Ghost, avoid! where upon it left him, leaped on the floor, and flew out at the window. Poor Susanna was executed; and upon such grounds as these the lives of the friendless old women in New England were taken, while the Reverend Cotton Mather cried, Amen. The burnings and tortures of the Inquisition were tolerable in comparison, for an ecclesaistical was very likely to prove a political heretic. But the forlorn old women of Salem could be dangerous to nobody in the world. Men also were accused, and children; but the complete list of persons charged with witchcraft includes thirty-five men and two boys, ninety women and seven girls. Of these, twenty were put to death, thirteen women and seven men; and eleven were condemned, but did not suffer, all of whom were women. These are the chapters of history that should teach us charity. Possibly old Mather, and Noyes, and the Salem magistrates, thought they were doing God service; and they shall have the credit which belongs to honest intention. But the whole history shows us, as we are constantly shown, that the man who invades the sacred natural rights of other people, however honestly he may do it, must pay the penalty of actual punishment, if he is living, and of a public reprobation of his memory, if he be dead, before his guilt is understood. The name of Cotton Mather will be always clouded with the shame of the witchcraft massacres, as the fame of Isabella is disfigured by the Inquisition. To respect the rights of others just as firmly as we insist upon our own, is the only path of peace. THE AMERICAN UNION AND CONSTITUTION. Address of Judge Elliot, of Tennessee, to President Cleveland. as far as possible to the general prosperity and happiness of the whole country. And one practical result accomplished by the conflict, the theory of the right of a State to withdraw from the Federal compact, was overthrown, and the indestructibility of the American Union was established on the firmest foundations. The Chief Elements of Discord Removed. The chief element of discord has been removed forever, and though questions will continue to arise about which men inay differ, and differ earnestly, it is settled beyond appeal that in all abuses and grievances that may arise from the action of the General Government, the remedy must hereafter be sought within the pale R. PRESIDENT: You have recently participated in a celebration of the onehundredth anniversary of the formation of the Constitution of the United States, and you beheld the multitudes of our fellow-countrymen flocking from every direction to the spot where that instrument was fashioned, and renewing their vows of fealty at the shrine of that grandest monument of human wisdom. Let me say, sir, that the Southern heart was in full sympathy with that interesting occasion and that nowhere in all this broad land will you find more loyalty to the Constitution of the United States and to the Government created by it than among the people of these Southern States. Differences of opinion as to its true theory and its proper construction in some points ex-joyed in the American Union and under the Americar isted from its very creation, and controversy has often been angry and bitter. One great and important interest in the progress of things became sectionalized, and out of it arose questions of constitutional interpretation which were regarded by the Southern people as so vital to their rights and interests that they committed their solution to the arbitrament of arms. The Stern Logic of Events. But, Mr. President, they have bowed to the stern log. ic of events, and they have in a frank and manly way accepted the result of the struggle as a final settlement of all the questions in dispute, and they have since labored with rare courage, fortitude, and cheerfulness to accommodate themselves to their new conditions, to reconstruct their broken fortunes, and to contribute of the Union and under the forms of established law. We have all come to realize that American liberty, the highest type of human freedom, can only be fully en Constitution. Indeed, the sentiment uttered by Mr. Web. ster on a memorable occasion may be said to have be come imbedded in the constitutional law of America, "Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable." It has seemed to me to be proper that you as President of the United States should hear these senti. ments expressed here in the heart of the Southern States and in the presence of this concourse of Southern people. No one of this multitude will repudiate them. All of us, indeed, feel that this Union is our Union, that its bright and starry banner is our flag, and that its destiny for weal or woe is to be our destiny. This was the last word Judge Elliot spoke. Ten minutes later he was dead, THE LAND WE LIVE IN. HE fathers of Massachusetts Bay once decided that population was never likely to be very dense west of Newton (a suburb of Boston), and the founders of Lynn, after exploring ten or fifteen miles, doubted whether the country was good for anything farther west than that. Until recent times, only less inadequate has been the popular conception of the Transmissouri region and the millions destined to inhabit it. Though astonishing comparisons have ceased to astonish, I know of no means more effective or more just by which to present our physical basis of empire. What, then, should we say of a Republic of eighteen States, each as large as Spain; or one of thirtyone States, each as large as Italy; or one of sixty States, each as large as England and Wales? What a confed. eration of nations! Take five of the six first-class Powers of Europe, Great Britain, and Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy; then add Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Denmark, and Greece. Let some one greater than Napoleon weld them into one mighty empire; and you could lay it all down in the United States west of the Hudson River, once and again; and again-three times. Well may Mr. Gladstone say that we have "a natural base for the greatest continuous empire ever established by man;" and well may the English Premier add: "And the distinction between continuous empire and the empire severed and dispersed over sea is vital." With the exception of Alaska our territory is compact, and though so vast, is unified by railways and an equalled system of rivers and lakes. The latter, occupying a larger area than Great Britain and Ireland are said to contain rearly one-half of all the fresh water on the globe. We are told that east of the Rocky Mountains we have a river-flow of more than 40,000 miles (i. e., 80,000 miles of river bank). counting no stream less than a hundred miles in length; while Europe in a larger space has but 17,000. It is estimated that the Mississippi with its affluents, affords 35,000 miles to navigation. A steamboat may pass up the Mississippi and Missouri 3,900 miles from the Gulf-"as far as from New York to Constantinople." Thus a “vast system of natural canals” carries our sea-board into the very heart of the continent,-our country. ORIGIN OF THE TERM "YANKEE.” HERE are comparatively few people who know the origin and meaning of the term "Yankee," by which the English people are accustomed more or less affectionately to designate their American cousins born in the United States. In view of the American Exhibition of the Arts, Inventions, Manufactures, and Products of the United States, held at Earl's Court, Kensington, and which has been nicknamed in some quarters The Yankeries," it may be of interest to readers to know what the word means. When the Pilgrim Fathers landed on Plymouth Rock, the friendly Indians asked of what people they were, to which query they replied, "English." But the red man could not twist his tongue around that word, and “Yengeese" was as near as he could get to it. It was but a very short time, and by a natural and easy transition, before "Yengeese" became transformed into "Yankees." The use of this word also is peculiar. The people of the Southern States call all Northerners, both east and west, Yankees," as will be remembered by those familiar with the great Civil War. The people of the Western States call only those living in the Eastern States, or east of the Hudson River, "Yankees," and these are the only people who ac knowledge the name, and always so describe themselves. On the other hand, all the English colonists and the people of Great Britain invariably call all citizens of the United States "Yankees," and whet abroad they cheerfully accept, and are generally proud of the title, which, as we have seen, means, and is only a corruption of the word, "English.” LEGAL HOLIDAYS OF THE STATES. Christmas and the Fourth of July Celebrated by all. rkansas stands at the foot of the lists in number of holidays, observing only Christmas, and independence day. To these two Alabama and Mississippi, add new year's, while Delaware adds thanksgiving day instead. Indiana, Kansas and Tennessee celebrate the four days hitherto named, to which Iowa and Vermont add decoration day; Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska, Nevada and West Virginin add Washington's birth day; while Rhode Island observes the latter two days, but omits new year's. All the days named thus far are holidays in Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia, As many are kept also by Florida, Missouri and Wisconsin, which, however, omit decoration day, and make election day a holiday; by Georgia, which keeps memorial day and not election day; by Michigan and Virginia, which omit decoration day in favor of fast day, as Minnesota substitutes for it good Friday; and by New Hampshire, which keeps fast day and not new year's. Of States which keep seven holidays in the year, California and New Jersey add election day to the six principal occasions, Connecticut adds fast day instead, Massachusetts puts fast day and labor day in place of new year's and election. Missouri drops decoration day for good Friday. Louisiana's list is more peculiar, consisting of new year's, the battle of New Orleans. Washington's birthday, shrove Tuesday, good Friday, the fourth of July, and Christmas day. Pennsylvania observes good Friday, and not election day; and North Carolina keeps memo. rial day; and instead of election day celebrates May 10. New York, Oregon and Texas are the only States which recognize so many as eight holidays, New York adding labor day to the occasions most commonly observed, Oregon observing fast day instead, and Texas putting the celebration of Texan independence (March 2,) and the battle of San Jacinto (April 21,) in place of labor day and decoration day, next-in Christmas and the fourth of July are the only holidays everywhere. Thanksgiving comes thirty-five States; then new year's in thirty-four; then Washington's birthday in thirty. There is then a sudden drop to decoration day, which we think readers will wonder to find a holiday only in fourteen States and the District of Columbia, helped out, moreover, by only two memorial days in southern States. We suspect some error about this. The figures then trail off to fast day or good Friday in ten States, election day in ten, and labor day in only two. Then succeed the scattering singles. THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER. 0 UR national lyric had its birth during the bombardment of Ba.timore by the British fleet, Sep. 13, 1814. Dr. Beans of Upper Marlborough, had been taken prisoner and carried on ship-board by the British when their troops had finished their raid upon Washington. He was universally esteemed, and there was a great desire to obtain his release. It was finally arranged that Mr, Francis S. Key should visit the British vessels and make the request. Mr. Skinner of Baltimore, accompanied Mr. Key. quest was granted, but the three Americans were detained on board because of the coming attack on Baltimore It can be faintly imagined what their feelings were during the furious cannonade of Fort McHenry. The darkness wore on interminably. The roar The re of guns made the night tremble, and the flashes at their discharge threw a lurid gleam across the water. The fort did not reply, and it could not be told whether the old flag was still flying in its place. The dawn was anxiously awaited. Mr. Key walked up and down the vessel's deck and composed the song which has had a national acceptance. When the light of morning was sufficient it revealed to his eyes the fact that "our flag was still there." The long suspense was passed, and the country had a possession of great value. At the close of the ineffectual bombardment the three friends went ashore, and the British sailed away. Since then, every part of our country has known and sung that "The Star Spangled Banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave." |