Immediately on getting our [9] breakfast, we sallied out in order to pass our luggage at the Custom House. I have done the same thing many a time before and this time felt quite independent, as I thought I had nothing at all that could possibly be called upon for duties. but alas! such searchers I never saw. every stitch was unfolded, shaken and sometimes even ripped open, and every book that was found was laid on side immediately , not even opened for the Censor general to pass judgment upon it. So though I thought myself safe all my books were taken together with a pair of pistols. and I must wait for four days before any of them can be delivered up to me. Should the books contain anything in them disparaging to the Government generally, or too strongly in favor of Democracy, they are to be retained by the Censor, until you leave the country, or if you should insist on [10] keeping them yourself, the parts offending are torn out (par example in Byron’s Don Juan) and the remainder should there be any is returned to you. So with this trouble I escaped the severest Custom House Scrutiny as well as that of the police that I ever underwent. Before you are allowed to leave the country you must have himself advertised in three different papers for nine days as a guard against contracting debts without paying them. A Good Rule but rather inconvenient at times.
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