September 16, 1796, I took leave of my family about ten o’clock in the morning, and proceeded to Chester and dined; then rode to Wilmington and staid all night – Thermometer was 78° in the afternoon.

17^th, Left Wilmington at half past five in the morning, breakfasted at Christiana, dined at Elkton, proceeded to the Susquehanna, crossed the ferry and lodged at Havre de Grace.  Thermometer 60°in the morning, rose to 70°, fell to 62° in the evening.  Autumnal squalls and showers in the afternoon.  The water in the Susquehanna was 73°.

18^th Left Havre de Grace at five in the morning, breakfasted at Hartford, dined at Baltimore, and lodged at my mother’s on Potapsco.  Thermometer 57° in the morning, rose to 68°

The country from the Susquehanna to Potapsco, does not appear to be in a better state of cultivation, than it was twenty-six years ago.  This disagreeable circumstance, is no doubt principally owing to the system of domestic slavery, which yet continues to prevail in the southern states.  Early impressions made upon the mind, and habits acquired in youth, are rarely obliterated, though condemned by daily experience.

That domestic slavery is wrong in a moral point of view is evident from the ordinary principles of justice.  And that it is politically wrong may be deduced from the following facts.  First, that a tract of country cultivated by slaves, is neither so well improved, rich, or populous, as it would be if cultivated by the owners of the soil, and by freemen.  Secondly, slaves cannot be calculated upon as adding to the strength of the community, but frequently the contrary, for reasons too obvious to detail.  Notwithstanding those facts are constantly in view, they rarely produce the necessary effects upon minds early habituated to the custom of domestic slavery.

19^th, Remained at my mother’s – Thermometer 55°in the morning, rose to 70° in the afternoon – water in the river 57°.

20^th , About 11 o’clock in the forenoon took leave of my mother, brothers and sisters, and rode to Reister’s town and got some refreshment, then proceeded about seven miles further and stayed all night.  Thermometer 51° in the morning, rose to 71°    

Ellicott's Stone North of Mobile, Alabama

ELLICOTT'S STONE~ WE ALMOST CERTAIN THAT ELLICOTT CHISELED THESE LETTERS
image courtesy of http://www.aspls.org/history.html