exacts obedience to the laws, and restrains all unauthorised invasions of the rights of neighbouring States, it should foster and protect home industry, and lend its powerful strength to the improvement of such means of intercommunication as are necessary to promote our internal commerce, and strengthen the ties which bind us together as a people.

The Rights of Others." It is not strange, however much it may be regretted, that such an exuberance of enterprise should cause some individuals to mistake change for progress, and the invasion of the rights of others for national progress and glory. The former are constantly agitating for some change in the organic law, or urging new and untried theories of human rights. The latter are ever ready to engage in any wild crusade against a neighbouring people, regardless of the justice of the enterprise, and without looking at the fatal consequences to ourselves and to the cause of popular govern

ment.

"Such expeditions, however, are often stimulated by mercenary individuals, who expect to share the plunder or profit of the enterprise without exposing themselves to danger, and are led on by some irresponsible foreigner, who abuses the hospitality of our own Government by seducing the young and ignorant to join in his scheme of personal ambition or revenge, under the false and delusive pretence of extending the area of freedom. These reprehensive aggressions but retard the true progress of our. nation, and tarnish its fair fame. They should, therefore, receive the indignant frowns of every good citizen who sincerely loves his

country, and takes a pride in its prosperity and honour.

Conclusion." Our Constitution, though not perfect, is doubtless the best that ever was formed. Therefore, let every proposition to change it be well weighed, and, if found beneficial, cautiously adopted. Every patriot will rejoice to see its authority so exerted as to advance the prosperity and honour of the nation, whilst he will watch with jealousy any attempt to mutilate this charter of our liberties, or pervert its powers to acts of aggression or injustice. Thus shall conservatism and progress blend their harmonious action in preserving the form and spirit of the Constitution, and at the same time carry forward the great improvements of the country with a rapidity and energy which freemen only can display.

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In closing this, my last annual communication, permit me, fellowcitizens, to congratulate you on the prosperous condition of our beloved country. Abroad, its relations with all foreign powers are friendly; its rights are respected, and its high place in the family of nations cheerfully recognised. At home, we enjoy an amount of happiness, public and private, which has probably never fallen to the lot of any other people. Besides affording to our own citizens a degree of prosperity, of which, on so large a scale, I know of no other instance, our country is annually affording a refuge and a home to multitudes, altogether without example, from the Old World.

"We owe these blessings, under heaven, to the happy Constitution and Government which were bequeathed to us by our fathers, and which it is our sacred duty to

Besides the books, a number of valuable paintings, hanging around the library walls and between the alcoves, were destroyed. Among them were Stuart's paintings of the first five Presidents; an original portrait of Columbus; a second portrait of Columbus; an original portrait of Peyton Randolph; a portrait of Bolivar; a portrait of Baron Steuben, by Pyne; one of Baron de Kalb; one of Cortez; and one of Judge Hanson of Maryland. Between 1100 and 1200 bronze medals of the Vattemare exchange, some of them more than ten centuries old, and exceedingly perfect, were among the valuables destroyed. Of the statuary burnt and rendered worthless, was a statue of Jefferson; an Apollo in bronze, by Mills; a very superior bronze likeness of Washington a bust of General Taylor, by an Italian artist; and a bust of Lafayette, by David. The most precious of the manuscripts, the original Declaration of Independ

pleasure, attracted by the music, kept pace with them; but happening to step somewhat within the line of march, in the interval between the band and the regiment, he was instantly struck by an Austrian officer with the flat of his sword. Mr. Mather turned round to remonstrate, and raised his arm to ward off another blow, when he was savagely cut down by a second officer, receiving a severe cut on the head. The wounded man was. conveyed to the hospital of Santa Maria Nuova, where he lay some time in a dangerous condition. Reparation for the insult, and compensation for the injury, was demanded by the British Government from that of Tuscany, and long negotiation took place. The Grand-Duke alleged, that as the outrage was committed by an Austrian officer, he could not be considered answerable for it; and in truth, the unlucky sovereign and his subjects are held in stern subjection by the Austrians. The

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that while the Duke called himself an independent sovereign, he was answerable; but that the Austrian Government was not less answerable for the military outrage. For the Austrian officer it was tendered in apology, that he thought Mr. Erskine was about to cross between the regiment and the band, which would be such a military offence as rendered it indispensable, on pain of loss of his commission, that the officer should cut down the offender. The negotiations were long, complicated, and difficult, and can be understood only by referring to the "blue books" of the correspondence laid before Parliament, and to the debates thereon; but the affair ended in an apology from