1790: Judith visits New York, and observes an unruly session of the First Congress

29 May 1790: Judith Sargent Murray to Winthrop Sargent and Judith Saunders Sargent Letter 747 To my Father and Mother Brunswick May 29th 1790 Saturday Evening On Tuesday morning we quitted New Rochelle, coming on through East Chester, crossing Knight Bridge, and passing over Harlem Plains, to New York — The country round New York is mountainous, and the traveller is amused with all the charms of variety [—] a few elegant seats are scattered near the City, and we entered through a fine airy space, known by the name of the Bowery, and bordered by neatly finished, and convenient dwellings — The ground upon which New York is built, was originally very unequal, but, with incesant labour, and industry, the hills have been thrown in to the Vallies, and it is now a fine extensive tract, nearly level — Everything in the City of New York, seems upon a larger scale, than in the Town of Boston — and I am told it covers a full third more ground — The streets ar...