deaf and dumb) speech is wanting, its place must be supplied by signs. If these signs are useful for the interchange of thoughts, why deny to sounds and words their greater natural advantages?*

The true reason, which has deterred people in England and America from teaching this language of sounds and from succeeding in the endeavor, lies undoubtedly in the want of tone in the English language, its very different pronunciations of the same letter, and its excessively arbitrary orthography. Certainly no deaf and dumb person can learn to understand an Englishman; because he sees only, and does not hear the language. Scarcely one Englishman in a thousand speaks distinctly, in the sense in which the German and Italian languages, for instance, require and produce distinctness; scarcely one moves his lips so that it is possible to translate the motions into sounds, and recognise the latter from the former.

INSTITUTIONS FOR THE BLIND.

Among several very excellent institutions for the blind, I mention first that in Philadelphia, which numbers about 70 pupils. They are well taught in reading, writing, cyphering, and singing, as also in different sciences; and at the same time they are occupied in various ways, such as making wicker-work, carpets, brushes, and the like. At the printing-press there have been printed various religious and secular works (some German) and suitable pieces of music for the use of the blind.

The Perkins Institution for the Blind in Boston takes its name from an individual who gave $50,000 towards its establishment. Another legacy, that of Mr. Tidd, amounted to $17,000. About 70 blind persons are supported out of the annual income. A Bible printed here costs $20, and is distributed to the poor and to Bible-Societies gratis. The reports of Mr. Howe, the superintendent, are highly instructive. His remarkable acuteness and untiring patience have been admirably shown in the case of the blind, deaf, and dumb girl, Laura Bridgman; of whom Mr. Dickens, guided by the official reports, has already given a very circumstantial account. The instruction began with placing before her objects with their names placed upon them in raised letters, until by repeatedly and carefully feeling them, she at length comprehended their connection, and could herself find out and compose the inscription for each object. By degrees she learnt the signification and use of adjectives, verbs, pronouns, &c., and to talk with wonderful rapidity with the signs of the deaf and dumb. She writes correctly and legi

"Men did not select vocal sounds for a colloquial medium from among other possible media, but it is the natural one."-Howe, Report on the Perkins Institution, 1843, p. 28.

bly, and keeps a journal of the events of her life. Especially touching are her great cheerfulness and the gratitude which she displays to her instructor and instructress. She certainly possesses great natural talents; for a blind boy named John Cankford, from Annapolis, Maryland, who has also lost hearing and speech, makes but very little progress, notwithstanding all the efforts of his teacher, Miss Colton, and after short intervals of excitement falls back into a state of stupidity.

Mr. Howe justly remarks, how necessary it is for the blind, even after their education properly so called is completed, that they should all be assisted onward in the path of life. He directs attention also to their talents and aptness for music. This however is necessarily limited, where the reading of notes, along with others is concerned; while in giving instruction, the want of sight must render it difficult for them to guide the fingering and the position of the hands.

HOUSES OF REFUGE.

The houses of refuge are also worthy of particular mention. In several cities, as New York and Philadelphia,* they are established upon an excellent footing, for forsaken, orphan, vagrant, or begging children, and even for youthful criminals. No regular jury decides upon their reception or punishment, but judges and overseers especially appointed; since in general the design and object are not punishment, but to offer-and excellent results have attended the plan-a place of refuge and reformation. Good instruction, both secular and religious, is intermixed with many kinds of labor; such as book-binding, chair-making and mending, umbrella-making, cooking, washing, sewing, &c. In New York, since 1825, there have been trained there 2,367 boys and 953 girls; and the yearly expenses of the establishment amount to near $20,000 for about 320 individuals. In Philadelphia there were received in the year 1843, 110 boys and 58 girls; and besides the committee of inspection consisting of men, there was chosen one of women also. The average cost for a child, including food, clothing, bedding, fuel, washing, furniture, superintendence, &c., amounted to about two dollars and thirty cents per week. They are supplied with rye-bread in summer, and wheat-bread in winter. For dinner they have soup, meat, and vegetables; for supper mush or boiled rice.

HOSPITALS; WIDOW AND ORPHAN ASYLUMS.

These are so numerous and in general so well conducted, that I can here only bestow upon them a general commendation, without entering into particulars.

* In New York colored children also are received, but not in Philadelphia.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE POLICE.

Gambling-houses, Lottery-offices, Hotels-Drivers, Cruelty to Animals-Games of

Chance-Vagrants-Firemen.

Ir is evident, that many kinds of European police and police supervision cannot be employed in the United States. It would however be a great mistake to suppose that they take no trouble about any thing of the sort, and allow every man to act according to his own will and pleasure. On the contrary, the policelaws are for the most part excellent; and in many states (as Massachusetts) there are even traces of the ancient puritanic strictness in the punishment of adultery, fornication, selling obscene books, blasphemy, swearing, and drunkenness. But if in Europe unnecessary supervision and tyrannical intermeddling often occur, there is frequently felt in the United States a lack of useful and essential restraint. Too little is more easily borne with than too much; and if police-officers in the one country are sometimes arrogant and rough, in the other they are obliged to study an excess of politeness. Thus a police-officer is said to have addressed a rioter in the following terms: "My dear, good sir, will you not have the kindness to go home? Your worthy wife and amiable children must be anxious about you," &c.

I subjoin a few more specimens from the police laws of Massachusetts. Gambling debts are not valid; gaming-houses and lotteries are prohibited;* inn-keepers who turn away travellers without sufficient reason, and fail to provide suitably for their entertain ment, are fined $50, and lose their license. Such license is to be given only to persons of good morals and blameless reputation. They are bound to make up the loss of stolen goods;† are not to sell liquor to the point of drunkenness, are to give none whatever to minors or servants, or to grant them any credit. If an inn-keeper allows games with cards, dice, or billiards in his house, himself and the gamesters are punished. The selectmen may prohibit a tavern-keeper, under a penalty of twenty dollars, from furnishing dissolute and profligate fellows with any thing whatever. On week-days these public houses are closed at ten

o'clock, and are not opened at all on Sundays. Only one spiritshop is allowed to 2,000 inhabitants. Should a driver leave his horses unfastened when he has passengers in his carriage, he ́ is liable to two months' imprisonment, and a fine of fifty dollars. Cruelty to animals is punished by a fine, not exceeding $100, and imprisonment not over one year. If people are killed by officers in the use of legal force, the latter are not liable to indictment.

In South Carolina all games of chance are strictly forbidden. The gamblers are fined not over $500, and the keeper of the house not over $1,000; they are imprisoned not over a year, and the money staked is forfeited, one half to the informer, and the other half to the state. On any probable grounds of suspicion, a forcible entrance into the gambling-room is allowed. Equally strict are the laws in Illinois and Kentucky.* In the latter state what is lost in play may be demanded back by the loser, and heirs and guardians retain this right for five years.

In New Hampshire a justice of the peace, on evidence being adduced, is allowed (though under reservation of certain rights of appeal) to send to the work-house for six months, not only vagrants and other idle and worthless persons, but also players at forbidden games, all fortune-tellers, or those who offer, through secret arts, to discover stolen goods. Also all pipers, fiddlers, vagabonds, stubborn servants and children, nightrevellers, tipplers, obscene talkers,—all who neglect their business, waste their substance, and provide neither for themselves nor their families. Similar enactments exist in New York; but of course they must be enforced with great caution, in order not to lead to abuses.

In the fire department of the police, many evils have arisen from the exemption of young men from militia duty, on condition of enrolling themselves as firemen. They are seldom inclined to obey strictly the orders that are issued; besides which they fall into bad company, and, in some places, into violent and even bloody contests. The firemen of Philadelphia are accused of purposely allowing a church to burn down, because they did not like the doctrine preached there. In Boston these companies have already given place to better arrangements; and some other cities would do well to follow the example.

* Hall's West, p. ii. 202. Statutes of Kentucky, i. pp. 242, 756, 758.

CHAPTER XXX.

ADMINISTRATION, CITY REGULATIONS.

Self-Government-Counties-Communities-Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Richmond, Washington-Change of Officers.

No country of the world is so little governed by authority as the United States; and nowhere is so much left to the immediate regulation and decision of the people themselves. This absence of all pupilage and centralization lessens, without doubt, the strength of the general government; as was seen, for example, at the breaking out of the war of 1812, the contests on the Canadian frontier, the affairs of the Bank, &c. Legal means, however, have still been found of sufficient power to produce obedience on the part of the several states (as in South Carolina, on the question of nullification), and also to bring into harmony with the jurisdiction of each state, the authorities of its cities and towns. Moreover the right of selfgovernment, thus granted, induces every individual citizen to understand and take part in public affairs, lessens discontent and opposition, and leads to maturity and independence in the best sense of the word.

If the general government has but four ministers (for the Departments of State, Treasury, War, and the Navy), it is plain, from this small number, that it does not extend its attention and co-operation to the great variety of objects, which elsewhere occupy an immense number of officers, and impose heavy cares upon thern.

The same holds good of the government of the separate states, Each state is divided into a certain number of counties; though these do not so much form peculiar political corporations, as divisions for certain branches of administration. All the voters in a county choose, usually every year, three commissioners and a treasurer. The business of the former is to take care of the public buildings, the highways, licenses, the division and liquidation of the county-taxes, the administration of the prisons, poorhouses, county property, &c. Sheriffs are usually appointed by the governor, and confirmed by his council, or the senate, for a greater or less number of years. † They watch over the public * They have neither seat nor vote in Congress.

↑ Mason's Treatise, p. 49.