Ächtige Entwürfe zur Geogenphisch, Statistische Politischen Nachrichten die Verenigten Staaten von Nord-Amercke [German manuscript, 1817: Authentic Drafts on Geographical, Statistical, and Political Reports Concerning the United States of North America.]

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Original and extensive 1817 manuscript, anonymous and apparently unpublished, offering a candid outsider’s view of the early United States, written in Germany by an author who had traveled in America.

“The wish to be useful to my German compatriots is what led me to undertake this work,” the author writes. Across more than fifty pages, the manuscript presents an ambitious, loosely organized yet intellectually rigorous survey of American society, combining political philosophy, practical emigration and economic advice, and cultural observation drawn from both firsthand impressions and secondhand reports. It describes what a newly arrived traveler to America might expect and serves as a “proto-guide,” written before the emigrant’s handbook had emerged as a distinct genre.

While the author’s identity is unknown, he clearly traveled in America, describing in wonderment his visit to Peale’s Philadelphia Museum:

“The portraits are largely painted by Rembrandt Peale, a skilled American artist. They notably include several prominent Frenchmen; among them, I also noticed our own Gall [Franz Joseph Gall (d. 1828), German neuroanatomist, phrenologist]. Franklin is depicted with spectacles resting on his nose. While viewing the mammoth bones, which are displayed in a separate hall—one that also contains most known mammals and birds preserved in lifelike taxidermy—I found myself overcome by the following reflections that arose unbidden in my thoughts: Could the Creator have granted existence to such a monstrous being…?”

References to Mathew Carey’s 1812 stereotype Bible, a visit to Peale’s Museum while Rembrandt Peale was still in Philadelphia, the yet-unprinted Lewis and Clark expedition report, and mention of a quarto edition of Brewster’s Edinburgh Encyclopaedia being prepared in Philadelphia, likely the American edition in early production circa 1810–1811, together suggest the author’s presence in America around 1810–1812.

Written “purely from memory,” the work unfolds as a discursive yet sharply observant collection of chapters. It presents a wide-ranging survey of the United States, beginning with the continent’s geography, natural resources, and Indigenous peoples, followed by a demographic overview of its population. It explores agriculture in depth, contrasting it with manufacturing, and links economic development to trade, banking, and fiscal policy. The author offers critical reflections on the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. federal model, including law enforcement and jurisprudence, and the role of English influence. Social institutions such as poor relief, education, religion, and print culture are considered alongside American values like thrift and self-reliance. The text offers extended views on the communal society of Harmony, advice for German emigrants, and concludes with a candid discussion of slavery.

The manuscript is the author’s working copy. It is heavily marked up, annotated, and repeatedly revised throughout. Pagination proceeds without interruption, and there are no physical signs of missing text or structural loss. While some chapter titles listed in the table of contents do not appear in the manuscript itself, their absence does not necessarily indicate an incomplete or fragmentary state. Rather, the manuscript may reflect a complete version as the author conceived it—or as complete as he could bring it before abandoning the project or composing a revised draft elsewhere.

Manuscripts from this period that present German views of the United States, let alone offer detailed guidance for prospective emigrants, are exceptionally rare. For context, this example dates to 1817, the same year the Zoar community was founded in Ohio—one of several German emigration movements shaped by broader economic and cultural motivations. Written at a formative moment in German-American engagement, the manuscript provides a clear record of how one early observer interpreted and conveyed the realities of American life to a German-speaking audience.

Note: The manuscript comprises approximately 15,000 words. A 45-page transcription is provided, though, given the extensive emendations and extensive untranslated marginalia, this should be regarded as an informed approximation.

Select Transcriptions:

[From Chapter I. General Physiognomy of North America]
Since the entire landmass, by its very formation, is mainly attached to its mountain ranges, one must expect only a few significant plains, especially on the eastern side. The land undulates in wave-like fashion, alternating between hills and valleys. This area lying east of the high mountain chains, which, in regard to soil quality, products, and population, shows the greatest variety, is crossed by substantial navigable rivers on which the products of the fertile land can easily be transported to the coastal cities.

These respectable coastal and trading cities, some of which are quite large, lie on convenient harbors and bays, so that ships of considerable size can reach them. The location of the United States for global trade is so excellent that it would be difficult to find a better one. Through this trade, and especially through the industriousness of its inhabitants, the United States has already achieved a high level of prosperity. The price of land in the fertile regions has risen very high, which has prompted owners to sell in order to emigrate to the western regions beyond the mountains, to Ohio, Kentucky, and Louisiana, where they can acquire land of equal quality at a much lower price.

[From Chapter II. The North American Indians or Original Inhabitants of the Continent]
Since the method of warfare practiced by the Indians violates all principles of military and international law—laying waste to everything, murdering indiscriminately regardless of age or sex, and often slowly torturing their captives to death—the government of the United States made the generous proposal that both nations (i.e., Britain and the U.S.) refrain from employing these undisciplined hordes in military service. However, this suggestion has so far been rejected by the British side.

Planters living near the borders are therefore exposed to great danger at the outbreak of war and usually flee into the interior or take refuge in forts that have been erected along the frontier for protection and equipped with defensive garrisons.

The lands that the United States recently purchased from various Indian tribes are of exceptional quality. However, private individuals and corporations are currently prohibited from entering into negotiations or purchase agreements with the tribes.

President Thomas Jefferson made the proposal, which was approved by Congress in 1796, to undertake an expedition to explore the vast region located southwest of the United States. Captains Lewis and Clark, along with one hundred carefully selected men and the necessary arms and provisions, were ordered to depart from Fort St. Louis at the mouth of the Missouri River where it meets the Mississippi, and to follow the river’s course deep into the interior. Their goal was to cross the western mountain ranges and reach the source of the Columbia River. This was accomplished with great effort.

The travelers encountered many unfamiliar nations who had never before seen a white man. From some, they acquired horses to transport their supplies across snow-covered mountains. After an arduous journey, they finally reached a branch of the Columbia River that was navigable. This eased their travel to the river’s mouth at the Pacific Ocean. They returned by the same route.

It is said they encountered little resistance from the Indians during their journey. The Sioux tribes reportedly made hostile demonstrations, but Captain Lewis, finding himself surrounded, is said to have deterred them through the following ruse.

He knew how greatly all Indians feared smallpox, since this virulent disease had already wiped out entire nations, and it was known among the Indians that the contagion could be deliberately spread by artificial means. So when the warlike Sioux tribe sought to halt his progress and capture him, Captain Lewis drew out a vial and told the Indians that upon opening it, the smallpox poison would unfailingly be released among them, spread rapidly, and wipe them out. This persuaded the Indians to retreat swiftly and trouble the party no further.

The public long awaited the journal of this expedition, which had been announced in various newspapers. However, I was never able to obtain a copy, despite considerable effort, as I was eager to read such an interesting travel account. Whether the entire story is a fabrication, or whether the travel journal was deliberately withheld from the public, I cannot say. But one thing is certain: if the expedition was carried out as reported, then President Jefferson, by recommending it; Congress, by providing the means; and the expedition team, by carrying it out so purposefully, all rendered a great service to their country.

[From Chapter III. The Population of the United States]
Since the epoch in which the colonies severed themselves from the mother country— namely, from the year 1774 to the year 1817, a period of 43 years—the population of the United States rose from 3 million to 81⁄2 million. Thus, one may assume that, even without accounting for immigration from Europe, the population would double every thirty years, corresponding roughly to the span of a single generation.

[Side Note:] Besides immigration, the following causes may also be noted, particularly in towns and small rural settlements such as those…

The causes of this nearly incredible growth in the human population may be summarized as follows: just as in large cities like London and Paris, or in factory and manufacturing towns, where people live in crowded conditions and the population either stagnates or declines—due to unhealthy air and numerous other causes of illness, so that deaths outnumber births—so in contrast, the population of a country will grow where the majority of inhabitants live according to nature as farmers. This is especially the case in the countless small rural towns spread across North America, where most residents engage in gardening and agriculture. These occupations expose them constantly to fresh air and accustom them to a frugal, natural lifestyle.

Another contributing factor is the early marriages of young men and women, owing to the ease with which marital unions are contracted. In America, marriage is viewed primarily as a civil contract, and ideas of a moral-religious ceremony or sacrament have no significant influence on the process. For that reason, a marriage is legally binding not only when performed by an ordained clergyman or preacher of the Gospel, but also when solemnized by any justice of the peace. ...

Many are being drawn westward from the eastern states, seeking to obtain land in places like Ohio and Kentucky which they cannot afford in the East, where the price of land in the older settlements has risen to enormous and exaggerated levels.

[From Chapter (IV) XVI. Sound Advice for Germans Wishing to Immigrate to the United States of North America]
I am told that just now (in the spring of 1817), following several years of poor harvests in Germany, many inhabitants are resolved to emigrate to America. For thoughtful travelers, it will be extremely welcome to hear information concerning the new country and the conditions in the place to which they intend to emigrate.

Shipping agents commonly employ emissaries in the interior of Germany who encourage people with persuasive words and sometimes even offer a small amount of travel money to bring them to the seaports. These vessels typically do not require prepayment of the passage fare. However, when the passengers arrive at their destination, no one is permitted to disembark until the fare has been paid in full. The passengers are then sold to planters, craftsmen, or other private individuals who are willing to cover the debt the passenger has incurred.

Such a purchased person is referred to as a servant, and a formal contract is drawn up between master and servant before a justice of the peace. In this contract, the servant typically agrees to serve faithfully for a fixed number of years and to assist willingly in all assigned work. In return, the master promises to provide food and clothing, and often offers a small sum of money upon the completion of the term as an incentive. Children must serve until they reach legal adulthood—that is, until their twenty-first year.

These contracts (indentures) are printed in English and executed in duplicate by the justice of the peace: one copy is given to the owner, the other to the servant. If the servant is dissatisfied with his treatment, he may file a complaint with a magistrate and, in some cases, may even be permitted by the ruling of a court to choose another master, provided someone is found willing to pay the required sum on his behalf.

If the master is dissatisfied, he may have the delinquent servant imprisoned, and the servant must then compensate for the lost time and incurred expenses as a penalty.

In New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, societies have been organized that, upon proper petition, will intervene in individual cases for those whose circumstances appear to require such assistance. There exist German, Irish, and Scottish benevolent societies, each striving to support their respective…

These ethnic societies aim to assist their countrymen, at the very least by helping them find placements or opportunities to repay their passage debts affordably. Yet it is far too often the case that poor but diligent families who have sought refuge in America are sold off individually, with children separated from their parents, or husbands from their wives—sometimes across hundreds of miles.

It is also advisable for every immigrant who is of modest means and intends to purchase land or other forms of real property to apply for naturalization immediately upon arrival. This must take place before a justice of the peace. Only after the lapse of seven years does he enter into full civic rights, and only then can he legally transfer title to any acquired property or enter into binding contracts concerning it. This law, which restricts foreigners in such a manner, is known as the Alien Act. It was passed under President Adams in Congress to prevent foreign speculators—especially Dutch and French—from purchasing large tracts of land and, after only a few years during which land values often quadrupled or quintupled, selling them off for great profit.

The foreigner or alien is, however, required to bear all the burdens of citizenship without enjoying any of its rights. He is subject to militia duty: after a ten-day stay in any locality, he must report to the captain of the local militia brigade, and his name is immediately entered into the militia rolls. He is liable for the same penalties imposed on any militiaman if he is absent from the required musters. And if the brigade to which he is assigned is called into actual military service, he too must serve.

He must, of course, also pay all direct taxes and levies just like a citizen, though he does not have the right to vote in elections for public officials. ...

If immigration is to be beneficial not only to individuals but especially to new settlers in general, it must be carried out through organized societies. For instance, if a number of diligent artisans and farmers were to band together, a communal fund could be raised for the purchase of a tract of fertile land. Such a colony would also be entitled to petition the U.S. Congress for a land grant, which would likely be approved, allowing the colony to acquire the land on favorable repayment terms.

By establishing a small town and immediately cultivating the surrounding area, additional craftsmen and planters would soon be drawn in. The value of the acquired land would double year after year, eventually yielding significant profit.

When the colony is later expanded, care should be taken to include only useful and essential tradesmen and agricultural workers, or alternatively, individuals of means who could advance funds on behalf of the poorer members—funds which could then be repaid through labor. The land must be developed at communal expense…

The land was to be purchased at common expense for the collective benefit of the colony. It was to be divided into equal portions among the colonists, so that even the poorest would receive the same share as the richest. Only after the lapse of a certain number of years would the communal interest be eligible for division.

The idea for such a colony was first conceived by a man named Rapp from Württemberg. Through peculiar and enthusiastic religious ideas, which he spread among a segment of the rural population in that kingdom, he attracted a number of followers. He proposed a plan for emigration that found eager support among those already inclined to emigrate.

He purchased a considerable tract of land in his own name, about eight hours north of Pittsburgh, and established a small town, which was named Harmony—a name also given to his religious society. He introduced certain ordinances and regulations. All labor was carried out communally: much land was cleared, orchards and vineyards were planted, houses and public buildings were erected, including a meeting hall, inn, storage facilities, an oil press, bakery, gristmills, tanneries, and more. Various domestic manufactures were operated collectively, in factory-like fashion, and brought to a high degree of refinement. In short, it quickly became apparent how much more effective a society working toward a shared purpose could be compared to isolated family-based industry.

Rapp recently sold Harmony and relocated with his Swabian followers to the Wabash River, where it flows into the Ohio. It is said that the climate near Pittsburgh was not favorable to viticulture, and that they expect better conditions for wine-growing in their new settlement.

[From Chapter V. The Interests of Manufacturing and Industry Considered in Opposition to Agriculture]
The two main political parties that dominate in America—one, the Federalists, inclined toward England, and the other, the Democratic party, sympathetic to France—will likely reflect on the lessons drawn from the recent European wars and the course of European politics. In the future (for the people must, inevitably, be divided into parties), the combined interests of commerce and agriculture will likely rise in opposition to large-scale manufacturing, which the government, to maintain popular favor, will attempt to support—at least outwardly—through import bans, tariffs, and duties.

If the kind of labor a nation pursues has a strong influence on its moral and physical condition, and if a nation were to face the choice of either (1) fostering agriculture and the necessarily associated domestic manufacturing and artisan production—thereby providing suitable employment for shipping and commerce; or (2) promoting large- scale factories and manufacturing as the nation’s principal economic foundation, with the aim of eliminating the need for imports—then trade and shipping would no longer enjoy their former vitality. In that case, only as much land would be cultivated as needed to feed the industrial laborers and factory workers, and the majority of bulky goods previously exported to foreign countries would no longer be produced.

This question is important enough that it warrants close examination by the legislators of the nation.

The results of such a study would serve as a guide for drafting the national tariff schedule, and…

The legislature should ensure that those goods which, though not easily produced, are nonetheless essential and indispensable, be manufactured domestically wherever possible. By contrast, luxury items and harmful or unnecessary beverages should be either eliminated through heavy import duties or transformed into beneficial sources of state revenue. ...

All European nations are more or less nations of manufacturers and industrialists. In both areas, they have reached a high degree of perfection. The population of their territories is so large and concentrated that they were compelled to pursue such occupations or to found colonies in order to rid themselves of surplus population. As such, these nations must welcome the raw products of other countries and seek a favorable market for them in exchange for their manufactured goods.

In contrast, wages in America are high. It is difficult to hire a laborer for less than half a Thaler per day (approximately 1 gulden, 15 kreuzer), while for heavier work, the same laborer often earns a full Thaler (about 2 gulden, 30 kreuzer) per day. Laborers are in demand and will remain in demand for centuries, so long as there remains new land to cultivate.

True national wealth consists of well-cultivated and populated lands. Thus, a nation can never truly be called poor, even if it lacks sufficient quantities of representative currency such as silver and gold, so long as it maintains the land it inhabits in a flourishing state. ...

For centuries, Germany has supplied half the world with industrious and enterprising citizens, without ever making claims to compensation for the cost of their upbringing. If we consider the United States of North America, Pennsylvania stands out as one of the most highly cultivated states. Owing to its advanced culture, dense population, and generous sacrifices for the Union, it is often called the keystone of the American federation. The ancestry of its inhabitants—largely German or of German descent— distinguishes itself through exceptional industry, integrity, deep knowledge of agriculture, and the construction of durable and handsome buildings, far surpassing that of the Scots and Irish.

The homes of prosperous farmers in Pennsylvania are typically two-story structures of solid limestone. The barns, in particular, are so robust and enduring that one traveler, describing them, felt compelled to exclaim: “They build for the immortal gods!”

The most important and indispensable manufactures in the state consist of ironworks, foundries, and hammer mills. Excellent cast iron stoves are produced in every shape. Sheet iron is pressed through rollers and is especially used in nail-cutting mills.

The manufactures of woolen cloth and cotton goods already produce items worth several million Thalers annually. Tanneries process not only all the hides produced domestically, but also a significant quantity of hides imported from South America, New Spain, and the West Indies.

[From Chapter VI. Agriculture and Farming]
Wheat farming in Pennsylvania and the neighboring states has suffered significant damage from an insect that lays its eggs in the young stalk. The larva then consumes the pith of the stem, preventing the ear from filling out. Numerous attempts have been made to eradicate this destructive pest, but at least in the areas known to me, none have yet succeeded.

Distilleries are all too common across the country. Brandy is produced mainly from corn and rye. A promising beginning has been made in Pennsylvania with barley and hops cultivation. Since malt beverages are nourishing and healthful, it is to be hoped that they will gradually displace the excessive consumption of strong spirits.

Beekeeping is still not widely developed. Farmers tend to kill their swarms in the fall with sulfur, keeping only as many as are needed for next summer’s brood. Systematic or magazine beekeeping has therefore not yet been introduced, and is only rarely known.

Several short treatises on this subject, based on German guidelines, have appeared in English. ...

Viticulture has been attempted only by Germans (especially Swabians and Swiss). Because establishing a vineyard demands intensive labor, ongoing care, and a wait of at least four years before yielding a profitable harvest—after which bad years may still occur—and because winemaking requires specialized knowledge, the enterprise is generally too laborious for the American farmer. Moreover, the climate not only of the Eastern states but also of Pennsylvania and Maryland is said to be unfavorable for grape cultivation, despite the fact that several wild vine species grow abundantly and produce grapes in profusion, as already noted.

Animal husbandry is significant across all states. From New England, many hundreds of mules and donkeys are driven westward. The New Englanders wisely took advantage of the recent war unrest in Spain and imported several shiploads of Spanish sheep. These Merino sheep are now widespread and, through crossbreeding, have significantly improved the quality of domestic wool. The price of common wool typically stood at $1.50, semi-pure at $4.60, and pure Merino wool at $2.30.

[From Chapter VII. The Passive and Active Trade of the United States]
Domestic trade among the various states, as well as coastal commerce, is likewise significant—the latter involving a great number of vessels.

In this respect, the Union may reasonably be divided into eastern, middle, and western states. While these are united by shared interests, a common constitution, government, and language, they nonetheless differ substantially in customs, habits, and various popular prejudices.

For example, the inhabitants of the eastern states—Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and Rhode Island—commonly known as New Englanders (or “Yankees”), claim that they conduct more substantial trade and export more than the middle states —New York and Pennsylvania—or even more than the western states combined: Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, the Carolinas, and Georgia.

Upon closer examination, however, it becomes clear that New England’s exports roughly equal those of the western states, but that a large portion consists of goods originally imported from the West and not native to New England itself—such as tobacco, rice, cotton, and so forth.

Therefore, should the threats made by residents of those eastern states during the last war to secede from the Union ever be realized, the advantage of such a separation would plainly lie with the western states, which would then endeavor to ship their own products on their own vessels.

[From Chapter VIII. The political and financial state of the United States, considered in general]

Under President Adams, the majority of the people in the Northern States complained not only of political oppression and military despotism but also of the misuse of public funds and their allocation to purposes that, at the time, were far beyond the nation’s immediate concerns.

Adams attempted to establish a standing army, erected barracks for the troops, expanded the navy by constructing warships, and introduced taxes—some of which were expected to have a beneficial effect on public morality, such as the tax on whiskey.

The steps Adams took were those of a far-sighted statesman. He clearly recognized the unfolding European revolutions, aligned himself with British interests, and sought to elevate the American nation to a respectable position in global affairs.

However, he faced a nation that preferred the uncertainty of peace to a formal declaration of war and was unwilling to make sacrifices. It was a nation that falsely believed the French had freed it from British rule out of friendship, and thus felt eternally indebted to France.

They believed themselves obligated [to France]. The majority of the people saw in the French Revolution the dawn of a golden era for human welfare and civil rights and, for this reason alone, were opposed to any war with that nation. But when Adams finally struck at the people’s weak spot—when he imposed a tax on their favorite drink, whiskey—public dissatisfaction broke out into open unrest. Though it was suppressed by military force, the freedom of speech exercised by the Republicans soon brought about a change in the administration. Ambitious demagogues denounced Adams’ policies. The taxes were repealed. The warships were sold and replaced with gunboats for harbor defense*; the national debt was reduced through fiscal restraint, and President Jefferson’s economic administration and cost-saving policies became the order of the day. The people were content.

Jefferson eventually recognized how difficult it would be to maintain a position of neutrality between warring nations. Yet through trade with both sides, American commerce flourished. Their ships earned vast sums. Their ports, open to all nations, were full of vessels, and their products—especially grain—fetched record prices. This state of affairs, brought about during his administration, was too gratifying for him to wish to remain at the helm of state should this favorable condition change—a possibility which seemed increasingly likely. So he withdrew into philosophical retirement.

His former Secretary of State, Madison—who had been privy to Jefferson’s plans and shared his political principles—assumed control of public affairs during a period in European revolutionary history that scarcely has its equal. ...

Ships sailing under the flag of their homeland were stopped under the flimsy pretext that their crew were subjects of His Majesty the King of Great Britain. These men were taken aboard British warships and forced into service. Under various other pretenses, the trade of the United States faced serious obstacles. England blockaded entire coastal regions by mere proclamation, without possessing sufficient naval force to carry out such blockades. France, on the other hand, confiscated every American vessel and its cargo if it could be shown that any of its crew had previously served on an English ship. ...

When the general embargo and Non-Intercourse Act (which placed restrictions on all ships) was announced by the United States, it found ardent defenders as well as critics who condemned it as impractical. Many demanded that an armed neutrality be formally declared, and so on.

Meanwhile, Napoleon’s fame and ambition had reached a height that made him appear to even the most distant nations as a kind of bronze colossus—one against whom all storms crashed in vain. He had raised the glory of the French Empire to an unprecedented brilliance. That brilliance dazzled even the political vision of the free citizens of a confederation of states whose founding institutions stood in stark contrast to the principles of the French Emperor.

Despite the fact that trade between the United States and England amounted to nearly 30 million dollars, and that all commerce with other nations (France included) scarcely totaled a quarter of that sum; despite the fact that the majority of the American people were of English descent and had retained English institutions, customs, religious ceremonies, and language; despite the realization that England’s naval power could inflict deep wounds by destroying the open and undefended port cities of the United States, whereas France’s land forces—lacking naval strength—could never come into contact with America in the event of a prolonged war declaration: even though all these reasons were plainly before the nation, it nevertheless chose to side with France and against England. ...

Should England ultimately emerge victorious from the conflict with France, it was feared that vengeance would be exacted upon a republican state that was already the natural commercial rival of the island nation. To declare war simultaneously against both England and France raised even greater concerns—despite the fact that the United States had equally just grounds for declaring war on both.

[From Chapter IX. On Banking]
A defining feature in the character of the inhabitants of the United States is a commendable industriousness that extends across all classes of the nation, along with a spirit of speculation and commerce that animates everyone. All work or trade—nearly all fixed property is for sale—since the owners always set such a high price on it, convinced they can use the proceeds to buy a better piece of land or a more conveniently located house, or to build one themselves. This is the source of the constant activity and migration westward. ...

Since the citizens of the United States are owners of an extraordinarily vast expanse of land and innumerable movable assets, they require a representative medium for such property, without which business is inconceivable and commerce comes to a standstill. It was therefore quite natural that, in the absence of precious metals—silver and gold— they resorted to paper money. In this case, paper currency came to replace coined money. And since the U.S. government (i.e., Congress), among its other prerogatives, had expressly reserved for itself the exclusive right to mint money, it ought to have established a national bank and declared all other paper money invalid and worthless.

But this did not occur. Instead, corporations in every state were chartered by the respective legislatures to establish banks, and—as previously mentioned—this led to an excessive amount of paper currency entering circulation. This medium was out of all proportion to the fixed and other forms of property, which inevitably led to the condition already described: silver commanded a rapidly increasing premium and eventually disappeared entirely.

These observations are of obvious value to anyone who, at the present moment, is considering emigrating to the United States. Such an individual will see that, because the medium of exchange is disproportionate to the property it represents, cultivated lands—especially on the western side of the mountains—are fetching inflated prices. For example, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, in a populated area of the state, the price of the best farmland has risen from an average of 30 dollars per acre in 1809 to 200 dollars per acre by 1817.

[From Chapter X. England’s Influence on the United States of North America]
Since the revolution that began in 1774, and the peace subsequently brokered between England and the United States by France, the North American Union has positioned itself among the ranks of sovereign and independent nations. Even amid the disputes and conflicts of the European powers in the past decades, the Union has sought to maintain strict neutrality. Though, as previously noted, the will of the larger population tended toward France, there exists a political faction within the country that, while seemingly a minority, in truth directs all public policy in ways it deems beneficial to its own purposes—without the broader population realizing it.

This faction, known as the Federalist Party, consists of sympathizers with England, to the extent that England’s interests coincide with or do not conflict with those of the Union. ...

England’s keen statesmen are unlikely to idly allow Americans to begin processing their own raw materials and produce. England would thereby lose one of its most valuable sources of raw exports and manufacturing markets.

By the end of 18— (year obscured), due to a shortage of raw cotton, spinning machines in Pennsylvania were forced to shut down. The price of raw material had risen sharply— until it disappeared altogether. It is likely that England had quietly purchased all available reserves.

During the most recent war, the town of Machias—a strip of land in Massachusetts— was in English hands. It became the main depot for English goods. From there, New Englanders distributed the wares to other parts of the Union. All transactions had to be settled in specie. Eastern banks drew bills of exchange in large sums on the banks of New York and Philadelphia; these in turn drew on the western banks, Baltimore, and others. In the end, most of the hard currency flowed back to England, and military operations had to be financed with paper money—whose issuance and loan arrangements encountered great difficulties.

The New Englanders were publicly accused—though not without basis—of making no attempt to drive the English out of Maine. In order to deflect the bitterness of this accusation, several prominent men from the eastern states convened in the city of Hartford, Connecticut, to deliberate on their interests and to discuss the grievances of this part of the Union, particularly the lack of support from the federal government in defending the coastline and other matters. ...

The broader goal of the entire project was also to heighten the people’s desire for peace to its peak. Once peace was concluded, the Democratic Party celebrated the event with public festivals and illuminations. The newspapers glorified the perceived benefits, and general rejoicing continued—until the Federalists again laid bare the bitter realities to the public.

They exposed the drawbacks of the peace in the harshest light: the lost Newfoundland fisheries, the unresolved revision of borders on the Canadian side, the lack of compensation, and the forfeiture of any redress for past wrongs. None of the original reasons for the war had been achieved or settled. Nothing further was said of the freedom of the seas, the liberty of the flag, sailors’ rights, or paper blockades. England now remained silent on all these matters, which were rendered moot with the end of the war with France.

[From Chapter XI. Constitution and Form of Government of the United States]
The Constitution of the United States is widely recognized as a philosophical masterpiece: a well-considered and practical republican framework of government.

It cannot be denied that the republican-representative form of government is preferable to the purely democratic or aristocratic systems known to the ancients, or to those formerly established in Switzerland and Venice. Through the election of representatives, the integrity of popular sovereignty can be preserved without devolving into aristocracy. If the majority of the people consistently approves only those measures that aim at the general welfare of the state, and seeks to implement them through the election of its representatives—without being misled by passions, the lure of conquest, or favoritism toward any particular nation—then such a constitution not only merits praise for its theoretical perfection, but also proves itself in practice. One must admit that it adequately meets the demands made of a government designed for a nation composed of many peoples, united by the shared labor and hardship of establishing and cultivating their new homeland. ...

The desire that the conduct of public affairs—even in republican constitutions—should rest in the hands of the wisest and best does not contradict the theory of democratic, representative forms of government, so long as the representatives are elected only for a reasonably short term.

[From Chapter XII. Administration of Justice – Prisons and Poorhouses]
In criminal cases of all kinds, after a preliminary hearing, the justice of the peace may order the accused to be held in the county jail until the next court session, during which time the county must bear the cost of detention. The presiding judge instructs the sheriff to announce the court date in public newspapers and to summon a jury composed of 24 men from the local community.

This jury is then sworn in by the judge.

Note: Trial by jury—decision by a panel of peers—was an ancient Germanic right brought to England by the Saxons, and which still exists today in the English legal tradition.

The jurors are properly instructed in their duties. The case—whether civil or criminal—is presented, and the jury remains in court throughout the proceedings until the verdict is rendered.

In criminal cases, the accused is permitted to challenge any jurors whom he considers biased or otherwise objectionable in character. The court replaces these jurors with others. A panel of jurors then withdraws to a designated room to deliberate on the preliminary statements made by witnesses and the accused. Their task is solely to decide whether the accused is guilty of the alleged crime or not. ...

The county jail is maintained by the county sheriff, who is also responsible for the care of the prisoners, supplying them at county expense with basic food such as porridge and occasional meat.

Poorhouses usually own plots of land, the income from which supports the institution. Alternatively, they are funded by a poor tax levied on county residents. Each county elects three commissioners and one poorhouse superintendent. The commissioners review applications from those seeking admission to the poorhouse.

Because anyone willing to work can easily find employment—and especially because farmers require laborers for a variety of tasks—and because no type of work is viewed as dishonorable, begging is virtually nonexistent. Another factor that has eliminated idleness and mendicancy is a certain sense of honor that pervades even the lowest social classes. Additionally, it is quite easy for parents to apprentice their children in trades in a profitable and advantageous way.

Whereas in Europe, particularly in Germany, it is customary for a master craftsman to charge a fee for training an apprentice, in the United States the custom is the opposite: the apprentice not only receives free room and board and clothing, but—

Even after completing their apprenticeship, American apprentices receive a certificate of freedom and a sum of money in recognition of their loyal service and labor—an amount that can sometimes be quite substantial.

To be sure, the great shortage of laborers and their high wages help explain this arrangement. But it also seems that in Germany, too little attention has been paid to properly valuing the services of apprentices. This imbalance may favor the master too heavily, and may even explain why poor parents sometimes choose not to apprentice their children in a trade, instead allowing them to remain idle rather than securing them a useful skill and a steady livelihood. ...

Funds needed for public expenses are raised by a county tax, which is assessed proportionally based on wealth. The county treasurer collects the tax revenues from the various township collectors and submits an annual accounting to the county commissioners, which is published in all the local newspapers. Expenses typically include salaries of county officials, maintenance of county buildings, payment of court witnesses, prisoner upkeep, bounties for wolf and panther scalps, stationery, newspaper subscriptions and printing costs, constable reimbursements, and repairs to roads and bridges.

To be sure, craftsmen and artisans in the United States are not as thoroughly trained as those in Europe. Because guild systems do not exist, and since neither artisans nor craftsmen travel to broaden their skills, they usually begin working as independent masters or entrepreneurs immediately after their apprenticeships. They are not required to produce a masterwork to demonstrate their skill.

Here, people do not work to produce perfection. Speed and utility are the primary concerns.

[From Chapter XIII. Schools and Teaching Institutions — Arts and Sciences]
Public schools for the instruction of youth in reading, writing, and arithmetic are properly established throughout all the states.

Several legislatures have allocated significant funds for the education of poor children and for Sunday schools, and parents are free to take advantage of this benefit for their children. Many seminaries and Latin schools (referred to as Collegia) exist, where future physicians, theologians, and lawyers receive their foundational education.

In Philadelphia, there is an institute for the study of theoretical and practical surgery and medical science, under the guidance of skilled doctors. There is also a school for advanced midwifery, an observatory, and more.

Educational institutions and schools for young women are quite common, as can be seen from advertisements in public newspapers. One often finds announcements for political societies and humane organizations dedicated to supporting the poor under various names.

Philadelphia also hosts a collection of natural specimens and other curiosities, art objects, Native American artifacts, and oil portraits of various renowned men from many nations—along with some of the most remarkable American mammals, birds, amphibians, and snakes, displayed both as taxidermy and living specimens. ...

Printing presses are widely distributed throughout the country; every county, indeed every substantial inland town, has at least one, and some even have two or three printing establishments. In the coastal cities, not insignificant literary enterprises are undertaken. In New York, the British Classics have been printed on splendid paper, very correctly and beautifully. A quarto edition of the Edinburgh Encyclopedia is being prepared in Philadelphia. Mathew Carey, also there, has published the Bible in several formats using entirely domestic typefaces. ...

In addition to the daily and weekly newspapers—most of which are published in royal folio—there are various monthly journals issued in installments.

Without harboring prejudice against European literature, and while acknowledging the content of periodicals and journals, one must admit that the gap remains considerable. Aside from political commentary, which is their main strength, little can be found that is as solid or intellectually developed as what German scientific education offers.

This constant discussion of political matters (in German slang: “tinkering talk”) is the centerpiece of conversation across all social classes, especially among the educated. As many subscribe to multiple newspapers that keep them well-supplied with material, there is nothing easier to find than people who fancy themselves politically wise.

There are several writers who combine originality with learning, taste, and wit. With the loss of Chief Justice Brackenridge, both literature and public life lost an important pillar. An imitation of Chinese-styled letters in the manner of Goldsmith’s Citizen of the World or Montesquieu’s Lettres persanes—under the title Salmagundi, by “Squire Langstaff,” are works of a master’s hand. However, one must have personal familiarity with local people and customs in order to fully understand and appreciate the work. It offers a witty critique and satire on the manners and behaviors that have emerged in America concerning moral and religious habits, as well as general conduct. Novels are among the most frequently listed items in booksellers’ catalogs.

[From Chapter XIV. On Religiosity and the Various Sects of the Christian Religion]
Freedom of religion and conscience is guaranteed to all inhabitants in the Constitution of the United States.

As a result, a wide variety of religious sects conduct their ceremonies undisturbed in designated public meeting places, and there is no evidence of religious persecution or intolerance in matters of faith. ...

Each congregation of any given religious sect elects its own preacher, and every member contributes annually to his support, according to their means—usually between 3, 10, and 20 thalers. The ministers of the German Reformed and Lutheran congregations hold yearly assemblies, or synods, at some location within the middle states. There, they deliberate on important matters of faith, consult one another regarding the state of religion in their congregations, examine candidates, and recommend them to known teaching posts, among other things.

The Moravian Brethren, or Herrnhuter congregations, have already done much for the education and instruction of the Indigenous people under their care, and they have shown great zeal in their conversion to Christianity. They have also tried to introduce agriculture and domestic manufacturing among them.

Several Bible societies exist in different states, dedicated to the free distribution of Bibles to poor families.

A society is said to have been formed which sends missionaries to Africa for the conversion of unenlightened rulers and the spread of the Gospel in that part of the world.

[From Chapter XV. Frugality and Economy as Characteristic Traits of the American Character.]
Diligence and industriousness are typically joined with frugality, temperance, and thrift, and these, as previously noted, constitute a principal element not only of the national character but also of nearly every individual American. Just as thrift governs all branches of general government and state legislatures, so too is strict economy found in the private household of every citizen. However, in the former case, this can sometimes become so excessive that it hinders important national operations, especially in times of war.

There is no formal distinction among social classes. Yet, a divide emerges between the affluent and educated segment of the nation—those who hold public office, engage in commerce, or serve as doctors, clergymen, or legal professionals—and the working populace. This divide proves harder to bridge than the class distinctions of Europe. ...

Training the young men of a nation in the use of arms gives them a certain strength, natural confidence, and masculine bearing—an air of dignity that is better felt than described. At the same time, military institutions are all the more necessary in large and populous nations, particularly where the broader masses remain coarse and unrefined.

...or would degenerate into an effeminacy that would imprint on the character of the whole a weak or womanish stamp.

This frugality is also the reason why Congress has not long since established measures to direct immigrants not only to land but also to other forms of support in their settlement efforts. This would not only bring a large number of industrious people into the country, increasing national wealth, but would also fulfill the goal of the emigrants themselves: the improvement of their condition. As things currently stand, the majority of these unfortunate individuals exchange modest independence for bondage and poverty—benefiting only a few wealthy individuals who, through their contracts in the transport business, earn large sums.

The larger the population, the greater the productive power of a nation: more land is cultivated, and more real national wealth is created. It must therefore be the desire of Congress to encourage immigration and to provide immigrants with the means to acquire land. Until now, poor immigrants—without a trade, who have barely paid their fare and have nothing left to buy land—have had to resign themselves to day labor. Given the exorbitant cost of all necessities in the United States, even with good wages, a day laborer cannot save anything and thus has no hope of ever becoming a landowner. ...

The national festivals include the annual celebration of the day on which the United States declared its independence (July 4, 1776). On this day, the people gather at selected locations—under groves of trees, in gardens, or in open fields. One clearly observes here the division of the populace into two parties, since the Federalists and Democrats never celebrate the festival together. Instead, each party gathers at its own designated place, where a table lavishly set with food and drink awaits them. To the sound of music and cannon fire, various toasts are made, reflecting the general mood of the party and the individual. These toasts, which are often quite original, are usually preserved and published in the local newspapers.

[From Chapter XVII. On the Enslaved Black Population in the United States]
The Quakers (or Friends) in Pennsylvania have set a noble example for the inhabitants of other states: they granted freedom to their Black slaves. If the Society of Friends deserves any praise, this act alone would speak for them. Yet men capable of such a deed have surely done even more good already.

Whatever the condition may be of the Black population and the mulattoes born of their mixing with Whites in Maryland, Virginia, and the western territories, the question remains whether it would be prudent for the planters in those states to follow the example of the Quakers. The number of Black people in those regions is so significant that emancipation could only occur under carefully managed conditions: either by allocating them a designated region and equipping them with the necessary tools and provisions, or by guiding them through better education and gradually leading them into freedom.

In Pennsylvania and the eastern states, a slaveholder may only retain a slave until their twenty-eighth year; at that point, the law grants the individual freedom. This also applies to all enslaved persons brought into these states from elsewhere, even if they had been considered lifelong slaves in their original states.

The legal rights of the planters must also be taken into account—many of them own hundreds [of slaves] through inheritance or other means. These enslaved people often constitute a considerable, and at times the largest, portion of the planter’s wealth. Slaveholders naturally grow accustomed to indolence, or at least to not performing the labor that men of similar wealth and circumstances in the eastern states are willing to undertake. Black people are, by nature, considered indolent; and although they can endure significant physical hardship and strain, it cannot reasonably be expected of them, in their present condition, to exert themselves in the same way that the free inhabitants of the middle and eastern states have done—those whose labor has enriched those regions.

Virginia, which has the largest population of Black people, has nonetheless seen considerable progress in cultivation in recent times, especially since many residents of Pennsylvania have purchased land in Virginia’s fertile valleys. By introducing enslaved labor along with their superior methods of agriculture and household economy, they provided an example for the local slaveholders to follow.

Indeed, the treatment of Black people in Virginia has been portrayed to Europeans as exceptionally cruel. And while there may be cases where they are punished too harshly, it appears to be in the planter’s own best interest to secure the love and trust of their laborers through gentle and humane treatment. These people are said to be very sensitive to insult or injustice, but also never forget kindness and proven goodwill.

As far as I know, the Black population in the western states is not protected by law from cruel or arbitrary corporal punishment by their masters. This brings to mind a line from Pfeffel’s fables, which may serve as a closing remark: “Bravely throw off the yoke of slaves, Torn from the lion’s neck by Washington— Yet the hypocrite still holds tight / A thousand slaves beneath his heel.”

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