designed by Providence for that jewel on her ner of the patriot, serving at the altar and standbreast; and this is the quack who gains most ing by the steps of the throne, in the professor's with women. THE POLITICAL QUACK. chair and by the bedside of the sick, grinding colors for the painter, nibbing pens for the writer, As for the quack political, is there one of the freighting vessels by contract, and measuring out trade not of the brotherhood? From the diplo- silks at a sacrifice, at the head of armies and in matist who juggles with a people's liberties, and the class list of a dame's school-everywhere and amuses the nation by his clever thimble-rigging, always they are to be found generally in green to the small spouter at a public meeting, is there and flourishing condition, sadly discouraging to one in ten with an honest mind, clean-swept and poor honesty, begging wayside pence. When we free of quackery? I think not. The quack po- shall have buried quackery, we shall have filled litical generally understands to a nicety the tex- up the deepest slough which lies between us and ture of the feathers with which it is desirable good-we shall have cleansed our corn fields of that he construct his private nest. He knows their rankest weeds, and cleared our mines of the whereabouts they lie among the ripe corn, and foulest gases. This will be the inauguration of follows eagerly the larger birds which wear them that good time coming, which has never come in their crests and tails. Sometimes he is dar- yet, but which we all know is waiting for us ing, and makes a dash at that stately egret float- round the corner of the present. ing white and high above him; sometimes he plucks the long pendants trailing through the yard, battling for his possessions with all the barn-door rabble; and sometimes he only lurks! War Terms. THE Columbiad or Paixhan, (pronounced about the gilded cages, biding his time, and wait-payzan) is a large gun, designed principally for ing on the generous offices of chance and riches firing shells-it being far more accurate than dropped through the bars. But always and ever the ordinary short mortar. A mortar is a very the main object of his life, the fixed desire of his soul, is-feathers. short cannon with a large bore - some of them thirteen inches in diameter - for firing shells. Here and there, indeed, but rare as tropical Those in use in our army are set at an angle of birds in Northern steppes, may be found one forty-five degrees, and the range of the shell is with only the naked bough for his home, roofed varied by altering the charge of powder. The in by leaves of oak and laurel. He has done his shell is caused to explode at just about the time day's work without a thought of feathers. He that it strikes, by means of a fuse, the length of has battled his bravest and flown at his highest, which is adjusted to the time of flight to be not for a sumptuous place of rest as his reward, occupied by the ball, which, of course, correbut for the eternal good of the world-to strike sponds with the range. The accuracy with down tyranny in high places, to confront the lev- which the time of the burning of a fuse can be el greediness of the lower herd, to break the bars adjusted by varying its length is surprising — of the gilded cages and force on the sleepy pris good artillerists generally succeeding in having oners of wealth a life of lofty daring and noble their shells explode almost at the exact instant deeds. But he is not of the quack tribe at all; of striking. In loading a mortar, the shell is and to him, therefore, we would offer our loving carefully placed with the fuse directly forward, reverence wherever he may be found, whether and when the piece is discharged, the shell is so by the shores of the blue Mediterranean, or in completely enveloped with flame that the fuse is the smoke of our own manufacturing towns, holdnearly always fired. The fuse is made by filling ing him sacredly apart from the mummers who a wooden cylinder with fuse powder — the cylie in painted masks beneath the fruit-trees, telllinder being of a sufficient length for the longest ing golden grapes for beads, while honest men stand empty-handed on the bleak common with-range, to be cut down shorter for shorter ranges, out. QUACKS EVERYWHERE. as required. A Dahlgren gun is an ordinary cannon, except that it has been made very thick Other quacks there are, thick as gnats on a at the breech for some three or four feet, when summer's day, shadows of all that is bright in it tapers down sharply to less than the usual man, distorted images of a beautiful original. size. This form was adopted in consequence of But it would be too long to catalogue them, un- the experiments of Captain Dahlgren, of the less I named every faculty and profession extant. U. S. N.-having shown that when a gun bursts, For they creep in everywhere as night flows in it usually gives way at the breech. The Niagara to every corner of the daylight. Under the ban-lis armed with these guns, and at the Brooklyn Navy Yard there are sixty, weighing about nine thousand pounds each, and six of twelve thousand pounds weight each, the former of which For the Schoolmaster. The Valley of the Nile. [THE following oration was written and deare capable of carrying a nine inch, and the lat-livered by a lad of the Providence High School, ter a ten inch shell a distance of two or three Classical Department, at the annual exhibition miles; and there is one gun of this pattern in May, 1861.] which weighs fifteen thousand nine hundred Works of art and monuments of once powand sixteen pounds, and is warranted to send an erful but now fallen empires ever interest and eleven inch shell four miles. A casement is a please the modern traveller; he delights in wanstone roof to a fort, made sufficiently thick to dering among the tombs of their departed kings, resist the force of cannon balls; and a casement and in pondering upon memorials which they gun is one which is placed under a casement. have left behind them; he delights in rambling A barbette is one which is placed on the top of among the ruins of their temples, and in reflectthe fortification. An embrasure is the hole or ing upon the splendor and magnificence that opening through which guns are fired from for- once had being there. tifications. Loop holes are openings in walls to fire musketry through.-Scientific American. ARMY DIVISIONS. The valley of the Nile, memorable on account of its ancient and sacred history, does not fail to be most interesting to the modern tourist. A battalion is a body smaller than a regiment, He may wander along the banks of the yellow say two or four companies, and is commanded Tiber, and reflect upon imperial Rome and the by a major. A regiment is composed of eight prowess of her arms; he may wander among companies, and is commanded by a colonel; it the rugged hills and along the banks of the has also a lieutenant-colonel and a major. A mountain torrents of classic Greece, and ponbrigade is composed of two or more regiments, der upon her success in the arts and sciences, and is commanded by a brigadier-general. A and upon her subtilty in learning. But these division is composed of two or more brigades, are regarded as but secondary objects of interand is commanded by a major-general. Lieu est, as he rambles along the banks of the Nile tenant-general is an office created in honor of and reflects upon the former glory of Egypt. General Scott, after the war with Mexico, and And as associations cluster around him, as he is, in this country, peculiar to him only. thinks of the Patriarchs of old, who centuries ago walked by this same stream and drank of the same limpid waters, - - Athens and Rome are forgotten, and he thinks only of the former splendor of Thebes and Memphis. For the Schoolmaster. ADOWN the long path's grassy track, And I will be your bride. Adown the long path's grassy track, To that blest day one year ago, Oh! fleeted moments, travel back, It only seems my own sad dreams, M. C. P. horrors of war, which had brought desolation Cairo still stands, but it is not the Cairo of on their own countries, were renewed on the ancient times; the once proud seat of the roybanks of the Nile. Time rolled on. Roman and Grecian conquerors had passed away. The fields bloomed with all their former luxuriance, and the husbandman again attended to his peaceful vocation. Yet it was not long to remain so; fearful war, which before had made such inroads on its soil, was doomed once more to spread ruin over these pleasant valleys, and to carry desolation to the hearts of the unhappy people. alty has become the chief market in human flesh. The Pyramids still raise their towering summits to the skies, -- enduring monuments of Egypt's former greatness. Here they have stood witness alike of Cæsar's conquest and Napoleon's invasion; here they still stand, seeing only ruin and desolation where once splendor and magnificence held undisputed sway. Here still sits the lonely Sphynx, watching with mournful eye over the tombs of the departed over the monuments of a fallen empire. Napoleon, cherishing in his mind fond dreams race, of Oriental conquest, fixed upon Egypt for the Man has passed away, but these specimens of success of his arms. England and France, after his handiwork still remain. years of unceasing warfare, and as if conscious that Europe had too often been afflicted with the curse of war, sought the valley of the Nile for their contests. Centuries of oppression and degradation have rolled over the land of Egypt; Persian, Roman and Greek have trodden her under foot. Yet she has but met the fate of others, as she was But it is not the battle-grounds that interest the first to rise, so was she the first to totter and fall. The thick veil of barbarism is again drawn over the country of the Pharaohs, and the cuise of an offended God rests upon the valley of the Nile. From the Massachusetts Teacher. the modern tourist; it is not of the armies that have marched across these plains that the traveller loves to dream, as he pauses on the banks of the Nile; but he muses on the glory of her former greatness, on the monuments and ruins of her temples. These urge the traveller from the refinement and society of modern life to wander among the tombs of departed kings. MANY teachers are too inactive. There is but While Greece was hidden in the obscurity of little apparent life in the school, and the exerbarbarism, and before civilization had spread its cises drag. The teacher need not, however, be gentle light along the banks of the Tiber, Egypt in a constant hurry and excitement, moving conhad far advanced in learning, and had reached tinually about the room, without any object in the highest point in architecture and sculpture. view except to be stirring. Too much moveHere where "mind had its being," the arts and ment tends to tire and confuse. There should sciences first gained a foothold. Greece did not be activity without bustle. The teacher should disdain to send her sons to obtain learning from not feel in duty bound to be constantly on his Egyptian fountains; Romans sought the tem- feet, for fear of being called lazy if he do otherples of the Nile for the study of architecture; wise. He should know when to stand. and and a specimen of Egyptian handiwork now when to sit, and to do this with the consciouslooks down upon modern Paris. Centuries of ness of exercising his own independence. His enlightenment have passed since the downfall of voice should not be in too high a key. This is Egypt, yet civilization, with all her arts, has a great fault with many. It is absolutely painproduced no such cities as those, the splendor ful to hear the tones, "so petulent and shrill,” of which were celebrated in Eastern story. of many a teacher. If the fault was confined Here were Memphis and Cairo. Here, too, was to the individual, the case would be less deplormagnificent Thebes, from whose one hundred able; but the children learn to imitate, and soon brazen portals in days of old, conquering hordes there is a chorus of unnatural voices. The poured forth, over-running earth's fairest plains teacher's intention is good. He desires to bring and carrying victory to the Holy City itself. out full, clear tones, and make the pupils "speak But the destroyer came; Persian hosts poured up;" but the means are not commensurate with through her crowded streets; the sanctity of the object. her temples was violated by the ruthiess hands. of the invader, and Thebes, once the most magnificent city the world has ever known, was transformed into a shapeless mass of ruins, If a person is not aware of speaking in an unnatural voice in the school-room, let him ask a friend to visit his school and notice anything that may be peculiar to him in tone and manner. If some such method were pursued, many of is akin to the answer, but not it. No matter the defects, now easily seen, would be removed, what the question may be, that question, and and better models would be placed before the no other, should be answered. This is espepupils. cially important in the primary schools, where the children are young and need every instrumentality to aid them in securing accuracy and thoroughness. One of the most successful female teachers in the State, not long since, requested an individual who happened to be present at one or two of her exercises, to tell her if he discovered Many young teachers do not hesitate to sit anything that was peculiar or disagreeable in wherever they can find a place, whether that be her manner or mode of address, or indeed in a chair, a desk, or anything else that offers an anything that was cornected with her work. opportunity. This is a bad habit, and should There was much frankness in her request, and be immediately relinquished. The effect upon the stranger was induced to remark that he had the pupils is very injurious. Take a seat where been exceedingly interested in the exercises to persons are expected to sit, and no where else. which he had listened, and especially in the A gentleman called at a school-room not many manner in which the subjects had been present- months since, and found the teacher sitting on ed. He had seen and heard much to commend a very low, dirty platform, while conducting a as excellent, and, as she had been frank with recitation. Before the close of his visit, she him, he would be equally frank with her. He had occupied several other places almost as unstated, or rather illustrated, a few attitudes desirable. It may not be wrong to state that which she assumed every two or three minutes, many teachers fail of securing good appointduring each of the recitation-hours. She had ments mainly on account of some bad habits never thought of the matter before, but then such as these, and many more that might be seemed to see herself, as in a glass, going through mentioned. Too much care cannot be taken of those same movements, which had been her habit one's self, if he is to stand before discerning pufor several years, and wondered no friend had pils as a guide and teacher. The very tones and ever told her of what must have been so un- gait of a teacher will be, more or less, imitated pleasant to both visitors and pupils. To her by young children, and they will, in a short honor be it said, she immediately commenced a time, acquire that which cannot be eradicated rigid self-discipline, and, in a short time, the in months or years. bad habit was overcome, and she now possesses an ease and grace of manner that are truly pleasing. A Use every exertion to keep the school-room clean, as well as the stairs and halls. Nothing can be well done without this precaution. The Pupils are often allowed to hold their books general tone and character of a school can be in the right-hand. This is a bad practice. How determined, to a very great extent, by observawkward it looks to see a minister thus holding ing the degree of neatness that prevails. his book! A taste should be cultivated and a high state of morals, where much dirt exists, habit formed, in this respect, in early life. If cannot be secured. this were done to any considerable extent, we should not see so many as we now do, who seem almost devoid of taste. LORD BROUGHAM, at a meeting of a Law Society, told the following story, observing that The members of a class, during recitation, no mode of payment could be fair which overshould be made to stand still; constant motion looked the previous training of the workman: is unnecessary, and ought to be prevented. If Sir Joshua Reynolds was once asked by a perthe class is allowed to sit, it should be required son for whom he had painted a small picture, to sit still. This doing neither the one thing how he could charge so much for a work which nor the other is bad in theory and not safe in had only employed him for five days? Sir Joshua practice, and is often the precursor of a multi-replied, "Five days! why, sir, I have expendtude of evils, which the teacher may wish to ed the work of thirty-five years upon it." The remedy but cannot. The only prudent course old negro, of whom the following is related, is to check it at the outset, and require prompt seems to have been imbued with the same phiobedience in every little thing, as a paramount losophy: "You charge a dollar for killing a duty. calf, you black rascal!" his employer said to A teacher should not fall into the habit of him. "No, no, massa; me charge fifty cents asking a question and acceping something that for killum calf, and fifty cents for the know-how." For the Schoolmaster. The Right of Secession. AT such a time as the present, when all precedent fails, when history ceases to instruct, when our good ship of State is loosed from her moorings by a mutinous crew, when we are be wildered by the most absurd doctrines and assumptions, and by more absurd conduct, it is necessary to go Lack to first principles; to take original bearings; to calculate anew our latitude and longitude. in all disputes and differences now subsisting or that may hereafter arise between two or more States concerning boundary, jurisdiction, or any other cause whatever." And again: Every State shall abide by the determination of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions which by this constitution are submitted to them." And the Articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State and the union shall be perpetual.” When this Confederation was found to be de fective, then a convention was called to frame a more perfect constitution. When men by hundreds and thousands, by counties and States, are mentally mad and morally insane; when the bottomless fountains of In the preamble of this wonderful document, the great deep of human passions are complete- which has for three-fourths of a century been ly broken up, we may not be so severely startled called by the wisest men of Europe and America to hear that the most distinctive truths of the the grandest work of man in political affairs, we Declaration of Independence — a document are told that "We, the people of the United formerly held in great respect should be de- States, in order to form a more perfect union, * * and secure the risively called "glittering generalities"; that establish justice, the moral philosophy of the North is in toto blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posteriwrong; that there is no such thing as an ty, do ordain and establish this Constitution for eternal right and an eternal wrong"; that hu- the United States of America." man slavery is as much a divine institution a The prime object of forming this Constitution, marriage; and that this nation is simply a lim- therefore, was to perfect the "perpetual union" ited partnership, entered into by a voluntary of these States. Surely, then, they would take contract which may be annulled, given up, re-good care that the union should not become, by pudiated, at any time either party considers it means of this constitution, merely a "rope of desirable. At such a time as this it becomes absolutely indispensable that we calculate our position, and guide our course by no false stars or incorrect tables of reckoning. sand." By the 8th section of the 1st article we observe that the entire control of the militia of the several States, and especially the calling them forth to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections," &c., is given, not to the Reverting, then, to the Constitution of the United States as it was framed by the immortal States themselves, but to the Congress of the men of that early period, what way-marks do we find by which to direct our course in this cloudy, stormy period? United States, who have by law mainly delegated this power to the President, who is, ezofficio, Commander in Chief of the United States torces. 66 keep troops, or ships of war, in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another State, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay." We take up this question at the present time, not that there is any doubt in the mind of any It is to be observed, further, that (art. 1, § x.) reasonable, responsible being about the preten-"No State shall, without the consent of the tions and bluster concerning the preposterous Congress, lay any imposis or duties," &c., right of secession, but that we may be able, at all times, to give a reason for the hope within us. In the first place, then, we observe that the "Articles of Confederation," proposed by Dr. Franklin, on the 21st July, 1775, were styled "ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND PERPETUAL We also find an express provision in the ConUNION," and the first article says: "The name stitution (art. 1. § VIII.) giving to Congress powof this confederacy shall henceforth be The er "To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases United Colonies of North America.'" whatever, over such district as may," &c. 64 beIn the Articles of Confederation" as finally come the seat of government of the United adopted the 15th of November 1777, we find States, and to exercise like authority over all the following: "The United States in the Con- places purchased by the consent of the legislagress assembled shall be the last resort on appeal ture of the State in which the same shall be, |