This fascinating memoir offers a firsthand account of life in America during the mid-19th century, from the perspective of a Scottish minister. Author James Shaw provides a wealth of detail on the social, cultural, and political landscape of the United States, including his observations on slavery, the Civil War, and the religious climate of the era. A rich and engaging portrait of life in America during a pivotal period in its history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.