ly attentive to the wants and
wishes of the United States. Governors of States issue these
documents written in a tone of pious insincerity. The year may or
may not have been prosperous, yet the degree of thankfulness called
for is always precisely the same.

A few years ago the Governor of Iowa issued an exceedingly rhetorical
proclamation, in which the people were requested to thank God for
the unparalleled blessings he had showered upon them. A private
citizen, fearing that the Lord might be misled by official
correspondence, issued his proclamation, in which he recounted with
great particularity the hardships of the preceding year. He insisted
that the weather had been of the poorest quality; that the spring
came late, and the frost early; that the people were in debt; that
the farms were mortgaged; that the merchants were bankrupt; and
that everything was in the worst possible condition. He concluded
by sincerely hoping that the Lord would pay no attention to the
proclamation of the Governor, but would, if he had any doubt on
the subject, come down and examine the State for himself.

These proclamations have always appeared to me absurdly egotistical.
Why should God treat us any better than he does the rest of his
children? Why should he send pestilence and famine to China, and
health and plenty to us? Why give us corn, and Egypt cholera?
All these proclamations grow out of egotism and selfishness, of
ignorance and superstition, and are based upon the idea that God
is a capricious monster; that he loves flattery; that he can be
coaxed and cajoled.

The conclusion of the whole matter with me is this: For truth in
courts we must depend upon the trained intelligence of judges, the
right of cross-examination, the honesty and common sense of jurors,
and upon an enlightened public opinion. As for members of Congress,
we will trust to the wisdom and patriotism, not only of the members,
but of their constituents. In religion we will give to all the
luxury of absolute liberty.

The alchemist did not succeed in finding any stone the touch of
which transmuted baser things to gold; and priests have not invented
yet an oath with power to force from falsehood's desperate lips
the pearl of truth.

--_Secular Review_, London, England, 1884.

WENDELL PHILLIPS, FITZ JOHN PORTER AND BISMARCK.

_Question_. Are you seeking to quit public lecturing on religious
questions?

_Answer_. As long as I live I expect n