s since lectured before "Young Men's Christian
Associations." Plunderings by members of the Congress excited no
attention so long as they were confined to individuals or corporations.
It was only when they voted themselves money out of taxes paid by the
people, that these last growled and frightened some of the statesmen
into returning it. A banker, the pet of the Government, holding the same
especial relation to it that the Bank of England held to William of
Orange, discovered that "a great national debt was a blessing," and was
commended and rewarded therefor. With a palace on the shores of the
Delaware, this banker owned a summer retreat on a lovely isle amid the
waters of Lake Erie. A pious man, he filled this with many divines, who
blessed all his enterprises. He contributed largely, too, to the support
of an influential Christian journal to aid in disseminating truth to
Jew, Gentile, and heathen. The divines and the Christian journal were
employed to persuade widows and weak men to purchase his rotten
securities, as things too righteous to occasion loss.

The most eloquent preacher in the land, of a race devoted to adoration
of negroes, as Hannibal to hatred of Rome, compromised the wife of a
member of his congregation. Discovered by the husband, he groveled
before him in humiliation as before "his God" (his own expression).
Brought before the public, he swore that he was innocent, and denied the
meaning of his own written words. The scandal endured for months and
gave an opportunity to the metropolitan journals to display their
enterprise by furnishing daily and minute reports of all details to
their readers. The influence of the preacher was increased by this. His
congregation flocked to him as the Anabaptists to John of Leyden, and
shopkeepers profitably advertised their wares by doubling their
subscriptions to augment his salary. Far from concealing this wound
inflicted on his domestic honor, the injured husband proclaimed it from
the housetops, clothed himself in it as in a robe of price, and has
successfully used it to become a popular lecturer.

To represent the country at the capital of an ancient monarchy, a man
was selected whom, it is no abuse of language to declare, Titus Oates
after his release from the pillory would have blushed to recognize. On
the eve of his departure, as one may learn from the newspapers of the
day, all that was richest and best in New York gathered around a banquet
in his honor,