nds of years ago, the Almighty cursed with plagues a proud
people for refusing to break the bonds of the slave. The day of miracles
is past. But war, desolating war, is the scourge with which He punishes
our country. The curse of blood is upon the land; by blood must it be
expiated. We in the North have been guilty, in common with the whole
country, in tolerating, aiding, and abetting the evil. We must have our
proportion of punishment. Why cannot the whole country meet the issue
boldly as one man, and atone for past offence by unanimity in the
abolition of the evil?"

"On the nigger again," said his Junior Lieutenant, assuming, as he
spoke, an oratorical attitude. "Why do you not go on and talk about them
working out their own salvation, with muskets on their shoulders and
bayonets by their sides, and with fear and trembling too, I have no
doubt it would be. Carry out your Scripture parallels. Tell how the
walls of Jericho fell by horns taken from the woolly heads of rams; but
now that miracles are no more, how the walls of this Jericho of Rebeldom
are destined to fall before the well-directed butting of the woolly
heads themselves. You don't ride your hobby with a stiff rein to-night,
Lieutenant."

The taunting air and strained comparison of the Lieutenant enlivened the
crowd, but did not in the least affect the Senior, who calmly replied:

"If our Government does not arm the negro on the basis of freedom, the
Rebels in their desperation will, and although we have the negro
sympathy, we may lose it through delay and inattention, and in that
event, prepare for years of conflict. The negroes, at the outset of this
Rebellion, were ripe for the contest. Armies of thousands of them might
have been in the field to-day. Now the President's Proclamation finds
them removed within interior Rebel lines, and to furnish them arms, will
first cost severe contests with the Rebels themselves."

The toil of the day and the drowsiness caused by huge meals, gradually
dispersed the crowd; but the discussion was continued in quarters by the
various messes, until their actual time of retiring.

* * * * *

"Inspection! inspection!" said the Adjutant, on the succeeding
afternoon, to the Lieutenant-Colonel for the time being in command of
the Regiment, handing him, at the same time, an order for immediate
inspection. "Six inspections in two weeks before marching," continued
the Adjutant, "and another after