resources of otherwise inaccessible regions rich in every product that supplies human wants? That it increases the populatian of States, and of the nation, and enhances the value of real estate; and, in short, that it increases the wealth-power, and consequent dignity of the nation? Then, I ask, what is the use of all this? Are these things to be sought for their own sake? If the railroads of our own State have increased her population by numbers that shall soon be counted in millions, yet of what avail is it all if they are millions of knaves and cowards? What is the use of wealth, or civilization, or national greatness, in themselves considered?

No, my friends; if this world was made for any purpose besides the glory of God, (and to contribute to God's glory is to exalt and dignify mind,) unless its creation was an accident or a blunder, it was formed to be the school house of the race -to minister in its various forms of harmony, beauty, and sublimity, to the necessities of the souls that have been placed in it. It is for this that the mountain shoots up from the plain, and stands in majesty against the distant sky; for this the earth puts on her gorgeous robes of spring and summer; for this the sea is spread out in beauty when the winds are hushed, or is roused into terrific sublimity when the tempest is abroad; for this the heavens put on their star-decked mantle, and make the night more glorious than the day; for this planets and suns move with measured and obedient step through an extent of space that appals even the mind to which it ministers ; for this all nature, like a grand instrument, with infinite variety of parts and expression, has been uttering her voice, from the time. when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Every tint of the rose, every sigh of the breeze, every glimpse of the sunshine, is laid as an offering upon the shrine. of mind; and man, feeble and frail though he be, is admitted to a share of the magnificent homage.

We may depend upon it, there is nothing with which we have to do that is of so much consequence as mind. And, if so, it follows that all mind should be educated. This is the great duty of humanity. Every generation of men owes it to the next succeeding,

as a debt before the law of human progress, to give to each INDIVIDUAL of that next, as high and symmetrical a character, one conforming as nearly to the ideal of manly or womanly excellence, as possible. Let the generation now on the stage do all things else, and neglect this duty, and on the grand ledger there will be an infinite balance against it. We may tithe the mint, anise, and cumin, but this, the training of the children entrusted to our care, this is the weighter matter of the everlasting law.

If a skilful lapidary should find, in the possession of some rude savage, a rough, mis-shapen diamond, but of such superior quality as to enable it, when polished, to treasure up the sunlight, and to pour it forth in a glorious flood, would he not be inclined to exclaim, "What a pity that such beauty should be covered up, when a little cutting and polishing might open it in all its wealth to the wondering gaze of men!" If a practical philanthropist should see a province of fertile land lying waste and barren on account of the thriftless indolence of the inhabitants, would not he exclaim, "What a pity that such resources, such capacities for promoting the progress of civilization, should remain dormant and worthless just for the want of a little energy and industry on the part of this people?" But what are all the diamonds that ever graced the brows of majesty, or gladdened the heart of the miser? What are all the fertile plains that ever filled the world's granaries, compared to that to which field and gem are but ministers? And when we contemplate the sad spectacle of a single mind allowed to grow up to the deformities induced by ignorance and vice, transformed by neglect into the likeness of the fiend instead of the divine image, and all for want of that higher industry, that diligence in the performance of duty, which is the prerogative of man alone; when we think of this we feel that illustration entirely fails; that it is the strongest case that we can conceive-imagination strives in vain to present a spectacle half so sad. Figurative language but dissipates the power of the thought. The plainest statement is the most impressive we can make.

CVII.

MY DARLINGS' SHOES.

God bless the little feet that can never go astray,
For the little shoes are empty in the closet laid away!
Sometimes I take one in my hand, forgetting till I see
It is a little half-worn shoe, not large enough for me;
And all at once I feel a sense of bitter loss and pain,
As sharp as when two years ago it cut my heart in twain.

O, little feet that wearied not, I wait for them no more,
For I am drifting with the tide, but they have reached the shore;
And while the blinding tear-drops wet those little shoes so old,
I put on them a value high above their price in gold;
And so I lay them down again, but always turn to say--
God bless the little feet that now so surely cannot stray.

And while I thus am standing, I almost seem to see
Two little forms beside me, just as they used to be!

Two little faces lifted with their sweet and tender eyes!

Ah, me! I might have known that look was born of Paradise.

I reach my arms out fondly, but they clasp the empty air!
There is nothing of my darlings but the shoes they used to wear.

O, the bitterness of parting cannot be done away

Till I see my darlings walking where the feet can never stray;
When I no more am drifted here upon the surging tide,
But with them safely landed there upon the river side;
Be patient, heart! while waiting to see their shining way,
For the little feet in the golden street can never go astray.

CVIII.

UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.

RICHARD YATES- -1865.

We are making the experiment of self-government, and that test can never be properly made except by allowing all to vote, and giving the majority the right to rule. This is the genius of our government. I am willing to trust it, and believe that with these

principles our glorious government, founded on the will of all, protected by the power of all, and protecting the rights of all, will survive all the storms of internal convulsions, defy the world combined, and rising higher and higher in grandeur and in glory, will be the happiest, freest, and most honored nation among the nations of the world.

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I am here to-day fearlessly to proclaim my creed, and to stand or fall by it. I am for the abolition of slavery, not because I am for the white man or the red man or the black man, but because I am for man, for God's humanity. And I here declare that no earthly motive, no lofty summit of human ambition, no proud pinnacle of human power, no loud acclaims of the multitude shall ever seduce me from the God-given sentiments of my heart in favor of liberty and humanity.

Now, here, elsewhere, always, I am against secession and slavery, for an undivided Union, for universal freedom, and universal suffrage.

If slavery had any lease for longer life when it laid its assassin hand upon the life of the noble Lincoln, for that fearful crime its last lingering breath would be driven from its accursed body. Abraham Lincoln lived long enough to lead us through the Red Sea of this terrible war; he laid down the true policy upon which this nation is to live; and in his speeches, letters, messages, proclamations and great acts, he has left us lessons enough to guide us in all our duties as citizens, and in all our public affairs.

Hundreds of books will be written; but were it my object simply to make him immortal through all time, it would be enough—all else would be waste of paper-to say that on the first of January, 1863, Abraham Lincoln, the great emancipator, issued his proclamation of emancipation, and gave freedom to his country and a long oppressed race.

But though Slavery and Treason assassinated our President, the Government still lives. The assassin may slay an hundred Presidents, but thank God the great government of the United States shall stand, and the gates of hell and death shall not prevail against

it. Our Government, by reason of the fiery ordeal through which it has passed, will be more honored, respected and feared throughout the world than ever before; and standing over the grave of Treason with the eyes of the good God beaming upon us, and with new and and increasing faith in the capacity of man for self-government, like Miriam the prophetess, we will raise our songs of triumph on the banks of our deliverance, and joyfully exclaim: "Sing ye‘to the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea!"

CIX.

THE RIVAL ORATORS.

AIMWELL STORIES.

SCENE-The platform of a School-room.

THOMAS TROTTER, a large boy, with a "big voice," and SAMUEL SLY, & small boy, whose vocal organ is pitched on a high key.

[Thomas enters and makes his bow to the audience, followed by Samuel, who goes through the same ceremony a little in his rear.]

Tom. (Turning partially round.) What do you want here? Sam. I want to speak my piece, to be sure.

T. Well, you will please to wait until I get through; it's my

turn now.

S. No, 't ain't your turn, either, my learned friend; excuse me for contradicting, but if I don't stick out for my rights, nobody else will. My turn came before that fellow's who said "his voice was still for war;" but I could n't think how my speech began then, and he got the start of me.

T. Very well; if you were not ready when your turn came, that's your fault, and not mine. Go to your seat, and don't bother me any more.

S. Well, that's cool, I declare as cool as a load of ice in February. Can't you ask some other favor, Mr. Trotter?

T. Yes; hold your tongue.