What follows is an excerpt from an article appearing in the May 1830 issue of an American journal called Western Monthly. The context of the article is an attempt to refute exaggerated negative impressions of all things American appearing in the British periodicals of the time. (Sorry about the archaic gendered language.)

Though in travelling through our land, little interest or excitement is seen in any thing, but electioneering and politics; that is on the surface of society, although the columns of our newspapers are occupied with little else, we know, that there is in our country a numerous body of men, isolated though they may be, and personally unknown to each other, who view this order of things with the deepest regret; who would rejoice to see a regard for literature, the fine arts, the lesser morals, and the charities of life, replace this barbarous and Gothic public taste, this relish born in a tavern, nourished with whiskey, and developed and matured in the electioneering arena. If these men, who would rejoice to see another and an infinitely higher interest excited among us, could know each other, and become possessed of each other's views, and could unite their bearing and influence, they would not be without their effect, in kindling a better excitement, a more refined national taste. We know, that there are thousands of the most talented and respectable men, who are worn out, and disgusted with the nauseating and incessant clatter of electioneering and politics. Would, that their voices could be heard, that their influence could be felt, and that we had a great national society, to keep peace, and put down babblers and demagogues; and that papers, which inculcate literary taste, and diffuse literary information, and a regard to the lesser morals, and the domestic charities, could come into favor, instead of the thousand vehicles of fierce and noisy politics.