Here are two colonies yet existing within this State,--samples of both
indeed may be found within a few miles of Philadelphia,--and these
constitute with me a never-failing source of interest and amusement.
They are composed of Dutch and Irish, often located on adjoining
townships, but keeping their borders as clearly defined as though the
wall of China were drawn between them. No two bodies exist in nature
more repellent; neither time, nor the necessities of traffic, which
daily arise amongst a growing population, can induce a repeal of their
tacit non-intercourse system, or render them even tolerant of each
other. I have understood that Pat has on occasions of high festivity
been known to extend his courtesy so far as to pay his German neighbours
a call to inquire kindly whether "any gintlemen in the place might be
inclined for a fight;" but this evidence of good-nature appears to have
been neither understood nor reciprocated, and, proof against the
blandishment, Mynheer was not even to be hammered into contact with
"dem wilder Irisher."
It is a curious matter to observe the purity with which both people have
conserved the dialect of their respective countries, and the integrity
of their manners, costume, prejudices, nay, their very air, all of which
they yet present fresh and characteristic as imported by their
ancestors, although some of them are the third in descent from the first
colonists. Differing in all other particulars, on this point of
character their similarity is striking.
Amongst the Germans I have had families pointed out to me, whose fathers
beheld the commencement of the war of Independence in Pennsylvania, yet
who are at this day as ignorant of its language, extent, policy, or
population, as was the worthy pastor of whom it is related, that, having
been requested to communicate to his flock the want of supplies which
existed in the American camp, he assured the authorities that he had
done so, as well as described to them the exact state of affairs:
"I said to dem," he repeated in English, "Get op, min broders und mine
zisters, und put dem paerd by die vagen, mit brood und corn; mit
schaap's flesh und flesh of die groote bigs, und os flesh; und alles be
brepare to go op de vay, mit oder goed mens, to sooply General
Vashinton, who was fighting die Englishe Konig vor our peoples, und der
lifes, und der liberdies, op-on dem banks of de Schuylkill, diese side
of die Vestern Indies."
In his piggery of a residence and his palace of a barn, in his waggon,
his oxen, his pipe, his person and physiognomy, the third in descent,
from the worthies exhorted as above, remains unchanged. The cases upon
which, as a juryman, he decides, he hears through the medium of an
official interpreter; he has his own journal, which serves out his
portion of politics to him in Low Dutch, and in the same language is
printed such portions of the acts of the State legislature as may in any
way relate to the section he inhabits; the only portion of the
community, indeed, which he knows, or cares to know, anything about.
My honest countrymen of the same class, I can answer for being as
slightly sophisticated as their colder neighbours: it is true, their
tattered robes have been superseded by sufficient clothing, and a bit of
good broadcloth for Sunday or Saint's day, and their protracted lenten
fare exchanged for abundance of good meat, and bread, and "tay, galore,
for the priest and the mistress;" but when politics or any stirring
cause is offered to them, their feelings are found to be as excitable,
and their temperament as fiery, as though still standing on the banks of
the Suir or the Shannon.
On all occasions of rustic holiday they may yet be readily recognised by
their slinging gait, the bit of a stick borne in the hollow of the hand,
the inimitable shape and set of the hat, the love of top-coats in the
men, and the abiding taste for red ribands and silk gowns amongst the
women.
The inherent difference between the two people is never more strikingly
perceived than when you have occasion to make any inquiry whilst passing
through their villages. Pull up your horse by a group of little
Dutchmen, in order to learn your way or ask any information, and the
chance is they either run away, "upon instinct," or are screamed at to
come within doors by their prudent mothers; upon which cry they scatter,
like scared rabbits, for the warren, leaving you to "_Try Turner_" or
any other shop within hail.
For myself, after a slight experience, I succeeded with my friends to
admiration: the few sentences of indifferent Dutch which I yet conserved
from my education amongst the Vee boors, at the Cape, served as a
passport to their civility. Without this accomplishment, all strangers
are suspected of being Irishers; and, as such, partake of the dislike
and dread in which their more mercurial neighbours are held by this
sober-sided and close-handed generation.
On the other hand, enter an Irish village, and by any chance see the
young villains precipitated out of the common school: call to one of
these, and a dozen will be under your horse's feet in a moment; prompt
in their replies, even if ignorant of that you seek to learn; and ready
and willing to show you any place or road they know anything, or
nothing, about. I have frequently on these occasions, when asked to walk
into their cabin by the old people, on hearing their accent, and seeing
myself thus surrounded, almost doubted my being in the valley of
Pennsylvania.
So little indeed does the accent of the Irish American,--who lives
exclusively amongst his own people in the country parts,--differ from
that of the settler of a year, that on occasions of closely-contested
elections this leads to imposition on one hand and vexation on the
other; and it is by no means uncommon for a man, whose father was born
in the States, to be questioned as to his right of citizenship, and
requested to bring proofs of a three years' residence.
I now passed another month in this city most agreeably, during which the
weather was never unendurably cold: sharp frosts, but not a single fall
of snow that continued over an hour or two, or lay longer on the ground.
The majority of days I find noted in my journal as frosty but fine, many
as mild, and some even are described as warm: there were few, indeed,
during which exercise on horseback might not have been pleasantly taken.
When February set in, and no snow had yet fallen, I heard much despair
evinced on the diminished chances of a good sleighing-time; and,
although an enemy to severe cold, I confess I had my own regrets at not
being permitted to assist at a sleighing frolic, of which I received on
all hands such glowing descriptions.
On the eighth of this month I looked with some anxiety for the
continuance of mild weather, as the Delaware was, happily, once more
open, and the line by way of that river and French-town resumed; a very
important event, as far as both comfort and expedition were concerned.
Indeed, a journey by land to Baltimore was an adventure by no means to
be desired; the time of travel having varied during the last month from
three to nine days, the distance being under a hundred miles. But the
waters were up, the bridges down; one road was washed away, and another
filled in with rocks, and roots of trees on their travels from the
Alleghanies to the Atlantic, which rested there, abiding the next flood,
without any fear of receiving a visit _ad interim_ from M'Adam.
All, however, went well; the steamer was advertised to sail on the
morning of the 9th: there were here several weather-bound Southerners,
who, like myself, were anxious to proceed as easily as possible to the
capital; and we congratulated each other on the prospect we had of
accomplishing this by aid of steamboat and railroad, now once more
available.