortably sump- tuous style. Such are Messrs. CLARK and NIGHTIN- GALE. I had a letter of introduction to them. The former received me very hospitably, and seemed to be a man of sound intelligence, and considerable informa- tion. By him I was introduced to an inhabitant of the town, who had lately returned from France. This man spoke strongly against the revolution, and the crimes to which it had given birth. He, at the same time related, that at the Castle of Vincennes, he had obtained an excellent bargain of the property of an emigrant, and named others who had been as great gainers as he, by proscriptions and confiscations ; I know not the gentleman's name ; if I did, I should think it my duty to make it public.
The richest merchant in Providence is JOHN BROWN, brother to Moses Brown, the Quaker above-mentioned. In one part of the town he has accomplished things that, even in Europe, would appear considerable. At his own expence he has opened a passage through a hill to the river, and has there built wharfs, houses, an extensive distillery, and even a bridge, by which the road from Newport to Providence is shortened by at least a mile. He has sold many of his houses. At his wharfs are a number of vessels, which are constantly receiving or discharging cargoes. In his distillery he maintains a great number of oxen, the labour of which is extremely useful, and a great saving of expence to him. I had no letter of introduction to him ; and my stay in Providence was too short to admit of my be-
144
PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
coming acquainted with him. I exceedingly regretted to find myself obliged to leave the town, without con- versing with a man, the extent of whose establish- ments, and the success of whose trade, evince him to be a person of extraordinary intelligence and enlargement of mind.
At Providence, and throughout the whole state, the produce of the land is nearly the same as in the island. It yields of maize from fifteen to twenty bushels an acre, and of other produce in proportion. There are two churches in Providence, one for Anabaptists, another for Presbyterians. They are distinguished for the neatness and simplicity in their structure and decorations.
The wages to ship-carpenters and other labourers are nearly the same in Newport and Providence, as in New Bedford. But negroes are almost the only servants to be seen .*
The state of Rhode Island, and particularly the island, have suffered a considerable loss of population by emigration to the newly occupied lands, and in par- ticular to Canada. Fewer in proportion have gone from Massachusetts than from this state. Besides, Massachusetts is receiving a continual influx of new inhabitants. There are banks in both these states. That of Newport is of recent erection. Its notes are generally for one dollar each.
NEWPORT.
The Providence packets have generally parcels and letters for Newport. We stopped there from nine at night to nine in the morning. It gave me pleasure to see once more, not this dull low town, but its environs,
* The rates of wages given for New Bedford are "ordinary labour- ers at the rate of from eight to nine dollars a month." Travels, p. 271.
2
DUKE OF LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 145
which form a charming landscape, and are, as well as the whole island, one of the most healthy parts of America. Several families of Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland, come to reside here every year to avoid the dreadful heat and insalubrity of their own country. Newport also unites the advantage of a low price for all the necessaries of life with that of not offering any means, nor holding out any temptation, for expences foreign to the necessities of existence.
The salubrity of the town of Newport is, no doubt, produced by the keenness of the air; yet this often proves hurtful to the inhabitants in their youth, and the number of young people, especially girls, who die of complaints in the lungs, is very considerable. It is a circumstance worthy of remark, that the inscrip- tion on the tomb-stones mention only childhood, youth, or old age ; they record the deaths of few persons be- tween twenty and seventy years old, but a considerable number beyond the latter age.
The town of Providence, though in general healthy, is not however exempt from bilious fevers toward the end of summer and autumn ; but these complaints are usually unattended with danger. Consumptions in youthful habits are as common here as at Newport ; and many individuals fall victims to them before the age of thirty.
The trade of Providence employs a hundred and forty-two vessels belonging to that port; and very little of it is shared by foreign ships, even by those of the other states. That trade, as I think I remarked last year, consists in the exportation of oxen, live hogs, salt pork, butter and cheese, barley, timber, onions, rum, whiskey, gin, flax-seed, wrought iron, and the commodities imported from the East and West Indies. The greater part of the cheese, however, is consumed in the United States, to which the port of Providence
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.