The chief disadvantages under which the United States labour, are the incessant political agitation which prevails. No sooner is one election over than another commences, and before President Tyler has descended from his throne, every lawyer, every merchant, every farmer, is employed in tormenting his neighbour to vote for a new candidate.

A strong illusion also prevails on the subject of money, vast numbers of the population believing that a dollar made of paper is equal to one made of silver, and coined in Mexico: this infatuation has entailed great misfortunes on the country. In the Southern States, there are more than three millions of slaves, and there is not at present the slightest appearance of any change in their condition.

We have, in a former page, proposed that the island of Nassau, contiguous to New York, should form an independent State. It is larger in extent than Rhode Island, and nearly as populous as Delaware. A friend here whispered in my ear, "What trouble you are going to cause to these unfortunate people. If they are to be free, they will require a constitution, and will want a governor. Then only consider the caucuses, the

political meetings of young and old men, the votes, the resolutions, the remonstrances, and counter-resolutions, and the opposite meetings of federalists and democrats, and national republicans of the old and new school." Struck with his remark, I replied, "I will give them a constitution, and I will be their governor."

CONSTITUTION OF THE ISLAND OF NASSAU.

Any person who expressed a wish to subdue or to purchase any neighbouring territory, or to found a colony and keep it in subjection, should be esteemed an enemy to his countrymen, for he would add to their taxes, and take away from their happiness.

The community should be entirely agricultural. He who sowed most wheat, or Indian corn, should be esteemed a friend to his country.

He who planted a peach orchard should be a senator for life.

He who shot the fattest buck should be captain in his district for a year.

He who produced the most wine might have the pleasure of sending a cask to each of his neighbours.

He who caught the largest quantity of fish should have the privilege of keeping open-house until all were consumed.

He who raised the fattest ox should be at liberty to keep him in a beautiful paddock, and to walk round him once a day as long as he lived.

No lawyers would be necessary, for there would never be any disputes.

No physicians would be requisite, for the human race, exempt from care, would be free from disease.

There would be no robbers, for no man would attempt to steal a barn, or to run away with

a cow.

All would be good, and therefore all would be happy.

The only misfortune that could possibly happen to these people would be when the sun did not ripen the peaches.

No penitentiaries should be built, for if they built one, they must build two; they must finally cover the whole face of the island with penitentiaries, and the foul sight of those receptacles of crime would disfigure the fair face of nature. Instead of the care and the money of the State being lavished on criminals, it should be bestowed

in quite a different direction-in the education of the innocent and poor.

And then with their seas full of fish, their woods full of game, their orchards full of peaches, and their gardens full of roses, they might enjoy the happiest life in the world.

CHAPTER XV.

ON WAR AND CONQUESTS.

WAR is fashion, war is folly, war sanctions every crime that man can commit.

Rise, Earth! and conquer armed men, take away their arms and instruments of war, and compel them to resume the pursuits of peace; then shall the vexed earth be still, and the human race will carry the arts and sciences, and their political combinations, to the highest degree of perfection.

Indians war with all but their own tribe.

In the Highlands of Scotland each savage clan was accustomed to combat all those who lived in the neighbouring valley.

All savage nations are alike-when not at war with their neighbours, they fight with one another. When Bonaparte conquered Egypt, he conferred the command of a district of country on a member of the French Institute, that he might observe how a philosopher would govern a province, and