s priest. The exclusion
of women and negroes from this privilege remains, it is true, a _hiatus
valde deflendus_ by the choicer spirits of the democracy. It is thought,
however, that the system will shortly be completed by the addition of
these new constellations. At this moment, in prospect of a convention to
re-tinker the constitution, two agitations are going on in the state of
New York--one to secure the "Political Rights of Women;" the other to
extend those which negroes, under certain grievous restrictions, already
enjoy. The theory of virtual representation has been held up to these
two classes of citizens with as little success as to our own Radicals.
Both negroes and women throw themselves upon the broad fact of their
common humanity, and indignantly demand wherefore a black skin or a
gentle sex should disqualify their possessors from the exercise of the
dearest privilege of freemen.

Now, however absurd this system may appear to us in the abstract, and
however strongly we should resist its application to our own political
case, we believe, as we said before, that the Americans have no choice
in the matter but to make it work as well as possible, and that it is
for the interest of the world, as well as for their own, that it should
so work. The preservation of peace, and our commercial relations with
the United States, are far more important to us than the triumph of an
idea. We are quite content, if they will permit us, to remain on the
best of terms with our transatlantic descendants, and to see them happy
and prosperous in their own way. We even think it fortunate for mankind
that the principle of self-government is being worked out in that remote
region, and under the most favourable circumstances, in order that the
civilized world may take note thereof, and guide itself accordingly. It
is, we know, a favourite theme with their demagogues, that the glory and
virtue and happiness of Yankee-doodle-doo have inspired the powers of
the rotten Old World with the deepest jealousy and hatred, and that
every crown in Europe pales before the lustre of that unparalleled
confederacy. Nothing can be wider of the truth, pleasing as the illusion
may be to the self-love of the most vainglorious people under the sun.
The _prestige_ which America and her institutions once undoubtedly
enjoyed in many parts of Europe is rapidly fading away, as each
successive post brings fresh evidence of her vices and her follies. We
can, ind