It is a law of nature, that each mass of matter, contains the materials to effect its own destruction. The destructive material once put in motion, the work of dissolution is done. Let editors lay this to heart, and, if they love our country, and its free institutions as they should, they will banish all venality from the press, and send forth a pure stream of light; the rays of burning truth, that will purify our political and moral atmosphere, and make our nation healthful, vigorous, and strong.

The silken cords of our Union have several times been strained to their utmost tension. We have an accumulating mass of combustible, destructive materials in our midst. Our bond of union has been put at issue by demagogues-the virtue and intelligence of the people at large, can alone preserve it. A little more steam upon the locomotive of DIVISION-a little more fuel from the north, and fire from the south; may burst the boiler, and destroy the beautiful engine of our LIBERTY which, if preserved, will yet give FREEDOM to the nations of the old world. Editors, more than any other class, can insure the perpetuity of our UNION.

How important, then, that the Press shall be preserved pure and undefiled, and send forth no bitter waters, no fire brands, no error. Let every sheet, issued from the Press, be a bright and shining light, to guide us in the path of wisdom and virtue, which is the only path of safety. Let editors soar above all selfish, personal, and demagogue influences. Let them be men of reflecting and analyzing minds; expansive and liberal views; pure and lofty principles; men of general intelligence; students of human nature; philosophers of mind; cool, deliberate; firm in purpose,

decisive in action; free as mountain air; wise as a serpent, but without venom; harmless as a dove, but noble, soaring, and piercing as the eagle; discreet and disinterested as was the astute Franklin; patriotic and devoted to the glory of our country, as was the immortal Washington.

Let them feel, with mountain weight, that upon them, more than upon any other class of men, rests the high responsibility of maturing the political and moral character of the rising generation; of imparting a sound and healthy tone to society; of promoting the good and prosperity of our beloved country; of consolidating, more firmly, our free institutions; of preserving the perpetuity of our Union; and of directing the final destiny of our nation. More than all, let them be men of high moral feeling; of pure integrity; the champions of virtue and innocence; a terror to evil doers, and the advocates of those who do well. We may then hope on, and hope ever.

With such an editorial corps, shedding a benign influence on the minds of the increasing millions of this land of democracy, our country would continue to rise, in majesty sublime; and, as it towered upward, would set the eastern continent in a blaze, by the lightning flashes of LIBERTY; illuminate, and set on fire, the souls of the multitudes of slaves in that land of despots, deeply galled with chains; who would burst upon their oppressors, like a long suppressed volcano; rise from their degradation, like the lion from his lair; demolish the thrones of monarchs; sing the requiem of tyrants, and assume their native dignity.

Then, universal FREEDOM would become the crowning glory of man; the banner of LIBERTY would wave,

in triumphant grandeur over the nations of the wide world; angels would carry the glad news to high Heaven; every patriot would shout a loud-AMEN!!!

PROCRASTINATION.

Your gift is princely, but it comes too late,

And falls like sunbeams on a blasted blossom.—Suckling.

PROCRASTINATION has been appropriately surnamed THE THIEF OF TIME, and a bold thief it is, and what is worse, goes unwhipped of justice. It is often the parent of confusion-sometimes of poverty. Some persons appear to have been born half an hour too late, and chase that half hour through life, and are finally distanced in the race; for, by procrastinating. they are always behind hand in every thing, unless it shall be in the pursuit of vice, which is very apt to produce a little too much punctuality. An old Saxon adage reads thus, Never put off till to-morrow, what may be done to-day. The Spaniards have one that reads as follows, Never do to-day, what can be put off till to

morrow.

The present condition of the two nations, is a striking commentary upon the text; the natural result of the policy of each proverb. Another adage may be cited, worthy of note, Punctuality is the life of business. Some mechanics, excellent workmen and kind-hearted men, lose all their custom, for want of punctuality. Some farmers make double work for themselves, and perhaps sustain essential damage, by not doing work in time. Some let their accounts run, until they are drawn into the awful vortex of the law. Some lose

debts, by procrastinating them into the Statute of Limitations, which was made as a check on this widespread evil. Borrowers are great procrastinators.

Most men postpone making their wills until on a sick bed, and often then, until too weak to make them clearly, and the lawyers take more of the estate than the heirs. Some persons from penuriousness, others from dread of medicine, postpone sending for a physician quite too long others send on very trivial occasions. The latter practice is the most safe, although sometimes a theme of ridicule.

Some delay vaccination; the smallpox comes-it is then too late the victim dies. Some ministers delay preparing their sermons until Saturday-and others do not prepare them at all. Without unusually strong natural powers, a thorough knowledge of the Bible, and the most fervent zeal and piety, they are not prepared to feed their flock. Others are sadly prone to keep the congregation waiting—arriving half an hour too late. The impatience of the hearers has soured their minds, and they are measurably unprepared to receive the word in the love of it. Punctuality in religion, is of vast importance.

The most fatal procrastination is exhibited by those who delay a preparation for death. They know not how soon it may come-and if unprepared when it arrives, their dismal fate is irrevocably fixed. Reader, lay this to heart—prepare to meet thy God.

PROMISES.

CUSTOM and fashion have combined to legalize promise breaking. Some men, like bad boys, promise, to avoid, and pass over an unpleasant emergency, without an intention of performing; nay more, they often make promises they know they cannot perform. This is double lying-they make a false promise, and deceive the person to whom the promise is made, unless they have established a general reputation, and, by the laws of custom and fashion, are licensed liars; in that case they would forfeit their standing by performing their promises, and be subject to censure by this very large fraternity.

It would save much trouble and disappointment, if this numerous class would petition Congress, and obtain the passage of a law, as general, and more permanent than was the Bankrupt law, to have all notes they shall hereafter be called on to sign, to commence thus, I promise never to pay-then, if conscience should prompt them to pay, the disappointment to the creditors would not be so disastrous, as under the present improper, fictitious, and delusive phraseology. The debtor could justify his course in paying, from the example of the two spoken of in the New Testament-one promised to do, but did not, and was condemned; the other refused to do, but went straightway and performed his duty, and was approved.

A train of disastrous consequences has often rushed upon a community, like cars let loose down an inclined plane, by one man failing to perform his promise. Misfortune is sometimes the justifiable cause, but I speak Q