Are we

with sword and balance to condemn and to execute, but waits in vain. How can these things be? Is the finger of our fate receding on the dial? insensibly creeping back, here to the reign of savage violence, there to that of barbaric splendor? We may well exclaim: "Forbid it, Heaven!"

The true glory of our country is not seen in our wealthy men and women who patrol the capitals of Europe, craving the notice and applause of a society very different from our own. Their way may be traced by the gold that they spill, but these traces will vanish like the crumbs scattered by one in a fairytale, to mark his path, and at once devoured by the birds of the forest. Even the monumental splendor of their edifices shall pass away:

"And, like the baseless fabric of a vision,

Leave not a rack behind."

Our true glory is in the brave words which in our midst have been spoken for human right and freedom, and in the brave deeds which have responded to them. The Mother of the Gracchi when asked to show her jewels, pointed to her sons and said: "These are my jewels." So may America point to her true children who have done her work, and borne, with her burdens, a great part of the obligations of civilized humanity.

Eschylus represents the children of Agamemnon as standing beside his tomb, and invoking his aid in the vindication of his memory. Even thus, beside the records of these fathers of our Commonwealth, we may appeal for present help to their immortal spirits, the essence of which still lives and glows in their undying words.

What a creature is man that he can so project his living thought into ages which have never seen his face nor heard his voice! Not vainly is this power granted him. Roman Horace could say: "Non omnis moriar." "I shall not wholly perish." And you, noble guardians of the people's conscience, you who so often lifted up your voice in the face of danger and rude defiance, you are not dead. Your spirits abide with us in the words which God gave you when and as they were needed. Emerson has said:

"One accent of the Holy Ghost

The heedless world has never lost."

And we, your children, heedless and unthinking as we may be, will not suffer your great promise to remain unfulfilled. We will vindicate your honor with our own.

JULIA WARD HOWE.