learn that the United States of South America are at present holding
their eighth biennial Congress at Lima, Peru. Brazil continues friendly;
but the people of that nation still treasure the traditions and usages
of their Empire. The constitutional limitations of Brazil, nevertheless,
make it imperial only in name and form; it is as liberal as was the
government of Great Britain in the latter days of its monarchy.

* * * * *

We thought it a great deal for the English people, twenty-five years
ago, to abolish the place of the House of Lords in their government; or
even, before that, so completely to disestablish the once powerful
Church of England. But the monarchy! What seemed so permanent as that?
Who would have thought, fifty years ago, in good Queen Victoria's
reign, that some persons then living might come to know of her throne
being as vacant, nay, as utterly overturned, as the Palace of the
Caesars!

It is one evidence of the old conservatism of the British nation, so
terribly shattered now, that the rank, titles, and estates of the
nobility are still left to them; with the qualification, that the eldest
son is entitled by law to only twice the share of each of the other
heirs of the estate; and the whole of any property may be sequestered,
by legal process, for debt.

Probably, now, the exodus of British nobles to this country, as well as
to the continent of Europe, so active already during the last decade or
two, will increase considerably. Marriage of American ladies with
lordlings, earls, and even dukes, is scarcely very rare at present; it
may be expected soon to become almost as common, at least, as such
titles are. It is whispered that it is not entirely impossible that the
ex-king and queen, with the royal family, may come hereafter to reside
at New Belgravia, in California, where several thousands of acres have
been latterly bought and occupied as estates, by English noblemen; or,
perhaps more probably, in Loudon County, Virginia; where the Dukes of
Cambridge and of Devonshire both own splendid properties.

* * * * *

No wonder that the Republic of Great Britain and Ireland should differ
chiefly from ours, in the greater share of power allotted to the Upper
House. If men of rank will (as some of them have already done) wisely
accept the inevitable change, and, with full loyalty to the Republic,
seek, or allow themselves, to be elected t