254 I'm really tired. I'll come some other night, Now, tell me, Abraham, don't you really want As to the rock of old, in Scythian land, So Grant was bound, and for his love of men, Surfeited kittens roll'd on him, who'd been * A Hudibrasian couplet. ↑ Grant boasted that he would fight it out all summer on the "Kilkenny cat" principle. New Gospel of Peace. § Vide "Miles O'Reilley: His Book." To Abe, Apollyon: "Abraham, I fear You 'kinder thought' to see some more friends here; But from the gates I had them sent away, And these were Brownlow, 'far.resounding' preacher, Bætum in jurares atre natum. That's Latin, Abe, and means, soon as you see To stop their work, indeed I would be loth, Of course remembering that I'm sure of both At any time; but, Abe, have no alarm, Once here I'll make their quarters precious warm. Abe heard his speech, then turned to go away n And leave the spot. Quoth Nick: "Friend Abraham, stay, Seen all my wonders; I've still left a spot A curious place, in sooth, a wondrous sight, See, Abraham, for my friend's especial sake, This was a lake o'erarched with lurid glare "Easy," quoth Nick. "Good Abraham, do not swear; That pretty spot?" Said Abe, "No, not to-night; I'm surely off. Now, Nicholas, honor bright I really do not want to know your plan." "Nay, list," said Nicholas, "ABE, THOU ART THE MAN.' He said; now myriad imps-in-waiting there, Abe struggled, scream'd, implored, and vainly wept ; We publish the above poem, not for its literary merits, but as a curiosity, showing the sympathies of the literary men of England in relation to this most unnatural civil strife. Indeed the sympathies of the civilized world are against Lincoln. ACTS OF THE CONVENTIONS OF NEW YORK AND VIRGINIA, THE following Acrs of New York and Virginia, adopting the Constitution, are here published as a reference for our readers. They are very instructive, as showing the feeling with which the States adopted the Federal Constitution, and as also showing the opinions of our fathers in relation to the rights and powers of the States under the Constitution : THE ACT OF NEW YORK. We, the delegates of the people of the State of New York, duly elected, and met in Convention, having duly considered the Constitution of the United States of America, agreed to on the 7th day of September, in the year 1787, by the Convention then assembled at Philadelphia, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, (a copy whereof precedes these presents,) and having also seriously and deliberately considered the present situation of the United States, do declare and make known: That all power is originally vested in, and consequently derived from the people, and that government is instituted by them for their common interest, protection and security. That the enjoyment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, are essential rights which every government ought to respect and preserve. That the powers of Government may be resumed by the people whenever it shall become necessary to their happiness; that every power, jurisdiction and right which is not by the said Constitution clearly delegated to the Congress of the United States, or the departments of the government thereof, remain to the people of the several States, or to their respective State Governments, to whom they may have granted the same; and that these clauses in the said Constitution which declare that Congress shall not have or exercise certhin powers, do not imply that Congress is entitled to any powers not given by the said Constitution, but such clauses are to be construed either as exceptions to certain specified powers, or as inserted merely for greater caution. That the people have an equal, natural, and inalienable right freely and peaceably to exercise their religion according to the dictates of conscience, and that no religious sect or society ought to be favored or established by law in preference to others. That the people have a right to keep and bear arms; that a well regulated militia, including the body of the people, capable of bearing arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state. That the militia should not be subject to martial law except in time of war, rebellion, or insurrection. That standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, and ought not to be kept up, except in cases of necessity, and that, at all times, the military should be under strict subordination to the civil power. That, in time of peace, no soldier ought to be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner; and in time of war only by the civil magistrate, in such manner as the law may direct. That no person ought to be taken, imprisoned, cr disseized of his freehold, or be exiled or deprived of his privileges, franchise, life, liberty, or property, but by due process of law. That no person ought to be put twice in jeopardy of life or limb, for one and the same offense, nor, unless in case of impeachment, be punished more than once for the same offense. That every person restrained of his liberty is entitled to an inquiry into the lawfulness of such restraint, and to a removal thereof, if unlawful; and that such inquiry and removal ought not to be denied or delayed, except when, on acount of public danger, the Congress shall suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus. That excessive bail shall not be required; nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel nor unusual punishments inflicted. That (except in the government of the land and naval forces, and of the militia when in active service, and in case of impeachment) a presentment or indictment of a grand jury ought to be observed as a necessary preli minary to the trial of all crimes recognizable by the judiciary of the United States; and that such trial should be speedy, public, and by an impartial jury of the county where the crime. was committed; and that no person can be found guilty without the unanimous consent of such jury. But in cases of crimes not committed within any county of any of the United States, and in cases of crimes committed in any county in which a general insurrection may prevail, or which may be in possession of a foreign enemy, the inquiry and trial may be in such county as the Congress shall by law direct; which county, in the two cases last mentioned, should be as near as conveniently may be to that county in which the crime may have been committed. And that, in all criminal prosecutions, the accused ought to be informed of the cause and nature of his prosccution, to be confronted with his accusers and the witnesses against him, to have the means of producing his witnesses, and the assistance of counsel for his defense, and should not be compelled to give evidence against himself. That the trial by jury in the extent that it obtains by the common law of England, is one of the greatest securities to the rights of a free people, and ought to remain inviolate. That every freeman has a right to be secure from all unreasonable searches and seizures of his person, his papers, or his property, and therefore all warrants to search suspected places, or seize any freeman, his papers or property, without information upon oath or affirmation, of sufficient cause, are grievous and oppressive, and that all general warrants (or such in which the person or place suspected are not particularly designated,) are dange rous, and ought not to be granted. That the people have a right peaceably to assemble together to consult for their common good or to instruct their representatives, and that every person has a right to petition.or apply to the Legislature for a redress of grievances. That the freedom of the press ought not to be violated or restrained. That there should be once in four years an election for President and Vice-President, so that no officer who may be appointed by the Congress to act as President, in case of removal, death, resignation, or inability of the President and Vice-President, can in any case continue to act beyond the termination of the period for which the last President and Vice-President were elected. That nothing contained in the said Constitution is to be construed to prevent the Legislature of any State from passing laws at its discretion, from time to time, to divide such State into convenient districts, and to apportion its representatives to and among such districts. That the prohibition contained in the said Constitution against ex post facto laws extends only to laws concerning crimes. That all appeals, in causes dcterminable according to the course of the common law, ought to be by writ of error, and not otherwise. That the Judicial power of the United States, in cases in which a State may be a party, does not extend to criminal prosecutions, or to authorize any suit by any person against a State. Court of the United States, or of any other court to be instituted by the Congress, is not in any case to be increased, enlarged, or extended by any fiction, collusion, or mere suggestion, and that no treaty is to be construed so to operate as to alter the Constitution of any State. Under these impressions, and declaring that the rights aforesaid cannot be abridged or violated, and that the explanations aforesaid are consistent with the said Constitution, and in confidence that the amendments which shall have been proposed to the said Constitution will receive an early and mature consideration, we the said delegates, in the name and in behalf of the people of the State of New York, do by these presents assent to and ratify the said Constitution. In full confidence, nevertheless, that until a Convention shall be called and convened for proposing amendments to the said Constitution, the militia of this State will not be continued in service out of this State for a longer term than six weeks, without the consent of the Legislature thereof; that the Congress will not make or alter any regulation in this State respecting the time, places or manner of holding elections for senators and representatives, unless the Legislature of this State shall neglect or refuse to make laws or regulations for the purpose, or from any circumstance be incapable of making the same; and that in these cases such power will only be exercised until the Legislature of this State shall make provisions in the premises; that no excise shall be levid on any articles of the growth, production, or manufacture of the United States, or any of That the judicial power of the United States, as to controversies between citizens of the same State, claiming lands under grants of different States, is not to be construed to extend to any other controversies between them except those which relate to such lands, so claimed, under grants of different States. That the jurisdiction of the Supreme them, within this State, ardent spirits |