unheeded; for the moral power of this whole nation would have been concentrated for their arrest, trial, and punishment. Had he died without murderous weapons in his hands-without being stained himself with the blood of a fellow-being; he might, as has already been observed, been a martyr, instead of a victim of his own infatuation.

We have already remarked, that slavery is an evil; that it is injuri ous to the master and to the slave; and have endeavored to illustrate this position by examples. To illustrate it still farther, compare the States of New-York and Virginia during the revolutionary war; the lat ter was of much more importance than the former. Its wealth, its popu lation, and its resources, were decisively superior. Their relative situation has since been changed. Compare any of the northern with any of the southern States in the Union, and the result is nearly the same. Massachusetts, in natural resources is inferior to South Carolina. Industry, however, and the character of its population, have rendered Massachusetts, at present, her superior.* Had the African never seen the latter, Charleston, in South Carolina, at this moment would have been equal to Boston-a hundred thousand industrious people would, in all probability, ere this have made it their home. Cincinnati, in Ohio, contains more than sixty thousand inhabitants, and has grown up to its present size since the recollection of many now living. Chicago is equal to Richmond, in Virginia; the former has advanced in ten years more than the latter in two centuries. And there are persons now living, who will see more people in Chicago, than in any city in any slave-holding State in the Union, except St. Louis and New-Orleans; both of which are to derive their future consequence, from the labor and efforts of freemen, rather than of slaves.

Of the enormity of the slave-trade, we have foreborne to speak. It is unnecessary. Of the cruelties practiced, in many instances, upon the slaves, we have foreborne also to speak for the same cause. That there are petty tyrants and despots in America, and elsewhere, who hold their fellow-men in bondage because they love slavery, and its wages, and who would fain perpetuate it to the latest generation, is not denied. These would not liberate their slaves, if every door was open for them to do so; and that there are those among them who would withhold education and the gospel from the helpless victims of their tyranny, even if there were no restraints imposed, either by law or necessity, is perhaps equally certain. Still, the greater part of the slaves at the south, we have no doubt, are treated with kindness and humanity, and their situation altogether preferable to that of free negroes at the north. It is for the interest of the master to treat them kindly; and however corrupt and degraded our nature may be, mankind have not fallen so low, as to inflict unnecessary cruelties without end or aim.

* In Massachusetts, more than one-half of its whole population, men, women and children, are producers; that is, each of them earns something more than his own support. In South Carolina, probably not a fifth.

The difficulty in emancipating so many slaves at once, is far greater than many at first suppose. And although advice from the north may be exceedingly useful, we have no doubt, that in order to be effectual, it must be given in a different manner.

Junius says, he never wrote but one letter to the king, and that met with such cool reception he never should repeat it.*

That slavery will, at some time or other, be abolished in this country, we believe. But how, or when, as John Quincy Adams once said, exceeds our comprehension. The abolitionists have shed no light as yet upon the subject. Slaves, however, as well as their masters and all the rest of us, are in the hands of a merciful God. We leave them there. We have perfect confidence in his equity, his wisdom, and his judgment; and believe that the Lord of the whole earth will do right.

Whether the efforts of ultra-abolitionists will increase, or mitigate the horrors of slavery, can be known only to God. Were we, however, at the north, to pluck the beam out of our own eyes, we should undoubtedly see more clearly, and know better how to pluck the mote out of our neighbor's. The experiment, at all events, is worthy of a trial.

Notwithstanding the exertions of many ultra reformers-and that we have had many such of late, all admit-the world is now, and we fear it will remain for many years, much as it was when Charles James Fox, the celebrated English orator and statesman, in his melancholy mood, said:

""T is a very good world that we live in,

To lend, or to spend, or to give in

But to beg, or to borrow, or get a man's own-
'Tis the very worst world that ever was known."

We intended, at first, to have spoken of the legislation of this State more at length, and of its judiciary, and to have suggested our views upon each. We find, however, the subject is 'oo vast and too complicated, for our means and opportunities. Should this, our first effort, meet with approbation, and a second edition be called for, we will endeavor to do justice to them both.

For the present, we must pass them over, and call the attention of our eaders to the last, and the most important of all political subjects, which at present interest the patriot and the statesman-to wit: debt, taxation, and finance.

The printer of Junius's letter, it will be recollected, was convicted, fined, and impris oned for a libel.

NOTE I.

Since writing the above, a little pamphlet has been put into the hands of the author, entitled " A Review of Jubilee College," from which the following facts are taken. We give them publicity with great pleasure, not only as an act of justice to "the good old man," who has carried the above institution " in his arms" for several years, but in hopes

that our commendation, humble as it is, may do him some service in this great and important undertaking.

Bishop Chase does not appear, at this time, before the public as a "novus hospes,” (a new guest.) His name has long been familiar to the American people, as the founder of Kenyon college, in Ohio.

Immediately after his appointment to the episcopate of Illinois, he began to solicit aid, in order to establish a college in Peoria county. This object he has since pursued " with a steadfastness of purpose, which has commanded the admiration and confidence of all." Previous to 1839, he commenced a small building for the aforesaid purpose. The want of means, however, prevented its further progress. He thereupon resolved to make one further effort, and with an energy of purpose, scarcely inferior to that of Commodore Perry when he left the Lawrence, in order to bring the residue of his fleet into action, he embarked once more in pursuit of funds.

It is impossible to do justice to "the good old man," without adopting his own words. "By this time," (the fall of 1839,) says he, "I had exhausted all my private funds in travelling, and found myself unable to go on in public improvements; the year was far spent, the winter approaching, and no prospect of finishing the chapel, or of making further advances in the spring.

To a family who had pledged their all, in leaving Michigan, and coming to Illinois, to build another college, and therefore had sacrificed more than half, the gloomy prospect before them was most distressing. No earthly hope remained; and if despair did not take complete possession of their hearts, it was because of the renewed splendor of that bright star of promise which hitherto had never forsaken them-Jehovah Jireh-God will provide.

To accomplish this, neither age nor infirmity seemed to stand in the way. My family agreed to this measure, though in tears, that I should leave them again, and undertake, alone, a journey in a very inclement season of the year; a journey suited only to health and vigor."

The "good old man," having thus resolved, started in the latter part of November. "The Illinois river was closed with ice, and the only way was to go by land to Alton. On my journey thither," continues the bishop, " I stopped at Springfield, where I unexpect edly received, through the Reverend Mr. Dresser, a present from a lady in Pittsburgh, Virginia, of fifty dollars for my own private use. At this crisis, this seemed indeed a God-send, for it enabled me to send home from Alton and St. Louis, some necessaries for my family." Having reached Natchez, which is about one thousand miles from St. Louis, he was landed, in a dark night, on a muddy shore; his baggage was taken by some strange porter, followed by himself-climbing a steep hill, some two hundred feet in height, sometimes falling in the muddy, slippery path. Here he was joyfully met by several persons he had educated some five-and-thirty years before, in New-Orleans, and commenced "the good work." From thence he proceeded to New-Orleans. Here," continues the bishop, "some of the pupils he once taught in that city, when it contained little more than twelve thousand inhabitants, had proved ornaments to society, and their grand-children were brought upon his knees for a blessing."

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From thence he proceeded in a vessel, too low to allow him to stand upright in the cabin, and too much encumbered to walk on deck, to Charleston, South Carolina. He arrived there in ten days, and was received with great kindness. He afterward visited Sa. vannah and Augusta, in Georgia, which were "conspicuous in beneficence;" and several gentlemen planters, who "conferred their rich bounties in aid of Jubilee college." He visited, also, Wilmington, in North Carolina, Norfolk and Petersburgh, in Virginia, and a little town in the latter State which we omit, where "God opened the hearts of many to believe, and remember, what their elders seemed to forget,' that it was more blessed to give than to receive.'" He preached also before" the chief men of the nation, at Washington;" and, although neglected by them, "God opened the minds of men in Washington and Bladensburgh, to do him true and laudable service." We have neither time nor space to

trace the wanderings of " the good old bishop," through Baltimore, Philadelphia, New. York, and New-England, nor is it necessary; "as the Angel of the Lord records their story," to use the bishop's own language, "in the book of eternal remembrance." Besides, it would be like giving an account at full length of the voyages of St. Paul, or of Eneas, or the details, in full, of Tecumseh's mission to the Creeks and the Seminoles. We cannot, however, in justice to all parties concerned, omit the "splendid donation of an organ for Jubilee college," by Mr. Erben, of the city of New-York; "so gratifying to all who shall hereafter worship at Jubilee chapel." Returning from the east through Detroit and Chicago, rich in money and lands, the good old bishop had another difficulty to contend with. The institution he was about to erect was to be "founded in Christianity, and to be enfeoffed in the church." The Legislature of Illinois, in the several charters of Illinois college, Alton college, Jonesborough college, M'Donough college, and others, had shown themselves not only guiltless of protecting any religious institutions, as such, but (except in the case of the Mormons,) had shown themselves innocent even of toleration. The fourth section of the act to incorporate M'Donough college, having provided," that nothing therein contained should authorize the establishment of a theological department in said college."

The bishop, therefore, instead of applying to the Legislature for a charter, executed a deed of trust, in which," By these presents, he dedicated all the funds, and the avails of the funds, collected by him; all the lands, and the avails of the lands purchased by him, or given to him in trust; all the apparatus, and communion plate; all the maps, and charts, and books, in anywise, or by anybody, intrusted to him, for the sole use and be. hoof of the said college for ever."

Three thousand nine hundred and ten acres of land have been thus donated to, or purchased by the bishop, and are now held under the aforesaid deed of trust. They are of considerable value at the present time, and their value is rapidly increasing. Five hundred acres are well fenced, and one hundred and fifty are under cultivation. Upon these premises he has erected, with the donations already received, (amounting altogether to thirty-seven thousand five hundred and thirty dollars,) a chapel, and school-house, of stone, seventy by thirty feet, entirely completed. A college-hall, of wood, forty-eight by thirty-two feet, two stories high. Jubilee chapel, the main building of which is three stories high, and built of brick. Its wings are of wood, forty by thirty feet, (this is now occupied as a young ladies' seminary,) a small professor's house, thirty by eighteen feet; a small brick dwelling for students in divinity; a ware-house, twenty-eight by sixteen feet, two stories high; a saw-mill, which cost originally sixteen hundred dollars, on which eight hundred have since been expended; one barn of thirty-six by twenty-four feet, and another of twentyfour by twenty feet. There are also upon the farm four horses, eight cows, and six hundred and fifty sheep-the labor and profits of which enure to the sole benefit of the college.

The college site is unsurpassed, both for beauty and salubrity, agreeably diversified, and well supplied with the purest of water. There are also inexhaustible beds of bituminous coal, about one-fourth of a mile distant, from which the college is supplied with fuel. Such was, and such now is, Jubilee college. We can truly say, in the language of the New-York Review, (number sixteen.) "One wise and good old man, at least, we have among us, of whom future times will talk, when the land endowments of Jubilee college, now looked down upon with scorn, will be looked up to with respect and admiration."

CHAPTER XXV.

State Debt thirteen millions of dollars-Public debts of modern invention-Their originOur debt and others contrasted-Our revenue and expenditure-The latter always exceeding the former-Auditor's report-Acres of land taxable-Appraized value of the State-Repudiation-Governor Ford's opinion thereon-Resolution of the Legislature-Population and resources of the State-McAlister and Stebbins's demandImpossible at present to pay the interest due upon our debts-Future resources of Illinois-Debt of Great Britain-Its interest reduced--Completion of the Canal will extinguish five millions of her Debt-The sale of Public property a considerable portion of the balance-The residue will be paid, and the character of the State redeemed.

DEBT, taxation, and finance, are at all times subjects of importance, and in our present condition, peculiarly so.

When the sun shines mildly upon us, and gentle zephyrs breathe around, the difficulty in keeping an onward course is seldom felt; but when bleak clouds involve the sky in darkness, when the tempests rage, and the lightnings gleam, and the thunders roll, and the waves break over us; the skill of the pilot, the efforts of all the crew, and sometimes even of the passengers, are required to conduct the vessel in safety to its destined port.

"When smooth, old Ocean, and each storm's asleep,
Then ignorance may plough the watery deep;
But when the demon of the tempest raves,

Skill must conduct the vessel through the waves."

We have already shown that our canal debt is about
Our internal improvement debt, about
We owe, also, for the State House,

$5,000,000

6,000,000 121,000

We are indebted to the school, college, and seminary funds, for moneys borrowed to pay our current expenses,

We are indebted to the United States for moneys depos ited with us, under the distribution law of Congress, And we are also indebted to Messrs. McAllister & Stebbins, of New-York, for moneys advanced by them, to pay interest on our State bonds,

Making altogether,

808,085 37

477,919 14

261,500

$12,668,504 53