The Continental Monthly, Vol. 4, No. 1, July, 1863: Devoted to Literature and National PolicyVarious
History
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 4, No. 1, July, 1863: Devoted to Literature and National Policy
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century -- Periodicals
Well, we are, many of us, from the 'far' East, and most of us from
eastward. But we have tried to bring whatever of refinement, manners,
knowledge, proprieties, and comforts we before possessed, such as they
were, with us, and we haven't lost many of them. We do not believe that
contact with the Indians has very much barbarized us. We still read and
write and live in houses which we have built, and conduct mercantile and
other transactions on former equitable principles; and our
communications and intercourse with each other may still be said to be
civilized, at least in great measure. We eat and drink what we formerly
did, not excepting occasional shad and frequent oysters; and you do not
seem to be averse to trying our deer and grouse once in a while--while
we even share with you our wheat, cattle, and pork. We don't wear
moccasons as yet, nor buckskin with Indian trimmings, instead of doeskin
with the latest cut. We try, for the sake of appearances, to wear cotton
and woollen and silk; and beads and trinkets are in no extraordinary
demand. Beavers and furs are seen upon our streets; and the sound of the
piano heard in the land, is not a very unusual disturbance. Our boys, as
of old, smoke cigars in secret, fearful of ancient birch, and gum drops
still adhere to the pockets of our girls in school. We don't see a very
remarkable difference between the children about us and those we knew at
a somewhat early age. Brick and stone rise with us into comfortable and
even aspiring buildings, and the price of board is not less than we have
paid before, nor so very much more. We neither travel nor live on half
fare. And men still drive the horse before the cart, and carry the wheat
in both ends of the bag as they go to mill.
In fact, we don't see that civilization has lost much flesh in its
arduous journey to the far West; nor that, being human before, we have
become less human now, or discarded our manners when we shut the doors
of our birthplace behind us. We know indeed that Colenso went to convert
the heathen, and that the heathen succeeded in converting him, thus
putting the boot on the other leg; but the Indians have not yet won us
to their dusky faith, although we must confess that assimilation to
their copper-colored principles seems to have made some Copperheads
among us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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