Voyage up the Ohio (continued)--Illinois--Evansville--Owensborough
--Indiana--New Albany--Louisville, and its Cruel Histories--The Grave
of President Harrison--Arrival in Cincinnati--First Impressions--The
Congregational Minister--A Welsh Service.
The Ohio, the "beautiful river," is a magnificent stream formed by the
confluence at Pittsburg of the Allegany and Monongahela Rivers, and is
1,008 miles long, constituting the boundary of six States: Ohio,
Indiana, and Illinois on the north,--all free States; and Virginia,
Kentucky, and Tennessee on the south,--all slave States. A trip on this
river, therefore, affords a fine opportunity for observing the contrast
between slavery and freedom.
The Ohio is the great artery through which the inland commerce of the
Eastern States flows into the valley of the Mississippi. In ascending
this river, we had first on our left the State of Illinois. This
territory, which contains an area of 60,000 square miles, was settled
by the French in 1720, and was admitted into the Union in 1818. Its
population in 1810 was 12,300; in 1840, 476,180. It is now, probably,
not far short of 1,000,000!
On the 19th of February, about noon, we arrived at Evansville, on the
Indiana side of the river. This was the prettiest place we had yet
seen; and its charms were enhanced by the assurance that it was free
from the taint of slavery. The rise of this little town has been rapid.
Its population is about 3,000. Three "churches," with their neat and
graceful spires, rising above the other buildings, were conspicuous in
the distance.
At 5 P.M. we passed Owensborough, on the Kentucky side of the river.
This, too, is a neat little town, with a proportionate number of places
of worship. Indeed, on every hand, places of worship appear to rise
simultaneously with the young settlement. The free and efficient
working of the voluntary principle is the glory of America. In
reference to "church" accommodation, it everywhere appears to decided
advantage compared to the most favoured parts of England. On this
subject Dr. Baird's book on Religion in America is very truthful.
The fever left me on entering the Ohio, and returned no more,--a clear
proof that this river is healthier than the Mississippi. The latter has
much fog and malaria, which tell quickly upon a constitution like mine,
already predisposed by residence among the swamps of Guiana to fever
and ague.
As I have already intimated, we had now Indiana, a free State, on our
left. This State is rapidly advancing in wealth and population. It was
settled by the French in 1730, and became an independent State in 1816.
It has an area of 36,840 square miles, being by two-fifths less than
its neighbour Illinois. Its population at the beginning of this century
was only 5,640; in 1840 it was 685,860. It is now above a million! In
1840 it produced upwards of four millions of bushels of wheat, and
twenty-eight millions of corn!
February 20.--The scenery was diversified. Hills covered with trees
rose on either side. In the summer, when all is fresh and green, there
must be here scenes of loveliness and grandeur unsurpassed. At present
the country had a cold and winterly aspect. It rained, too, the whole
day. At 3 P.M. we approached New Albany, on the Indiana side. It is a
flourishing place, with from 5,000 to 6,000 inhabitants. Just above
this town are some falls in the Ohio, that can seldom be ascended by
steamers, which therefore pass through a side canal, with locks, formed
(through the superior influence of the slave-power) on the Kentucky or
slave bank of the river. We had to pass through three locks, which have
been very foolishly made too small to receive steamers of the largest
class in the navigation of the Ohio. Ours fortunately, not being of
that class, could "go a-head."
At 5 P.M. we got to Louisville, a city of about 30,000 or 40,000
inhabitants, on the Kentucky side. This city is a great depot for
slaves, whence they are shipped for the New Orleans market. By this
means it has acquired a detestable notoriety.
"A trader was about to start from Louisville, Kentucky," says the
_Anti-Slavery Record_, "with one hundred slaves for New Orleans. Among
them were two women, with infants at the breast. Knowing that these
infants would depreciate the value of the mothers, the trader sold them
for _one dollar each_. Another mother was separated from her sick child
about four or five years old. Her anguish was so great that she
sickened and died before reaching her destination."