Charles Dickens visited the United States in 1842, partly to see the young nation for himself but also to push for the implementation of international copyright, as Americans were pirating his works at will without paying him a cent.
Though he was initially excited to get a glimpse of the new republic, the immensely popular author came away disappointed by what he found. Dickens was repulsed by the institution of slavery and “attacked the American press whom he blamed for the American’s lack of general information.”
The American dream being nothing more than a fantasy? Americans in general being ignorant due in part to a negligent, cynical press? Things really haven’t changed much in a few hundred years.
Charles Dickens Visited Congress and Came Away Disgusted
Another disappointing feather in the cap of Dickens’ visit to America included a stop to Congress, where Dickens was able to witness the disgusting state of how politicians conducted business.
And by disgusting, I mean that literally, because House members were a heinously smelly bunch who chewed tobacco constantly. And not only did they chew tobacco incessantly – which repulsed Dickens – but these politicians would just spit their finished wads directly onto the House floor instead of into one of the many spittoons located around the House (there were well over a hundred of these available).
These representatives would shape a new “plug” with their pen-knives and dislodge the previous plug from their mouths “as from a popgun,” spitting it right onto the carpet.
“I strongly recommend all strangers not to look at the floor,” Dickens said. “And if they happen to drop anything… not to pick it up, with an ungloved hand on any account.”1
It’s a pretty horrendous visual, a sopping wet carpet soaked from spent chewing tobacco. Coupled with the fact that the House chamber was overcrowded and stiflingly hot in those days and it’s no wonder Dickens got home to England as fast as he could to trash the United States.
Americans have proven to be an undignified lot for much of the country’s history, a point of pride in circles that shun all things “elite.” And electing a bunch of tobacco-chewing maniacs willing to brawl or duel at the drop of a hat made for an explosive Congress during the most explosive period in the country’s history. The type of people representing the people played no small part in the buildup to the Civil War, though I’m not surprised the first shots of the conflict weren’t actually fired over the disgusting, soaked carpets they were walking on.
Dickens Would Eventually Return to the United States
Despite his unsavory first trip to the U.S., Dickens would make a second trip in 1867, two years after the Civil War ended. Though his views on the average American citizen had softened in his old age, Dickens was incredibly sick for much of his trip, which featured a robust schedule of readings, lectures, and banquets. Dickens promised to never denounce America again, and the country responded by trying to nail him for a federal tax lien against the proceeds of his tour.
Luckily, Dickens managed to escape back to Britain before Uncle Sam could collect.
- (Witness to the Young Republic: A Yankee’s Journal, 1828-1870). ↩︎
